It's a Geek World
By John Phillips
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For those of you not versed in binary, the above statement reads, “it’s an amazing world that we live in today.” I say this as a student who has traveled a long road, and learned many lessons en route to my ultimate goal, my Master’s degree in Educational Technology from Michigan State University. What surprised me about this journey was the depth of discovery that I experienced as I progressed through the mountains of work.
We all approach the field of education for various reasons. Some are enthralled by the summers off, while others are engrossed by the feeling of success when a student achieves something that was once beyond their ability. It is these feelings of success that must be kept in the front of our brain as we endeavor into the realm of technology. As with any endeavor, you must stay true to who you are as an educator when you are deciding how to implement new technology into the classroom.
Pedagogy is Vital
Schools are being pressured into feeling as though they must have the latest and greatest technology in order to be deemed desirable to parents. As a result, teachers are being forced to use technology in their rooms whether they want to or not. This can make for an interesting dynamic in a building. Being the technology guy in my building, I was faced with many educators who did not want to use the new technology and I felt as though they were resisting change. But, as I learned in CEP 800, these teachers were not necessarily resisting change without cause. They were sticking to what they knew to be effective for their students. Being a geek, I had never stopped to consider that what has been working for years in classrooms may be better than a new technology.
It is very simple to get caught up in the allure of electronic devices. Who isn’t enamored when the newest Apple gadget arrives on the market? Or, when the latest televisions are introduced to the market? As humans, we are innately captivated by tools. Our society places great value on the latest electronics, even going as far as making them a form of status symbol. So why shouldn’t schools force everyone to grab on to the train or stay behind? There is a fine line between effective and ineffective. The critical thinking and evaluation skills that I gained in CEP 800 helped me to understand that the line is very easy to cross. As educators, our primary focus must stay on student learning. It is the core of what we do.
We are all educated members of society who have dedicated many hours to learning the pedagogy of education, and yet when technology comes to play, we readily forget what we spent so much time learning. I have fallen victim to this before, but plan to never have it happen again. When I was just beginning as an educator I wanted an interactive board really bad. The cool things that it could do must enhance the learning of my students or it wouldn’t be so popular, right? I could not justify to my principal why he should spend three thousand dollars on this tool and it frustrated me. I wanted the new board! Knowing what I do now, I am glad that the principal stood in my way. First, I didn’t have to plan for how I would integrate the board into my curriculum. I approached it with the idea that I would figure it out as I went. Second, I didn’t realize what a distraction the interactive board could become rather than an enhancement if used inappropriately. Looking at the situation now, I know that I can justify the use of interactive boards because I know how they impact student learning. I also know the limitations of their use, and would not be afraid to use something else in place of the board in order to best teach my students. This confidence comes from the understanding that I had to keep reminding myself of in CEP 800; technology isn’t always the best solution to learning problems.
Research & Data Change the World
Another discovery that I made through the course of my work is that research isn’t always as honest as it appears. In CEP 822, we focused a significant amount of time to critically thinking about the role that research plays in education. Prof. Nick Sheltrown forced us to think beyond the written word, and to evaluate a piece of research solely on the data sets being used to form conclusions. This transformed the way that I will look at educational research forever. I was surprised to see how many scholars take weak data sets and make conclusions that impact our educational environment. Without the knowledge of how to evaluate the data being used, it is common for educators to take the conclusions at face value and assume that it is valid. Many educators, including myself, have fallen victim to this situation. Our educational world is so driven by the data-based decision model that in order to be effective we all have to be able to look at data sets and make conclusions of our own.
Prof. Sheltrown loved to remind us that data is the one of the major factors in decisions in education. It’s the world that we live in. As technology folks, we are going to be expected to be able to manipulate that data in order to show it’s validity. Without this class, I would have not know how to proceed in collecting a valid set of data or how to analyze the results. We have to have a sound basis for the decisions that we make as educators, and data, if used properly, can be a great benefit to our decision making process..
Training Educators
As I conclude my work at MSU, I also feel better prepared to move ahead as an educator of educators. My ultimate goal is to become the director of technology for a school system. With this role will come the responsibility of managing staff, and making decisions for the betterment of an entire school district. Thanks to the lessons in management and decision making that I learned in CEP 815, I feel very prepared to take on this task. Prof. Sheltrown organized his class in a way to make everyone understand not only the management portion of an administration job, but also how personnel decisions can impact the curriculum work that is done in a district. He frequently had us evaluate articles related to business management that he felt were appropriate to the education world. These articles taught me that ultimately there is no one correct way to manage a staff. You have to be willing to be flexible, and evolve as a leader. If you set out with the mindset that your way is the correct way all of the time, you are bound to have low morale and thus have a less effective staff. It is vital for a leader to be humble at times and show that they can be human to build the respect of the staff and get them to go along with initiatives. Management in education is all about the culture. It’s similar to running a classroom; it has to have some give and take.
The other aspect of being a technology director is the implementation of staff training initiatives as well as hardware purchases. CEP 815 elaborated on a concept that has changed my decision making process in both of these aspects called the TPACK model. This model was developed by Dr. Punya Mishra and Dr. Matthew Koehler. The basic idea behind this model is that you can’t treat technology skills as the only skills required to implement technology in a classroom. You have to have educators who are skilled in technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge in order for the technology to be of value. This also applies to the implementation of new devices or programs. If they are lacking a sound pedagogical basis then they will not be effective with students.
This model has changed how I look at my training programs that I run for teachers. In the past, I was a person who focused on tools. I only worried that the educators that I instructed would leave the professional development with the skills necessary to run whichever technology tool I was working with that day. I hadn’t considered discussing the pedagogical implications of the tool, or what content the teachers would be delivering with it. Going forward, I plan to ensure that I address these aspects in all of my training programs. Sending a teacher out to build a triangle with two boards is not a model of success. I have to ensure that anyone who I train leaves with the ability and knowledge necessary to go back to their classroom and be successful.
The TPACK model will also affect purchasing decisions that I could be making for a district. Prof. Sheltrown loved to remind us that we can’t be instrumental thinkers, meaning focused on a tool for the sake of using a tool. We have to allow ourselves to be missional thinkers, meaning focused on what is going to enhance the mission of our school. Tools like TPACK are great evaluation tools to ensure that the use of technology fits the problem that you are trying to solve. If you can’t justify how a technology purchase is relevant to the content, or is pedagogically sound, then the purchase shouldn’t be made.
Reflective Practice
One of the constant themes that has been weaved throughout my time at MSU is the idea of being a reflective teacher. The MAET program has been designed so that we have a reflective course called CEP 807 at the end our course work. In that course, we develop an online portfolio of all of the work we have done, and try to envision where we see ourselves going in the future. By forcing us to take the time to reflect on all of the work that we did to attain our degree, it is amazing how common themes emerge and a personal focus becomes clearer. For instance, when I began the program was interested in all things technology. If it had to do with technology I was into it. Now, as I noted in my Future Learner essay, I am more interested in the ways that social media and interactions affect the learning of students. Had I not gone back and thought about my work in my classes, I probably never would have been able to see myself focusing my interest in that area. Social media is a newer concept that I believe is going to impact education for a long time, so I am glad that I have a new focus to drive towards.
The other part of reflecting on my work that has been interesting has been seeing the evolution of my technology skills over time. When I entered the program, I fancied myself as a tech savvy guy. But as I look at how my projects have evolved, I can see that I am a better user of newer tools such as blogs and podcasts. My students have already noticed the change in my room, and have been excited whenever I tell them that I am in a new class. When my knowledge has improved, so has the knowledge of my students.
As I said at the beginning, it’s an amazing world that we live in today. Geeks have gone from being outcasts to being heroes. The time that I have spent working in the MAET program has made me feel as though I have evolved from being a fair user of technology in the classroom to being a prolific user of technology that enhances the learning of my students. The knowledge and critical thinking that has been required throughout has changed my view of not only education, but also of the world. I never dreamed that as I finished my Master’s degree, I would be contemplating a doctoral program. It’s a geek world, and I am proud to say that I intend to be a super geek no matter what it takes!
We all approach the field of education for various reasons. Some are enthralled by the summers off, while others are engrossed by the feeling of success when a student achieves something that was once beyond their ability. It is these feelings of success that must be kept in the front of our brain as we endeavor into the realm of technology. As with any endeavor, you must stay true to who you are as an educator when you are deciding how to implement new technology into the classroom.
Pedagogy is Vital
Schools are being pressured into feeling as though they must have the latest and greatest technology in order to be deemed desirable to parents. As a result, teachers are being forced to use technology in their rooms whether they want to or not. This can make for an interesting dynamic in a building. Being the technology guy in my building, I was faced with many educators who did not want to use the new technology and I felt as though they were resisting change. But, as I learned in CEP 800, these teachers were not necessarily resisting change without cause. They were sticking to what they knew to be effective for their students. Being a geek, I had never stopped to consider that what has been working for years in classrooms may be better than a new technology.
It is very simple to get caught up in the allure of electronic devices. Who isn’t enamored when the newest Apple gadget arrives on the market? Or, when the latest televisions are introduced to the market? As humans, we are innately captivated by tools. Our society places great value on the latest electronics, even going as far as making them a form of status symbol. So why shouldn’t schools force everyone to grab on to the train or stay behind? There is a fine line between effective and ineffective. The critical thinking and evaluation skills that I gained in CEP 800 helped me to understand that the line is very easy to cross. As educators, our primary focus must stay on student learning. It is the core of what we do.
We are all educated members of society who have dedicated many hours to learning the pedagogy of education, and yet when technology comes to play, we readily forget what we spent so much time learning. I have fallen victim to this before, but plan to never have it happen again. When I was just beginning as an educator I wanted an interactive board really bad. The cool things that it could do must enhance the learning of my students or it wouldn’t be so popular, right? I could not justify to my principal why he should spend three thousand dollars on this tool and it frustrated me. I wanted the new board! Knowing what I do now, I am glad that the principal stood in my way. First, I didn’t have to plan for how I would integrate the board into my curriculum. I approached it with the idea that I would figure it out as I went. Second, I didn’t realize what a distraction the interactive board could become rather than an enhancement if used inappropriately. Looking at the situation now, I know that I can justify the use of interactive boards because I know how they impact student learning. I also know the limitations of their use, and would not be afraid to use something else in place of the board in order to best teach my students. This confidence comes from the understanding that I had to keep reminding myself of in CEP 800; technology isn’t always the best solution to learning problems.
Research & Data Change the World
Another discovery that I made through the course of my work is that research isn’t always as honest as it appears. In CEP 822, we focused a significant amount of time to critically thinking about the role that research plays in education. Prof. Nick Sheltrown forced us to think beyond the written word, and to evaluate a piece of research solely on the data sets being used to form conclusions. This transformed the way that I will look at educational research forever. I was surprised to see how many scholars take weak data sets and make conclusions that impact our educational environment. Without the knowledge of how to evaluate the data being used, it is common for educators to take the conclusions at face value and assume that it is valid. Many educators, including myself, have fallen victim to this situation. Our educational world is so driven by the data-based decision model that in order to be effective we all have to be able to look at data sets and make conclusions of our own.
Prof. Sheltrown loved to remind us that data is the one of the major factors in decisions in education. It’s the world that we live in. As technology folks, we are going to be expected to be able to manipulate that data in order to show it’s validity. Without this class, I would have not know how to proceed in collecting a valid set of data or how to analyze the results. We have to have a sound basis for the decisions that we make as educators, and data, if used properly, can be a great benefit to our decision making process..
Training Educators
As I conclude my work at MSU, I also feel better prepared to move ahead as an educator of educators. My ultimate goal is to become the director of technology for a school system. With this role will come the responsibility of managing staff, and making decisions for the betterment of an entire school district. Thanks to the lessons in management and decision making that I learned in CEP 815, I feel very prepared to take on this task. Prof. Sheltrown organized his class in a way to make everyone understand not only the management portion of an administration job, but also how personnel decisions can impact the curriculum work that is done in a district. He frequently had us evaluate articles related to business management that he felt were appropriate to the education world. These articles taught me that ultimately there is no one correct way to manage a staff. You have to be willing to be flexible, and evolve as a leader. If you set out with the mindset that your way is the correct way all of the time, you are bound to have low morale and thus have a less effective staff. It is vital for a leader to be humble at times and show that they can be human to build the respect of the staff and get them to go along with initiatives. Management in education is all about the culture. It’s similar to running a classroom; it has to have some give and take.
The other aspect of being a technology director is the implementation of staff training initiatives as well as hardware purchases. CEP 815 elaborated on a concept that has changed my decision making process in both of these aspects called the TPACK model. This model was developed by Dr. Punya Mishra and Dr. Matthew Koehler. The basic idea behind this model is that you can’t treat technology skills as the only skills required to implement technology in a classroom. You have to have educators who are skilled in technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge in order for the technology to be of value. This also applies to the implementation of new devices or programs. If they are lacking a sound pedagogical basis then they will not be effective with students.
This model has changed how I look at my training programs that I run for teachers. In the past, I was a person who focused on tools. I only worried that the educators that I instructed would leave the professional development with the skills necessary to run whichever technology tool I was working with that day. I hadn’t considered discussing the pedagogical implications of the tool, or what content the teachers would be delivering with it. Going forward, I plan to ensure that I address these aspects in all of my training programs. Sending a teacher out to build a triangle with two boards is not a model of success. I have to ensure that anyone who I train leaves with the ability and knowledge necessary to go back to their classroom and be successful.
The TPACK model will also affect purchasing decisions that I could be making for a district. Prof. Sheltrown loved to remind us that we can’t be instrumental thinkers, meaning focused on a tool for the sake of using a tool. We have to allow ourselves to be missional thinkers, meaning focused on what is going to enhance the mission of our school. Tools like TPACK are great evaluation tools to ensure that the use of technology fits the problem that you are trying to solve. If you can’t justify how a technology purchase is relevant to the content, or is pedagogically sound, then the purchase shouldn’t be made.
Reflective Practice
One of the constant themes that has been weaved throughout my time at MSU is the idea of being a reflective teacher. The MAET program has been designed so that we have a reflective course called CEP 807 at the end our course work. In that course, we develop an online portfolio of all of the work we have done, and try to envision where we see ourselves going in the future. By forcing us to take the time to reflect on all of the work that we did to attain our degree, it is amazing how common themes emerge and a personal focus becomes clearer. For instance, when I began the program was interested in all things technology. If it had to do with technology I was into it. Now, as I noted in my Future Learner essay, I am more interested in the ways that social media and interactions affect the learning of students. Had I not gone back and thought about my work in my classes, I probably never would have been able to see myself focusing my interest in that area. Social media is a newer concept that I believe is going to impact education for a long time, so I am glad that I have a new focus to drive towards.
The other part of reflecting on my work that has been interesting has been seeing the evolution of my technology skills over time. When I entered the program, I fancied myself as a tech savvy guy. But as I look at how my projects have evolved, I can see that I am a better user of newer tools such as blogs and podcasts. My students have already noticed the change in my room, and have been excited whenever I tell them that I am in a new class. When my knowledge has improved, so has the knowledge of my students.
As I said at the beginning, it’s an amazing world that we live in today. Geeks have gone from being outcasts to being heroes. The time that I have spent working in the MAET program has made me feel as though I have evolved from being a fair user of technology in the classroom to being a prolific user of technology that enhances the learning of my students. The knowledge and critical thinking that has been required throughout has changed my view of not only education, but also of the world. I never dreamed that as I finished my Master’s degree, I would be contemplating a doctoral program. It’s a geek world, and I am proud to say that I intend to be a super geek no matter what it takes!