nagy edtech rationale paper

8/11/2019 Nagy EDTECH Rationale Paper

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Master of Educational Technology Rationale Paper

Brian Nagy

Science Department Leader

Urban Action Academy

Brooklyn, NY

Fall, 2014


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Introduction

I have been using computers for various purposes for as long as I can remember. Dad brought

home an Apple IIe from work every so often. Five and quarter inch floppy drives. Black-and-

white(ish) monitor. The program I used most often was a maze. Up arrow makes the rabbit or the

leprechaun jump up. Right arrow makes the rabbit or leprechaun (Oh! The decisions we had to

make in those days!) go right. Get to the center of the maze and claim the pot of gold or carrot

(or was it the other way around?). It was riveting!

Fast forward. A lot. I have always enjoyed technology. I garnered a love for science. I found a

niche for myself. I attended the University at Albany, part of the State University of New York

system from 2001-2007. In that time, I studied biology and came away with a Bachelor of

Science degree (2005), then continued on in a teacher preparation program that led to

certification and a Master of Science in Secondary Education (2007).

I taught biology in a rural high school in New York for six years. During that time, I found

myself drawn to using technology in the classroom to help my students engage with content in

new ways. I eventually became a go-to for our Network Administrator when he was looking to

field test new technology for the district. I moved my way into being part of the tech support

team for the school. That was when I knew that I needed to further my knowledge and skills at

utilizing technology in the classroom setting. I began the Master of Educational Technology

program at Boise State in the Fall of 2012.

Two years later, I now teach at a small public high school in Brooklyn, N.Y. I started there last

May. Despite having little time in the school, I am already the Science Department Leader. I

have amassed a collection of artifacts from my time in the EdTech program.


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This paper examines some of those artifacts, what they are, and how they apply to the standards

set by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (2005). For each

subdomain, I present the text of the standard, a description of the artifact that demonstrates that

standard, and explanation of educational or design theory used in creating that artifact.

______________________________________________________________________________

The Standards

Standard 1: Design

Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to design conditions for learning

by applying principles of instructional systems design, message design, instructional strategies,

and learner characteristic.

1.1: Instructional Systems Design

Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is an organized procedure that includes the steps of

analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating instruction.

For EDTECH 503, Instructional Design, I created an instructional unit entitled "Adaptations in

the Intertidal Zone". The focus of this instructional design project is for students to learn about

the stressors and adaptations of different locations on the shore. The project was created using

Microsoft Word, with images embedded that I created for EDTECH 506 using Adobe Fireworks.

The needs analysis and subject matter expert evaluation were both administered using Google

Forms. The instructional unit primarily represents concept learning, as described by Smith and

Ragan (2005). It leads to understanding of adaptations and how they help animals survive in their

ecosystem(s). This concept can then be applied to any organism to identify adaptations or predict

in which kind of ecosystem they live. I created this unit for use in the high school-level marine
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biology course I taught at the time. I had focused so much of my attention up to that point on

resources to use in Living Environment (New York's title for biology) classes, that I wanted to

use the opportunity to create a large piece of instruction for the elective that I taught. I utilized

the ADDIE Model (Lohr, 2008) to analyze the instructional need, design the instruction, develop

it more fully to include activities and worksheets, implemented it, and evaluate with feedback

from students and a fellow subject matter expert.

Another demonstration of instructional systems design is thecourse design websitefor my Web

2.0 Tools online course I created in EDTECH 512, Online Course Design. The online course

teaches students how to use certain Web 2.0 tools so that they can then utilize those tools in other

classes as assessments and learning activities. The website was created using Adobe

DreamWeaver with a proposal designed on Glogster, one of the course's Web 2.0 tool and

flowcharts created in Microsoft Word. The design website represents the "design document"

created during instructional development using the Web-Based Instructional Design Model

(Davidson-Shivers & Rasmussen, 2006). The site shows the instructional design process as it

passed through the ADDIE model, with problem analysis, development and design, an

implementation plan and evaluation planning. Each has its own section linked from the home

page, however they have different titles due to the slightly modified design model.

1.2: Message Design

Message design involves planning for the manipulation of the physical form of the message.

For this subdomain, I cannot help but think of the design of instructional images, including

Using Shape in Design,created for EDTECH 506, Graphic Design for Learning. The image

itself shows homologous structures in mammals. I chose to use squares and rectangles to contain
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chunked information (Lohr, 2008). The square X-Ray images provide emphasis. The similar

scale of the images allows the viewer to easily make comparisons. Bullet point information in the

rectangle on the bottom provides emphasis, which is further aided by the contrasting colors. To

focus the viewer on homologous bones in the x-ray images, I used red circles, which provide

necessary contrast, and the circles focus attention. The image is created using Adobe Fireworks.

This graphic uses design principles to modify the message, creating a clear image will aid users

in learning necessary content.

Designing an instructional message for maximum impact and retention requires a fine balance of

what to add and what to take away. Too stark, and the learner's attention isn't fully engaged; too

busy, on the other hand, and the learner is overwhelmed. In theCoherence Analysis,a

WordPress post, I completed for EDTECH 513 Multimedia, I discuss The Coherence Principle

(Clark & Mayer, 2011), which suggests that instructional messages should only use the text,

audio, and graphics required for instruction, but no more. I go on to analyze good practices that I

have seen and the numerous times that I have violated the coherence principle. Using this

analysis, I have gone on to edit down my own presentations, as well as modify presentations I

have found from other sources to be more effective for my students.

1.3: Instructional Strategies

Instructional strategies are specifications for selecting and sequencing events and activities

within a lesson.

I designed theVertical Zones Jigsaw Lessonin EDTECH 502, The Internet for Educators, as a

modification of a lesson that I already taught to my marine biology students. " Just as in a jigsaw

puzzle, each piece--each student's part--is essential for the completion and full understanding of
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the final product. If each student's part is essential, then each student is essential; and that is

precisely what makes this strategy so effective" (Aronson, 2000). It is a "cooperative learning

technique" (Aronson, 2000) in which students study different sections of beach ecosystems in

groups. They become experts on their vertical zone, create informational posters, then report

back to the class as teachers, focusing on the stressors and adaptations of that ecosystem. Thus,

the students themselves become the teachers. The page was designed with Adobe DreamWeaver

and the images were designed using Adobe Fireworks. This lesson is even incorporated as an

optional instructional activity in the instructional design project created for EDTECH 542.

Also for EDTECH 502, I created theGenetically Modified Foods WebQuest.Here, Living

Environment students who have already studied genetics learn about both sides of the debate on

genetically modified products, then produce an opinion paper that could be sent to their local

newspaper. The web site for this activity was created on Adobe DreamWeaver. "A well-designed

WebQuest task is practical, engaging, and elicits student thinking" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn &

Malenoski, 2007, p. 146). Further, the format required by the task, and as outlined in the rubric,

reinforces two similar strategies for writing persuasive pieces: ICE (Introduce, Cite your

evidence, Explain) and CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning), both of which support new writing

standards required under the Common Core State Standards.

Another artifact that demonstrate the instructional strategies standard is theDealing With

Disease Project Timeline,created for EDTECH 542, Technology-Supported Project Based

Learning, as part of a larger unit. This document was created using Microsoft Word and added a

page designed on Adobe DreamWeaver using Scribd's embed code. It shows the sequencing for

the project, which includes a entry event, a WebQuest, journal reviews, Prezi creation, web

scavenger hunts, discussions, presentations, and feedback. All of these activities are designed to
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allow for a student-centered approach to learning about the immune system, diseases and

medicine.

1.4 Learner Characteristics

Learner characteristics are those facets of the learners experiential background that impact the

effectiveness of a learning process.

In theAdaptations in the Intertidal Zoneunit (EDTECH 503), the analysis report includes

surveys and analysis of potential learners for whom the unit was designed (though some students

who had already taken the marine biology course also responded to the survey). Created using

Google Forms, the survey asked about prior knowledge, interests, favorite school subjects,

reading level and styles and attitudes on school. Having this kind of knowledge "is important so

that the designer can make the [instruction] interesting and relevant to the intended audience,"

(Davidson-Shivers & Rasmussen, 2006, p. 94), as well as make sure that activities are geared

towards their levels of ability.

Contained within theWeb 2.0 Tools Problem and Context Analysis(EDTECH 512), there is a

section on learner analysis. This includes information on "general characteristics and

motivations" and "abilities, disabilities, and other characteristics". As the online course was

written to allow students to create new, interactive pieces as part of their learning and

assessment, it was important to understand the starting point for all learners. This allowed me to

design the instruction in such a way that no assumptions were made about computer-use ability

beyond the students' ability to navigate to the courseware. The user's skill set needs to be

ascertained prior to beginning instruction because these skills "may affect how learners browse

and comprehend information and interact among participants and WBI [web-based instruction]
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materials" (Davidson-Shivers & Rasmussen, 2006, p. 96). In this analysis, I discuss not only the

overall characteristics of the learners for whom the online courseware was designed, but also

their current levels of comfort with technology. Fortunately, this course is designed to be

somewhat blended, so a teacher would be available for one-to-one remediation of skills, as

necessary.

______________________________________________________________________________

Standard 2: Development

Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop instructional materials

and experiences using print, audiovisual, computer-based, and integrated technologies.

2.1: Print Technologies

Print technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials, such as books and static visual

materials, primarily through mechanical or photographic printing processes.

Some information is easier to process in hard copy. I prefer to read articles with papers in my

hand. Sometimes it is more efficient to flip through a few pages of a syllabus than to scroll

through the same document on the screen. When I wrote theAnnotated Bibliographyfor

EDTECH 504, Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology, I was writing something

that would be printed out for reference. The bibliography included resources on the use of

educational technology in a constructivist setting. I used that bibliography to help write the

synthesis paper that came later that term. I found it easier to have the resource printed to go to for

references, rather than having to open the file, scan through, return to the document screen, and

keep writing. Having it printed made the process of creating something else much more

seamless.
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Another resource designed to be printed is theCloning a Mammal User Manual.It was written in

conjunction with my final unit for EDTECH 511, Interactive Courseware Development. The

courseware was designed using Adobe Flash Professional. Screenshots for the manual were

taken using Snipping Tool. The manual is designed to be printed and available to users before

and while using the courseware. "Additionally, a learner manual is a resource for the instructor to

ascertain what learners will be doing and, to some extent, to determine if the program is

appropriate for learners" (Alessi & Trollip, 2001, p. 542). It includes basic navigation, pointers,

and troubleshooting tips, as well as a short description of what happens in each section of the

courseware. In order to be most useful, a manual such as this needs to be viewable at the same

time as the courseware for which it is written. Having a digital-only copy becomes disruptive

because the user has to flip back and forth between windows.

2.2: Audiovisual Technologies

Audiovisual technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials by using mechanical devices

or electronic machines to present auditory and visual messages.

In theWorked Example Screencastcreated for EDTECH 513, I showed learners how to balance

chemical equations. The visuals for the presentation were created using Microsoft PowerPoint,

then the presentation was shown while Screencast-O-Matic recorded the screen and my voice.

Worked Examples help students learn new skills by not just listing steps to the skill, but

demonstrating them with examples (Clark & Mayer, 2011). This worked example also follows

basic multimedia design principles, including the Multimedia Principle (it uses text and images),

the Modality and Redundancy Principles (it uses both audio and visual information, but little

overlap of the two), and the Contiguity Principle (labels are kept near the items to which they
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refer) (Clark & Mayer, 2011). Since audio, text, and images were used, this artifact applies to the

audiovisual technologies subdomain.

Wireless Networking in Schoolsis an audiovisual presentation created for EDTECH 541,

Integrating Technology into the Classroom Curriculum. I created the presentation with Prezi and

embedded audio I recorded using Audacity. The presentation shows the overall structure and

suggested security best practices for developing wireless networks in the school environment.

The presentation utilizes "chunking" (Lohr, 2008) to group related concepts together in order to

reduce cognitive load on the target audience. With the integration of images, video, text and

audio, this presentation demonstrates the audiovisual technologies subdomain.

2.3: Computer-Based Technologies

Computer-based technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials using microprocessor-

based resources.

Cloning a Mammalwas the culminating product of EDTECH 511. In this interactive courseware,

users learn about the history of cloning and biotechnology. They then get to learn about the

process of cloning before trying it out on their own. Finally, learners take a short quiz on what

they've learned. The entire program was created using Adobe Flash Professional. The courseware

allows students some exploration of different variables involved in cloning, which was provided

in order to allow for transfer of the knowledge learned in those specific examples to different

ones later on, though this will primarily be near transfer (Davidson-Shivers & Rasmussen, 2006),

as the knowledge learned here is not general enough to be applied outside of the scope of

cloning. The interaction and animations would not be available in any medium other than on a

computer, thus fulfilling the requirements for the computer-based technologies subdomain.
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Web 2.0 Tools Online Coursewas the culminating product for EDTECH 512. Here, I used

Moodle to create an online course for 9th graders to learn how to use Web 2.0 Tools to

demonstrate their learning. The course was designed to teach the skills, but also to enable other

teachers to utilize the tools without the stress of having to take instructional time out to teach the

skills themselves. Students who take this course are exposed to online posters (Glogster); blogs

(Blogger); Google Docs for collaboration; video presentations (Animoto); and podcasts and

screen casts (Audioboo and Screenr, respectively). In each module, learners gain instruction on

how to use these tools, then are given the opportunity to use them in relevant ways that were

designed to tie in with the work being done in other classes (like presenting the results from an

experiment in science class being presented as a Glog).

2.4: Integrated Technologies

Integrated technologies are ways to produce and deliver materials which encompass several

forms of media under the control of a computer.

TheEvolution UnitI created for EDTECH 506 utilizes all of the images I created for the course.

It also includes videos and a computer-based simulation of a lengthy process known as

microevolution. The unit materials use a conversational style, which Clark and Myer (2011)

suggest, as part of their Personalization Principle, helps learners feel like they are part of a team

working towards understanding, and thus will put in more effort. The images were created using

Adobe Fireworks and the webpage was designed using HTML5 and CSS 3.0 on Adobe

DreamWeaver. The content of the course ranges from the definition of a theory and drawing

conclusions from evidence to reproductive fitness to extinction. The combination of images, text,

hyperlinks to other materials, and video make this unit a product that encompasses the integrated

technologies subdomain.
http://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435http://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/506/evolution/default.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/506/evolution/default.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/506/evolution/default.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/506/evolution/default.htmlhttp://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435


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Using Social Networks for Learningis a group of three mini-lesson plans created for EDTECH

541. Each one requires use of a computer or mobile device to demonstrate learning or interact

with each other to form a learning community outside of the classroom. Created on

DreamWeaver, this page of plans utilizes abilities such as posting pictures to Twitter that

demonstrate adaptive coloration; collaborative lab reports using MixedInk; and use of polls and

discussion boards on Edmodo. Standard 2.4.2 states "Prepare instructional materials and

products for various distance education delivery techniques" (Association for Educational

Communications and Technology, 2005). While these mini lessons needn't, by design, be used in

distance learning, they certainly can be and would allow learners to collaborate in a way that

breaks down the isolation that online or distance learning can create.

______________________________________________________________________________

Standard 3: Utilization

Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to use processes and resources

for learning by applying principles and theories of media utilization, diffusion, implementation,

and policy-making.

3.1: Media Utilization

Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning.

The Horizon Report is released annually and describes technologies on the brink of being used in

learning environments, broken down into different times-to-adoption (from "One Year or Less"

to "Four to Five Years" (NMC, 2012). TheHorizon Report Tech Trend Assignment,created for

EDTECH 501, Introduction to Educational Technology, takes a page from the 2012 Horizon

Report for K-12 instruction and utilizes one of the developing technologies in a lesson plan. In
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this case, it is game-based learning, where students act as a bird trying to survive on moths. The

moth population changes depending on what the bird eats, thus demonstrating microevolution. I

wanted to, but was never able to, recreate the simulation as an Android app to incorporate two

trends from the Horizon Report: game-based learning and mobile apps/tablet computing. The

media utilization subdomain calls for the selection of appropriate technology for the learning

task, which has been demonstrated here.

For EDTECH 541, I created theHypermedia Integrationpage. It is composed of two parts. The

first is a collection of ten videos that can be used in teaching biology. I varied the content to keep

the library useful throughout the curriculum. The second part is a lesson plan that utilizes videos

to help teach about the immune system. One of the best parts about videos, especially the ones in

this lesson, which show complex cellular process taking place, is that they "can replace long

convoluted text passages" (Alessi & Trollip, 2001, p. 72). While videos from the library can be

used as anticipatory sets or entry events, they can also be used for instruction, as in the case of

the lesson plan.

3.2: Diffusion of Innovations

Diffusion of innovations is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the

purpose of gaining adoption.

TheTechnology Use Planning Overviewcreated for EDTECH 501 examined the need for, and

desired characteristics of, a technology use plan by school districts. I discussed in this WordPress

post the benefit of planning for technological innovations that don't yet exist. It is difficult to

plan for something that may not have been thought of, but with enough forethought, the budget

and culture of innovation will allow for new technologies to be incorporated. In addition, having
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such a plan shouldn't just be about when to buy technology, but it should include suggestions for

best practices and, perhaps most importantly, plans for training staff in using the new

technology. Having hardware or services does no one any good if teachers are scared to use it

because they have not learned how.

3.3: Implementation and Institutionalization

Implementation is using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings.

Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure

and culture of an organization.

I was really excited when the m-Learning assignment came around and I created theSalt Marsh

Tour m-Learning Activityfor EDTECH 502. The webpage was created using Adobe

DreamWeaver and uses built in Java Script and responsive CSS to alter the layout of the page to

best fit the screen size of the device being used to view it. Intended to be a mobile page, I

decided to use the opportunity to produce a page designed to be used on the go. I was taking my

marine biology students to a state park on Long Island to study the salt marshes. The site gives

background on the park and presents a scavenger hunt challenge. Students are given a list of

organisms to take pictures of and email to me using their smart phones. I was able to implement

the activity twice before changing schools and it was a pleasure to produce something that was

used in practice immediately.

EDTECH 504 is, by design, all about learning theories. I prefer the practical side of things. That

made writing my synthesis paper,How Practice Measures Up To Theory: Instructional

Technology In The Constructivist Classroom,something of a no-brainer. I wanted to examine

the research behind taking the theories and putting them into place in the class. I chose
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constructivist theory because I felt it was a theory that best jived with my teaching style and the

teaching of science. "A core notion of constructivism is that individuals live in a world of their

own personal and subjective experiences. It is the individual who imposes meaning on the world,

rather than meaning being imposed on the individual" (Karagiorgi & Symeou, 2005). I found

that implementing the constructivist theory into teaching is not necessarily a difficult task, but

that the trick is to provide for experiences that students can incorporate into their own schema in

order to produce learning that can be transferred to novel situations, thus allowing me to

incorporate technology into learning experiences in ways that are meaningful and helpful to my

students.

TheWeb 2.0 Tools Implementation Plancreated for EDTECH 512 is exactly what it claims to

be: a plan for implementing the online learning course as part of the school's curriculum for all

9th grade students. The page was created using Adobe DreamWeaver. Because this course is

designed to be online with face-to-face time with the instructor, part of the implementation

involves getting that instructor comfortable with the content and the LMS because to implement

a community of learning once the course is up and running, "instructors need a conceptual

understanding of teaching and learning processes in an online environment" (Davidson-Shivers

& Rasmussen, 2006, p. 279), as well as in the more traditional classroom setting. It includes

answers to many of the questions about work load and institutionalization of the courseware

including technical requirements, technical requirements, time requirements for stakeholders and

a list of necessary steps for keep the learner management system (LMS) operating. As previously

mentioned, using technology--in this case, an online course--only works if most eventualities are

considered and its use is well planned
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3.4: Policies and Regulations

Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the

diffusion and use of Instructional Technology.

TheFair Use Images Scavenger Huntwas created for EDTECH 502. It simultaneously

demonstrated the concept of an online scavenger hunt, in which sources are provided and

students search for answers to specific answers, but is also designed to be a tool for students to

learn about what kinds of images they are allowed to use legally under copyright law. The

scavenger hunt site was created using custom CSS on Adobe DreamWeaver. The activity is

engaging to students, but uses low-level questioning in order for them to understand basic

concepts. Transfer is assessed by providing scenarios to which students apply these new

concepts. The activity makes learners knowledgeable of regulations for acceptable use of

copyrighted images in the work they produce.

The internet gives everyone a voice. The anonymity of the Web sometimes makes that voice less

than polite. In order for students to make use of the internet for productive means, a set of rules

must be set in place for how they communicate. To this end, I created aNetiquette in School

Message Board Communicationtutorial for EDTECH 502. Using Adobe DreamWeaver, and

demonstrating call-out boxes for the first time, this page is about how students are to have

discussions online without offending anyone or making themselves look foolish by being

uninformed or writing in an unnecessarily informal style, as if writing a text message or tweet.

The set of pointers on netiquette is supplemented by a list of "Posting Rules," which include

"Study beforehand so you know what you're talking about." The purpose of that rule, in

particular, was to reinforce the previously mentioned ICE and CER strategies for writing.

______________________________________________________________________________
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Standard 4: Management

Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to plan, organize, coordinate, and

supervise instructional technology by applying principles of project, resource, delivery system,

and information management.

4.1: Project Management

Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and

development projects.

TheResponse to RFPcreated for EDTECH 505, Evaluation for Educational Technologists,

demonstrates project management. The document is a proposal for evaluation of a program

known as "Determining Instructional Purposes (DIP)" for a company known as Far West

Laboratory for Educational and Research Development. The proposal includes an outline of the

evaluation of the new DIP program. It includes an evaluation plan, schedule of tasks for the

evaluation, list of personnel for the evaluation and budget proposal. As DIP is not yet a fully-

realized product, the evaluation is designed to be part of the development of the program, with

the lead evaluator--myself--being a hub in the communication between Far West Laboratory, the

Subject Matter Expert and Coordinators, who will run a test implementation of the program in

teacher preparation programs on Long Island.

Project management is also demonstrated in theOnline Course Proposalfor my EDTECH 512

Web 2.0 Tools online course. This Glogster-created "poster" shows the considerations made

prior to beginning the design of the course. There is a Xtranormal video that introduces the need

for students being instructed in the use of these tools. Learner characteristics, a timeline for the

course and its completion, and other details--including personnel--are all included. This level of
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planning and coordination between stakeholders, even before development has even begun, is a

significant part of project management.

4.2: Resource Management

Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems

and services.

Web 2.0 Tools Implementation Plancreated for EDTECH 512 also demonstrates resource

management. In designing the plan for rolling out the online course, important resources

including personnel, hardware, and software are carefully planned out to ensure timely and

efficient procedures once the course goes live. In the section entitled "Management of day-to-day

activities," even the small tasks such as activating links and providing feedback is laid out clearly

so that all personnel understand their roles and are able to perform them fully.

4.3: Delivery System Management

Delivery system management involves planning, monitoring and controlling the method by

which distribution of instructional materials is organized[It is] a combination of medium and

method of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner.

"Web 2.0 is about revolutionary new ways of creating, collaborating, editing and sharing user-

generated content online" (Discovery Education, 2014).Web 2.0 Tools Online Coursewas

created for EDTECH 512 using Moodle. It is an online course that uses videos, tutorials, and

written instruction to teach students the use sites that allow users to create products such as

multimedia posters, blogs, screen casts, and other Web 2.0 products. The delivery system is the

Moodle learner management system (LMS). There were many different LMS options available,

but I chose Moodle for the ease of use, portability to other Moodle sites, and the vast amount of
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/512/implementation.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/512/implementation.htmlhttp://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435http://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435http://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435http://edtechdev.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=435http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/512/implementation.html


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support material available. I chose to break up the instruction into modules that begin with

instruction on how to use service and end in the ability to practice using the service by creating a

piece that doubles as an assessment for a core content class (science, math, social studies,

English).

In what was possibly the highlight of my time in this program, I created theMolecular

Movement Appfor EDTECH 597, Mobile App Design for Teaching and Learning. This app,

created on the App Inventor platform and designed for use on Android devices, teaches Living

Environment students about the processes of diffusion and osmosis. Molecular Movement

utilizes simulations that show molecules, which cannot be seen by the naked eye, moving around

a space because of how they interact with each other. Students have the ability to adjust settings

like the type of cell being viewed and the size and concentration of molecules. I created this app

to teach these concepts through discovery learning, hoping to allow students to run experiments

with different variables and come to their own conclusions about the rules that govern this type

of movement. However, it was designed while I taught the unit, so I used it instead to review the

concepts and see how well they would perform on the upcoming quiz. The app also has a quiz

section built in that emails the score to the instructor.

4.4: Information Management

Information management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling the storage, transfer, or

processing of information in order to provide resources for learning.

While I like printing out annotated bibliographies for myself while doing research, theZotero

Library Assignmentfrom EDTECH 501 shows a different tactic for gathering sources for later

use. This WordPress post reviews Zotero, which is an online, collaborative tool for compiling
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/597final.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/597final.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/597final.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/597final.htmlhttp://brianpnagy.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/zotero-library-assignment/http://brianpnagy.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/zotero-library-assignment/http://brianpnagy.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/zotero-library-assignment/http://brianpnagy.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/zotero-library-assignment/http://brianpnagy.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/zotero-library-assignment/http://brianpnagy.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/zotero-library-assignment/http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/597final.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/597final.html


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references when doing research. Zotero allows multiple users to share a resource pool and with

an add-on toolbar, it allows for quick exporting of pre-formatted citations. This would allow

students to work together off of the same set of sources or for teachers to create a curated list of

sources from which students who are just starting to learn how to do research can choose.

______________________________________________________________________________

Standard 5: Evaluation

Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to evaluate the adequacy of

instruction and learning by applying principles of problem analysis, criterion-referenced

measurement, formative and summative evaluation, and long-range planning.

5.1: Problem Analysis

Problem analysis involves determining the nature and parameters of the problem by using

information-gathering and decision-making strategies.

In theWeb 2.0 Tools Problem and Context Analysisfor EDTECH 512, the initial section is

"Problem analysis". It identifies the problem being addressed by the online course as lack of

student engagement in traditional instruction and assessment. The problem was based off of

anecdotal observational evidence. Using that as a starting point, a decision was made to address

the problem through training in the use of Web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning. The section

goes on to explain that since technology that allows for creation by the user is so omnipresent, it

should also play a role in education. The section concludes with the goal of the instruction,

which is "to remove technology as a barrier of entry to the assessments and make it one more

tool to be used, perhaps one as effortless to use as a pencil." The webpage was created using

Adobe DreamWeaver.
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5.2: Criterion-Referenced Measurement

Criterion-referenced measurement involves techniques for determining learner mastery of pre-

specified content.

In the project-based learning unit,Dealing With Disease,designed for EDTECH 542, rubrics are

used extensively to measure the successful completion of tasks. The unit itself is composed of

multiple learning activities. In order for learners to fully understand the criteria by which they

will be assessed, rubrics are to be provided when the tasks are assigned so they can self-monitor

along the way. There are also quizzes built into the unit to assess learner mastery of content-

specific standards in addition to the performance standards.

5.3: Formative and Summative Evaluation

Formative evaluation involved gathering information on adequacy and using this information as

a basis for further development. Summative evaluation involves gathering information on

adequacy and using this information to make decisions about utilization.

As designed, theAdaptations in the Intertidal Zoneunit written for EDTECH 503 never made it

to the classroom because I changed jobs before I could launch it. Nevertheless, in designing the

unit of instruction, evaluation was planned for all stages. Formative evaluation such as this is not

intended to necessarily determine if the expected outcomes of the instruction have been met, but

rather to decide if further design changes must be implemented prior to full implementation of

the instruction (Smith & Ragan, 2005). For formative assessment, a subject matter expert was

sent the content and asked to fill out a Google Form for feedback. One-to-one evaluations and

small group evaluations with test students were also planned as well as larger-scale field test.

Small changes were proposed by the subject matter expert and would have been implemented.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/542/webquest/start.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/542/webquest/start.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/542/webquest/start.htmlhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/files/503project.pdfhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/files/503project.pdfhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/files/503project.pdfhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/portfolio/files/503project.pdfhttp://edtech2.boisestate.edu/briannagy/542/webquest/start.html


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TheEvaluation Planningpage from the Web 2.0 Tools online course for EDTECH 512 has all of

the formative evaluation steps as the previous instructional design project. This plan, however,

also includes a summative evaluation plan to determine the effectiveness, efficiency, and appeal

of the courseware. Evaluation criteria such as these are also the focus of formative evaluation by

the designer (myself), the instructor/subject matter expert, an instructional design expert, as well

as other students in the section of 542. This is all in addition to the student feedback from one-to-

one tryouts and small group/field trials. The summative evaluation was designed to see how well

the courseware fulfilled its instructional goals and so changes could be made prior to the next

cycle of implementation.

5.4: Long-Range Planning

Long-range planning that focuses on the organization as a whole is strategic planning. Long-

range is usually defined as a future period of about three to five years or longer. During strategic

planning, managers are trying to decide in the present what must be done to ensure

organizational success in the future.

During my first semester, I wrote aTechnology Use Planning Overviewfor EDTECH 501. I

used this opportunity to summarize and evaluate the need for a systematic process for planning

technology use and integration in a school setting. My experience had been negative to that

point, with large purchases being made without a plan for their use. Not only, I found, does

technology use need to be planned, but also a forward-looking attitude needs to be taken so that

there is room for updates to existing technology as well as openings for newly developed

technology to be adopted. The article, a WordPress post that I wrote, details the process and the

frame of mind that schools should take when planning on adopting new technologies.

______________________________________________________________________________
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Conclusion

One of the things I have enjoyed most about my time in the Master of Educational Technology

program is that the classes were practical and allowed me to produce instructional materials that

I could use. Some, I even got to use immediately. I enjoyed seeing my students engage with

learning in new ways when they were presented information in novel formats or got to use

technology as they had not before. There are certainly products that were more extensive and that

were used to fulfill several different AECT standards, but that doesn't diminish the importance of

other products. For instance, though they didn't get mentioned, I used several apps created in

EDTECH 597--other than the Molecular Movement--within a week of posting them to the class

Moodle. This instant gratification has made the path of my growth as an educator very

enjoyable.

Having nearly finished my journey with the MET program, I have many tools in my kit to use

for my students. I have also taken the steps towards certification in New York as an Educational

Technology Specialist, a qualification that will allow me to teach students computer applications

and provide professional development to other teachers in how to create and implement

technology-centered learning experiences for their students.


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References

Alessi, S.M. & Trollip, S.R. (2001).Multimedia for learning: Methods and Development (3rd

ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Aronson, E. (2000).Jigsaw classroom: Overview of the technique.Retrieved fromhttp://www.jigsaw.org/overview.htm

Association for Educational Communications and Technology. (2005). Standards for the

accreditation of school media specialist and educational technology specialist programs

(Rev. ed.). Retrieved from http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/aect.site-

ym.com/resource/resmgr/AECT_Documents/AECTstandardsREV2005.pdf

Clark R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2011).E-learning and the science of instruction (3rd ed.). San

Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Davidson-Shivers, G.V. & Rasmussen, K.L. (2006). Web-based learning: Design,implementation, and evaluation.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Discovery Education. (2014).Discovery education Web2014: Web 2.0 tools.Retrieved from

http://web2014.discoveryeducation.com/web20tools.cfm

Karagiorgi, Y. & Symeou, L. (2005). Translating constructivism into instructional design:

Potentials and limitations.Educational Technology & Society,8(1), 17-27.

Lohr, L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance: Lessons in visualliteracy (2nd

ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

NMC. (2012).Horizon Report: 2012 K-12 edition.Retrieved from

http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2012-horizon-report-K12.pdf

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., Kuhn, M. & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works.Denver, CO: McREL.

Smith, P.L. & Ragan, T.J. (2005).Instructional Design (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &

Sons, Inc.