Helpful Multimedia Tools

Multimedia tools have many implications for instruction. Photo Story, Discovery Education and Kurzweil offer services that are not only helpful for teachers but also meet the needs of the 21st century learner.

With the help of Photo Story, teachers can create class books that are digital. Teachers can also have students record their reading and check for fluency once students have made progress. Discovery Streaming offers a multitude of resources from videos to music. With these resources, teachers can add more to flip charts and make lessons with Promethean more engaging and interactive for students. Programs like Kurzweil offer teachers the chance to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities but also to create interactive centers where students can be read to by the computer. Additionally, students could use Kurzweil as a proofreading software and by having a paper read back to the student,they could listen for and hear mistakes in their writing.

Overall, there are many benefits to be had by using multimedia tools such as Photo Story, Discovery Education and Kurzweil. Teachers now have options to meet their students needs for 21st century instruction as well as their own needs to teach children in creative and meaningful ways.

Websites That Work

In an elementary school, communication is an essential part of the daily job that school staff have in helping parents be a vested integral part of their child's education. The school website is a great tool that helps many parents find information and stay current on their child's educational experience; therefore, a school website needs to contain information that is both useful and helpful to parents. I believe that a website needs to have resources for parents, information about school performance and access to calendars and general day to day news.

Resources for parents are essential to a good website. A school's website should contain enriching links to appropriate games that are linked to a student's education. I feel that online games in both reading and math are important for parents to have access to for two reasons-one being that many of these games and activities are free and two being that students can use their natural abilities towards technology outside of school where they can play games and improve their academic performance. I plan to include links to many resources for parents and students including math games, reading games and science/social studies games. I think that when parents have the appropriate tools to help their children at home, they are more likely to help their child succeed-especially in this age where children are digital learners.

I feel that having information about a school's performance is important because it makes the school "own" the data and it shares with the community the ways in which the school is working for and trying to meet the needs of all students. Because of this, I want my website to include links to MSA scores as well as the School Improvement Plan. I feel that this only helps to strengthen the connection between the school and community because the school is sharing this information and owning it in terms of how they can do better for the needs of all who are stakeholders in the community.

I also feel that a good website answers questions for parents. As an adult in the "real world," I like my information to be answered with my own researching and without a phone call. Many parents work long hours just like school staff and are not always able to call the school or teacher for information; therefore, if a school's website contains pertinent information such as a schedule of activities, calendar, instructional information such as newsletters and information to reach the staff, then parents can answer questions without having to take the hassle of making a call and then leaving a message and waiting for a return phone call. I want to include items such as these in my website so that parents feel that the school cares about them and their busy schedule.

I feel that a website is the first impression that many people have of a school. It should be informative, resourceful and helpful for parents so it can further strengthen the home-school connection. A good website will help keep a school actively running with parents eager to volunteer and be involved because they feel valued and have the information at their fingertips!

Presentation Pros and Cons

I believe that one of the most powerful presentation tools is Microsoft PowerPoint. I feel that this tool is widely recognized and highly used in many professional learning communities where collaboration and team work is valued.

I feel that PowerPoint is appropriately matched towards the Technology standards for administrators because it illuminates the first standard of Leadership and Vision. I think that this standard matches well to PowerPoint because administrators must monitor the School Improvement Plan and present the plan to staff and the community. PowerPoint provides a framework where the majority of individuals who might access the file will have some working knowledge of PowerPoint and will be able to use and or view the presentation without additional help. The con to this is that many families do not have the PowerPoint software on their personal computers as it is largely found and used in the business and academic world.

PowerPoint also matches well with the 5th standard, Professional Practice and Productivity, where administrators have the opportunity to use a tool that is understood and loaded with opportunities. I think that PowerPoint works well in this standard because administrators must always model technology usage in order for staff to understand their own standards where they should be using technology for their own professional development. Additionally, it is a practice that is beneficial because many teachers can and do use PowerPoint as an instructional tool in their own classrooms.

Overall I feel that PowerPoint has more pros in the academic setting especially for an administrator than it does cons. The cons being that many families do not have access to PowerPoint is one that can be easily remedied as free “viewers” are available online for individuals who do not have PowerPoint. The greatest pros are that staff can see the modeled use and can also collaborate with each other by sharing the document in a public folder where others can use and make additions to the presentation. Used effectively, PowerPoint can be a collaborative tool for many to use and share!

Visionary Administrator Reflection

Visionary administrators are individuals who are versed in the use and integration of technology into a school’s academic setting. These leaders view technology as the key to success for children and as a valuable tool that helps reach out to those students that are “twenty first century learners.” Visionary administrators are willing to integrate the tools of technology into their professional practices and thoughtful of its funding and application in a school setting.

Visionary administrators are willing to use technology and according to the “Speak-Up” survey, “are often twice as likely as their peers to use it.” I feel that this statement truly supports the notion of the twentieth century learner in how administrators need to be current on technology. Visionary administrators understand their stakeholders and realize the impact that technology can and does have on learners. Additionally, these administrators aren’t afraid to use the tools that technology provides to become knowledgeable in the applications available for their learners. These administrators also realize the importance of modeling technology use not only for their students but also their professional staff. The “Speak-Up” survey also references that visionary administrators believe that twenty first century schools should have “interactive whiteboards in every classroom.” This statement forces me to reflect on my own building administrator who would not appear to be a visionary administrator in terms of technology usage; however, this administer instead realizes the tremendously positive impact that interactive whiteboards have on student learning and uses the resources of experts to ensure that all students have frequent access to this technology in our building. In light of this, I feel that visionary administrators also are aware of their own shortcomings in terms of technology “know how” but are willing and open to integrating technology for the best interest of the students they serve.

The Visionary administrator is thoughtful of how technology can be applied to the school setting. According to the “Speak-Up” survey, “visionary administrators, by definition, are all concerned about the use of technology within instruction,” in reference to the notion of worries that administrators have at night. I think this statement is important to remember and reflect upon because the thoughtful administrator realizes that teachers and staff will not “buy” into the integration of technology overnight. These administrators realize the learning curve that needs to happen before technology can be integrated and also understand that funding is a priority and also a problem at times. Brian Eyer, Principal of Digital Harbor School in Baltimore realizes the importance that funding plays in the integration of technology; however, instead of worrying about the upkeep on maintenance for the technology in his building, he is planning on using a computer repair shop as a community partnership program to keep the technology in his building working. This crystallizes the importance of being positive and thoughtful about making technology work in schools which seems to be a major charge that administrators are given through various technology standards. I feel that this also shows the importance of planning for the strategic implementation of technology over time all while considering what the future can and will hold in regards to technology continually working and functioning properly.

Visionary administrators are many things including resourceful, knowledgeable, and thoughtful in terms of technology integration. Visionary administrators also use technology, find funding for it, and think strategically about how it will be implemented and maintained in the school building over time. I feel that the visionary administrators identified and defined in this article are models for me as I begin a program towards certification. I also feel that these individuals are on the cutting edge of modeling what schools can and should be providing for success for every student in the area of technology literacy.