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Question 2 - Where do you feel

• you are in a stage of Technology Adoption? (Familiarization; Utilization; Integration; etc.)
• your district is?

 

Please give examples.

Make sure you inlcude your name

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Prior to the MEIT program, I was at the Exploration stage.  I have been interested in any implementation of technology, but not with the appropriate purpose.  I have several PowerPoint presentations that I use for instruction or for outlining, but just not effective. I am now in the transformation stage, and am incorporating technology into whatever unit I have, promoting the development of purposeful technology skills. I encourage the new adoption of our textbooks which are 100% online and have assisted in teaching others how to best utilize all that this textbook has to offer.

As per my district, I believe we are the same.  Our new technology director has changed the plan for the district within the past few years, and is ‘transforming’ the way teachers use technology.  Funny thing, she went to Stritch!  Much of what she has done in the past three years has been outlined in this course and on this EnGauge web site.  Our technology committee has implemented new administrative software this year which has been a huge undertaking.  It is evident that my district is progressively moving in the right direction. Many of the inservices offered in my school have focused on how to implement this technology into our curricular areas. 

Peg Meddaugh

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In looking at the continuum, I would have to say that I am at the stage of Exploration.  I have become much better at using and integrating technology since entering this masters program.  However, several factors make this difficult to do.  One of the things that I have found to be the most diffucult is finding time to access the computers for projects that are integrated with technology.  We only have a one hour block of time each week to visit the computer lab and it is difficult to drag projects out for three to four weeks at a time.  I do try to work around other schedules and at times other teachers have been willing to give up their times, but that isn't always what is best either.  We still have a video camera that records on VHS tapes and a digital camera that uses floppy discs, even though the computers we have don't take a floppy discs anymore.  These factors make integrating technology more difficult and because of this I would say that our school and district are still at the Awareness/Adoption level of the continuum.  We are in the process of developing a technology curriculum because we don't currently have one in place.  There are times when we have technology inservices, but those always seem to focus more on administrative types of activities as opposed to educational activities.  I have been in the district for six years and only once have I attended a technology inservice that was educationally driven.  I don't think at this point our district has the attitude that technology needs to become an educational tool as well as administrative and now that I am more aware of what could/should be going on, that is disappointing.

Lisa Chase 

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I feel that I am in a much better stage of awareness than I was a year ago. I have learned a great many things during the course of this master's program. I have always been a fan of technology, and as a music teacher I am particularly good at using music technology. My challenge as a teacher is using music technology in a class that averages 75 students in it. There isn't a lab in Muskego High School that could accomadate my class sizes. Until this year, I have felt very overwhelmed as the only band director at the high school. Becasue of this, and my large clas sizes, I have not integrated technology that much. Through the course of this program I have created multiples assignments that students could complete at home. My action research project was the first time I really utilized technology in a project that involved the entire class. Even then, we worked individually on computers via a rotating schedule. It was extremely successful however and I look forward to completing this degree and having the time to implement technology even more.

 

As a district we have seen a lot of new changes in the last couple years (coincidently that was the same time the district hired Bob Boyd). When I came to Muskego, our website and a number of things were, believe it or not, run by a student!!! Now, he is an unbelievably mature and intelligent young man who is majoring in computer science now, but I was still a little surprised to say the least.

 

In the last 2 years we have:

• Implemented Infinite Campus - complete online grading software (way better then Integrade Pro, another program I have used)
• Implemented Moodle
• Implemented Build Your Own Curriculum software
• Implemented United Streaming

 

 

--Jamie Beckman

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At a personal level, I believe that I am at the Exploration and Transformation stages of the enGauge continuum. I use technology in every aspect of my day-to-day activities at work (and at home) and am gaining a better understanding every day on how to work with our district staff to redefine how we approach the use of our available technology with staff and students. The ongoing continuous improvement analysis that our district is undergoing will further refine my ability to model these behaviors and positively impact our staff, and thus our students.

 

As a district, we are in the adoption/exploration phase in many aspects throughout the district. Our staff is using technology for grading and attendance at all levels, and the curriculum teams at all levels are using Build Your Own Curriculum to enter and structure the district's curriculum. I believe that the use of technology in the Muskego-Norway School District is just beginning to hit critical mass and we will see a huge increase in the amount and manner in which technology is used at all levels with students of varying ability.

 

Examples of this usage include : 20+ new smartboards installed at the elem and middle school levels over the past 1.5 years, new laptop lab at elem level, many new projectors at all levels, this year the integration of digital media in the form of United Streaming is occurring across the district. As a tech staff, we are seeing more and more help desk tickets regarding how to use the available technology, as opposed to last year where the vast majority of requests were for non-functional items.

 

 

• Bob Boyd

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Personally, I feel that I am in the middle stages of exploration with a few occassional flares of transformation that pop into my classroom practice. I have been using technology within my classroom for five years and I can see the stages of development I have gone through in those years. I am still feeling my way through with the use of technology for classroom presentation of ideas, the development and teaching of an online course, the project based learning model that I utilize in my classroom which focuses on producing final products created with technology, the adaptation of writing software within my classroom, and other specific practices in my instruction. However, my increasing involvement with technology planning over the past two years has led to some transformational moments. For instance, the techology goal of an exploration of online schooling/course work for students in our high school is an idea that, when implemented, will be transformational to student learning. The discovery, research, advocacy, training, and utilization of MyAccess writing software to aid students in communication skills was a transformational approach to teaching communication while seamlessly integrating technology to aid in that goal.

 

As a district, I would suggest that we are quite in the early stages of awareness. We realize that there is a place for technology within our society/school, and there are parties within the district who have made certain that we have the infrastructure/tools to utilize that technology, but as technology driving instruction, the district is generally unaware of how the two should work together. For most teachers, technology is a "skill" that needs to be taught, for most administrators technology is an "item" that needs to be purchased, and for most students, technology is an "object" that is used to do some projects. None of these groups, however, see teaching as a tool that can be integrated to promote/assist/enhance education. Just a few examples of this: 1) a superintendent that admits that he/she really isn't that caught up on technology, but suggests that perhaps it is something that we should maybe try to fit into the curriculum someplace, 2) staff members requesting technology focused professional development are turned down and it is suggested that the district is going in a different direction that has a higher priority, and 3) the adoption of a technology purchase/replacement model that aims to limit the purchase of new hardware/labs/software in order to maintain a technology budget that was set 3-4 years ago , yet the hardware/labs are constantly full and there has been indications that more labs are necessary.

 

The district has made some attempts to integrate technology, but the understanding of how it can fit into and facilitate the educational goals we have established as high priority seems to be missing.

 

-Brian Yearling

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I believe that I am at the exploration and utilization phase of technology use in my teaching. Before the start of this Master's program, I thought that a PowerPoint slide show and use of the SmartBoard as a projector screen was a "big deal". Since that time and especially with the help of this class, I have begun to incorporate many other opportunities for students to utilize technology in their learning. We have a class WIKI page where I pose a question and students are required to respond and then leave comments on another's work. I have already had students eagerly check in on the site to see who has replied to their writing and then become quite upset if no one has replied yet. These incidents make me realize how powerful the interchange of ideas in an electronic format can be in motivating students to learn. We will begin a research unit next week, so I will have to wait a month or so to report back with how well it went. The research project incorporates the use of spreadsheets, tables, graphs and PowerPoint.

 

As for the Waukesha School District, the administration has the vision and planning down. Professional development opportunities are readily available to faculty and collaboration is encouraged between faculty members and other departments. Those opportunites occur frequently, for 70 minutes every 6 days and during faculty meetings and inservices. Overall, I would have to say that the faculty is also in the exploration and utilization phase with a few stragglers on either side of the spectrum. I think that the more individuals see others using technology effectively, the more they will become eager to use it as well. The mindset of the faculty seems to be positive and accepting.

 

-Janet Yunker

PS I changed everyone's copy to purple because this is North's Homecoming Weekend!

 

 

 

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I personally feel I am between Familiarization and Utilization. Even though I have learned a great deal in the MEIT program I haven’t had enough time to explore avenues of using the programs in my classroom. I have used Photo Story 3 with my student’s for my action research, but beyond that is questionable. I am really taking a liking to the WIKI and blogging, but I believe I am still in the familiarization phase and working on utilization. Part of my reasoning is lab space. As Bob Boyd said, I also use technology on a daily basis in the classroom for instruction. I could not imagine my world without it.

 

 

As the district level, I believe we are also between the Familiarization and Utilization phase. We have taken a lot of positive steps to get technology into the building, but it comes down to making the staff aware of its possibilities. I think staff is open to new ideas, but time is often the problem. This year we are piloting a new parmetheon (sp?) boards. Are technology committee is also bringing in secondary teachers to be apart of the committee. Change is most definately happening.

 

 

In the last 2 years we have:

• Implemented Webgrader - complete online grading software
• Implemented a new website builder (not sure of the name)
• Starting to Implement Build Your Own Curriculum software
• Implemented United Streaming

 

 

Dan Simonson

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In assessing my stage of Technology adoption, I think I vacillate between awareness and exploration. Looking at adoption of Digital Skills in my own classroom, some of the important areas of this collection are being addressed, like time management and analysis, while others, like global awareness and social responsibility and not even touched upon. Because so many of the key portions of list of Digital Skills are not addressed, my content is clearly at the awareness level.

Looking at Planning and Designing Technology Supported learning, I think I would fall firmly into the area of adoption. As an online teacher my students cannot access me or the class without my careful planning and technology management. As I continue to grow as an online educator I am dangling my feet into the waters of Exploration.

Reviewing my practice under the guidelines of Implementing Technology-Supported Learning I am in Exploration. I need to use technology daily in my classroom and continue to strive to present technology into my classroom that allows me to connect with my students in a variety of meaningful way. My goal is to move into Transformation to make the online experience more valuable, interactive and real for my students.''''

My Assessment practices are somewhere between Adoption and Exploration. Much of this is due to the set up of the school in which I work. Since everything is accessed online Adoption is really my only choice. As an educator I analyze my own numbers each semester to get an ideas of what might be helping, and hurting my students in hopes of improving my practices to increase my student completion rate and course averages.

In the area of Professional Productivity, the very nature of the school in which we work indicates that we are in the midst of Transformation.

Finally, when evaluating my practices in the area of Social, Ethical and Legal issues, I fall into Exploring. I spend a good portion of time with my 9^th grade students discussing how to use the internet without plagiarism. As the advisor of the school newspaper, I am proud that all of my reporter know what images and information can and cannot be used and are good cyber citizens. By employing discussion boards in my classes I am allowing student an opportunity to be both social and responsible using technology for social and academic purposes.

It is much easier for me to assess my own technology adoption level than to look at my district’s level. Sometimes it appears that the use of technology in district is on such a broad spectrum it would be surprising that all the schools operate in the same district. We have one of the first, and definitely largest, public online high school in the country- which would make it seem that we are in Transformation, yet our curriculum addresses very few of the Digital Literacies. Some school are using technology in innovative ways to increase student learning, and some school use computer labs as a typing room and smart boards as video projectors. With budget cuts causing the disappearance of key technology support staff it may be many years until all schools in the district are on even ground or have adopted a unified approach to the power of instruction technologies.

 

- Anna Lardinois

 

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I feel I am between the exploration and transformation stages. As I move through this program I feel I have moved from the exploration stage slightly toward the transformation stage. I especially like the line about being creative with learning to meet the needs of all different types of learners. This is very true and doable with the right training and technology. I use this everyday with all types of learners. Using technology to do similasr projects but at differnet levels is very effective. Currently, I have four different levels of reading groups and creating curriculum with technology truly allows me to touch all the different levels. Although I only have two computers in my room it is still possible to make things like this work.

 

 

 

As for the district I work in I feel we are way behind in the ways of technology. We are still at the Adoption/exploration levels but more toward adoption. In many cases, it is individuals that make changes with technology and the district allows them to do so. There seems to be a huge lack of support with funding, guidance and training. It seems as though we don’t have enough technology staff or funds to move out of this range and it falls into the individual teachers hands to find a way to make things happen.

 

In the last year we have adopted Infin. Campus

 

Kim Struve

 

 

 

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On a personal level, I am in between the Exploration and Transfromation stages on the continuum, slightly leaning more towards exploration. During the last two years, I have tried utilizing the various new technology programs that we have learned about in class or I have discovered on my own within my classroom. I made more strides to meeting the transformation stage when I taught Mass Media, a class that called for strong technology integration because it dealt with information technology and a wide range of media sources. In that course, I was able to create podcasts, use iMovie and other digital video software, and explore means of displaying information to my class. Upon relinquishing my position teaching Mass Media to take on AP English Literature and Composition, I have been more focused on developing a reading and writing curriculum that will prepare students for the AP Exam in the Spring than finding ways to integrate technology into the classroom. Therefore, the change is courses has changed my priorities slightly, but I have been working on creating a wiki or Moodle website for a future literary discussion and poetry project page. I am proud to say that during my Action Research, my husband and I created a computer-based peer editing program from scratch that I will be using throughout the school year. The program began as an experiment and has now grown into a program that will be more accessible and has proven to yield better revision results.

 

On a district level, I believe Milton School District is between the Adoption and Exploration stages on the continuum. Throughout the past year, they have been making positive strides to involve more teachers in technology integration. During the summer, they provided a summer technology academy that gave teachers the opportunity to learn some of the new programs being offered in the school district - programs like Moodle, iWeb, Safari Montage, and Skyward Gradebook. Currently, I am one of a group of members piloting the Skyward Family Access gradebook, which allows parents to log in to view their childrens' grades. Left over money from last year's budget was used to purchase ten new SmartBoards for high school classrooms. Currently, almost all the members of the Math department, several members of the Science department, and two members of the Foreign Language department have permanent SmartBoards in their classroom. Additionally, there have been a group of teachers within the school district chosen to participate in an ISAAC Consoritum grant that provides instruction on technology integration, 21st Century skills, and programs like Moodle. Fortunately, I was chosen for the grant and will be providing instruction for my fellow teachers after this year. Our technology department does a wonderful job seeking out and buying the technology, we still could use more effort to get that technology out to all teachers and provide staff development for those teachers to move us fully into the Exploration stage of the continuum.

 

- Heather Slosarek

 

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Teaching Stage

After reflecting upon my own teaching style and practices, I feel I reached the utilization phase. At the same time some of my lessons bounce between all 3 phases, but never staying at the extremes for extended periods of time. I never want to fully integrate for the simple fact that by relying 100% on technology is a kiss of death when the internet or network fails. Obviously, a good teacher adapts with what is given on any day. Additionally, I value hand written assignments just as much as computer based. I just happened to come across a paper assignment from a former student who passed away recently. Yes, there were numbers and letters written in pencil that told me more about his thoughts and emotions from that day take a computer file can never reach. Maybe it is a generation thing, but I don’t think so. When it comes to planning, I use the computer for everything. If I use paper, it is usually a form created using MS Word. I am making a greater effort to eliminate paper waste by using flash drives and CD’s for students to turn in work.

District Stage

At times I think we are making progress and then there are other days. We have made hugh investments in computer labs, projectors, multi-media equipment, online databases, and others I know I have forgotten. Administration tools like attendance are fully integrated, but as it concerns instruction I am not too sure. The school does offer a couple courses dealing with brain-based instruction, Moodle, video production but these are on teacher time. It is an attempt to try to get teachers excited about available technology and possible classroom application. But that is it. There is no follow up concerning best practices, support, or opportunities to vent. Here it is. Do it. There is no commitment to involve older or reluctant teachers in the process. It would seem the administration is prepared to allow these teachers to quietly retire and replace them with a young teacher who have been exposed to instruction utilizing technology.

The school is more committed to standards and reading at this point in time. There has been an investment in an online reading program which promises increases in reading, comprehension, and retention. Personally, I would rate our school somewhere between familiarization and utilization regardless of what the technology plan insists. Not enough of the staff or a small number would qualify for integration except for those who teach various applications and yearbook. We still have a ways to go.

Paul Pulvermacher

 

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Professionally:

I feel I am between utilization and integration in regards to technology adoption as a professional. I am ready to start adapting technology as an integral part of the curriculum in my classroom. I have been introduced to a multitude of ideas for implementing technology into the classroom and look forward to the opportunity to evaluate and adjust these methods to fit the needs of my classroom. Too often special needs students at the high school level have experienced frustration and failure long enough that they begin to lose hope in their ability to experience success. They often expect themselves to fail and become their own worst enemy. I believe I am learning skills that will enable me to become a better teacher and look forward to the day I can focus on being a teacher when I will be able to refine these skills in helping students becoming confident independent learners.

District:

As a district I believe we as many other districts are in the transition phase between utilization and integration. The district and staff are familiar with technology with a wide range of abilities for technology among the staff. From the district level the integration of technology is supported and encouraged. Is it possible for a district keeping up with current technology to always be considered in the familiarization stage if they are continually becoming familiar with current technology? Can a district, or a professional for that matter, be in a continuum of these stages? When the first technology was introduced the district/professional needed to become familiar with it. Once familiar it can begin to be utilized, and then integrated. While this technology is being integrated a new technology is introduced starting the cycle over again.

 

Jim Nelon

 

 

 

 

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Personally, I feel that I am in the “integration” stage of technology adoption. I currently use technology to enhance my classroom. I teach computer science and web page design, so I obviously use technology in those classes. In my math classes, I use a computer program called “GeoSketchpad” to enhance concepts already covered in class. In all of my classes I maintain a class website, maintain an online grade book, and keep in contact with parents and students through “webnotes” and e-mail. I am also now the advisor of the yearbook. We have changed our yearbook program so that everything is now done online. Students are able to maintain an online image gallery and work on their yearbook pages from any computer with internet access. Technology is an important part of my classroom. I try to use it to make my classroom more efficient---not just for the sake of using technology.

As a school district, I think we are in the utilization stage. Technology use is encouraged, but I don’t think it is a seamless process. I think some teachers use technology as a pull out activity. Occasionally teachers will take their classes to the computer lab to work on a project or research on the internet, but I don’t think it is a fundamental part of most teachers’ classrooms. Yes, all teachers keep an online grade book and the vast majority of teachers use e-mail to communicate with parents, students, and colleagues. Although most teachers use technology at some point in their classes, there are some that continue to resist technology---most likely because they would be set ting up technology as an “addition” to their curriculum, rather than an enhancement. In the same respect, there are teachers who use technology at every opportunity.

-Kristin Haefke

 

 

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Personally, I am at the begining of Exploration stage. I know that there is a need to incorporate and use technology with the students. I have started to use a Smart board for more than a glorified overhead. I have been using multiple programs to demonstrate everyday math problems. We have also had students create presentations using different types of programs (powerpoints, hyperstudio projects, ect.) I think that there is much more to be used and with time it can happen. I also feel that I am going in the right direction. My first year teaching we we given a gradebook program that was be considered for our district. Without any training, I became familiar with it and taught others in my building on what it could do. Recently we adopted another gradebook program that many teachers have come to me for help.

District: I think we are in the expolation stage as well. We have many oppurtunities for professional development. Our district has also invested a lot of money into bringing technology into our classrooms. 6-7 years ago a referendum was passed that gave the schools money for different technology. We recently have had budget cuts that may impact getting equality throughout the schools.

Rob Grisar

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Christopher See

 

I would regard myself between the exploration and transformation steps of the enGuage continuum. I use technology to communicate with parents and students. I use technology to analyze student data and review their progress, and I encourage teachers to do the same. I experiment with different tools available to me to expand how my students use technology in my classes and for other teachers.

 

I have used Moodle for activities in library classes, and am in the planning stages of creating a book review site for students to review and recommend books for their classes. This would allow students to discuss and recommend books required in their classes, as well as books they read outside of the school curriculum.

 

I help teachers develop strategies to analyze their assessment information. Much of the analysis and assessment involves the student management system and gradebook, but I have worked with teachers to allow students to create technology-based products. In some cases, the teachers and I discussed how to assess those products for more than just the content area requirements.

 

My district is more likely solidly at the top level of adoption. There are a few teachers who are in the exploration range, but several who are just barely into the adoption range, and many others who are still in awareness.

 

Those teachers in the exploration range are fairly savvy users of technology, themselves. These teachers often require more diverse use of technology from their students, and must be able to communicate these different expectations with students and parents.

 

Several of our staff members and administrators are at very low levels of technology use. If email were not so prevalent, and the gradebook was not digital, these staff members would have no need for ever turning on a computer. This is readily apparent in their classrooms and the products developed by students. Many of the teachers at this level have no classroom activities that include technology, and they rarely encourage students to create products that are not printed on paper.

 

We are now in the process of installing a staff development program, which will, hopefully, help bring more of the staff members into the adoption phase, and encourage those who are toying with the adoption phase to move into the exploration phase.

 

As with other school districts, my district uses an online gradebook, web-based attendance taking, and a web-based curriculum management tool. What seems to be missing with many of our staff is the understanding of these tools and their purpose. For those barely even in the awareness phase, there is sometimes open avoidance of technology. We are trying to bring those users along to the adoption phase without making them feel like the technology is being forced on them, although that is sometimes hard.

As with Brian's district, mine has a stunted budget (it is at the same dollar amount of the 1999 school year). It is hard to encourage staff to take on and find creative technology if there is no way we can be sure we can purchase it.

 

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Personal

Now that I have a few years of teaching under my belt I feel more comfortable with the curriulum and students' strengths and weaknesses I feel more confident integrating technology. I think that when I began teaching I was definitely in the Adoption phase because I had no problem utilizing online gradebooks, email and small activities with technology. I continue to add to my arsenal of learning experiences that utilize technology, I am often thinking of more ways to implement technology and ways that it can enhance what I am already doing.

 

District

I feel that the district is clearly in Adoption because we do have the resources, hardware and software to integrate technology. The district is slowly moving in the heart of Exploration. The district is starting slowly at the elementary level by providing all teachers with whiteboards and related training. At the high school level, however, there is little district leadership. Teachers who are motivated to improve technology use must currently do so with their own research, training and implementation. Resources are available to these select few teachers but all efforts are initiated and maintained by the individual teachers by writing for grants and locating outside training and educational resources.

 

Melissa Schuett

 

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I feel that I am in the exploration stage of technology in my classroom teaching. I have been using technology for the past for years, steadily growing and slowly integrating it more and more in my instruction and student development. I am still finding my way, changing and adapting technology to fit the needs and skill level of the students. This could be through how information by me or the students is presented, using project based learning that I make the most of which focuses on producing a final project using technology. During the series of master’s courses I have incorporated and explored several of new pieces of technology and created assessments relating to those student created technology projects. I have included teaching students more about different pieces of technology, such as PowerPoint, spreadsheets, and word, which would help hem in other classes and mine.

 

 

My district on the other hand is in the early stages of awareness. Being a smaller school we are transitioning to the idea of integrating technology. Some teachers are integrating some technology into lessons when working in the lab. We have placed administrative programs that allow parents to check student grades, attendance, lunch money, and more at home and into classroom and school information. But for professional development, the only development opportunities focus on our teacher web pages and our online grade book.  In our technology plan it gives goals for teachers to integrate and use technology but us not stressed by the administration or by the IT specialist. The IT specialists applies technology in her once a week media class. It seems to be a lack of support, funds, guidance, and training; it is up to the individual teacher to find a way to integrate technology in the classroom and to make things happen.

-Carl Dehne

 

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