Section 3 questions

Section 3 Questions

1.       One evaluation model I came across was one utilized by Virginia Tech called the Flashlight "Triad" Model that helps carry out technology oriented evaluations.  This type of model, I assume, will indeed become more popular as technology in our classrooms and universities continues to increase.  The first step called, “Overview and Confronting the Blob” is to “bring to the table” all the ideas from multiple participants on how to construct a lesson to begin with.  The second step called, “From Blob to Issue” is to break down the large picture into a smaller part of, what do we want our students to learn about this technology or from the use of this technology? The third step called “From Triad to Data” breaks the steps of the model down by asking 5 questions about the student expectations from the particular lesson.  The last step called “From Data to Next Steps” is where you make decisions about your course, what you will use, what you will scrap, etc.

The other evaluation model I came across was the Connoisseurship evaluation model in which an expert in a particular field of study decides the value or worth of a particular instructional method or strategy.  This, as my sources pointed out, can cause some bias and problems with validity. 

Participating in evaluation models such as these is not something I do very often, if at all, in my teaching.  It seems much of it requires a kind of team effort of collaboration and planning, and I myself do not partake in much of this.  Our entire department really doesn’t do much of this, which is probably a bad thing.  One thing I could use the Flashlight Triad Model is to develop a lesson which involves technology, such as having students build a Wikispace or a website.  Sitting with other teachers to discuss the lesson ahead of time would indeed be helpful, especially in regard to the last step of determining what to keep, what to scrap, etc.

2.       Recently, our entire English department got Promethean boards installed in our classrooms.  The relative advantage, once I learn how to work the dang thing, I think will be pretty high, although I’ve always been hesitant of new technology; it truly scares me.  The installation process was perfect, as we didn’t have to do anything except tell them on what wall we wanted the board placed.  They then came in and adjusted the projector to our new screens and calibrated them for us too.  The frustrating part was that we didn’t receive any actual training on how to use the board until a month or so later, after the installation and this was frustrating.  My students saw that I had this new technology and they knew more about it than I did, but I couldn’t use it until I felt comfortable with it.  The training was somewhat helpful as far as showing us the basics and exposing us to some sample “flipbooks” that have already been generated for Promethean use.  The best ways I’ve learned how to use it, however, is just by me messing with it myself after school hours.  I haven’t incorporated everything it can do yet, but I’m taking baby steps in the direction where I can use it almost daily. 

3.        If I were in charge of developing a series of professional development sessions on using technology in the classroom, the utilization of Situational Leadership would be ideal, especially if it’s my first time presenting to a group like this in this way.  The text provides a nice framework to follow for “newbies” like I would be. 

Off the top of my head, I would probably focus my presentation on the use of Wikispace or Glogster in the classroom, both websites in which students can create their own webspace /poster online and present it to the class.  They are able to add video, caption, animation, and sound to their presentations with each of these websites.   

In the first phase of Situational Leadership I would need to address the issues the text discusses like being “directive, detailed, and supervisory without being overbearing or appearing to be demanding”  (115).  This would be my first attempt at training like this and many of the teachers’ first attempt as using each of these technology types.  I would first begin, in this phase, by explaining what each site can offer to their students and show examples of different wikispaces and different glogsters out there as examples.  I would explain the value of using these two technologies in class. 

In the second and into the third phase, this is when I would show them, step by step, while they are at their own computer space, how to build a simple wikispace.  We would build one together so that they could see it exactly step by step.  I would also have a handout with these same guidelines written so that they can take notes as we go and will have the same steps when they leave my training and return to their own classrooms.  I would then, in phase 4, have them group up in two’s and create their own wikispace to present to the class.  I would then follow the same procedures for glogster, or keep it to one site, depending upon time.