My Critical Friends Response to My AR Project

Feedback of AR Website:

Subject: Re: Presentation Feedback
Sent By: Jessica Cruz On: December 1, 2010 11:48 PM
To: Sonya Davis-Russell


Feedback of AR Website:

You had a very interesting topic for your action research project. Initially I thought all our AR projects had to deal with use of technology and Web 2.0 applications. However, your AR allowed for opportunities where technology was used as a data collecting source. In addition, the site is organized in a very clear fashion. There is a good amount of video footage documenting the process and documenting target feedback. These videos are an additional source of data collection and they provide relevant details of the participants that speak to the purpose of the action research. A very interesting use of technology was in the data diaries. This was a very informative tool for viewers of your Website.

I have a question regarding your cycle III - when do you intend on launching that and how will it be different from Cycle I or Cycle II?

Another question, how would you consider integrating technology as a tool for your participants to use during cycle 3? Or would you? If not what is your rationale for this?

Lastly, just make sure before presentation day you have your summary completed. It is currently missing.

Let me know if there is any additional feedback or support you would like from me.

Best,

Jessica Cruz

Wk 4 Publishing Leadership Project Part 2 of 2

I have decided to publish my AR project with the Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH). JEMH is designed to provide a multi-disciplinary forum to present and discuss research, development and applications of multimedia and hypermedia in education. The main goal of the Journal is to contribute to the advancement of the theory and practice of learning and teaching using powerful and promising technological tools that allow the integration of images, sound, text, and data.

Photo compliments from the JEMH website is used only for educational purposes.

Wk4 Publishing Leadership project part 1 of 2: Intro Paragraph

I am researching two sites to publish my Action Review; the first site with the Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH) and second site is the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE). I fell in love with both sites after looking at a few of the other ones. I feel that since I have had exposure to how creditable peer reviewed articles are, I would love to have my Literature Review hosted on either site. JEMH is designed to provide a multi-disciplinary forum to present and discuss research, development and applications of multimedia and hypermedia in education. The main goal of the Journal is to contribute to the advancement of the theory and practice of learning and teaching using powerful and promising technological tools that allow the integration of images, sound, text, and data.

JTATE serves as a forum for the exchange of knowledge about the use of information technology in teacher education. Journal content covers preservice and inservice teacher education, graduate programs in areas such as curriculum and instruction, educational administration, staff development instructional technology, and educational computing. JTATE is the official journal of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE).


PUBLISHING LEADERSHIP ARTICLE

Photos are compliments of the JEMH and JTATE websites and are used only for educational purposes.

Wk4 Free Post

I was wondering why people care so much about blogging and I don't. I just don't find it interesting enough with the amount of time it takes up out of my time to read other people's thoughts or comments. Personally, I haven't find a blog yet that has given me that "oh my God, this is the blog I've been searching for" feeling. I rather spend that time reading a great self help book or watching a gospel play than sitting in front of a computer blogging about my experiences or reading about someone else. I'm a people's person. I prefer to talk directly to a human and have instant gratification. The Bible tells us that the eyes are the windows to the soul. I truly believe that. When you look in the eyes of someone while conversing with them, a lot of the time you can tell if they are being truthful, genuine or just pulling your leg. It's really hard to judge that from a blog post. I am not knocking blogging. I simply don't find it interesting enough for me to sit down and do it faithfully or religiously every day. Maybe someday I'll get to that point but today is not that day. Happy blogging to all those who find it fascinating and for those of you like me who find it asinine, keep living the life that makes you happy; bloggers do!

Wk4 Reading: Art of Possibility, Chapters 10-12

Wk4 Wimba

I was able to attend the Wimba but didn't have time to present. I am meeting with a couple of classmates to share, give and get critique on the AR site. As soon as I get critiques from them, I will update this post.

Peer Reply

@ Jennifer Scioscio,

Wow, I know just how you feel about your school closing. When I was over seas in England, I taught in a Elementary school and the base closed down. I really liked it there. I’m sorry to hear that your school is closing. I know that you will take with you a wealth of expertise to your new school and your new principal and staff will wonder how they got along without you. Good luck at the new school.

Wk4-2 DB Quickies: my dream teaching/presentation environment

Topic #2: What stands in between you and your dream job? Why do you deserve to work in a dream job environment? What do you bring to the table? Be specific.

The only problem I see that stands in the way of my dream job is that position is called a Technology Coach and just this past school year, half way through my EMDT program, my district down sized those positions. Most of the people with those jobs either had to go back into the classroom and still be Technology Coach or they had to find another job out side the district.

I feel that if I put in the time and effort in attaining a Master’s degree in EMDT to be called Highly Qualified in my district then I deserve the a shot at the position. After all, it’s the main reason I came back to school because it was the dream job I wanted. I learned more about incorporating media into lessons to increase student engagement. I had plans of sharing that with my students but also with other teachers throughout my district. I feel that learning new Web 2.0 tools that are proven student stimuli is what I can bring to the table. I have seen my students in my own classes participate more in learning when I have introduced Web 2.0 tools to them from the EMDT program that I was exposed to.

Photo is of two of my students giving a PowerPoint presentation on their internship experience.

Peer Reply

@ Treye Powell,

What a fantastic community project! I’ve often thought about speaking with our Sr. Citizen facilities manager in my area to offer basic computer courses to our Srs. You are very accurate when you say that many students don’t have access to PC’s or internet in the home. I run across that daily in my classroom. I hope your dream come to fruition. Good luck.

Wk4-1 DB Quickies: my dream teaching/presentation environment

Briefly share what your dream teaching or presentation environment would be like, be specific about what such a place would include (beyond just the tech toys).

My dream teaching environment would be to train teachers how to incorporate multimedia venues into their lessons. I picture a computer lab full of 20 Macs, a Smartboard, and twenty veteran teachers who are resistant to technology change. Patience has always been one of my strengths and I can see me being so patient with them allowing them their time to vent about why they shouldn’t have to complete the training and then forging forward training them how to use the technology. I like a challenge because I get bored really easily. Therefore, I need a constant change and challenge to keep my job interesting. What better way to maintain a challenge high than to train an old dog new tricks (figuratively speaking)!

Wk 3 Free Post

Today, I feel like I have made great strides in getting back on track with my AR project. I've been so frustrated with my AR Lit Review. I have had to submit it six times. The first 4 times were lack of supporting resources, the fifth time was resource citing issues and the sixth time was too much supporting resources. Thank God it's approved! I was about to through my laptop out the window.

Aside from that, I have decided that I really want to travel as a career and film documentaries opposed to sitting in the classroom. Using my EMDT degree, I'm better equipped now to go out and complete educational family documentaries through travel. That is my next big step. So GOD, please grant me the strength to keep my eyes on YOU when all doors appear closed to my dreams. I know YOU are the supplier of my heart's desire and not man. WATCH OUT WORLD, HERE I COME!

Wk3 Reading: Art of Possibility, Chapters 7- 9

After reading/skimming chapters 7-9 a couple items stood out for me; the first being "nature makes no judgement but humans do (pg. 105) and this reminds me of my father's saying that "there are no bad children, just bad parenting." People have a tendency to look at situations and call them bad. In biblical times, Jewish men could have more than one wife. Today, we look at that and say that's bigotry. If God was okay with it (if you believe in God), then why does man (humans) have to make things so complicated. Nature has a way of fixing itself without human input. We tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Another eye catcher was the story of Beyond the F--- It. Life has a way of pushing you to your limits or what you might have thought was your limits. It's great to go beyond your breaking point sometimes. It teaches you that you are stronger, more capable of success than what you previously thought.

Zander, R.S. and Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Peer Reply

@ Tracy Alt,

Loved the DragonflyTV podcasts from PBS kids. It’s always great to find Web2.0 tools for the younger bunch. Keep up the great work.

Wk3 Discussion Deeper: Video Use in Education

List four or more video podcasts, list video sources (pages) and videos URLs that you believe can either help you or help your students. These video podcasts, video sources and streaming video should be directly connected to subject matter that you work on or an educational area of interest.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/series/techweekly
This is a great website that offers numerous podcasts on technology issues. The best part of this site is that it is actually a technology news site that turns their articles into podcasts. If you are too busy to read, just download them to your ipod and listen.


http://www.techpodcasts.com/
Here is another great tech podcast site. It talks about problems with technology like the iphone and other products. They give really great advice on how to purchase technology.

http://www.podbean.com
I love this site because it teaches students, educators, and the normal Joe how to create any type of podcast. It hosts them for the user for free or you can pay $4.95 per month to get the premium package. This sites helps beginners to become comfortable with podcast creation.


http://www.pcworld.com/video.html
This is a really cool site. It has video podcasts on it. I watched a video podcast about the bendable Oled screens by Samsung. This site talks about any type of world news about technology.

Peer Reply

@ Sanaa Okacha,

You are so right about colleagues having a hard time with basic computer operations. I teach computer courses at my school and I run into that a lot. As for the grading system, I feel that if nothing else, teachers should embrace it because it empowers the students and the parents when they have instant access to grades online. They can react quickly to correct any grades that are not satisfactory after the teacher has put them.

Wk3-2 DB Quickies: Difficulties starting new programs/breaking the norm

Topic #2: Why do you think educators are so resistant to change, especially when it comes to technology? How do other institutions, such as business, deal with technological change?

I believe educators become so resistant to change is because they don’t want to have to learn yet another program just to have it put by the waist side of all the previous ones implemented by the district. Many times we are asked to use a program in our curriculum and then before it has really been given a fair chance to see if it works or has made a different in the lives of the students and or educators, the district comes in and either scrap it or add yet another component.

Another reason I believe teachers have a hard time with change is simply because it takes them out of their comfort zone. Instead of feeling empowered, they feel like the student who doesn’t understand the concept and is destine for failure. It’s more of not being in control of what you know or have learned in the past to help insure success with the new program. Learning a new technology program is always scary even for us techies.

Concerning businesses implementation of new technology, they just do it. If your not on board with the new changes and programs within the organization, then begin to update your resume.

Peer Reply

November 21, 2010 at 3:33 pm
@ Shannon Gillett,

What a great idea to have students peer teach. I am so glad that your students didn’t fail you and rose to the occasion. All they crave is to be heard, encouraged, and pushed a little and you gave them all the tools to be a success for that project. However, we all have to deal with those veteran teachers who don’t want to welcome the new era of change. Hang in there. I have been in education more than 12 years now and the one thing I pray for as long as I stay in education is for God never allow me the strength to block change and growth.

Wk3-1 DB Quickies: Difficulties starting new programs/breaking the norm

Briefly share any experiences you’ve had when you’ve had a part in introducing a new program or a new way to do things at your job site. Please share any triumphs or frustrations you’ve had trying to improve the system or when you’ve pioneered or piloted some outside the norm.

I was once commissioned to research secondary academies and their internship programs, create an internship program at my school and both run and implement it. It was a great process, implementation went smoother than I had anticipated and I learned a lot. The problem came when I began pitching my research and the benefits it would have for the students in my academy, I ran into opposition with a teacher who was in charge of our DCT program which is the vocational co-op program that students can participate in their Sr. year. In this program, students could leave school early to go to their jobs and receive course credit for working on the job. The teacher felt that it would over shadow her program and thus created minimum sabotage to keep my program from succeeding. When she found out that it would be in addition to her program and not to replace her program, she reluctantly had to accept that it would be a part of our curriculum.

Wk2 Free Blog

This week's free blog is about how tired I am due to working a full time job, staying twice a week after school to tutor students, and work on Saturdays for our Saturday School to help students pass the FCAT! On top of all of that, I have a husband and three children who demand my time the minute I walk through the door. Lastly, let's not forget that I am in month 11 at Full Sail University working on my Master's in Education Media Design and Technology. My AR website is due tonight and I still have so much work to get done on it. I sometimes wonder why all of a sudden it life seems so stressful when just a few short months ago life seemed so easy, too easy to be exact. Anyway, I'm suffering from a lack of sleep because I got up two hours early to catch my plane to a conference and forgot to set my clocks back and now I have jet lag to add to a lack of sleep. I'm going to pass out if I don't get this done soon.