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Teaching and Leading Beyond Boundaries
Final Reflection
University of Maryland, University College
MEd in Instructional Technology
Kristen Holliday
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Introduction
My journey throughout the MEd program in Instructional Technology, has helped to shape my beliefs
and the person I am today. Today, I can consider myself a teacher and leader beyond boundaries. The
teaching and learning in my classroom has no limits, and extends beyond the confines of our classroom
walls. Technology and the web have allowed us to access information and to collaborate amongst one
another without traveling to distant places, and taking up an immense amount of time. My time at
UMUC has offered me a wide range of classroom practices, resources, and ideas that I will continue to
use throughout my career. I have a new outlook on technology integration, and realize that technology
can provide a wealth of knowledge, and can also drive our society to become global leaders.
Technology integration in the K-12 classroom has the potential to support student learning, increase
motivation, and connect people worldwide. I am very happy that I chose to get my MEd in
Instructional Technology from UMUC.
Technology Integration in the Classroom
Throughout my experience in the MEd program, I have gotten the opportunity to integrate various
technology resources and programs into my teaching. I have also learned about the positive impacts on
student learning, when integrating technology into the classroom. Studies show that integrating
technology into the face-to-face classroom enhances student learning, and provides a motivational tool
for success. Means, Toyama, and Murphy (2009) noted that when online programs are blended with
face to face learning, student achievement is at its’ highest. Technology can be beneficial when
implementing it properly, and can be used for student and parent communication, initial instruction,
support, extra practice, assessment, grading, promoting global awareness, and much more.
Technology for Student/Parent Communication
Communication between the school and home is very important to the success of each child.
Henderson, Mapp, Johnson, and Davies state that, “Partnerships and student academic achievement are
closely linked. Many years of research show that involving families and the community contributes to
children’s academic and social success.” Technology makes communicating easy and accessible.
Technology allows us to communicate with students, colleagues, parents, and just about anyone who
has access to the web. Communication can come in the form of a phone call, email, Skype session,
wiki, blog, and more! Each month I send newsletters to parents (via email) updating them on what is
going on at school. I also use websites to display student work, to inform students and parents of
school events, to list weekly homework and classroom information, and to allow students to access
activities and games at home so that they can practice concepts outside of school.
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Here are a few examples of websites that I created during my UMUC experience to promote
communication:
- “Parents’ Corner” and “Kids’ Corner” are pages in one of my first websites created with Yola.
These pages give parents and students the necessary information and resources pertaining to school.
- Edtc620 website (created with Dream Weaver)
Wikis, blogs, and Screencasts can also be used to communicate information to and from school. For
example, the vocabulary wiki that I created collaboratively with my group in EDTC615, is a great way
to document vocabulary and concepts taught in class. You can use wikis and blogs for many purposes,
and these resources/teaching tools can be used at home and/or school. Podcasts and teaching videos or
tutorials are also a great way to relay classroom information into the home.
Technology for Instruction, Support, Extra Practice, Assessment, and Global Awareness
Within the past few years, I have increased my use of technology in the classroom, to support
classroom-based learning for my students. I have used various software programs and web 2.0 tools.
The following section describes a few examples that I have created and/or used with my class
throughout my experience in the MEd program:
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
While I have always used Microsoft Word, and Power Point with my class in previous years, this
program has given me the knowledge and skills to create products that best reach my students, and that
adhere to the Typography, Contiguity, Modality, and Coherency Principles (http://www.screencast-omatic.com/watch/cleejAzRe -this is a ScreenCast I created that analyzes various slides obtained from
slideshare.com for these principles). In my classroom, I use Microsoft Word and Power Point for
instruction, and I also have my students use it to demonstrate their understanding of new concepts and
ideas, as well as to produce writing assignments, collaborative assignments, and/or research projects.
The long multiplication example (below) is a “worked example” that I created, using Microsoft Word.
This is great for my students to refer to in class, or at home if they need to for extra support.
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The Science Unit One Power Point was a great instructional tool for my class. Not only was it a great
way to introduce the new unit, but the kids were able to actively participate, and also got a chance to
view an educational video on one of the slides, which further added to their understanding of balance.
This presentation follows the design principles, and seemed to spark an interest in my students for the
upcoming unit!
Virtual Field Trips
Virtual field trips are great because not only are they motivating, interesting, and informative, but they
are available for anyone, anywhere, to use! They provide a great experience for kids; especially kids
who don’t have the means to experience different situations on their own. Through the use of virtual
field trips, students may experience something as simple as a trip to a virtual zoo. Many students have
experienced that, however some who are less fortunate may not have had that same experience.
Web Quests Lesson Plans, and Unit Plans
The Chesapeake Bay science unit (collaborative project from EDTC610) is designed for 4th grade
students in their exploration of the Bay. Through each of the lessons within the unit, students explore
information about the Bay's past, present, and future conditions. Students observe, explore, research,
collaborate, and create, while completing the three lessons and the final presentation. This science unit
requires students to use their higher level thinking skills, as they are asked to complete an array of
tasks, including comparing and analyzing two different “Save the Bay” programs, compiling a list of
helpful hints for relief efforts, identifying cause and effect relationships found within the Chesapeake
Bay watershed and apply the information to an “I Am” poem, create an informative brochure, and
more!
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Animal Facts Hunt – This is a web quest that I designed in EDTC610, and is an activity designed to
get kids researching about animals. After the initial activities and practice, students have the
opportunity to pick an animal of their choice, research it, and record notes about their animal on the
capture sheet. Once students have gathered information, they synthesize the information, and create a
Power Point presentation to display and share their information.
Creating, Interpreting, and Analyzing Data with Graph Club is a peer-reviewed lesson plan that I
created, which uses the software, Graph Club. This is a great way for students to create different types
of graphs on a computer-based software program, as it allows students to see data in different ways,
and is geared towards students with a variety of learning styles.
Blogs and Wikis
My Edtc650 Text Features Unit Plan (on wikispaces) is a weeklong unit about the genre Non-fiction.
Throughout the unit students focus on various elements of non-fiction such as main idea, important vs.
interesting information, text features, parts of a book, and locating information. Students will read
various forms of non-fiction text, while using a variety of technology (see the screen capture shot
below to see a list of technology resources used). Throughout the unit, students post products and
comments into the discussion area, and communicate through the wiki space.
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Blogs and wikis can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used to hold literature circles, author
studies, debates, to showcase ideas and work, collaborate on projects, etc. Wikis and blogs allow users
to collaborate with others around the world. You have the opportunity to work with other schools,
countries, cultures, and students. This is a great way for students to share ideas, opinions, and cultures.
Students have the opportunity to conduct experiments with people all over the globe, and then share
their results through documents, and audio, video, or image files. Please see my presentation on
Integrating Wikis and Blogs to Meaningfully Enhance Learning in the K-12 Curriculum.
Other Web 2.0 Tools
I have learned a lot about the various web 2.0 tools and resources available for people to use. There are
many great Web 2.0 resources that promote creativity, collaboration, and global learning. Many of my
projects from UMUC have web 2.0 tools integrated within them. In addition to using Glogster, Voki,
Screen Cast, and Voice Thread, I have also used and integrated various image convertors (such as
imgur), story creators (such as storybird and little bird tales), and global classroom activities.
What’s in a Story? – This is an online book that I created (using Mix Book) for my class to help
support them in learning about story elements.
EDTC615 Voice Thread – This is a compilation of my EDTC 615 class’ multimedia presentations. We
were able to view our own, as well as our classmates’ projects, and comment/discuss about each one.
This is a great way for students to share projects, ideas, and to collaborate with other students both in
their own class, as well as in other classes across the county, state, country, and world!
Assistive Technologies
There are many different assistive technology devices that can be used to help students with different
needs. At the elementary level, reading and writing AT (assistive technologies) are available to use.
Kurzweil and Bookshare are programs that can read grade-level text to students so that they can access
grade-level curriculum when they are below in their decoding skills. “Clicker 5,” and “Write Out
Loud” are writing programs that read writing back to students, and provide word banks and word
prediction software to help students write. “Kidspiration” and “Inspiration (the older kid’s version)”
also help students with writing activities and help them to demonstrate their learning through use of
this software. All of the programs mentioned above are used with students with varying disabilities
such as different learning disabilities, ADHD, and Autism. While there are many ways to apply and
integrate the different AT software programs into the classroom, all of these programs could be used to
benefit certain students. Not only are these programs available for students with disabilities, but they
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may also be used with other students as well. For example, I like to use Kidspiration when we are
identifying different concepts, such as parts of speech. It is a fun way for students to categorize
different words, pictures, or items. For students who are below grade-level in reading, some of the
read-to software programs would be useful for them so that they can access the grade level curriculum
without becoming frustrated at the reading material. For students who have tactile trouble with writing,
the use of these programs on the computer makes it easier, since they only have to type.
Other Supporting Resources and Software
There are many programs and resources that may be used to support students who may need extra
practice or support. For example, students who are struggling to master their basic facts may use the
FASTT math program. Another way to support students is to provide extra practice for concepts taught
in class. My class likes to practice concepts by playing interactive games and activities on
internet4classrooms. Internet4classrooms is one of many sites that offer activities to reinforce concepts
already taught in class. Another great resource is Tumble Books. Tumble Books offers a variety of
leveled text for students to access online. It has a read-to feature that highlights and reads the text to
students, which helps with decoding and fluency. Tumble Books also offers quizzes, videos, book
reports, and other activities pertaining to each text. For my Capstone Project (click on link) I chose to
use Tumble Books with a group of struggling, below grade level readers in my class. This project was
an intervention program that I implemented with my students, in an attempt to improve their reading
skills.
Technology for Assessment and Data-Driven Instruction
Data is very important, because it is what is used to plan, set goals and interventions, and drive
instruction in the classroom. My school is very much “data driven!” We have to complete monthly
Excel spreadsheets of our students’ current reading levels. We use these to create goals for our
students, and then we re-evaluate the goals at the end of the month. We also analyze this data at our
weekly data chat meetings. We use the data to drive our instruction and to find strategies and resources
that best fit each child’s needs. There are many great technologies that support assessment in the
classroom. For example, my class enjoys using Activotes from ActivInspire, and it allows me to see
what concepts my students are mastering, and which concepts we still need to work on. There are also
many web-based quiz features and projects for students complete. I frequently use rubric creators from
the web to help assess my students’ work.
Capstone Project – This is a great example of how I used data to help drive instruction and support into
my classroom.
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Technology for Promoting Global Perspectives and Awareness
Global awareness is a very important concept for students to learn. Allowing students to communicate
and collaborate with others around the world, will give them a broader perspective, and allow them to
understand and connect with people of other countries, cultures, and regions.
Country Case Study: United Kingdom Interview Report – This collaborative project (EDTC645)
required us to generate questions, and interview educators from another country. My group found out
about the technology use, professional development, and integration in the UK.
My Synthesis Research Report gives an overview of the technology in the UK as compared to the
technology in the US, and focuses on topics such as the digital divide, professional development for
teachers, effective training models, government support, and staff development guidelines. My
Global Classroom Module: A Day in the Life (EDTC645) is a detailed unit description of what
students and teachers will do, in an attempt to complete a modified version of the project from iEARN
(a global classroom), that requires students to collaborate and communicate with each other, globally.
My Professional Development Experience for Teachers
The UMUC program has provided me with the knowledge necessary to implement various
technologies into my classroom. Because technology integration is so important now in the 21st
century, I have taken on many leadership roles in sharing my knowledge of various technologies with
colleagues and educators throughout my school and district. I have been able to utilize the products
created from my classes here at UMUC as a start to implementing my professional development
programs and resources.
Training Programs
Using Google Docs and Voice Thread to Engage Students to Become Collaborative Learners is a 5day training course that I designed (in EDTC640) for teachers, aimed at teaching educators how to
effectively use and implement technology into the classroom, while engaging students to collaborate
with others, both in and out of school. This workshop support wiki includes a detailed syllabus, an
outline of each day’s activities, outcomes, and resources, and includes a vast amount of technology
integration within the workshop to further support teachers in learning how to effectively implement
technology. In addition to using GoogleDocs, and VoiceThread, this training program also includes
Vokis, Eclipse Crossword puzzles, discussion boards, Glogster, ScreenCast, and PowerPoint.
Tutorials and Other Resources
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My Voki Tutorial is a great resource for teachers to refer to if they are using Voki in their classrooms.
Also, my “How to Create a Simple Glogster Poster” (Word document) and Glogster ScreenCast
Tutorial are great resources when utilizing Glogster in the classroom.
If teachers are using GoogleDocs for the first time, they may refer to my “Accessing GoogleDocs
Tutorial” and “Upload a PowerPoint to GoogleDocs.”
Virtual Schools (EDTC650) is a multimedia presentation that I designed through ScreenCast, aimed to
teach educators about the basics of virtual schooling. The South Carolina Virtual School Program Case
Study (EDTC650) critically analyzes South Carolina’s virtual school program.
Leading and working with others to develop a vision for technology integration
District Technology Training Plan
In an attempt to promote technology integration amongst classrooms throughout the county, I created a
School District Technology Training Plan (DTTP), which is a detailed training plan intended for K-12
teachers to develop effective teaching strategies, skills, and knowledge to be used in implementing
various instructional technologies. Throughout the DTTP, you will notice that everything remains
aligned with many of our System Goals based on our Annual Report on Our Call to Action, which are
as follows (MCPS, 2011):
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Ensure success for every student
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Provide an effective instructional program
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Strengthen productive partnerships for education
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Create a positive work environment in a self-renewing organization
Acquiring Grants for Resources
Kids in Need Teacher Grant Application – This is the grant that I completed in hopes to acquire flip
videos for my classroom. The flip videos were to be used by students who create videos that capture
the concepts learned in class, and then post them to the classroom blog spot so that students can refer
to the blog at any time to review and discuss information previously taught and learned.
School Improvement Plan
School Data Improvement Plan – This EDTC615 collaborative project demonstrates how we (as the
hypothetical administration) collected, analyzed, and reviewed data in order to create intervention
programs, and goals for groups of struggling students, while integrating technology in an attempt to
improve our struggling student’s reading skills. As a data team, we created three intervention groups to
target specific needs in reading improvement: word recognition and sight vocabulary, reading
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comprehension, and reading fluency. This data plan explains how we plan to use flash cards and
sight word games, a PowerPoint activity that promotes word rec. and fluency (students click on the
sound icon to hear the words being read to them), Starfall for reading sight words in context, “Read
Naturally” software (helps students to read books repeatedly, until reaching a desired rate), and “Pair-It
Books” (a CD-Rom and text of fiction and non-fiction books, paired together accordingly, which helps
emergent readers with comprehension strategies as they build their fluency).
School Technology Plan
This EDTC630 collaborative project gives a detailed description of the data & needs analysis, vision,
budget and justification, and professional development plan and outline of exactly what types of
technology resources and training programs are needed for the school, while focusing on the Universal
Design for Learning (UDL) teaching model.
Classroom Technology Plan
This is a plan that I came up with for my classroom that follows a similar format to the school
technology plan as mentioned above. I provided a needs analysis, vision, goals and objectives, budget
and justification, professional development plan and timeline, and an evaluation.
Conclusion/Final Thoughts
My time spent in the UMUC program, has allowed me to create new ideas about the way in which to
teach and learn. I feel that I have become a teacher and a leader that goes beyond the walls of the
classroom. The new and growing knowledge, resources, and technologies allow us to access
information, and communicate quicker than ever before. A survey done by the Henry J. Kaiser Family
Foundation found that young people utilize technology and electronic media for about 6 hours daily
(McHugh, 2005). Each day, our world continues to expand and grow its’ network of technology. It is
important that as educators, we keep up with our students who are greatly immersed in the evergrowing field of technology, as they are the future of tomorrow, and the learners of the 21st century. It
is our responsibility to teach our students how to become independent and divergent thinkers, to think
critically, and to use their problem solving skills, all of which can be accomplished by integrating
technology into the classroom. Keeping an open communication between school and home is a critical
aspect of student success. Technology can be used to easily promote communication not only from
home to school, but also with students and others across the world. Global communication and
awareness is more important than ever as our society continues to increase its presence on the web and
in the global world. Networking and utilizing technology is becoming increasingly more important as
we continue to move forward in the 21st century. Technology has the power to motivate, improve
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success, increase collaboration, meet the needs of a diverse and growing population, and to move
our society forward. Thank you UMUC for my new knowledge, and for providing me with resources
that I can utilize for my classroom, personal, and professional growth!
References
Henderson, A., Mapp, K., Johnson, V., & Davies, D. (2007). Beyond the Bake Sale. The New
Press.
McHugh, J. (2005). Connecting to the 21st-Century Student. Retrieved August 15, 2012 from
http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-digital-learner
Means, B., Toyama, Y., & Murphy, R. (2009, ). Report Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in
Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. US Department
of Education, 93.
Montgomery County Public Schools. (2011). Annual report on our call to action. Retrieved from
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/about/strategicplan/annualreport/pdf/2011AnnualRepor
t.pdf