Digital Learning

  In my practicum, I have stepped out of my comfort zone to start learning more about integrating STEM into the classrooms. I have attended professional development on STEM integration. In addition, my district recently received a STEM mobile library for teachers to use in the classroom. I wanted to be able to assist teachers with the materials.  The STEM materials can transfer a classroom into a student-centered classroom. The STEM materials can also provide learning experiences for the teachers and students where they use critical thinking skills and collaboration to solve the problems.  All of K-1 received iPads for their class. We have been setting up training on incorporating the iPads into your curriculum, not about the apps. The teachers worked in groups to develop lessons with the iPads. One of the sessions focused on differentiation and how could the iPad enhance the experiences. The teachers loved it, and when I visited the classroom, you could see that the teac...

 Leadership Style Learning & Developing  I am still building relationships in the different schools since I am new to the district relationships built over time. Once I know my teachers and their strengths, I can build off those strengths (Couros, 2015, pg 148). The teachers need to feel comfortable with the facilitator to push them in the right direction and know their abilities to complete the task. I am still learning to balance trust and giving trust away before it is earned. To have a culture that innovators grow in, we need to realize that we already have everything and just need to use it (Couros, 2015, pg 148).  I have been going to lesson planning and teachers’ classrooms to start working on those relationships. I have been letting teachers explore new ways of using technology tools in the classroom and trusting that they are making the right decision with their students learning.  Weakness One of the things I need to work on is following up after trai...

  Building Relationships When building a relationship with learners, it can be difficult if you don’t approach it the right way that works for you and your learner. Building Relationships is about having trust before you are ready to trust (Cauros, 2015). I have been building relationships by listening to the teacher’s needs and giving them the support they need in the classroom. Then by getting my foot in the door, I can start building the relationship. I can encourage them to step out of their comfort zone by making small changes.  Getting a couple of teachers in your circle of trust and seeing how well you are accomplished will bring teachers on board. When you start to build that relationship with those teachers, I can make my identity known as a technology facilitator. I have begun by small talk with teachers on their needs and what they want to accomplish for the year with technology. In some ways, I have started to empower teachers by encouraging them to take that risk ...

Innovation  What does and doesn’t look like? What should the role of a technology facilitator look like?  Innovation is a buzzword around the education field and is commonly misused. According to Cauros (2015, pg 25), innovation should be the process of reasoning that produces something new and better. Innovation should be easy to succeed at with a couple of minor changes and a culture that should be created to support teachers. Innovation is how teachers are using the technology in their classroom and how the learners are experiencing the learning environment. Innovation is thinking and learning in new ways that can enhance the learning experience. Innovation is not a lot of things and can be a misused term in the education field. Innovation is not the transformation of schools or teachers to completely different ways of thinking. Innovation is not the change of all the technology/ hardware at the school (Cauros, 2015, pg 25). Innovation should not be replacing one thing for ...