6.3 Field Experiences
Candidates engage in appropriate field experiences to synthesize and apply the content and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions identified in these standards. (PSC 6.3)
Artifact: ITEC 7305 - Unstructured Field Experience
Reflection:
The field experience performed in ITEC 7305, data analysis and improvement, was completed to provide a three day workshop for biology and environmental teachers within the county that primarily work at Title I schools. In completing this field experience, I had to find, adapt, and create virtual labs and enrichment activities. In addition, I taught other teachers how to use new technology tools in their classrooms. I co-led this workshop with another teacher from my school who also teaches biology. My individual contribution for this workshop included teaching the teachers about all the technology tools and co-developing the biology-themed and environmental-themed enrichment activities.
Standard 6.3 establishes the criteria for the engagement in appropriate field experiences that synthesize and apply the content and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions of the Professional Standards Commission (PSC) standards. This particular artifact demonstrates my ability to participate in a field experience that applies what I have learned throughout the Instructional Technology program. For this particular field experience, I had to synthesize the technology standards and biology content standards to ensure that the learning experience was beneficial for the teachers. I then had to apply this knowledge of the standards during this field experience to help Title I teachers specifically help close the digital divide with the students specific to their schools. This field experience also involved developing a workshop that followed best practice methods applied through the professional skills acquired through the progress in the instructional technology program. The dispositions associated with this field experience also involved synthesizing the technology standards to help promote myself as a technology leader within my school and county.
Completing this field experience was a very beneficial process for me. Prior to co-leading this workshop, I had to work with a fellow colleague to develop a best-practice workshop that integrated the technology skills and standards I have learned in this program. The other teacher I was working with was not aware of the technology standards so I also had to inform her of these standards prior to implementing the workshop. In co-leading this workshop, I also further developed my presentation skills to other teachers within the county. Presenting to other teachers can at times be challenging and somewhat difficult to maintain their interest, so I really had to practice good planning methods to ensure that the teachers would stay engaged and be challenged by the material they were exposed to during the workshop. In doing this workshop again, I would like to have more time to plan with my colleague for this workshop. We had about a month to plan but that really was not enough time to fully create a workshop that covered all aspects of technology planning with technology standards and content standards. So, as a result, we ended up focusing more on the biology content standards than on incorporating the technology standards fully too.
This work impacted school improvement and faculty development, and indirectly also impacted student learning. This workshop was held for teachers from all over the county so as a result, any changes they saw or learning they did was able to be taken back to their individual schools. Faculty development of each school was also impacted in that the teachers that attended the workshop were able to take material back to their colleagues to help improve faculty implementation and use of technology standards. Additionally, student learning was also impacted in that the students of the teachers that attended these workshops also benefitted from the new content and techniques that their teachers learned at the workshop. The impact of each of these can be assessed by examining the amount of implementation from each of the teachers that attended the workshop. In addition, student assessment scores could also be analyzed for impact by determining if their assessment scores improved after their teacher attended the workshop.
The field experience performed in ITEC 7305, data analysis and improvement, was completed to provide a three day workshop for biology and environmental teachers within the county that primarily work at Title I schools. In completing this field experience, I had to find, adapt, and create virtual labs and enrichment activities. In addition, I taught other teachers how to use new technology tools in their classrooms. I co-led this workshop with another teacher from my school who also teaches biology. My individual contribution for this workshop included teaching the teachers about all the technology tools and co-developing the biology-themed and environmental-themed enrichment activities.
Standard 6.3 establishes the criteria for the engagement in appropriate field experiences that synthesize and apply the content and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions of the Professional Standards Commission (PSC) standards. This particular artifact demonstrates my ability to participate in a field experience that applies what I have learned throughout the Instructional Technology program. For this particular field experience, I had to synthesize the technology standards and biology content standards to ensure that the learning experience was beneficial for the teachers. I then had to apply this knowledge of the standards during this field experience to help Title I teachers specifically help close the digital divide with the students specific to their schools. This field experience also involved developing a workshop that followed best practice methods applied through the professional skills acquired through the progress in the instructional technology program. The dispositions associated with this field experience also involved synthesizing the technology standards to help promote myself as a technology leader within my school and county.
Completing this field experience was a very beneficial process for me. Prior to co-leading this workshop, I had to work with a fellow colleague to develop a best-practice workshop that integrated the technology skills and standards I have learned in this program. The other teacher I was working with was not aware of the technology standards so I also had to inform her of these standards prior to implementing the workshop. In co-leading this workshop, I also further developed my presentation skills to other teachers within the county. Presenting to other teachers can at times be challenging and somewhat difficult to maintain their interest, so I really had to practice good planning methods to ensure that the teachers would stay engaged and be challenged by the material they were exposed to during the workshop. In doing this workshop again, I would like to have more time to plan with my colleague for this workshop. We had about a month to plan but that really was not enough time to fully create a workshop that covered all aspects of technology planning with technology standards and content standards. So, as a result, we ended up focusing more on the biology content standards than on incorporating the technology standards fully too.
This work impacted school improvement and faculty development, and indirectly also impacted student learning. This workshop was held for teachers from all over the county so as a result, any changes they saw or learning they did was able to be taken back to their individual schools. Faculty development of each school was also impacted in that the teachers that attended the workshop were able to take material back to their colleagues to help improve faculty implementation and use of technology standards. Additionally, student learning was also impacted in that the students of the teachers that attended these workshops also benefitted from the new content and techniques that their teachers learned at the workshop. The impact of each of these can be assessed by examining the amount of implementation from each of the teachers that attended the workshop. In addition, student assessment scores could also be analyzed for impact by determining if their assessment scores improved after their teacher attended the workshop.