Project 4 Analysis and Reflection
When I registered for this course I had every intention of getting the most that I could out of it. It’s summer time so the distractions should be less than during the school year. I should be able to login more frequently and participate regularly because of the reduce distractions. Reduce distractions because I wouldn’t be working, I wouldn’t have the students, fellow teachers, and administrators demanding my time and attention. Well this summer did not go as planned, I did work full-time most of the summer. I did have interactions with students, teacher, and administrators more than expected. As magnet coordinator, I had to prepare for the upcoming 90 students that would be joining the already 250 sixth grade students that were already on the way. I had to finalize curriculum and facilitate a summer transition program. There was a new principal appointed as of July 1 that need me to help her transition. There was a new assistant principal appointed that would be over science the area most impacted by the new magnet program that needed my time. It is summer time and with that came increased family activities and vacations. My participation in this course did not go as expected but still resulted in a learning opportunity. I realized the importance of time-management with the limited time and amount of work to be completed. I recognize that things will go on with or without my input but that I could still learn from my peers much like one would read a book about the lives of others.
Project 4 while a requirement also served the purpose of reflection on my current position. I designed the initial website in EDTC 600. At that time the website was just a presentation of the magnet program to those who had access. It was the fall of 2015 which was also the beginning of my role as the magnet coordinator. It includes not my own thoughts but those that began the process of creating a health sciences magnet. The website I created for Project 4 has some of the original information but also includes information for not only potential magnet students and their parents but also current students. There is a link to the NAHS school webpage with information for all of the students, parents, and faculty of the school. This was added to my website because those who visit my site are still a part of the community at large. This website is managed by the school media specialist. While there is a link to the Health Sciences Magnet program, I plan to submit the link to my website so that all those who are interested in the Health Sciences Magnet Program has access to it.
The images included are of the students that participated in the summer program and my new principal Dr. Katina Webster interacting for the first time with the magnet students and their parents. It is critical to have images that the students and community can relate to. Parents enjoy seeing their students in action and knowing that when they send them to school or in this case camp that they were engaged and learning new things. The interactions between staff and students can also serve as a way to encourage more interactions in the future.
The Science 6GT link represents my new role as a science teacher. I taught science for 7 years at the High School level and this will be my first venture into middle school science. I will have one section of sixth grade science that will also include magnet students. While I am still trying to work out the details of sixth grade science, the information that I felt was most important to parents and students is what I presented in this section. The details of the first days activities is still being worked out as sixth grade curriculum was being written this summer while I was taking this class. I was able to access the old curriculum that my school may choose to implement as the new curriculum will be piloted by a select group of teachers. I didn’t manage to create a lesson for that curriculum but presented an activity that I think will fit in nicely with the Unit 4 Human Development in the current sixth grade curriculum.
I added a form for volunteers to complete for anyone after visiting the website and would be interested in volunteering their time or resources. As soon as I joined the OCMS now NAHS team, a number of people offered to help but weren’t very specific as to how they can help. I didn’t always have their contact information to follow-up as others were collecting these details and didn’t have it organize in any particular way. But having a form on the website people can access the form and leave information that I can then use as needed. This will allow parents and community member to support our efforts.
With such a busy summer, I want to add more to this site and plan to use it as a portal for parents and students to access information about NAHS, the magnet program, science 6GT class, and me. The Newly Developed Unit I plan to create will provide a resource for the magnet class teacher and the science teachers to have a cross-curricular activity that will allow the content to cross both classes. The incoming sixth graders will have access to one to one devices that will allow the increased use of technology. The goal will be to reflect on SAMR with every lesson that incorporates technology so that the students appreciate the use of technology in all of their classes. Some of these students are coming from elementary schools that have had technology since they started in kindergarten others may have only had one or two years of one-to-one device experience. With this huge learning gap, it will be necessary to ease into the use of technology with the students so that they are not frustrated with technology and ultimately frustrated with the content being presented.
While developing lesson and developing this website, I realize that it is important to consider the details. What does the pictures say? Is that the message that I want to send? Is it adding to the written portion of the message I am conveying. I had to consider the font that choose to convey the written portions. Is the font a distraction? Can be clearly seen on a cell phone or tablet as it is on the laptop or desktop? Do you change the font just to use something new or does it serve a purpose? That is a similar question to the purpose behind the information presented on the website. Is it being added to fill pages or does it serve a meaningful purpose. Would this be a website that is easy to navigate? Is it welcoming? It is not just a matter of content but how the content is presented through images and links.
My website has a lot of information that is useful to a mixed audience, future and current students and their parents as well as the community, anyone that is interested in what’s going on at NAHS. I plan to continue adding content to this website so that it becomes a place that stands alone for anyone that is interested in wanting to know what’s new at NAHS. I also want it to be a location for my science students to have information about what’s going on in class and access resources in the future. This course has given me the confidence to create webpages that can be useful to a mixed audience. I have explored how to present links and provide space for students to collaborate and interact with their classmates and community.
While this summer didn’t go exactly as planned the impact this course has had on my future teaching assignments is unmeasurable. I plan to share these resources with my fellow teachers and use them during PDs I present so that others see the resources in action. Some we are already using as a district and others we have been given permission to use but have not taken the time to learn or implement them. By taking this course during a seemingly slow season, I was exposed to tools that will impact my teaching role for the feature.
When I registered for this course I had every intention of getting the most that I could out of it. It’s summer time so the distractions should be less than during the school year. I should be able to login more frequently and participate regularly because of the reduce distractions. Reduce distractions because I wouldn’t be working, I wouldn’t have the students, fellow teachers, and administrators demanding my time and attention. Well this summer did not go as planned, I did work full-time most of the summer. I did have interactions with students, teacher, and administrators more than expected. As magnet coordinator, I had to prepare for the upcoming 90 students that would be joining the already 250 sixth grade students that were already on the way. I had to finalize curriculum and facilitate a summer transition program. There was a new principal appointed as of July 1 that need me to help her transition. There was a new assistant principal appointed that would be over science the area most impacted by the new magnet program that needed my time. It is summer time and with that came increased family activities and vacations. My participation in this course did not go as expected but still resulted in a learning opportunity. I realized the importance of time-management with the limited time and amount of work to be completed. I recognize that things will go on with or without my input but that I could still learn from my peers much like one would read a book about the lives of others.
Project 4 while a requirement also served the purpose of reflection on my current position. I designed the initial website in EDTC 600. At that time the website was just a presentation of the magnet program to those who had access. It was the fall of 2015 which was also the beginning of my role as the magnet coordinator. It includes not my own thoughts but those that began the process of creating a health sciences magnet. The website I created for Project 4 has some of the original information but also includes information for not only potential magnet students and their parents but also current students. There is a link to the NAHS school webpage with information for all of the students, parents, and faculty of the school. This was added to my website because those who visit my site are still a part of the community at large. This website is managed by the school media specialist. While there is a link to the Health Sciences Magnet program, I plan to submit the link to my website so that all those who are interested in the Health Sciences Magnet Program has access to it.
The images included are of the students that participated in the summer program and my new principal Dr. Katina Webster interacting for the first time with the magnet students and their parents. It is critical to have images that the students and community can relate to. Parents enjoy seeing their students in action and knowing that when they send them to school or in this case camp that they were engaged and learning new things. The interactions between staff and students can also serve as a way to encourage more interactions in the future.
The Science 6GT link represents my new role as a science teacher. I taught science for 7 years at the High School level and this will be my first venture into middle school science. I will have one section of sixth grade science that will also include magnet students. While I am still trying to work out the details of sixth grade science, the information that I felt was most important to parents and students is what I presented in this section. The details of the first days activities is still being worked out as sixth grade curriculum was being written this summer while I was taking this class. I was able to access the old curriculum that my school may choose to implement as the new curriculum will be piloted by a select group of teachers. I didn’t manage to create a lesson for that curriculum but presented an activity that I think will fit in nicely with the Unit 4 Human Development in the current sixth grade curriculum.
I added a form for volunteers to complete for anyone after visiting the website and would be interested in volunteering their time or resources. As soon as I joined the OCMS now NAHS team, a number of people offered to help but weren’t very specific as to how they can help. I didn’t always have their contact information to follow-up as others were collecting these details and didn’t have it organize in any particular way. But having a form on the website people can access the form and leave information that I can then use as needed. This will allow parents and community member to support our efforts.
With such a busy summer, I want to add more to this site and plan to use it as a portal for parents and students to access information about NAHS, the magnet program, science 6GT class, and me. The Newly Developed Unit I plan to create will provide a resource for the magnet class teacher and the science teachers to have a cross-curricular activity that will allow the content to cross both classes. The incoming sixth graders will have access to one to one devices that will allow the increased use of technology. The goal will be to reflect on SAMR with every lesson that incorporates technology so that the students appreciate the use of technology in all of their classes. Some of these students are coming from elementary schools that have had technology since they started in kindergarten others may have only had one or two years of one-to-one device experience. With this huge learning gap, it will be necessary to ease into the use of technology with the students so that they are not frustrated with technology and ultimately frustrated with the content being presented.
While developing lesson and developing this website, I realize that it is important to consider the details. What does the pictures say? Is that the message that I want to send? Is it adding to the written portion of the message I am conveying. I had to consider the font that choose to convey the written portions. Is the font a distraction? Can be clearly seen on a cell phone or tablet as it is on the laptop or desktop? Do you change the font just to use something new or does it serve a purpose? That is a similar question to the purpose behind the information presented on the website. Is it being added to fill pages or does it serve a meaningful purpose. Would this be a website that is easy to navigate? Is it welcoming? It is not just a matter of content but how the content is presented through images and links.
My website has a lot of information that is useful to a mixed audience, future and current students and their parents as well as the community, anyone that is interested in what’s going on at NAHS. I plan to continue adding content to this website so that it becomes a place that stands alone for anyone that is interested in wanting to know what’s new at NAHS. I also want it to be a location for my science students to have information about what’s going on in class and access resources in the future. This course has given me the confidence to create webpages that can be useful to a mixed audience. I have explored how to present links and provide space for students to collaborate and interact with their classmates and community.
While this summer didn’t go exactly as planned the impact this course has had on my future teaching assignments is unmeasurable. I plan to share these resources with my fellow teachers and use them during PDs I present so that others see the resources in action. Some we are already using as a district and others we have been given permission to use but have not taken the time to learn or implement them. By taking this course during a seemingly slow season, I was exposed to tools that will impact my teaching role for the feature.