Blog Reflection #2 - EDU 781

The process of the pilot experience was a very positive experience for myself. It allowed me to take a step back and look at the Technology Support Internship (TSI) course from a different perspective. As my change, I focused on creating an online database that contains troubleshooting solutions for my Technology Support Internship students. Before the guide, students were called to classrooms to help teachers fix a variety of technology issues. The only troubleshooting solutions that were available to students were past experiences. The guide was a collaborative effort created by TSI students and teachers, however, the technology department also provided feedback once they heard about the change.

Completing the pilot experience has made me realize the major need for the troubleshooting guide in TSI. This is a document that we should have started five years ago, however, it's better late than never! The guide has led to consistent troubleshooting techniques, which makes it easier to understand what the students have tried in the classroom when assisting a teacher. The technology department also collaborated on the troubleshooting guide with the TSI students and teachers and offered suggestions that we have never tried before. The plan for the future is to expand the guide and be more comprehensive to include Chromebook repairs and other problems that are seen in classrooms and offices. We have also begun to include daily tasks, such as, checking out/in loaner Chromebooks, how to handle students withdrawing from school mid-year, new students who arrive mid-year and what to do if Chromebooks are beyond repair.

The pilot experience has enhanced my growth as a future technology leader/change agent as it has helped me to see that technology within a school needs to be a collaborative team approach. I have also learned that technology use needs to be meaningful and provide students with authentic learning opportunities. Creating the troubleshooting guide has also helped me to identify areas that do not have a logistical process, but need one. The guide is a great resource for new teachers, substitute teachers, and new students to the course. I am hoping that students who are new to the course can be self-sufficient and rely on the guide to help them through situations, rather than always relying on the TSI teacher.

This was my last course to complete for the Technology Specialist endorsement and I have already completed the Technology Specialist endorsement test. It makes me feel accomplished to complete another endorsement. The courses required for the Technology Specialist endorsement, coupled with a few prior courses also made me eligible for the "Business, Marketing and Computer Ed - Programming" endorsement, which I was issued at the beginning of February. After speaking with my colleague that teaches the entry level coding classes, he is open to me taking a few of the sections as the coding program is growing. I am looking forward to the potential challenge of teaching this new course next year!

Blog Reflection 1 - EDU 781

My perception of a technology specialist has changed dramatically since the beginning of the term. I have come to realize, that depending on the educational setting, technology specialists wear many hats. Not only do they need to understand infrastructure and educational technology tools, they also need to develop plans on how to implement programs and keep them sustainable for the future. I think one of the biggest challenges for a technology specialist is implementing a change within a school. While teachers may always want to improve their practice and provide resources for their students, it can be difficult to create change within a school. Too often teachers are "stuck in their ways." I have realized that technology specialists really have to design an implementation plan before proceeding with any change. I have been most inspired with the text "Switch." Understanding what motivates people and how to make the path to the change "smaller" ultimately will help any change come to fruition.

Keeping these methodologies in mind while implementing my change has helped me to see the big picture. This week I began to implement the change, however, the change has been slow to take off...thanks to mother nature! With three days of school cancelled it has been hard to make significant progress. With the time I did have with my students and colleagues we have managed to identify the five most common technology requests and began to collaborate on the troubleshooting guide. The guide has been typed up with the first draft of troubleshooting techniques. This week I plan on collaborating with the other classes that have not had any input and hopefully by the end of the week the guide will be available to all TSI students and teachers to use out in the field. Hopefully, we begin to see higher success rates with assisting teachers and less tickets being escalated to the Technology Department!