iMet 7 Blog

I am faced with writing a preliminary draft for my action research project and it is like guessing where a tiddly wink will land. I know I am going to pop up into the air and I know technology is my game but WHERE will I land? More importantly, what action do I take right now? There are 3 possibilities (in view at the moment)

1.) I remain in my current teaching assignment and coordinate with teachers, parents and administrators at Cardozo (a different school) to do my action research during an after school program that is already established. This option could also work if #2 happens.

2.) Cardozo is successful in getting me back and gets approval to add a "technology study skills" class to be taught in the computer lab. An action research project could be conducted within the class itself.

3.) I am applying for a totally new and different position in a different school district. The position is for a Technology Director. This job's description is to help a district integrate technology into the classroom. The possibilites for action research in that position are unknown but probably very great.

At the very least, I am getting my resume and letters of recommendation in order. I will seek guidance from John and Mike also. More to come.

Progress is being made towards my goal. What IS my goal. I want to work with technology in education. Science is cool and I can teach Science and I LOVE science but... Technology is where my heart is. If I have learned anything in 50+ years it is that I must follow my heart. With all of the new demands and credential requirements (state AND federal) I must document my heart with credentials. I am doing just that. I picked up the paperwork yesterday to apply for a supplementary authorization in Computer Concepts and Applications to be added to my single subject credential. Now, when my district is sorting things out they will see "computer" on my paperwork. This authorization will qualify me to teach computer applications from ages k-adult. Good move :-)

When I started this Master's program in Educational Technology, John said that it would be a marathon, not a sprint. I experienced my first "lost weekend" a few short days ago. The assignment was to create a web page lesson plan with an advance organizer (one kind of graphic organizer).The graphic organizer was fun to make and play with. Inspiration is a great program and I clicked with it the very first time I tried it. Dreamweaver was a lot more elusive. The complexities still evade my investigation. I learned enough in the first five hours (no product in all that time) to know that if I wanted to complete my assignment, I had to keep it simple. With my practical nature, however, I needed to make something that I would be able to use. I did that. The web page alone took about 15 hours with tweaking and minor adjustments. The graphic organizer took about 3 hours with tweaking. All in all, my page turned out to be "decent" but not what I would call outstanding. I noticed some tricks on pages of other students that I want to steal for my own (heart of a teacher). I am beginning to feel the pull of the marathon on my endurance. Having taken on Dreamweaver and won, however, gives me new resolve. The next assignment will be like a walk in the park. The pressure is not released, however. I am still running, I have just learned how to breathe while doing so.

Link: Identifying Minerals