Day 12 - Going on the Road

How to Begin a Presentation
I learned to be concise and to the point when presenting to an audience and not to provide to many details. A good strategy I learned from the article was a good point of reference of whether or not your presentation is concise is to practice sharing your presentation while traveling from one floor to another in an elevator....very clever!

Tips for Presenting to Young Audiences

Although I have presented many times to young audiences, I was amazed at the great tips that I learned through this article. A few of them really resonated with me...

I must admit that I take young people's facial expressions to heart when I'm presenting....The author was right when he said, "Shallowness, insincerity and callousness are masks young people wear, but rarely indicate who they really are plague." This is a helpful reminder for me to ignore their "masks".

I also agree with the author when he says, make your presentation come alive. Middle school
students are the most challenging, in my opinion, to present to. However, when I speak from the heart or am just plain "real" with the students, I'm better able to grasp their attention.

The True Power of Simplicity was another great tip for me. As an administrator, I have to be able to toggle my language to match the audience that I am working or speaking with. It is really a true talent to be able to toggle back and forth from speaking with the various people in a school community...students included. :-)

5 Fail-Safe Tips When You Forget or Get Flustered During a Presentation
Provided some really cool tips, which I actually could of used during a presentation last week. :-)

While presenting last week, I actually lost my train of thought....a drew a complete blank as to where I was going with the slide and bulleted list...I could have tried the Fiddle with Fodder tip to regain my train of thought....if I could go back into time, I would have taken off my glasses, since I wear glasses, to verify my notes. Or, even better, ask the audience about the temperature and their comfort level....now, where was I? :-)

The Power of Body Language
I always try to be cognizant of my body language; however, I know that I can improve in some of the areas that have been outlined. I feel fairly confident with making eye contact with my audience, but may need to video tape myself to reflect on my overall posture, gesture, and body movement. These tips will help me tremendously as a further my administrative career. It will also assist me with my dissertation defense!

Day 11 - Use of Student Portfolios in the Classroom

I really liked the idea of using student portfolios to report student’s progress and involve parents, which was covered in the article Student Portfolio’s, Classroom Uses…

I would agree with the article that it is highly important for parents to be educated on the use of portfolios - in my opinion, primarily because parents are accustomed to the manner in which they were once graded/assessed as a student. Furthermore, change in general can be difficult for parents to accept.

I like the idea of using portfolios to compare achievement across classrooms and/or schools. I believe this to be a more authentic way for teachers and the school to individualize and highlight each student’s growth. However, I agree with the article that if schools are to utilize student portfolios school wide, standards and guidelines for assessing the student would definitely have to be in place for consistency.

In order for teachers to effectively use portfolios, they will definitely require the support of administration.

My school does utilize student portfolios school wide; unfortunately, we do not consistently practice sharing them with the parents...(not sure why this practice exists?)....At any rate, the student portfolio, in general, have been used for teachers to learn about the students as they enter a new grade level. As I begin to plan for the new school year, I was excited thinking about implementing the use of electronic portfolios; however, now I think I must first educate our parents on the use of paper portfolios, prior to launching the use of e-portfolios!

Day 10 - Student Portfolios...

Using student electronic portfolios have proven to be powerful tools, as illustrated in the articles under 'day ten' by teachers that are successfully using them.  

Reading about the many examples has inspired me to begin this implementation with my teachers.  However, I realize the vitality in being cognizant of not enforcing the initiative by a 'top-down' approach, as I'm currently taking a class on implementing change.  Instead, I think a better approach would be for me to begin by having discussions about electronic portfolios with a few teachers...(some that are 'go-getters' and perhaps with some of the 'resisters').  If and when, I'm able to gain 'buy-in' from the select teachers, then, I can begin to implement the use of student electronic portfolios.  I believe showing teachers examples of how student e-portfolios are used will also spur interest and motivate them to try them.....

Most importantly, I want to begin the process slowly, offer support, as well as help sustain the reform through providing training, funding, on-going support and by recognizing their efforts and successes!

Day 9 - Electronic Portfolios

Okay, I must admit that I'm having difficulty keeping all of this electronic portfolio information straight. :-( However, I think they are very powerful. They allow both students and teachers to share/ highlight goals, accomplishments, as well as reflect on their progress via the use of technology resources. With regard to electronic portfolios for teachers, they can serve as a useful way for sharing successful practices with others.

I think some people may feel overwhelmed using electronic portfolios at first, but with a little time, technological competency, and commitment, they can effectively be designed by students and teachers.

I'd love to see more of my teachers using these with their students...I hope to share what I've learned with them....hopefully I can inspire them!

Day 8 - Electronic Teaching Portfolios

The creation of a comprehensive electronic teaching portfolio is an effective way to highlight a teacher's goals, skills, accomplishments, as well as self-reflections.

Although professional electronic portfolio can be designed and presented in many ways, some key components to include are: personal background information, teaching artifacts, and professional information, such as providing a vita, examples of lesson plans and/or meaningful projects.

From an administrative stand point, I believe professional electronic portfolios to be a more effective way of showcasing one's skills and talents during an interview, in comparison to sharing a thick binder loaded with paper artifacts.

Day 7 Readings - Tips for Different Types of Presentations

Day seven readings Tips for Different Types of Presentations was right on time for me, as I’m preparing for a presentation this week. Although I have delivered many presentations, I must admit that I was feeling a bit nervous about this one. Why? The content is not my area of forte. However, after reading the articles, I feel energized and confident to tackle the design and delivery of my presentation!

What I learned:
I must be prepared and know what I’m going to say. If I don’t, the audience is sure to catch on to my feeling of uncertainty. Also, the two main objectives is to present the new information in an enthusiastic manner that will inspire. (These two go hand in hand, and do not work in isolation). Additionally, I must ensure that I include the following three components: facts and supportive data; examples or analogies that add meaning and context to the data and reasons this is important to your listeners.

Interestingly, using a storyboard is very helpful for designing any type of presentation. Personally, I tend to want to dive right into the presentation without mapping it out. The outline/storyboard will not only help with the overall organization of the presentation, but addressing difficult questions as well. (In my opinion, anticipating what a member of the audience might ask is the most difficult piece to presenting, as I must be well versed in my topic and respond as accurate as possible).

Finally, I must be prepared for the presentation. It’s true about the cliché “practice makes perfect”! A technique that I learned was to sing the information…this will help me memorize the content. Another technique I learned was to remember to speak with them, not at them. My job is to inform my audience in a way that is easy for all to understand.

Day 6 Readings – Multimedia Peripherals

I really enjoy taking photos, especially using a digital camera. The fact that you can delete those poorly taken photos is awesome! (Trying to get my mom to convert to using a digital camera...I know, everybody should own one by now. ;-)

The article that provided the Top 10 Tips for Taking Digital Photos was great! Not to toot my horn, but I do feel like I take effective pictures. I am pleased to discover that I am using most of the tips provided. Two were new to me: using the flash outside and move it from the middle.

I hadn’t realized that I could use a flash outside to reduce shadows on subjects. I always thought that if there was sun out, my photos didn’t require a flash. Now I know.

The other tip, 'move it from the middle', is something new that I will try. I usually aim to center subjects – I think it has to do with the perfectionist in me to always have things perfectly situated (centered, straight, etc.) :-0 I will definitely be more creative the next time I photograph an object/subject.

Regarding scanners, I think it’s great that this tool exists. Personally, I do not enjoy using them. ☹ Yes, they can come in handy, especially for scanning items that are pre-digital, (is that a word?)...However, I think it requires an extra step and additional work.

Day 5 Readings - Designing Multimedia Presentations

I think the article said it best, “The most important thing to keep in mind when designing any multimedia presentation is to keep it simple."

I think we become overwhelmed with the vast variety of interesting fonts available to us, that we get carried away with trying to effectively incorporate them into the design of our projects. I can appreciate the author’s suggestion to stick with softer fonts like Helvetica and Arial.

The tip for using appropriate font sizes with presentations was new to me….”using the 24 karat rule… don't use fonts smaller than 24 points…make sure you stick with 18 points and above.”

With regard to incorporating graphics/clipart/images, video and/or sound into presentations, we must remember to use them sparingly, as well as only use those that directly relate to the content.

And, of course the advice to preview your presentation before presenting has also been discussed in class, as we have learned colors and fonts can sometimes appear differently from what we had originally planned. Paying attention to spelling and grammar is also important. I remember defending my dissertation proposal and not catching a spelling error….not good! In hindsight I would have had somebody else review/read my presentation, as our eyes can sometimes become immune to the content and formatting of the presentation in which we created.

I think all of the tips mentioned in these articles are highly essential for creating presentations. However, I believe the content and actual delivery of the presentation is the most important piece of a presentation. Nothing is more frustrating than sitting through a presentation where the presenter relies solely on the PowerPoint presentation (reading from slides) to deliver his/her content.

Day 4 Reading - Multi-media & Copyright

Reading the article regarding multi-media and copyright were helpful refresher resources.

Trying to develop a definition for multi-media was difficult to achieve, as I hadn't realized the endless list of resources that classify as multi-media. The timeline is what really shed light on the vast amount resources that contribute to multi-media. Additionally, this class has introduce various resources such as using digital photography, digital movies, PowerPoint, Photo Shop Element, and sound and music to help enhance projects. Experiencing these tools/resources has really helped me understand what classifies as multi-media.

The articles regarding copyrights were great reminders for me as I work to produce a multi-media website for my dissertation! I was reminded of specific copyright laws and fair use. I found the sample letters for requesting permission to use/borrow from websites and/or graphics particularly useful. Overall, being cognizant of these laws in general is key for helping me steer clear of breaking any copyright and/or fair use laws.

Day 3 Reading - Inquiry Based Learning Using Technology

The article Linking Technology, Learning, and School Change by Alan Feldman, Bob Coulter, and Cliff Konold illustrated what effectively integrated technology into teaching and learning looks, sounds, and feels like when used beyond the common practices of video games and drill and kill activities for example. It also discussed how school and district support are vital for successfully implementing/integrating technology into teaching and learning.

The article provided a vignette of a teacher that had taught in a project/ inquiry-based manner. It was interesting to see his transformation from teaching in this manner to exploring ways of how to best use technology to support his inquiry-based teaching and learning. Through the assistance of a educational technologist, he was able to deepen his application of technology and help deepen his students’ understanding of the content.
Both the teacher and the students appeared to have been revitalized in their teaching and learning. Furthermore, students were now being exposed to more opportunities of learning from resources beyond their local community.

The integration of technology into teaching and learning did not happen overnight. The authors clearly communicated that it takes a supporting system change to implement such an endeavor. Support from school and district level leadership is critical. Also, providing teachers with someone whose primary focus is providing professional development and support in the area of integrating technology into the curriculum is essential.

At my district we do have the school and district support, as well as staff that train and provide teachers with professional development. My school in particular has a vast amount to technological resources. However, I do not see the inquiry-based teaching and learning occurring as often as I would like to. I believe in order for this to come to fruition, we, (our instructional leadership team), will need to have conversations regarding this instructional approach and begin to prepare teachers for this paradigm shift in teaching.

Day 2 Reading - Constructivism

A constructivism approach focuses on learning how to think and understand. Using a constructivist approach through the use of integrating technology makes learning meaningful and engaging. It provides teachers with the opportunity to use interactive, and/or tangible materials, as well as their own creativity. There is a massive paradigm shift from the teacher being the expert and providing the lecture/content, to being that of a facilitator. Students also experience a paradigm shift in their roles as learners. They feel a sense of ownership in their learning, as they are provided with the opportunity to have a voice in what they are learning. They are also held more accountable for their assessment and progress. In addition, using a constructivist approach promotes opportunities for students to have authentic discussions and collaboration with each other.
After reading about constructivism classrooms, I have been inspired to share and model this approach with my teachers, as it offers so much more for both the student and the teacher.

Although our school is equipped with what I consider to be the ‘bells and whistles’ of technology, (document cameras, Smartboard, projectors, internet, etc.), I have not observed my teachers using a constructivist approach. Instead, I have seen them using technology in isolation to support instruction. I believe my teachers have not attempted to use this instructional approach for three reasons: 1) the underperforming label that we possess (they feel like that have to provide basic, systematic instruction), 2) the lack of knowledge, experience and training they possess and 3) the lack of administrative push/encouragement. I realize that using this approach is not something that can be achieved overnight; however, with the right training and on-going support, I believe we can effectively and successfully implement this instructional approach at our school.