Mission Statement for Educational Technology Exchange / ETE

05/24/05

Vicki Gold

Educ-128

Final Project

Educational Technology Exchange Professional Development Intervention

Throughlines

Mission Statement for Educational Technology Exchange / ETE

The Educational Technology Exchange (ETE) is Harvard Extension's online web based community for Educational Technologists. Its mission is to provide students, alumni, faculty and participating schools with an environment in which to maintain lifelong involvement with the ETP community. The Exchange includes content pertaining to job profiles and opportunities, universal design, current and ongoing research, participating schools, ETE’s taxonomy of online educational tools and a calendar of events. In addition ETE includes a discussion board and a section for blogging. The discussion board will maintain a section devoted to the pre-practicum and practicum seminars.
ETE is a 2 credit course that prepares ETP teachers in becoming competent and confident web based developers and e-moderators ready to take on the challenges of 21st century technological pedagogies. Teachers gain experience through real world activities on the Educational Technology Exchange's (ETE) web site. ETE's mission is to create and maintain an online presence for teachers. Through involvement in the creation and maintenance of the Exchange, teachers will form a commitment and a lifelong connection with their community.
For the first semester students learn how to maintain and expand the ETE web site. Students’ responsibilities include creating new ETE functional extensions and assuming the maintenance requirements necessary to run a fully functioning web presence. In the second semester students learn and practice how to effectively facilitate online group discussions. This prepares teachers with the skills to take on distance courseware and online e-moderator responsibilities.
ETEa is a 1 credit course offered in the fall semester. This course prepares teachers for active participation in the Exchange's ongoing maintenance and site expansion and improvement. In this course teachers become acquainted with various online environments, tools for web site creation, universal design, W3C standards and guidelines and trends in web site development. The assignments focus on hands-on experience for ETP's students to assume an active role in today's electronic pedagogical movement.
ETEb is a 1 credit course offered in the spring semester. This course prepares students with the e-moderator skills necessary for assuming roles in online courseware and discussion boards. This course focuses on the principles and techniques of effective e-moderation, and on understanding and identifying e-moderation goals. The assignments focus on gaining real-life experience by participating and experimenting in ETE’s live discussion board.

The ETE, Educational Technology Exchange is a 2 credit yearlong course offered in conjunction with the pre-practicum and practicum seminars. This course empowers each ETP student with the ability to maintain and contribute to the Educational Technology Exchange.

The Learners

Students enrolled in continuing education courses for Teaching Technology.

ETE is a Yearlong Seminar

The ETE, Educational Technology Exchange is a 2 credit yearlong course offered in conjunction with the pre-practicum and practicum seminars. This course empowers each ETP student with the ability to maintain and contribute to the Educational Technology Exchange.

Generative Topics

Rethinking What Educational Technologist Need to Know

It is time to rethink the depth of technological knowledge an Educational Technologist needs to know. It is my belief we have the responsibility to understand how basic computer and internet technologies work if we are to be taken seriously. Only through background knowledge of the technology of the internet can we become experts in our field.
This course will provide the materials to learn this by offering students and teachers the opportunity to work on a real life portal the ET Exchange.

Make the Commitment Today

As the Educational Technology Program grows so should our commitment to its community. At this juncture it is important for the ETP program to provide an authentic supportive and informational online environment. Come with me on a journey into this uncharted territory to learn how best to serve the ETE community. This is our web site let's make it great.

A Call for Apprentices To Learn Internet Technology

The success hence the longevity of ETE depends on the community's ability to assume full responsibility for their web site. What does full responsibility mean? Together let's understand and define our role as members of the Exchange.

Comfortable with Web Based Technology

The course is designed for students of the Educational Technology Program to gain a comfort level when participating in online environment collaboration. We do this by focusing our attention on the Educational Technology Exchange Web Site. Here students gain first hand knowledge of the affordances and obstacles of online environments. Through class and online assignments students will emerge from this yearlong course fluent in the practice of online collaboration.

Teachers as E-Moderator

An essential component of the Instruction Technology Exchange is a discussion board. ETE's discussion board is seen as the community's collaborative lifeline. The success and longevity of ETE depends on the community's participation, collaboration and commitment to the Exchange. Since the success of on-line communities, course-ware and discussion boards lie with good facilitation and knowledgeable and trained participants it is important to include ETE online Community activities to the Practicum Seminar in Educational Technology.

Teaching for Accessibility

Teaching techniques must be accessible to all learners. Our goal is to produce a universally designed online community. In addition the commitment extends to the tools that we use for class. We use the best of breed Universally Designed tools in accordance with current research. There is much discussion on how technology creates a democratic learning environment it's time to make this happen.

Unit Level Understanding Goals, Performances of Understanding and Readings

Unit Overview - Rethinking What EducationalTechnologists Needs to Know

Each semester is broken down into seven units of understanding. Each unit is two weeks long consisting of one onsite class and one online class.
We will investigate what level of knowledge each of us feels comfortable learning.

Unit 1 - Gauging Web Site Success

Understanding Goals

What ingredients make for a successful web site? At the end of two weeks students will have a clear understanding of what is a good web site and what are the ingredients for success. Where does Universal Design fit into good web site design? Students are asked to write how they feel ETExchange holds up under these standards.

Performances of Understanding

Online Discussion Topic –Based on research and intuition what impact do you see Universal Design having on the number of visitors to a web site?

Readings

The Non-Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Visual Novice; second Edition; Robin Williams; Peachpit Press Berkley California
Web teaching guide: A practical approach to creating course web sites; Sarah Horton; Yale University Press

World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design

Unit 2 - Understanding Web Site Construction by Dissecting the ETE

Understanding Goals

The parts that make the Web site run.
Understanding Web Site Construction by dissecting the ETE.
How the internet works. Understand how Browsers communicate. What is meant when a program is called a Client/Server Application?

Performance of Understanding

(Classification: guided)

Online Discussion Topic: From this online discussion the class will formulate an understanding of what is a Client Server application? Describe what kinds of functionality that runs on the Server and what runs on the Client. Where does an applet run from?

Readings:
Building with Rusty Nails By Nick Finck & Peter Fielding
Published on March 8, 2001

Webopedia Client/Server architecture

Unit 3 – Investigation of Web Environments and New Trends

Understanding Goals

At completion of this unit we will have investigated CAST, Tapped-in, CCDT, Blogging and understand what is the Wikipedia collaboration concept.

Performances of Understanding

(Classification: guided)

Unit 3: Online Discussion: What are the pro's and con's of Wikipedia. What do you think about online direct content editing?

Readings

Investigate the web site

Look at the web site

How to use the Wikipedia – Help: Contents

Unit 4 -The Tools of the Trade

Understanding Goals

We look at the tools available for building web sites;

Authoring tools: Dreamweaver, html and css validaters

such as dreamweaver, cgi, php and mysql.

Performances of Understanding

Final Project Proposal (Classification: guided)

Readings

W3C Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0

Check out website tools

Unit 5 - Universal Design and Standards and Guidelines

Understanding Goals

Gain a thorough understanding of online accessibility issues?What and why are Standards and Guidelines?

Performances for Understanding

Online Discussion: The ETE is mandated by it's creator to be Universally Designed, adhere to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 and to W3C Standards and Guidelines.
Students will create a list of functional updates necessary for the Exchange to adhere Universal Design rules.

Readings

What is the W3C, An Explanation of the Standards of the Web and the Group Who Determines Them,
W3C - About the World Wide Web Consortium
Accessible Technologies: Ensuring that no child with a disability is left behind
CCDT0523a.doc
Cascading Style Sheets Learning CSS, Starting with HTML and CSS

Unit 6 - Why is Documentation and Testing so Crucial?

Understanding Goals

In this unit we will learn the different forms of documentation; the Design and Functional Specification; Use Case Scenarios and User/Help Documentation.

Performances for Understanding

Documentation and the Importance of Testing, Testing, Testing (Classification: guided)

Online Discussion: Why are Use Case Scenarios Important and how can Use Case Scenarios help with testing?

Readings

The use case model

Software Design Specification

Unit 7 - Web Site Maintenance

Understanding Goals

What does Web Site Maintenance involve? From this unit students will gain an understanding for the basics of Web Site Maintenance.

Performances for Understanding

We will demystify the challenges of Web Site Maintenance? (Classification: guided)

Online Discussion: Is 24x7 coverage really necessary for the Exchange?

Readings

Dig deeper into tools you are using to support your added functionality by reading the manuals. Know you tool so that you can teach it the next student.

Unit 8 – Presentations

Students demonstrate their final product.

Performance for Understanding

Final Demonstrations (Classification: culminating)

Students demo their final project. The presenter will distribute their 3 forms of documentation. This is a hands-on session where classmates try out your new functionality.

Ongoing Assessment

Analysis of Online Participation

Analysis of online participation in written form from the professor at half term and from peer verbal discussions at end term.

DocumentationThe student is responsible for completing three Documents throughout the course of the semester. The order in which the documents are produced reflects the order in which software development is produced in the computer industry. The documents are a Design Specification, a Functional Specification and User Documentation. The documents account for 30% of the final grade.
The Design Specification details the architectural design for the functionality proposed.
The Functional Specification precisely states the purpose of the new functionality. It describes the implementation details and depicts what the user interface will look like.
The User Documentation is written to help the user run the new functionality.

Final Project

The Final Project is to create or add new Exchange functionality. It is expected that most new functionality will be to augment the Exchange's Universal Design capabilities.

Final PresentationThe Final Presentation is for students to demonstrate their new product to the class. The presenter will furnish and distribute their documentation. This is a hands-on session where classmates can try out the new functionality.
The Final Project Assessment is instructor. The instructor's assessment will be in written form. The ultimate success of the final project will determined by the ET Exchange community.

Texts and Web Resources for Spring Semester -ETEb

Facilitating Online Learning: Effective Strategies for Moderators by George Collison, Bonnie Elbaum, Sarah Haavind and Rober Tinker Atwood Publishing 2000

Standards

ISTE National Educational Technology Standards for TeachersISTE National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers

Educational Technology Standards
and Performance Indicators
for All Teachers
The six standards
I. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.
Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts. knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.
II. PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.
Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology.
III. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND THE CURRICULUM.
Teachers implement curriculum plans, that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning.
IV. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.
Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies.
V. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.
Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice.
VI. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND HUMAN ISSUES.
Teachers understand the social,ethical,legal,and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice.:

Mass Circular Framework: for Instructional Technology

Mass Circular Framework: for Instructional Technology

1.2 Use correct terminology for basic components of a computer
1.11 Identify components of a computer system
1.27 Identify basic elements of a Website
1.31 Use correct terminology in speaking about electronic co...
1.37 Resolve commonly occurring error messages. Resolve simp...
1.38 Identify and use methods for transferring, downloading,...
1.59 Identify capabilities of technology resources and under...

National Staff Development Councils Standards for Staff Development NSDC

National Staff Development Councils Standards for Staff Development NSDC

Learning Communities
Staff development that improves the learning of all students organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.
Resources
Staff development that improves the learning of all students requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration.
Data Driven
Staff development that improves the learning of all students uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement.
Evaluation
Staff development that improves the learning of all students uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact.
Research Based
Staff development that improves the learning of all students prepares educators to apply research to decision making.
Designs and Strategies
Staff development that improves the learning of all students uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.
Collaborative Skills
Staff development that improves the learning of all students provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.
Equity
Staff development that improves the learning of all students prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly, and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.

Technology

Tools of the Trade

A computer running Windows XP, 2000, NT operating Systems or Apple OS with internet access and download capabilities. Although it is not necessary but perhaps helpful to have a Web Page builder such as Dream Weaver. All other tools will be open source software and available for downloads.

Theorists

The methods used to teach this course will draw heavily on the findings of the stage theorists. It is important that this course is designed to support and nurture learners from different age and developmental stages. CTE students are not a homogenous bunch. Students range from young professionals interested in teaching, to disillusioned technologist looking for a new career, to teachers of all ages trying to update their technological skills to name some of categories that I've encountered. Using Piaget's model it will use hands-on methods to create online activities that attempts to foster authentic, embedded collaboration among its participants. The hands-on exercises will be done in small diverse groups. Here the goal is for the group members to scaffold each other and have a peer centered learning situation.
The course's goal is to move away from the concept of teacher centered learning towards a teacher as facilitator and class participant role. The course will result in a group of people equipped with the talent and commitment for a successful online community. The course will strive to carry out William Perry's concepts as described by Joanne Kurfiss. "Supports such as these give students the opportunity to learn what it means to "think with" others and encourages their recognition of themselves as participants in the process of making sense, rather than recipients of the predigested learning of others." (Kurfiss 151)

Blank PagesEmpFair Models

Profession Development Fair
The two models from the Professional Development Fair that influenced me the most were the Tapped In and Apple Learning Interchange web sites.
Tappedin

Tapped In is an online work community of education professionals. It is an environment for K-12 teachers, librarians, administrators, and professional development staff, as well as university faculty, students, and researchers to gather here to learn, collaborate, share, and support one another. Online activities take place within custom virtual buildings. Each organization gets their own building, which typically has 3 floors. Tapped In use of unconventional tools is fascinating and well worth watching. The community that Tapped In supports is a subset of the same community that ETE supports.
Tapped In is the model I used when designing the ET Exchange. Although their use of Chat Rooms is interesting I found their whiteboard real-time posting facility most applicable for use in the Exchange. I am especially interested in this because of it’s similarity to the wikkipedia concept. In my opinion the ability to add and or even edit existing content with no intervention by the webmaster is a lesson on how to use the internet’s inheritent collaborative power. This is one of the ways the internet can be used creatively for real knowledge building and new artistic ventures.
Apple Learning Interchange

I am so pleased that I’ve been introduced to this site. I've become a real fan. The Apple Learning Interchange is not as directly relevant to the ETE courses but there is much to learn from its content that is transferable to the design of the ET Exchange. For example their use of multiple forms of representations is a model I want ETE to adhere to. After the ETE reaches a semi-mature stage I foresee most projects will deal with adding Universal Design Features. Features such as adding video and audio tracks to relay information to all types of learners. The more I learn about how to adapt web sites for accessibility it has become alarmingly apparent that most web sites are not based on Universal Design Principles or W3C Standards. For this reason I will use the Apple Learning Interchange as a model.