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Facilitator in Training Project
//Members//: Adnan Alwadie, James Barnes, Damont Bellinger, Jacki Campbell, Juli Siagkris, Kecia Waddell //Online Course//: IT 6135 with Dr. Lisa Rivard


 * Introduction**

We participated in **IT 6135 - Technology Applications in Education and Training** with Dr. Lisa Rivard. This course is specifically designed for school administrators. The course goal is for school administrators to explore the use of technology tools and factors related to leadership and research in technology integration. Course objectives include:
 * Evaluate, select, and utilize hardware, software and web based resources to increase administrative productivity and support the integration of technology in the classroom
 * Develop, evaluate, and support plans to integrate technology for education and administrative purposes
 * Employ technology for communication and collaboration, create and participate in learning communities, and maintain awareness of emerging technologies
 * Manage resource allocation and financial and facilities planning issues related to technology integration.
 * Identify, communicate, model, and enforce social, legal, and ethical practices to promote responsible use of technology.

The course takes place entirely online within Blackboard. Upon logging in, students have access to instructor announcements, the syllabus, course materials and assignments, and the discussion board.


 * Assignments and current activities** (//Added by Adnan//)

The assignments developed by the instructor in this course were designed to match the objectives stated in the syllabus. These activities were designed to cover all objectives and upon evaluation of them they seem to have almost covered all learning styles (see table 1).

The first assignment was designed to help learners review existing evaluation criteria for the purpose of selecting administrative hardware and software. Learners are then requested to develop their own criteria by reflecting on the criteria found in the literature.

The second assignment helps learners work in groups. Each group is requested to search for a new technology used in teaching and then fill in a pre-designed form to discuss their findings about the new technology. Each group is requested then to share their findings with other learners by posting the form to the discussion board and facilitating the discussion. This assignment is meant to enhance collaboration and teamwork and also to discover online opportunities that can benefit schools administrators.

The third assignment is developed to enhance learners review of existing standards related to the use of technology in school administration. Each learner is requested to review the standards developed by The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Administrators and then select one of these standards to write a short paper discussing the selected standard. This assignment should direct learners to read the standards and reflect on one of them. In addition, learners’ skills in using academic writing will be enhanced.

The fourth assignment is also directed towards using technologies in learning. Each learner is requested to develop a lesson plan using software, hardware and internet. This assignment enhances the integration of technology into learners’ daily work which is based on Merrill’s first principles theory.

In the fifth assignment learners are required to read the assigned readings and reflect on them by sharing their thought and discussing them with other learners using blackboard. Obviously this assignment enhances learners’ reflections on their learning which should bring learners to the “information exchange” and “knowledge construction” stages in Solomon’s model. The goal of this assignment is also supplemented by the sixth requirement in this course in which learners are required to respond to instructors’ posts about readings.

At the end of the course, learners are required to complete the end of course survey. This requirement aims at conducting formative and summative evaluation of the course by the instructor. In addition, this assignment should enhance learners’ thinking about the importance of evaluations in online courses.

These assignments were designed and developed by the instructor to help achieve the objectives stated in the syllabus. An effort was made to link these assignments to the objectives of the course and to the R2D2 model (table 1).

On unit 5 learners were asked to share at least one website or software that they use within educational setting. Learners are then asked to provide a description of the site and how it can be used. Learners are also required to check other posts within this thread and comment as required. One of the FITs role in this course was to review all posts, compile the links provided, check the description and assure that links are not broken or damaged. This assignment was found to improve learners’ knowledge about open-source websites that could benefit them at what they do.

**Recommendations for new activities: ** Since the course is related to administration in schools, it is of great benefit to schools and students to share their experiences. It is recommended to add an activity that enhances the collaboration between schools. Small group case creation and analysis (#48, p. 111) can be added to the activities in this course. In this proposed activity, groups can be created based on work setting or district, then each group is required to create a case for the other groups. These cases can be based on real life scenarios that may have occurred. Each group should be required to analyze the case and come up with solutions and recommendations to resolve any obstacles presented in the case. Each group should then be asked to reflect on other group’s posts. **Modification of existing activities: ** Active participating in the discussion board was required from all learners. However, adding objectivity to this requirement would have enhanced the participation of learners. It would have been better to ask learners to post at least two responses to other learners’ posts in addition to their own reflections to the instructor’s question.


 * Table 1. Assignments and their relationship to course objectives ||
 * Assignment || <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">R2D2 relevance  || <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">Assignment – Objective relationship  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. Evaluation Instrument: Review existing criteria and then develop few criteria to evaluate software and some criteria to evaluate hardware used in the school administration. || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, Reflect, Display, **Do** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Emerging Technology: Fill in the forms and post to the discussion board. || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, **Reflect**, Display, Do || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1,2 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NETS for administration: 4-7 pages paper to talk about the importance of the selected standard. || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, **Reflect**, Display, Do || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Technology integration: Develop a lesson plan with software, hardware and internet based technology. || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, Reflect, Display, **Do** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2,4 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read and reflect on the reading assigned. || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, **Reflect**, Display, Do || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Participate in the discussion board || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, **Reflect**, Display, Do || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Complete the end of course survey || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, **Reflect**, Display, **Do** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1 ** ||
 * # <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Share website that you use for educational purpose || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, **Reflect**, **Display**, **Do** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1,2,3,4 ** ||


 * General Impressions and Recommended Modifications**

I have been assigned the task of reviewing reading reflection #4- chapter 11 in the class text. My responsibility is to read each reflection, comment, and grade the work. According to instructions from Dr. Rivard, if the student writes an appropriate length review and it appears the content is relevant, they are to given a grade of 10/10.
 * Juli's FIT experience:**

Instructor is to be clear about what the reading reflections actually are in this class. ( I kept watching the discussion board, where there has been no activity. I kept daily notes of the inactivity. I had to contact Dr. Rivard with concern to find out that the reading reflection was not the response to the discussion board question-which Kecia created as her task, nor posted there)
 * My suggestions:**

Also be clear as to where to find them in the task bar. ( I then had difficulty discovering the location of the reading reflection assignments, as according to the class structure and syllabus the students email all assignments. I had to inquire where to find them, which I was then told: Tools, journals, reading reflections)

After those simple challenges were tackled, I then faced another dilemma. One of the reading reflections was poorly written, grammatically and structurally. This reflection was written by a school principal, an administrator. Though the context was relevant and I could get the jest of what the writer was projecting, I as an instructor would have a very difficult time sending this person on forward in a high education program without basic composition skills. What does an instructor do in this case? Is this my responsibility to recognize and correct or direct to be corrected, such basic skills??

On the other side of the coin, two reading reflections were extraordinary. One I actually felt could be published! I began research on what activity I would incorporate to a reading reflection that has two goals:


 * be productive in evaluating a students level of comprehension of material presented, whether written or otherwise
 * be a "self-check" tool to help students write to their best ability, education level and professionalism


 * I chose an activity from Empowering Online Learning; Activity #43 on page 105.** This activity adds a twist to reading reflections by creating a class "Hall of Fame". Reflection papers are entered and voted on by the students. This allows students to write appropriately, carefully as well as reflectively. It engages students as editors and reviewers, as they review and vote on the papers themselves. This creates motivation, student-student instruction, and incentive for inspirational papers to be posted online as examples in the future, for student portfolios as well as instructors use for future classes, if given permission.

The Risk Index: Low Time Index: Medium to High-depending on tasks and student count. Cost Index: Low Duration of Learning Activity: As needed, 1-4 weeks for each writing activity
 * Learner Centered Index: High**


 * Kecia's FIT experience:**

In response to Dr. Rivard's request of her FITs to give ideas for tasks of interest, I offered to design the a discussion board question (Discussion Board Topic #3) as my contribution. I had also planned to interact with the forum participants in response to my question. The process I took to design the question included: considering future course topics, examining Dr. Rivard's announcements prior to our addition as FITs to the class as well as the checking out previous discussion topics and the class participants' responses. From this information, I created the following Discussion Board Topic #3: Due to the abundance of publicly available data and growing demands of the global workplace, there is a trend towards rising expectations of districts/administrators/teachers/students. Define the role of technology as you see it towards efforts to improve curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, teacher development, or any other aspect of school structure? Dr. Rivard approved my Discussion Board Topic #3 and asked me to post it to the discussion board on November 1st. After my Discussion Board Topic #3 had been posted for six days without a single response from Dr. Rivard's course participants, I became concerned about possible technical issues with my posting within Blackboard. I reposted the forum question to troubleshoot what I thought might had been an accessibility problem for the course participants as a possible reason for lack of response. I then contacted Dr. Rivard with my concern. Dr. Rivard put me at ease replying that students would get to it after completing a big project they were working on. Sure enough, by day eight students began to respond and I have had rich correspondence via the discussion board since.

Presently, with regard to discussion forum topic generation Dr. Rivard in her own words, "...[revises] the discuss board based on where [the class is] at or [around] anything [the class has] covered up until that point." While I can appreciate Dr. Rivard's attempt at being relevant with topics that arise in class discussion, I am concerned that when the discussion is silent or perhaps not as salient as a facilitator might wish perhaps the interjection of a controversial topic might generate spirited discussion to build upon in subsequent discussion question development. Further, prior to my Discussion Board Topic #3 question course participants offered very short close-ended responses. Of course, in my opinion that type of responses have to be first model for quality and quantity and the discussion question itself has to be designed for an open-ended response that develops the students' ability to acquire, evaluate, find ways to make sense of information themselves, and defend their position if called upon by their fellow classmates or facilitator.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Modification of existing activities: **

Use an asynchronous collaboration and audio/blogging tool (e.g., Voicethread) in addition to the discussion board forum experience. The addition of audio and visual during discussion would aide in bridging feelings of isolation, foster collaboration, and make for a more dynamic interactive experience among the learners themselves and with Dr. Rivard. Choosing the Voicethread online product is by design for its ability to support multiple input methods for collaboration: voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). Further, VoiceThread allows discussion to be facilitated around: images, videos, documents, and presentations uploaded by the professor (or account holder). This offers ease and greater accessibility for online socialization and information exchange in accordance with steps two and three of Gilly Salmon's 5-stage model of e-moderating respectively.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Recommendations for new activities: **