February+Field+Based+Activities+Reflections



The creation of a multi-media production is something that I have done a few times before, and I particularly enjoy this type of work. I feel that the process and the final production are both very valuable. This experience was a little different because I decided to follow the advice of our Campus Technology Facilitator and use PowerPoint. I usually use iMovie. I decided to heed her advice because, upon discussing specific elements of the final production, it seemed that the implementation of PowerPoint would create more possibilities for text screens. This was necessary because many of the tips and strategies to be included were writing examples, and they were simply more effective with graphics consisting of text. iMovie is very limited in text screens, so PowerPoint won the vote. Additionally, I felt like it was important for me to step outside my comfort zone to use a different piece of software to increase my range of knowledge with different tools. During the most tedious part of the production, editing, I was somewhat frustrated and sorry I had chosen to go with PowerPoint. In retrospect, however, I am glad I did. The text screens would not have been possible any other way, and I did learn a great deal. One of the most important things I learned is that PowerPoint projects can be exported to Quicktime files and then imported to iMovie for further editing. (It seems like I always end up back with my old friend, iMovie.) This new knowledge (exporting .ppt's to .mov's) has been and will be more helpful to me in the future as I continue to create and produce instructional videos. It is always helpful to learn of a new technique that eventually broadens your capabilities and effectiveness in teaching a lesson to your students.
 * Reflections:**

One of the things that made this experience so frustrating for me, as well as the Campus Technology Facilitator assisting me, was the inability to get the audio to lock in and stay attached to the slides, so the timing would come out properly. After several hours of attempting to solve this problem, I gave up and changed the script so that the timing was a little looser and all the text screens would match the audio perfectly. The TF and I both read several help files and discussion forums to try to discover why the error was occurring. We found this to be of no avail as we checked and rechecked on various possibilities of the problem and solutions. Although we did not find a solution, I definitely became more familiar with all the tools and features in PowerPoint. I was frustrated with the program at the time, but I am grateful for the experience now that it is over. Our struggles always seem to make us wiser. I'm glad I stepped outside my comfort zone to create this project with a tool that I was only basically familiar with prior to this experience.


 * Several of the Technology Facilitator and Leadership Standards were met through this activity. For example, according to Williamson and Redish (200 ), TF/TL-I.A. should "demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology (as described in the ISTE NETS*T)" (p.25). I did explain and review all of the steps in this project with my colleague, Rhonda Johnson, so that she could use this information to create her own reading video before the reading TAKS test. Therefore, I demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and technology understanding to my colleagues, as well as my students. Additionally, the final production of this project, which can be seen at the link below, fulfills TF/TL-II.A, which reads, "Design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners" (p. 25). Finally, the use of technology in education to support the integration of communication tools (iMovie/PowerPoint) through the curriculum was another task that was completed in this project, which supports TF/TL-III.A., stating that TF/TL should, "Facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards" (p. 67). Since the multi-media production was designed to address specific TAKS objectives through the use of iMovie and PowerPoint, content standards and technology standards are addressed in this activity. **

The instructional video created in this activity can be seen on YouTube at the following link: [|2010 TAKS Writing Video]

In addition to the creation of the 2010 TAKS Writing Video in February, I also participated in a meeting with the reading department teachers and the campus testing coordinator. The purpose of this meeting was to analyze the results of each student's benchmark scores throughout the year and their previous TAKS scores. The reports generated from Eduphoria, our district LMS (learning management system), made it very easy to identify which students were at-risk and exactly what objectives they needed to work on. Since this LMS conveniently compiles data for teachers to reference, it is easy to see overall weaknesses and which populations share those weaknesses, as well as individual student data. This is very helpful in determining who to help and what strategies to use in order to see improved student performance in identified individuals and populations. The fact that we were implementing technology to analyze data is closely aligned with IV.B., which states, "Use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning" (p. 90). Throughout the meeting, our testing coordinator called upon each teacher to respond to various questions about the data to ensure understanding and future implementation of effective strategies in upcoming weeks before the TAKS reading assessment. I felt like this was a valuable exercise, since it did give me hard data to use in making important decisions about tutoring and class planning activities prior to TAKS.

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). //Technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do.// Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education. **
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