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The content provided in this paper will provide a look at the Career and Leadership Goals I will be pursuing in the future. This paper will also look at my educational technology vision and how I will shape that vision into reality on my campus. This paper will also show what I have learned through this Master’s program in regards to my self, technology and leadership skills and my attitudes towards these different findings. I will reflect on the classes and experiences that I have gained through this program and develop a 3-year personal professional development plan. This paper will help show the progress I have made throughout this program and all the valuable information I have gathered through the classes and instructors. ** Position Goal ** The educational technology leadership program has given me the chance to look at technology on my campus in a different light. The program has helped me develop different trainings for my co-workers and different ideas for use of technology, which has increased the use of technology on my campus. The knowledge of knowing technology can have a huge impact on student learning has made me realize the importance of using technology effectively. Being a part of the educational technology leadership program has helped me through this process and has helped me gain the respect of my co-workers, who now look to me for advice on using technology. When it comes to my ultimate career position, I see myself as making sure technology is used effectively on my campus for student learning. Through teaching the students themselves about technology or in the role as a campus leader in technology by teaching the teachers, I can complete this goal. This program has also had me thinking about becoming a principal because the need for leaders who know the value of technology is going to be important in the future. This program has given me that knowledge and desire to see technology as a part of the campus. ** Leadership Goal ** Technology is something that has always interested me and is something that I have wanted to learn more about. When I would get a piece of technology, I would work with it until I could understand it and teach it to someone else. I always wanted to know how something worked and if I could use it to better what I was doing. This is why I was motivated to work with this program because I believed I could learn more from it and be able to teach others in the future. I have always been able to show others how to use technology and people have always generally just looked to me and asked for help, which put me in a position of leadership. I wanted to be a part of this program so I could gain more skills and be able to help people use technology effectively on my campus.
 * Introduction **

There are many goals I wish to accomplish, as a technology leader on my campus. One goal is to make sure teachers know how to use technology effective to teach their students. I would accomplish this by taking teachers through trainings and having follow-up meeting to make sure they are progressing with the technology. Follow-up is an important part of the process, which I have learned through many of the classes I have taken throughout this program. Another goal as a leader on campus is to make sure students have an understanding of different technologies before they leave our campus. There are so many different technologies students need to know about because in the future they will be expected to know them, which is why it is important to teach them at an early age.

As I have said, in the future students will need to have skill about technology, which is motivation for me as a technology leader on my campus. I personally feel as though I can help students learn about technology and better prepare them for the future. I also believe I am well suited to help my co-workers understand and use technology effectively. Through my accomplishments of completing this program and learning more about technology, I am able to become a leader in improving my campus in the future.

** Vision of educational technology ** Will the classrooms of the future see a projection of a teacher from their house teaching a lesson? Will we no longer see students in the classroom but on computers with webcams? The classrooms will look different in the next five years. When talking about the classroom, we have to look at the areas of the Horizon Report: Cloud Computing, Collaborative Environments, Game Based Learning, Mobiles, Augmented Reality, and Flexible Displays. Through this paper I will outline a blueprint of what classrooms five years from now could look like and the changes made must be sustainable. According to Tschirgi (nd), we learn what it means to be sustainable, “Sustainable solutions will stand the test of time. In five to seven years (or more), they will still be doing what they were meant to do at the time of their original implementation. This applies to both instructional practices and technological solutions” (para. 5). If all areas are sustainable, the improved classroom will meet the needs of all students.

Cloud Computing is not currently used to its full ability, but in five years we will be using it to its potential. The students will use cloud-based systems and apps to complete research and to be in contact with other students in the world. TeacherTube is already being used in classrooms, but in the future more educational videos will be available.

Collaborative Environments will be an important aspect of the classroom of the future. According to Li, Q., Lau, Shih, and Li, F. (2008), “As e-learning systems are becoming popular and more peopleare gaining access to them, there is an increasing demand for a system architecture that would accommodate and manage a large number of users, including access control” (p. 5). People will need access to different systems to make sure this environment can meet the needs of all. These collaborative environments will help students get the chance to work with people from all over the world and get exposed to different cultures.

Game Based Learning is an important process where creating activities will get students involved in the lessons. According to Richard (2007), “A standard Model Technology Classroom includes hardware, software, training and infrastructure – all critical in providing the opportunity for model technology teachers and students to become effective users of technology for teaching and learning” (para. 6). With the hardware, software, and infrastructure we could create games, however without proper training, these activities will not mean anything. In future classrooms, the students will be the ones creating these games based learning activities with the teachers guiding. This will get them more involved in the process of learning.

Mobiles are getting items that will help students in the future. There are apps students get on their phones that can help them with classes. As technology gets more advanced, apps will have a bigger impact on the education system. There are programs that turn their phones into a device that sends answers to the computer. A lot of schools do not allow students to use their mobiles at school, however within the next five years phones could be used for multiple things in school. Students will be able to take field trips all around the world and bring history right into the classroom. With the computers and other electronic devices that will be in the classrooms with the projectors and cameras, it will be like students are right there.

Flexible Displays will be advanced. We have touch screens on our phones and iPads, but the computer screens will also. This will free up space around the computer for learning. These screens will help the learning process.

According to Villano (2008), “Using technology to keep parents abreast of what's happening at school is a departure from the way things used to be done” (p. 2). Parents will be able to see what is happening in the child’s classroom. Within the next five years I believe this will be everywhere and this will have a positive effect on our student grades and behavior.

** What I have learned about myself ** When I first started this program I thought I already knew all it would take to integrate technology into the classroom. Through the program I found I knew a lot of it, but I also had a lot to learn. The readings, videos, lectures, and technology that was presented in this program have helped me to grow as an educator and a leader on my campus. I have already used so much of what this technology program has taught me inside of my classroom and shared it with my colleagues on my campus to help improve their knowledge of technology. I have learned that I can be a leader of technology on my campus and I can effect change with our staff and student population. During my time in this program I have developed a Communication Technology class on my campus and have used a lot of the assignments I have done for my students. Seeing this has shown me that my students know just as much as I do on certain types of technology and I have learned to ask them for assistance to make things run smoother.

** My Technology and Leadership Skills ** When it comes to my technology skills I have always been able to get by and use the technology as needed. Through this program I have better focus on these technology skills and now have a better understand of how to successfully use them to enhance my lesson in class. I have always liked to use technology and I try and find the best way to use it to help in my lessons. Through this program I have gained new knowledge and skills when it comes to integrating technology into my classroom. My leadership skills have also increased, ever since teachers and administrators found out I was in this program I have been asked to lead more trainings. I have also helped develop and lead different professional developments for the staff. If my co-workers have problems or need advice they seek me out and ask for my opinion. When it comes to technology I am considered a leader because of my use of and success with technology in my classroom.

** My attitudes towards technology ** My attitude towards technology has always been a positive one and this program has further influenced me on the need to improve on my knowledge and understanding of technology. Sometimes technology can be overwhelming and frustrating if you do not know how to use it effectively. This is why as educators we need to stay current on the different technologies out there that might have a positive influence on our lessons. I see people around me that have a bad attitude about the use technology because they simply do not know how to use it. I have always taken the approach to try it out as many times as it takes to be successful. ** Top Six Courses ** Through this program I gained a lot of valuable information I can and will take with me throughout the rest of my career. There were courses I believe helped more than other because I was in this program for Technology Leadership I picked six courses that deal directly with technology and leadership.

The first course I picked was EDLD 5306: Concepts of Educational Technology. This course changed my mind on Wiki’s, because before I took this course I hated them and told my students there was no use for them at all. After taking the course and creating several different Wiki’s not only do I use Wiki’s at school, but I have one I use for personal use to keep my family up to date on my life. I knew about Blogs and again thought they could really serve no real value, but the course showed me how to use them effectively inside the classroom. This course made me think outside of the box and use these two things as resources in my classroom, which I have done and have had success with them.

The second course I picked was EDLD 5362: Information System Management. I have always been interested in using the data collected to help better my students and having the right system would help the process along. Data can be confusing, as I have learned in this course, but the more data you have the more you know about what is working and what is not. Another reason I picked this course was the fact it looked at school budgets and just what it takes to get things done on that end. During this course I had conversations with administrators, about the budget, I thought I would never have. The budget is something I am still working on understanding because I think it is a real key in making things work on a campus.

The third course I picked was EDLD 5363: Video Technology and Multimedia. I picked this course because it showed the importance of collaboration when completing tasks. Not just with different educators, but having students collaborate with other students. By creating the PSA in this course I learned to let others give input without shutting them down. They came up with ideas I would not have thought of which made the project even better. This is something I have applied in my classroom right now and the quality of work being turned in has improved. To be able to see the different ways one can use video technology and multimedia to present to people was also an important reason why I picked this course.

The fourth course I picked was EDLD 5364: Teaching with Technology. I picked this course because it gave me a new and fresh look at creating and storing lesson plans. It allows for other educators to look and make suggestions on lessons. This course also allowed me to work with others to create and plan lessons that can be effective in the classroom. Collaboration was the key in this course, if we lacked in this area the lesson would suffer and by having different content areas working together this made the lesson well rounded. This course also introduced me to the creation of e-books for student learning, which is another activity I have had my students experience.

The fifth course I selected was EDLD 5366: Digital Graphics, Animation and Desktop Publishing. I selected this course because this course dealt with creating projects based on the individual experiences and interests. This was important to me because I was able to relate to my project and I was interested in the completion. This helped me create a project similar to this in my class where my students got a chance to experience what I felt when I created my project. I was able to take away other activities and use them in my classroom to enhance the learning of my students, which is very important to me. I already knew how to complete the assignments before I started the class because of a previous job, but the course showed me different ways of creating and using the project. These new ideas allowed me to think of even more ways to use the assignments in my classroom.

The sixth course I selected was EDLD 5368: Instructional Design. This course over all the others introduced me to a program I love to use in my classroom right now and have got other educators to use and the program is Schoology. With Schoology I am able to create a course where I can put in assignments, grades, articles, PowerPoint, files, take attendance, and have my students participate in a discussion board. I find this important because if my students have questions they do not have to wait to ask them. Once they put it on the board either I or another students can help them out with answer. Schoology also allows me to use information I gathered in other courses to enhance the experiences by linking blogs or Wiki’s to the course. I would have never thought to use Schoology the way the course did and now I can use it for much more.

These are the six courses I feel had a big impact on me throughout this program. I am not saying the others ones did not serve their purpose, but when it comes to technology leadership it is these six. I used the information I gained in these courses right away in my classroom and they made an impact on my teaching and my students learning. I feel like using what I have learned in these courses has made me a better teacher.

** Reflection on the degree program ** From Consortium for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning (1995), “Educational experiences are more authentic and of greater value when the curricula reflect real life, which is multifaceted” (para. 2). Through this degree program I have been able to experience this first hand and I believe this to be one of the reason I enjoyed this program. With the experiences I have gained through this program I was able to translate a lot to my students in my class. Having been able to create work that is authentic gave me a better appreciation for what I created and my students had the same reactions.

According to Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (1999), “Knowledge is constructed in multiple ways, through a variety of tools, resources, experiences, and contexts” (p. 1). Through this program and the activities involved in it, I have learned the importance of having a variety of different learning experience, which will benefit all students. This program has given me different resources and skills I can put into practice right away. In fact, I was able to use a lot of the activities I completed for the different courses in my classroom. Being able to use the knowledge of others to solve problems was something else I gained from this program. Collaboration is the key the more people you get involved the more ideas you can have and the experiences in the classroom can be much better.

According to McTighe (2008), “Action research empowers faculties to identify problems and shape solutions” (p. 6). This program has also shown me the importance of data and understanding what the data really means. Along with teaching me how to use data, the program also taught another important lesson and that is follow-up. Follow-up is very important to make sure all of the staff understands the data and action plans are working effectively. If there is no follow-up how will we know if it is actually working, follow-up is the key for success.

Overall, this program was a great experience for me and it has taught me a lot with regards to technology and leadership. The courses that were offered really help me to understand the needs of my students. I gained many great experiences and lesson I was able to apply right away into my classroom. I would recommend this program to other teachers who are interested in technology.

** Personal Professional Development Plans ** Over the next three years I plan on being a leader in the area of technology and effecting change within my school district. According to Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000), chapter 9 talks about the importance of interactivity of technology environments as a feature for learning (p. 131). This goes back to makings sure the technology is integrated correctly and effectively. This is one role I see myself in, making sure teachers have an understanding of how to use technology the correct way inside their classroom. This is important because technology is the future and our students need to be able to use different types of technology to survive in the future.

According to Williamson and Redish (2009), “Because other educators look to technology facilitators and leaders for guidance, technologists must understand the emerging issues and shape technology use for the common good” (p. 123). Throughout the next three years I also plan on going to different professional developments to make sure I am able to be the facilitator and leader that guides teachers in the right direction. This is something I do now but in the future I hope to be in a role where I can help a lot more and provide my services to those who need them.

Ellis (2005), “teachers will spend less than an hour each school day teaching “English,” leaving students to their own devices – cell phones, TVs, iPods, PlayStations, and laptops – to enjoy their eight-hour independent-learning adventure in the fun house of digital media” (para. 13). In the next three years I would like to develop a plan to help focus instruction to use these devices to the teacher advantage. Being a leader in my district and on my campus I hope to be able to teach teachers the benefits of allowing students to use these devices to enhance the learning experience.

As I have stated in three years I hope to be a leader in my district and on my campus with regards to technology. I would also like to take a bigger role in the development of technology and how teacher integrate technology into the classroom. This program has given me the tools I will need to be successful in this endeavor. This program has also taught me the need to continue to learn as a lifelong learner, which I will continue to pursue.

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Li, Q., Lau, R.W., Shih, T.K., & Li, F.W. (2008). Technology supports for distributed and collaborative learning over the internet. ACM Trans. International Tech., 8 (2).

McTighe, J. (2008). Making the most of professional learning communities. //The Learning// // Principal, 3 // (8), 1, 4-8.

Richard, V. (2007, April 1). The model of a modern technology classroom. //Tech and Learning.// Retrieved on May 5, 2011, from []

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Tschirgi, D. (nd). What is the sustainable classroom? //Educational Technology Support Center.// Retrieved on May 5, 2011, from []

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