Lydia Smith's Professional Technology Portfolio
I am a kindergarten teacher at Pecan Grove Elementary which is in a suburb southwest of Houston, Texas. I have taught kindergarten for over 8 years and have loved every minute! I think that it is very important to immerse my students in a rich educational environment. I believe that the way in which our children learn and access information is changing as we continue to navigate our way through a new digital age. Our students should not just be around technology, but use technology. Even at an early age, our youngest learner when given the opportunity, can use and apply technology in amazing ways!
Educational Philosophy
I belive that all children have the ability to succeed given the proper tools and opportunities. Each child brings to the classroom a unique set of skills that need to be nurtured to bring about powerful learning. I strive to bring love, laughter, passion and meaningful work into my classroom each and every day. I also belive that we need to put technology into the hands of our youngest learners early AND often to give them the tools to help them suceed for years to come.
Standard I: The Master Technology Teacher effectively models and applies classroom teaching methodology and curriculum models that promote active student learning through the integration of technology and addresses the varied learning needs of all students.
Standard II: The Master Technology Teacher selects and administers appropriate technology-related assessments on an ongoing basis and uses the results to design and improve instruction.
Standard III: The Master Technology Teacher applies knowledge of digital learning competencies including Internet research, graphics, animation, website mastering and video technology.
Standard IV: The Master Technology Teacher serves as a resource regarding the integration of assistive technologies and accessible design concepts to meet the needs of all students.
Standard V: The Master Technology Teacher facilitates appropriate, research-based technology instruction by communicating and collaborating with educational stakeholders; mentoring, coaching and consulting with colleagues; providing professional evelopment opportunities for faculty; and making decisions based on converging evidence from research.
Standard II: The Master Technology Teacher selects and administers appropriate technology-related assessments on an ongoing basis and uses the results to design and improve instruction.
Standard III: The Master Technology Teacher applies knowledge of digital learning competencies including Internet research, graphics, animation, website mastering and video technology.
Standard IV: The Master Technology Teacher serves as a resource regarding the integration of assistive technologies and accessible design concepts to meet the needs of all students.
Standard V: The Master Technology Teacher facilitates appropriate, research-based technology instruction by communicating and collaborating with educational stakeholders; mentoring, coaching and consulting with colleagues; providing professional evelopment opportunities for faculty; and making decisions based on converging evidence from research.
Standards
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Artifact/ReflectionCollage
I learned how to effectively use images, tables and the formula function to bring who I am to life! I think this aligns with standard one because it not only can be used in various ways within our curriculum, but it can also address many different learning styles. Reflection 1&2 Reflection 4&5 The chapter reflection pieces taught me how to make my own graphic organizers. By creating these types of graphic pieces, and adding text and images where appropriate, this technology integration can help students embed the material more effectively and efficiently both on paper and cognitively. EDUC 6308 - Distance Learning Sketchcast, Podcast in Garageband and with Moviemaker & Screencast The sketchcast, podcast and screencast fits into standard one because it promotes student learning through technology integration and also addresses the various learning needs of students by allowing them to be able to re-visit and work with the materials as often as needed and also addresses various learning modalities. Flipped Geography Lesson The flipped lesson challenged me to take a more traditional lesson plan and make it more active and engaging for students. It truly integrates technology in a way where students are using technology to demonstrate understanding and not just play review games on the computer. EDAD-5319 Internet Resource Management Webquest I created a webquest to use in the classroom to make a unit on historical figures more interesting. The lesson should be more engaging and asks the students to take an active role in their own learning. By being more active in the process, the learning should be more meaningful. EDUC 6315-History of Education Chapter presentation This presentation was meant to present the History of Education during the Romans. This presentation begins with a lower level of questioning and builds to higher levels as the presentation progresses. The delivery is such that the students do the research to answer each question and then participate in classroom instruction. This addresses the varied learning needs of students. EDUC 6330 Teaching Methodology for the Professional Models of Teaching Portfolio I created a portfolio of ten lessons that represent nine different models of teaching that encourage children to construct their own learning and knowledge. EDUC 5302 Multimedia Instructional Strategies Multimedia Project (MMP) This multimedia project both models and applies teaching methodology that encourages active student collaboration. This project combines more traditional teaching model with technology. This project challenges students to use and incorporate different types of technology to express their understanding of the content taught. This prjoect promotes active student learning and meets the various needs of students. **Link to Weebly Site for MMP** Shapes Podcast The podcast below makes for active learning for students outside of the classroom. It allows for students to access material taught in class to review at home. Students can also subscribe to my podcasts to get additional subscriptions or instructional material from classroom lessons. |
II |
Magnets Unit Action Plan Rubric
The rubric made me think not only about the actual content learning that I am requiring of my students in this unit, but also how they can accurately demonstrate that learning using technology. I learned the importance of developing a grading system that not only addresses the lower level of blooms, but to assess how students are synthesizing and evaluating their own understanding of the material. Subject Sampler Rubric The subject sampler rubric fits into standard II because it defines performance values to the subject sampler and enables me to determine which areas may need additional support as we move through the unit. EDUC 6308 - Distance Learning Compass Rose & Room Map Rubrics Both rubrics are appropriate and helps students make their way through the flipped lesson to outline expectations and guide them through the lesson. As an instructor, I can easily see where students might be struggling (both in content and use of technology) and address those particular needs quickly. Online interactive piece (room number is 541005) The online piece is a fun and interactive way for students to practice content while giving me direct feedback on what the students understand and what they need to work on. |
III |
Magnet Subject Sampler
The magnet subject sampler taught me how to integrate technology in a way where students are engaged by technology to learn and demonstrate their own understanding of content. TEASe The TEASe is a comprehensive example of a technology tool that fits within standard three. I learned how to create a multimedia “hook” that combines many technology skills into one story to set the tone for a specific learning unit. Magnet Graphic Lesson Plan w/ excel doc Within the magnet graphic unit, I learned how to incorporate graphing into a unit lesson plan. Graphing can be a challenging skill, especially for our youngest learner, however, with teacher support this is a great way for children to be exposed to and to use graphing in a very interactive and engaging way. Technology Rich Unit Plan When creating the technology rich unit plan, I learned not only how to weave rich technology experiences throughout my unit, but also the importance of assessing learning. By appropriately assessing students learning at a higher level, adjustments can be made to ensure that students are learning and applying this information independently. EDUC 6308 - Distance Learning Totally Online Lesson The totally online lesson really challenged me to not only use, but apply many digital competencies and integrate them in ways that bring students through a course of study. The online lesson includes internet research, graphics, animation, website mastering and video technology. EDUC 6307 - Print Based Media Logo Banner Flyer Edited Images Newsletter Initial Project The above projects challenged my notion of design and what makes good versus bad design. These examples fit in this standard as they all developed my digital learning competencies in not only design but also in the use of the particular programs as well. EDAD-5319 Internet Resource Management 16 Things Blog My blog challenged my knowledge of digital learning competencies as well as introduced me to new internet resrouces and technologies that can be incorporated into my classroom. The format also was a good tool to learn and could be modified and even used in the classroom as a way to challenge my own students in their learning and integration of technology. EDUC 5302 Multimedia Instructional Strategies Digital story Music Video Stopmotion Project (SMP) SMP Intention Outline SMP Storyboard The above projects challenged me to apply all of the knowledge that I have gained through out my masters program to combine graphics, animation and audio and figuring out how best to deliver that via video technology. |
IV |
Iris Module
The Iris module fits standard IV. I learned how important it is to incorporate technology tools that help special needs students. I also learned the importance of the team that is involved in not only making the decision to incorporate these tools, but also those that should be there to support the implementation and use by both student and teacher. This is a crucial piece that I know in my own experience is sometimes missing. WEb 2.0 Tool I learned with the Web2.0 tool project that there are many web 2.0 tools that can easily be used by even our youngest learners to create multimedia projects that truly shows their understanding of content material. It is simple enough that some can even do it on their own!). |
V |
Copyright Presentation
The copyright presentation fits standard V. I learned not only important copyright guidelines, but the importance of teaching our students at an early age to respect copyright and the rights afforded to those works that we might use in our own day to day lessons and projects. It is a tool that can also be used with colleagues to present them with the basics of copyright law. iPad Research Paper in the Kinder garten Classroom w/ presentation My Ipad research paper fits standard V because it was an example of using research to make the case (or not) for iPads in the elementary classroom. While my research was somewhat inconclusive, it gave me insights into how research can help determine best practices and ways to incorporate technology into my curriculum. EDUC 6308 - Distance Learning Strengths & Weaknesses of Online Education This discussion piece is a great example of communicating and collaborating among colleagues on how technology is affecting instruction in traditional classrooms and how technology is playing a crucial DRIVING role in all of it. By reviewing the research, it helps me as an educator to make better decisions on how best to integrate technology in my own classroom. EDAD-5319 Internet Resource Management Book Study Paper & Presentation The group book study paper and presentation challenged my notion of the traditional classroom and was a way to think through a decision to possibly change how instruction is delivered based on converging evidence from research. Personal Inquiry Wiki My personal inquiry wiki allowed me to practice using research-based technology instruction by communicating and collaborating with educational stakeholders about a topic of specific interest. This would be a wonderful tool to use with collegues as we look at new ideas and opportunites to incorporate into our curriculum. EDUC 5302 - Technology Enhanced Design Coaching Reflection Paper My coaching internship allowed me to explore and apply all of the technological skills I have learned to date in my masters program. I mentored by coaching colleagues. Symposium Proposal My symposium proposal facilitated research-based technology instruction by communicating with educational stakeholders and providing professional development opportunities. Digital Storytelling Pixlr Proposal Pixlr Handout EDUC 6315-History of Education Research paper |