Personal Growth Plan
Educational Technology Leader Professional Mission
I am well-versed in current educational technology and learning theories, and have been involved in the integration of technology in educational settings for the past two decades as both a teacher and school board member. As a leader in the field, I would like to develop my research areas around the topics of online and collaborative learning with individuals. These areas are particularly interesting to me because of the potential they have to help individuals customize their educational experiences.
Through training, sharing and knowledge disseminated through the NJCU doctoral program , I would like to continue to grow as both a technology teacher, facilitator, and leader. I hope to also develop an online site to help individuals through an informal, web-based learning platform.
The International Society for Technology in Education documents important areas for teachers and leaders. Several highlights from their national standards that are particularity relevant to me are the ability to foster student creativity, inspire learning, and professional development opportunities.
Educational Leadership Philosophy
I have been involved in the integration of technology in educational settings for the past two decades, and currently as a middle school teacher and facilitator of technology.
Exactly a century ago, Dewey (1913) wrote about the importance of educators developing and planning for programs to engage students and to ensure that a plan was in place to keep students interested in the topic to be learned. Today, educators sometimes ignore this salient point when creating lessons. I particularly feel that educators need to enable students to be active participants and engaged in what they are learning. Educators that are trying to help students of all ages learn will need to be cognizant of developing student-centered settings for learning (Jonassen, 2012 & Edelson 2006). Leaders in the field need to look first at each individual’s learning style and to develop appropriate instructional practices to help students achieve their individuals goals. In order for this to occur, teachers, students, administrators and the community need to communicate effectively with one another and develop shared goals.
Another critical component in education is to enable the transfer of learning to different contextual settings (Bransford, 1999). Can the student or individual take what they have learned from one area to another situation, whether it be for a formal or informal learning task? It is imperative that students are able to transfer knowledge and to apply it to new situations rather than just memorizing or recalling information for one specific area that is usually confined to a limited time and then later forgotten.
Situational leadership is one style that I will incorporate into my leadership style, where no one “best” style of leadership is forced upon an individual. A key component of it is that is easily applied and flexible. As technology is constantly changing, one must be able to continue to learn and make changes to improve situations (Northouse, 2013). Leaders must be good listeners and ensure that they have clear goals that are easily understood and developed to meet the needs of all parties. Great leadership must help define a clear mission statement and be able to work with professionals to help achieve this goal.
Plan for Development
In order to gain additional expertise as an educational teacher, leader, and entrepreneur, the following items are part of my plan to reach this goal.
Completed and/or Continuing
In-Progress
Technology Skills
Diversity
It is imperative to understand the diverse needs of all and to celebrate backgrounds of all . The ability to learn with people -- regardless of race, creed, gender or ethnicity-- is critical in fostering productive learning and leadership environments.
Artifacts
EV3 Robotics Certification
Google Certified Educator
Link to Tech & Learning Article
References
Bransford, J. D., & Schwartz, D. L. (1999). Rethinking transfer: A simple proposal with multiple implications. Review of Research in Education, 24 1999, 24, 61-100. doi: 10.3102/0091732x024001061Dewey, J. (1913). Interest and effort in education. Cambridge, MA: The Riverside Press.
Edelson, D. C., & Reiser, B. J. (2006). Making authentic practices accessible to learners. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The cambridge handbook of learning sciences (pp. 335-354). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Jonassen, D. H., & Easter, M. A. (2012). Conceptual change and student-centered learning environments. In D. H. Jonassen & S. Land (Eds.), Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments (2nd ed., pp. 95-113). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation (Vol. 95): Cambridge University Press.
Morris, M. (2013). Implementing the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) in Teacher Preparation Assessment Course. Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference.
I am well-versed in current educational technology and learning theories, and have been involved in the integration of technology in educational settings for the past two decades as both a teacher and school board member. As a leader in the field, I would like to develop my research areas around the topics of online and collaborative learning with individuals. These areas are particularly interesting to me because of the potential they have to help individuals customize their educational experiences.
Through training, sharing and knowledge disseminated through the NJCU doctoral program , I would like to continue to grow as both a technology teacher, facilitator, and leader. I hope to also develop an online site to help individuals through an informal, web-based learning platform.
The International Society for Technology in Education documents important areas for teachers and leaders. Several highlights from their national standards that are particularity relevant to me are the ability to foster student creativity, inspire learning, and professional development opportunities.
Educational Leadership Philosophy
I have been involved in the integration of technology in educational settings for the past two decades, and currently as a middle school teacher and facilitator of technology.
Exactly a century ago, Dewey (1913) wrote about the importance of educators developing and planning for programs to engage students and to ensure that a plan was in place to keep students interested in the topic to be learned. Today, educators sometimes ignore this salient point when creating lessons. I particularly feel that educators need to enable students to be active participants and engaged in what they are learning. Educators that are trying to help students of all ages learn will need to be cognizant of developing student-centered settings for learning (Jonassen, 2012 & Edelson 2006). Leaders in the field need to look first at each individual’s learning style and to develop appropriate instructional practices to help students achieve their individuals goals. In order for this to occur, teachers, students, administrators and the community need to communicate effectively with one another and develop shared goals.
Another critical component in education is to enable the transfer of learning to different contextual settings (Bransford, 1999). Can the student or individual take what they have learned from one area to another situation, whether it be for a formal or informal learning task? It is imperative that students are able to transfer knowledge and to apply it to new situations rather than just memorizing or recalling information for one specific area that is usually confined to a limited time and then later forgotten.
Situational leadership is one style that I will incorporate into my leadership style, where no one “best” style of leadership is forced upon an individual. A key component of it is that is easily applied and flexible. As technology is constantly changing, one must be able to continue to learn and make changes to improve situations (Northouse, 2013). Leaders must be good listeners and ensure that they have clear goals that are easily understood and developed to meet the needs of all parties. Great leadership must help define a clear mission statement and be able to work with professionals to help achieve this goal.
Plan for Development
In order to gain additional expertise as an educational teacher, leader, and entrepreneur, the following items are part of my plan to reach this goal.
Completed and/or Continuing
- Continue to present at state and national technology conferences.
- Stay current in my areas of research interest by reading peer reviewed documents.
- To learn with and from fellow cohorts and professors as a doctoral candidate in the New Jersey City University Educational Technology Leadership program.
- Completed Robotics Training from the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute
- Served as a CODIE Judge
- Published an article in Tech & Learning regarding assistive technology January 2014
- Published an article for the New Jersey School Boards Association on podcasting.
- To continue to lead assistive technology efforts by working with Kurzweil Education to create blogs, and to continue to add artifacts for learning for Webspiration.
- Google Education Certified Educator
- Carnegie Mellon Robotics Certified Instructor
- Presented at NJCU Robotics Day, April 2015
- Presenter ISTE 2007, 2009, 2015
- Presenter Techspo 2006-2014
- Presenter New Jersey School Board Association
- Presenter Society for Cognitive Remediation and Rehabilitation
- Working with Rutgers professors to utilize instructional technology design skills to assist with the development of online courses.
- Start and implement a Robotics Club at school.
In-Progress
- To implement STEM-related learning to benefit students.
- Advance from a Google Certified Educator and also become a Google Education Certified Trainer
- Begin developing a cloud-based video learning portal to help with informal online learning opportunities.
- To serve as an ISTE-SIG board member.
- To continue write articles for publication in online and print forums.
- To conduct and carry out a well-thought and planned dissertation.
- To seek out additional instructional technology design opportunities.
- Continue to become more involved in local makerspaces, specifically F.U.B.A.R. Labs
Technology Skills
- EV3 Robotics Instructors Certificate from Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute
- Google Certified Educator
- MIT App Inventor 2
- NXT/EV3 Programming
- Schoolwires Management Co-Administrator
- Accuplacer Testing Administrator for freshman college students
- Screencasting using Camtasia
- Video Editing- iMovie, MovieMaker, WeVideo
- Assistive Technology Lead Trainer in District with Kurzweil, Inspiration and Bookshare
- Blackboard Learning Management Systems
- Dragon Naturally Speaking
- Google Earth Navigation Trip Builder
- VoiceThread
- Webspiration
- Google Apps for Education Co-Administrator for school district
- Basic Adobe Suite Skills
- Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and OneNote )
- Web Design & HTML- helped develop website for political campaigns including former Mayor of Worcester Joe O'Brien's successful 2009 election win.
- Social Media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
- Computer Building Skills (able to put a computer together from scratch and/or take apart and reassemble a computer)
- Basic Networking Skills with Active Directory and joining computers to a domain
- WordPress
- Content Management System skills with Wikispaces, Ning, Moodle, Blackboard, Wikispaces, Google Classroom, Collaborize Classroom, and similar systems
Diversity
It is imperative to understand the diverse needs of all and to celebrate backgrounds of all . The ability to learn with people -- regardless of race, creed, gender or ethnicity-- is critical in fostering productive learning and leadership environments.
Artifacts
EV3 Robotics Certification
Google Certified Educator
Link to Tech & Learning Article
References
Bransford, J. D., & Schwartz, D. L. (1999). Rethinking transfer: A simple proposal with multiple implications. Review of Research in Education, 24 1999, 24, 61-100. doi: 10.3102/0091732x024001061Dewey, J. (1913). Interest and effort in education. Cambridge, MA: The Riverside Press.
Edelson, D. C., & Reiser, B. J. (2006). Making authentic practices accessible to learners. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The cambridge handbook of learning sciences (pp. 335-354). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Jonassen, D. H., & Easter, M. A. (2012). Conceptual change and student-centered learning environments. In D. H. Jonassen & S. Land (Eds.), Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments (2nd ed., pp. 95-113). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation (Vol. 95): Cambridge University Press.
Morris, M. (2013). Implementing the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) in Teacher Preparation Assessment Course. Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference.