Topic3

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= Learning Topic 3: = = Educational Philosophy =

"Learning how to think ... means being conscious and aware enough to //choose// what you pay attention to and //choose// how you construct meaning from experience."
-David Foster Wallace -commencement speech at Kenyon College 2005

Background/Rationale
This Learning Topic provides time for work on the various course components. You should be working on finalizing your educational philosophy for submission during this Learning Topic. You should also be working on finalizing your portfolio, the video presentation of your portfolio, and your final reflection.

Learner Outcomes
By the end of this Learning Topic, you will:
 * 1) Revisit and revise your educational philosophy statements
 * 2) Reflect on the educational philosophies of your peers to gain insights
 * 3) Analyze the five traditions of reflective teaching, NETS, and 21st Century Skills relative to your teaching and integration of technology (discussion)

Readings and Research
//**Reflective Teaching: An Introduction**// by Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. P. (1996), Chapters 5 and 6

Activity 1: Reflect on your Educational Philosophy and Revise
In the initial course for your Instructional Technology degree, EDTC 600, you were tasked with writing your educational philosophy. For this activity you will revisit your philosophy paper to update and revise your philosophy based on lessons learned throughout your program of study.

When writing your philosophy there are three things to ask yourself:
 * 1) //**What do I believe is best for students to learn in the context of technology?**//
 * 2) //**What research supports what I believe?**//
 * 3) //**How do I teach based upon my beliefs?**//

(If you are interested in presenting your educational philosophy in a format other than a written paper, check with the facilitator.)
 * Step 1:** The Educational Philosophy must include professional grammar and mechanics and be a minimum of 500 words. Your philosophy must integrate theory and research and refer to at least three educational theorists and include more than three resources. APA formatting for citations is required. The educational philosophy paper is due during Learning Topic 3.


 * Step 2:** Submit your Educational Philosophy paper to the Student Submission Page by the due date.

For more information on how you will be evaluated, refer to the Educational Philosophy Rubric on the Assessments Page.
 * Assessment**

Activity 2: Discussion - Peer Review of Educational Philosophy Paper

 * Step 1:** Share your educational philosophy paper for peer review by posting it to the Student Submission Page.


 * Step 2:** Review all of your peers’ educational philosophy papers and provide substantive feedback and/or insights gained. Post your feedback to the Student Submission Page.

Activity 3: Discussion – Reading General Discussion – Learning Topic 3
Discussion of the book //**Reflective Teaching**// will occur during the Topic 4 Class session using a Socratic Seminar format. The purpose of a Socratic Seminar is to achieve a deeper understanding about the ideas and values in a text. In the Seminar, participants systematically question and examine issues and principles related to a particular content, and articulate different points-of-view. The group conversation assists participants in constructing meaning through disciplined analysis, interpretation, listening, and participation.

As you read the book //**Reflective Teaching**// and prepare for a Socratic Seminar, write questions using these sentence frames to stimulate your thinking. Choose from the questions below, write them on a sticky note placed in the book near the topic in question: By the time you have completed the book, you should have approximately 10-15 questions. Review your questions and number the stickies in order of importance to you.
 * What puzzles me is…
 * I’d like to talk with people about…
 * I’m confused about…
 * Don’t you think this is similar to…
 * Do you agree that the big ideas seem to be…
 * I have questions about…
 * Another point of view is…
 * I think it means…
 * Do you think…
 * What does it mean when the author says…
 * Do you agree that…

Learning Topic 8 - Technology Leadership
Alan Keith of Genentech states "Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen." Leadership occurs in many situations within the classroom, department, school or district.

Instructional Technology Leadership have been defined by the following standards:
 * Instructional technology leaders plan, design, and model effective learning environments and multiple experiences supported by technology.
 * Instructional technology leaders model, design, and disseminate plans that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning.
 * Instructional technology leaders communicate research on the use of technology to implement effective assessment and evaluation strategies.
 * Instructional technology leaders design, develop, evaluate and model products created using technology resources to improve and enhance their productivity and professional practice
 * Instructional technology leaders understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and develop programs facilitating application of that understanding in practice throughout their district/region/state.
 * Instructional technology leaders coordinate development and direct implementation of technology infrastructure procedures, policies, plans, and budgets for PK-12 schools.

As you are completing your Masters in Instructional Technology, how are you going to be an Instructional Technology leader? How are your going to put your degree to good use (besides moving up the pay scale)? How are you going to make a difference? How do you measure against the ISTE/NETS Standards for Teachers and the 21st Century Skills?

How can you bring about an innovation to the staff in your department or building? Try the Diffusion Simulation Game: https://www.indiana.edu/~simed/istdemo/


 * Step 1:** Look within your district, school, or department and determine where your expertise in the area of Instructional Technology could be best utilized. Determine what is occurring presently, what areas need to be improved, steps to make improvement happen and the leadership skills and knowledge you possess to make change transpire.

Submit your presentation to the Student Submission Page.
 * Step 2:** Create a short (5-10 minutes) presentation that addresses the following:
 * Area where expertise is needed
 * Current Instructional Technology practice
 * Identified improvement needs
 * Improvement plan
 * Personal leadership skills and knowledge to carry improvement plan to fruition

To understand the grading criteria used for the Technology Leadership activity review the assessment rubric found on Assessments Page.

Roszak, T. (1934). //Staten Island// [Color lithograph on paper]. Retrieved from Flickr database. (3382921704)