3.6 Selecting & Evaluating Digital Tools & Resources
Candidates collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources for accuracy, suitability, and compatibility with the school technology infrastructure. (PSC 3.6/ISTE 3f)
Artifact: Evaluating Emerging Technologies Project
Reflection:
The artifact “Evaluating Emerging Technologies Project” was created in ITEC 7445 Multimedia and Web Design in Education. This artifact was an evaluation of the use of e-readers in schools. In this presentation, I examined two different e-readers, the Barnes and Noble Nook and the Amazon Kindle, for use in schools as a replacement for traditional textbooks.
The element of Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools and Resources under the Standard of Digital Learning Environments was mastered with this artifact in several different ways. Given that this course was taken in the summer, collaboration with the administration of the school was limited; however, I did a great deal of research on how to best incorporate e-readers into the structure of a school and paid special attention to the climate at Kell High School. In addition, given the school’s focus on incorporating technology, a recommendation for purchase of e-readers to replace traditional textbooks is in line with the school vision. The school vision was written by a team including the principal, administration, and several teachers. By keeping my recommendation in line with the school vision, collaboration is implicit. The element of Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools and Resources also requires that new technology be compatible with the school’s technology infrastructure. I would accomplish this by testing both e-readers on the school’s Wi-Fi to insure compatibility.
While completing this artifact, I learned a great deal about how to effectively collaborate with teachers and administrators to test drive new technologies. A recommendation has been made by me to the school that we further research and evaluate this proposal. For this artifact, I would change the timeframe in which I completed it. It would have been an asset to this project to have done it during the school year such that collaboration with administration was more feasible. Although I do believe that e-readers are the future of school textbooks, I understand that financially the school system is not at the point where this is a possibility.
The work that went into creating this artifact will impact school improvement as it gives us one more avenue to explore in incorporating technology into student learning. I will bring this presentation to the principal’s attention so that we can look into the feasibility of e-readers in our school. When this recommendation becomes financially feasible, it will dramatically save on teacher copies and lost textbooks as well as contributing to a better school environment. When students are given something of value, they tend to see themselves as worthy of having valuable things. This leads to an increase in student self-efficacy. This impact can be assessed by tracking textbook loss over the last several years and comparing it to e-reader loss over the first several years that e-readers are utilized in the school.
The artifact “Evaluating Emerging Technologies Project” was created in ITEC 7445 Multimedia and Web Design in Education. This artifact was an evaluation of the use of e-readers in schools. In this presentation, I examined two different e-readers, the Barnes and Noble Nook and the Amazon Kindle, for use in schools as a replacement for traditional textbooks.
The element of Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools and Resources under the Standard of Digital Learning Environments was mastered with this artifact in several different ways. Given that this course was taken in the summer, collaboration with the administration of the school was limited; however, I did a great deal of research on how to best incorporate e-readers into the structure of a school and paid special attention to the climate at Kell High School. In addition, given the school’s focus on incorporating technology, a recommendation for purchase of e-readers to replace traditional textbooks is in line with the school vision. The school vision was written by a team including the principal, administration, and several teachers. By keeping my recommendation in line with the school vision, collaboration is implicit. The element of Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools and Resources also requires that new technology be compatible with the school’s technology infrastructure. I would accomplish this by testing both e-readers on the school’s Wi-Fi to insure compatibility.
While completing this artifact, I learned a great deal about how to effectively collaborate with teachers and administrators to test drive new technologies. A recommendation has been made by me to the school that we further research and evaluate this proposal. For this artifact, I would change the timeframe in which I completed it. It would have been an asset to this project to have done it during the school year such that collaboration with administration was more feasible. Although I do believe that e-readers are the future of school textbooks, I understand that financially the school system is not at the point where this is a possibility.
The work that went into creating this artifact will impact school improvement as it gives us one more avenue to explore in incorporating technology into student learning. I will bring this presentation to the principal’s attention so that we can look into the feasibility of e-readers in our school. When this recommendation becomes financially feasible, it will dramatically save on teacher copies and lost textbooks as well as contributing to a better school environment. When students are given something of value, they tend to see themselves as worthy of having valuable things. This leads to an increase in student self-efficacy. This impact can be assessed by tracking textbook loss over the last several years and comparing it to e-reader loss over the first several years that e-readers are utilized in the school.