PIDT 2005

So PIDT has to be the most amazing experience I've ever had!!! I like the saying "It's like Professor's Camp". I was able to meet some of the biggest names in our field (Reiser, Ragan, Ely, Schwen, Wiley, etc...), gain advice about how to apply for jobs, and other practical advice. Not only was the conference motivating and informative, I have never had such fun! The skit we put together was just what an dorky instructional designer like myself would enjoy. I was also a finalist for the "bite the bag" game - it was much more difficult than it looked! I'm looking forward to taking all the advice and applying it. To check it out, go to PIDT's Home: http://www.wideopendoors.net/pidt/.

Here are the goals I've set for myself after attending PIDT:
Extend graduation until December 2006 or May 2007
Publish at least 3 articles
Complete my pre-lims by August 31st
Begin focusing my dissertation idea

PIDT 2005

After grading finals...

After grading finals, I feel so sorry for the students that can't seem to read the questions right - can't seem to correctly identify the information wanted. It's sad really; these students have not seemed to have instruction on how to take tests. I'm often shocked at the ability of students - whether over- or under-whelmed. Sometimes students just don't live up to your expectations. As an instructional designer and educator, I have to believe that every student can learn from "close-to-perfect" instruction. However, this doesn't seem to be the case. From my perspective students need actual experiences. It wasn't until I got into the classroom, I really thrived and was able to practice my abilities and skills. Classroom management has to be one of the most difficult elements for teachers. There should be a class in every teacher education program, focusing on just this problem - but they also need to test it themselves. I am of the opinion that every future teacher (especially elementary) need practice interacting with students. Through summer camps or volunteering for an after school program - it should be mandatory for students to manage children. Honestly, even though I am in educational technology, and I believe in the power of technology, nothing can substitute for an actual experience in the classroom. By experiencing education from a teacher's lens (or at least a supervisor's lens) students will have a better view of how to conduct a classroom.

When I compare the projects that teachers created in EDCI 560 (in-service equivalent of EDCI 270 - Introduction to Educational Technology and Computing) to those created in EDCI 270, they just have a profoundly superior way to utilize technology in the classroom. They use functions of animation for moving parts of equations around the screen in PowerPoint to help students visualize the mathematical substitution process. It's just so amazing what teachers can come up with. Granted, teachers have had way more experience in the classroom, but how do you get pre-service teachers to begin to think like these experts? This is a question I am attempting to answer in my dissertation - How do you better prepare pre-service teachers to transfer their skills into practice?

After grading finals...

Pre-Lim Proposal

I've done it. My ideas for pre-lims have been approved. I start May 8th (since that is when this hectic semester is over and done with!) and will submit my actual proposals before that. Here are my ideas which have been approved by my committee:

#1: Dr. Tim Newby

How is everyone teaching technology integration for pre-service education?

I want to document how other programs are teaching technology integration for pre-service education. I propose to find the different ways people are teaching technology integration in pre-service education across the United States. I will collect syllabi, websites, contact faculty/instructors through email, research papers, observations, etc… to find out the different ways and ideas people are using to implement technology integration courses. I will then construct a 20 page paper, documenting the different types and deciding on the best method, supporting this with evidence.

#2: Dr. Krista Simons

Create Publications; Get Published!

I want to be able to discover what it takes to create and submit publications based on previous papers written for classes and interest. I propose to create and submit publications from my proceedings paper at AECT 2004 (thesis) and my Motivation paper (with Pat – but I would do all the work to revise and publish) from EDCI 591T.

#3: Dr. Jennifer Richardson

Researchers continually explore more effective means in preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology into their classrooms. This study will investigate preservice teacher perceptions of technology integration, as well as the development of their computer skills and technology integration skills. Through quantitative and qualitative data sources, this study will provide information for the design of a more effective preparation course where pre-service teachers will be more prepared to implement technology into their future curriculum and classrooms. I will analyze the data from this study and submit the completed paper to a journal.

Pre-Lim Proposal

On a Monday night

So I'm sitting here, going through all the Blogs I haven't read in quite some time and catching up on fun reading. :) I came across the cutest little stunt for an April Fool's joke - YaGooHoogle. Then, some shocking news - Macromedia and Adobe are merging. Evidently, Fireworks is going down. :(

Anyways, moving on to graduate work. Our last PAET newsletter was really a success. We catered our information to presenting knowledge to the Ed Tech community - things we would be interested in. The two fantastic articles were

• Technology You Can Afford - Christopher Mong
• The Blogging Revolution - Glenn Coulthard

These really were great uses of our space. Hopefully, we can use this space to provide tidbits of information on up-and-coming technologies and how they are used in the classroom (K-16).

These are some possible topics - if you can think of any more I should add, please comment:

• PodCasts
• Blogging (youth)
• Instant Messaging
• Macromedia Breeze
• Wikis
• Tablets
• Handhelds
• Macromedia Captivate
• Camtastia
• iMovie
• iDVD
• SmartBoards (innovative uses)
• VideoConferencing (Over the internet)
• TouchScreen Monitors
• Interesting uses for digital cameras
• Digital Storytelling

Please help me add ideas to cover!

On a Monday night

PAET & Graduate Interaction

Our student organization PAET (Purdue Association for Educational Technology) has recently conducted our real first election, and I have been elected President. I am so excited! We have so many amazing things planned. We are planning on applying for the Graduate Student Lounge and welcome any other graduate student organizations to join us in this quest. Our current ideas consist of activities to join graduate students together in a network forum. The concept of interacting with other graduate students in other programs would be one worth pursuing. It would teach us the meaning of collaboration outside of our immediate circle of academia. It would encourage outside thinking, much along the line of the new paradigm Reigeluth speaks of in his Instructional design theories book. By participating in research efforts with other programs, we are able to widen our scope and better prepare ourselves for the rigors of academia. In the summer, Purdue has plans to work with Syracuse University to study multiple teacher education technology integration programs. I am really looking forward to this study. Currently, one other graduate student and I are working on a brief look into what pre-service teachers want/need for a technology integration course.

PAET & Graduate Interaction

Beginning

So I begin on my blogging journey. I have entitled this page Innovations in Ed Tech, because (1) I am a doctoral student in Educational Technology and (2) I LOVE the new ideas. I'm constantly going to conferences to see what's new and how I can use it in my pre-service teacher education courses. To check out my website, click here.

This is my true passion-teaching an introduction to educational technology course- in short, teaching pre-service teachers how, why and when to integrate technology into their curriculum. The most amazing part is I can see the students really get excited when they create a WebQuest. Since it is the introduction to education courses as well, this course ties so much in, we are constantly leaving our students with their heads spinning. And I come back with, "But wait! There are so many other cool things to show them!"

However, right now I must leave the blogging world for tonight because I am horribly procrastinating on my paper which is due on Friday.

Beginning