Reflections from Experince Log KSU-EDL 7105 Dr. Ribble

1. Briefly describe the field experience. What did you learn about technology facilitation and leadership from completing this field experience? This fall’s field experiences were by far the most relevant due to the immediate implementation of my PD to using what I learned to help train colleagues.  I was able to have an inside look into our school making a major transition into a 1:1 school.  Getting to see all the planning and work pay off with an effective “Roll-Out,” was great to witness for future idea employment in a school setting.  I have seen how so many facets inside a school can work together with effective communication and a clear vision.  I feel that this is an invaluable lesson to learn early on this EDL path that I am on. Also, several of these experiences became a “real view” into what Educational Leadership looks and feels like.  I give credit to my principal, Mrs. Kindra Smith, for inviting me to be a part of SGC and Principal’s area meetings.  It is so very important as a leader to encourage and help grow future leaders in your building.  My principal knows that I am not necessarily following this path to go into Administration, but she keeps encouraging me because she sees my heart and passion for students.   I made a promise to myself and my family to get my master’s degree 20 years ago, and I do want and need to learn more about leadership in order to develop more young leaders. I am really getting my master’s degree to open up new unknown doors, and I really do not fully know what doors this degree may open.  The doors that I know it will open do not necessarily appeal to me, ie. Admin.

2. How did this learning relate to the knowledge (what must you know), skills (what must you be able to do) and dispositions (attitudes, beliefs, enthusiasm) required of a technology facilitator or technology leader? (Refer to the standards you selected in Part I. Use the language of the PSC standards in your answer and reflect on all 3—knowledge, skills, and dispositions.) This course’s required learning goals were: • To gain          a deeper           understanding of         the       field     of         educational            technology,     including         the       history of         the       discipline,        future            career   options,           and      professional     organizations/resources           to            support            ongoing           learning. • To     develop           a          vision   for       technology      use       in         K-12    schools            and      a          research-based rationale          to         support            that      vision. • To     understand      and      assess   essential           conditions       for       effective            technology      implementations          in         K-12    schools. • To     develop           a          school-level     strategic           plan     to         strengthen            the       essential           conditions       and      to         realize  students’         vision            for       technology      use. What an experience??!!  What a combonation??!!!  Learning from this course readings, videos, and assignments, then developing skills that allowed me to be a more competent stakeholder in my school, and finally be a real advocate for change and witnessing the enthusiasm, doubt, fear, frustration, and ultimately the pride of achievement that we all shared, will not soon be forgotten.  Combining these goals with the skills of interviewing, documenting digital data, collaborating, problem-solving in real time and monitoring the dispositions of in real situations, under real deadlines, for a real “Roll-Out” was a true lesson of taking the tasks of this course and really making a difference to my home school. Also, being able to use these national standards directly at my school due to supportive administrators who supported and invested in my own advanced training to allow me to personify and awaken these 2 dimensional standards to allow me to design, model, facilitate, and promote learning and positive attitudes in the face of a daunting program implementation.

3. Describe how this field experience impacted school improvement, faculty development or student learning at your school. How can the impact be assessed?  This field experience impacted school improvement by being directly involved with the 1:1 roll out plan and event.  This process of having an implementation of a program coming your way, allotting appropriate time and collaboration to prepare, effectively managing people and resources, and trusting all stakeholders in this process to do their job, was a beautiful thing to be a part of. My trainings in both Vanguard and MIE have been directed towards my ability to pass on this knowledge to make the shorten the learning curve with Office 365 tools and other effective ways of using our Dell latitude Laptop devices.   My trainings at the GaETC will continue to impact the education and classroom management at my school as I and several other Vanguard members design future PD for our colleagues and hopefully for other schools’ faculty too.