Leveraging Technology in Education

I believe it is impossible to have a realistic conversation about personalized and adaptive learning without acknowledging the link and relationship they dependently share. As a school leader, “personalized learning” has fallen into the traps of over generalized educational jargon, where teachers and school leaders alike, substitute the phrase for concepts like differentiated instruction, student welfare and individual student plans/learning. Howton (2017) defined personalized learning as a strategy “…which tailors instruction, expression of learning and assessment to each student’s unique needs and preferences.” This clear and concise definition details an outcome which educators have championed and sought for a number of years. Many theories, strategies and initiatives have attempted to accomplish these outcomes, or at least parts of them. It is only in recent years, where technology advancements have occurred, that these outcomes have a new and realistic chance of occurring. T...

Case for the T3 Framework In Disruptive Classroom Technologies: A Framework for Innovation in Education, Dr. Sonny Magana presents his thesis as to technology and its place in education. Magana attempts to answer how technology adds value to education, by impacting student learning potential, in ways that are not possible without technology. In doing so, Magana opens up discussions about the current use of classroom technologies, how to establish clear goals for continuous professional growth, and ways to measure and track progress of these pedagogical goals.             Magana is successful in tackling these points, as well as providing applicable tools and strategies which are rich in content and research. Challenging schools and educators to actually attempt such an undertaking requires original thought and the foundations of various, sound educational theories. In making his case as to why technology should disrupt the sta...

As a school leader, I very much identify with being a learner and someone who wants to continue to improve. In this light, I believe that most all educators want to continue to improve and find ways to make their practice better. As we redefine and prioritize professional learning over professional development, in that improving practice becomes focused on impacting students, school leaders have a large responsibility in shaping how this will happen. I believe it is essential that the fostering of such professional learning communities and opportunities, where educators can share, refine and implement teaching strategies to be essential. Starting as a new teacher and licensed K-12 intervention specialist, my first real experience with professional learning communities (PLC) was very much informal. The No Child Left Behind legislation had been newly passed and many schools were not equipped to handle the pending implications. Most all of our staff were forced to seminars, lectures...

SAMR Overview Hilton (2016) provided a meaning of SAMR as to "...facilitate the aquisition of proficiency in modern consumer technologies and software for both staff and students with the hope of promoting 21st century skills." SAMR provides a framework for teachers so that they can begin to unpack technology-based tools which may be integrated into a specific lesson or classroom environment. The hierarchal formation of this framework also allows the teacher to reflect and determine the impact it may have on instruction and student learning outcomes. The ultimate goal is for teachers to work through the progression so that the use of technology is transformational to the practice taking place. This can be seen in Figure 1 below, where the progression is grouped into two categories, Enhancement and Transformation.     Figure 1. Progressive SAMR Model Figure 1. SAMR model. Source : Hilton 2016 As mentioned, the progression should be a reflective model that can ...

I tend to live near the fulcrum when identifying as a technology enthusiast or skeptic, as it pertains to the educational setting. To be clear, I feel that technology and its impact on students, both now and in the future, is undeniable. So from this standpoint, I will side with Team Enthusiasm. But I have reservations. Like all  technology I encounter, educational technology generates a very distinct response. I tend to judge its value, almost immediately.  I admittedly accept that this isn’t the best lens through which to judge technology, but I do. These quick reactions range from my “user experience”, aesthetic judgments, crowd reaction and  my lack of understanding potential use and impact. I immediately process these feelings from my “teacher” side and decide whether or not it may be useful.  These first impressions tend to cause more cynical feelings than positive as new technology is rolled out in schools at an ever-dizzying pace.  I comp...