Professional Learning Plan

What skill sets do you still need to increase?


I came into CEP810, 811 and 812 not knowing what to expect at all. At the start of 810 I wanted to spend more time thinking about technology in the bigger picture of education. I wanted to get more insight from "the other side", the classroom teacher's viewpoint. As I have never been a classroom teacher (in the traditional sense of the world), and have all my experience as a technology teacher I wanted to learn to be more aware of that angle. I feel like I have done before I undertook these courses but learning the TPACK model was one of the major moments for me. It's a model I will always come back to and I have shared it with parents and teachers alike since I was introduced to it..

I still need to develop my thinking on what teachers and parents want and need to know about educational technology. As you can see TPACK was over most of the parents' heads but I felt they needed to know what my job was and what I and teachers worked towards. These courses have given me a path to go down and I want to work more on teacher and parent workshops to introduce, inform and showcase educational technology resources and techniques.


What other literature or theory do you want to connect with? 


Moving to a new school next year I want to bring with me a solid knowledge of why and how educational technology is a core part of modern day teaching and learning. These three MSU courses have helped me formulate these thoughts into actions and words and has made me more confident in my profession. I still want to continue researching TPACK and it's usage. Is it something I just have in my thoughts, is it something that teachers need to know? I think it really helps teachers understand my role and they begin to realize that I help them with the technological knowledge "part" so they shouldn't feel pressure to...at first!

In addition to understand more about education in general and technology I will be looking more into the PYP and the role technology plays. I'm lucky enough to have got a sneak peek at the IBO's document about Technology in the PYP and I'm happy to see it follows NETS and my philosophy quite closely.

How will you pave your way and make sense of the opportunities you are exposed to? 


I will continue what I'm doing. I've been very busy this year in my new role and the fact I was undertaking two separate courses at two different universities. A lot of my year was punctuated by deadlines and evening classes rather than student report cards and parent meetings! Going back to being a timetabled technology teacher but with a major role in driving educational technology forward in my new school next year will be equally as challenging. Especially if, as I plan to do so, I start the MAET with MSU in the Fall.

Being exposed to the scheduled and timetabled assignments in the CEP courses has given me a very good sense of how PD could be delivered to teachers and what path those PD sessions could take. The courses has also formed more opinions in my mind about what works and what does not. I have made my mind up on WebQuests, Prezi and Jing amongst others and their part in the educational technology 


How are you going to take what you learned here and integrate it into your personal and professional workflows?  


All the core concepts and methods that I experienced in these courses are naturally applicable to my professional workflow. Online and mobile learning have been important parts of my life now for a number of years. When I taught I never gave students handouts and the portfolios they created were always digital. I will bring this concept to my new school as I know they have not gone for this method yet. I live a mobile life myself, everything is accessible on my mobile phone and when my iPhone was stolen this year I felt, for the first time in years, disconnected from the world.

What specific goals do you have between now and next summer in your teaching practice? How specifically do you plan to accomplish these?


I will be working with Grade 5 up until the end of the Summer holidays. I feel like I haven't worked with them enough and I have focused more on the earlier grades as the teachers there needed more assistance in planning and implementing technology integrated activities.  The Grade 5 teachers are more accomplished and able in working with technology so I worked with them minimally throughout the year. I will work with Grade 5 up until the Summer to help them with Common Craft and Green Screen video creating. We will also create a Blogging License document which will allow students to open up their password protected blogs to the world if they meet a certain number of standards in the Blogging License. So a very packed few months left with Grade 5.

Which goals do you think you can accomplish on your own, which do you need help with, and where might that help come from?


I always require teacher support when working with their students. With my Grade 5 goals I have already timetable events with the teachers as if it doesn't fit in with their schedule then we have problems. I have liaised with our Principal of our school about the blogging license as it requires a dramatic shift in our "closed wall" environment our administration has always supported. With the past year of closed wall blogging behind us the Principal was "swayed" into agreeing with me that students should have their blogging open to more commenting and viewing outside our school environment.

What is important to you as you develop both personally and professionally?


Some people may not agree with me but it is important that I am not seen as a technology bully or just known as "the tech guy".  I have always had a large amount of empathy for technophobe teachers and just like we need to differentiate for students it is even more important to differentiate for teachers. I feel it is important to be friendly, approachable and humorous in my day to day life (both professionally and personally). I believe it helps break down any barriers or traverses any bridges between the technology and the teacher. I see myself as the toll-guy. The toll is free and I'll lift any barriers that are in the way. I may even point out the fantastic scenery on the way...