Description

1. Model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.
   

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   Privacy is a word we now hear often in our educational systems. Parents, teachers, and students all have privacy rights. Some online rights and safety are addressed in my Parent Power Point created to help parents understand what is really going on when their children are online. Also, we have various agreements that we revise each year for students to sign. These agreements help explain to students some of the legal and ethical boundaries they must follow while using technology at our school. I also include, in the Staff Development Plan, legal and ethical practices when using these technologies.
   
   Finally, my fellow classmates and I collaborated to create an online tool that directly helps students understand the legal and ethical practice related to technology use. We used the wikispace to create an online learning activity for students with the topic of Netiquette. This activity not only models and teaches proper use, but gives students an opportunity to practice proper use. I plan to modify and incorporate this tool in my web page class. If students are going to use the Internet, they must learn to use it properly first.

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2. Apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.
   

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   The Staff Development Plan demonstrates how I have allowed for various different training sessions based on the needs and backgrounds of my colleagues. Each teacher in our building has a unique background. After completing surveys, it was evident of what types of training were needed. Based on that information, I was able to create a plan to use technology in staff training. Recently, my administrators have asked me to complete a web design training. Many of our staff have clubs and activities that they sponsor, and therefore would like to use technology towards their specific area of need.
   
   I was also able to research technology resources that help the hearing impaired. This case study gave me the opportunity to share my findings with a hearing impaired student in my computer applications classroom. The student was already aware of many of the resources available. However, we both found suggestions within the study that empowered her within the classroom. We began using Dragon Naturally Speaking more often both with instruction and learning activities. This voice recognition program proved to be a huge success in her learning activities.

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3. Identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity
   

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   When completing the Staff Development Plan, I used real data that I had collected from the staff at my school. At the time, I was head of a technology collaboration team that was working towards technology improvements and training in our building. I created a survey that produced results of what types of technology training our diverse staff was in need of, and when they needed/preferred the training.
   
   Personally, in my classroom, it is obvious that many students learn at different levels and with different types of learning styles. Therefore, I try to give them the opportunity to use various different tools that will help them all succeed. For example, I have created a jeopardy game Power Point for my students in my computer applications class, personal finance class, and keyboarding class. These Power Points are interactive and included on my web site so students can use them to study at any time. Also on my web site, I have included many links to games from students' textbook web sites, online practice keyboarding games, and excellent personal finance simulations. These tools certainly help learners that need to see it, hear it, touch it, and/or do it.
   
   

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4. Promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.
   

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   With the increased technology and access to the Internet, safety has become a hot topic. Helping parents and the community understand why safety is necessary and precautions to take is included in my Internet Safety Power Point. Also, creating the Staff Development Plan gives me the opportunity to incorporate safety training within the professional development at our school.
   
   Finally, the Wikispace assignment gives me as a teacher, a direct method to promote safe and healthy use of technology. Having students work through the online tool will reinforce safe and proper use of technology inside and outside of school.

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   E. Facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.
   

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   Analyzing school facilities by completing a facilities survey provided information on student computer ratios, network connections, trained technology staff, number of SmartBoards, etc. The survey really did answer the question, “Do students have the resources they need?” After evaluating the results, I was able to put together a Needs Assessment/Budget proposal. The proposal shows areas of improvement to make sure we are meeting the technology resource needs of our students.
   
   My school in particular has a horrible student to computer ratio that is outlined in the facilities survey. We only have one lab of 36 computers to a student body of approximately 1300. Organizing computer use during the day has become a nightmare. I have recently been working with the librarians that manage our one lab to schedule classes in my technology room on my planning periods. I have been as proactive as possible to help resolve this issue; however, without additional building space we will not be able to adequately serve our students with technology resources.