Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Ed Tech Advocacy / Evangelism



Ed Tech Evangelism.
Based on my experience teaching this course previously, Instructional Technology ADVOCACY has proved to be one theme that students have had some difficulty in fully embracing. Advocacy, I’ve discovered through class discussions, is an unexpected dimension of leading a school in the adoption and refining the use of technology. Further, Ed Tech truly calls for advocacy, something that other aspects of the life of a school  do not require nearly as much of.
There are a variety of types of Instructional Technology Advocacy.

Yes, certainly money is required to purchase devices; networking hardware and connectivity; and software, online subscriptions, APPs and other types of digital resource. And teachers interested in a school’s technology program receiving its fair share of that may need to lobby those who fund the school’s initiatives or decision makers within the school to allocate funds for this specific purpose. Another aspect of advocacy for funds may involve fund raising, applying for grants, seeking donations of equipment, and more.
School Technology advocates may choose to focus on getting some more attention focused on their area. Is technology considered when the school does PD, allocating not just funds for this, but time, as well. Is Instructional technology considered important? Important for the right reasons? This last point is important because there are many reasons why tech should be used that are misperceptions or common uses that establish an awareness of technology as far less important than it actually is. Yes, it’s good to have a web page that students can go to as their needs dictate that will provide information about which assignments are due and when. This however, pales in comparison with the ways that resources and practices like science simulations. Virtual field trips, digital storytelling, student robotics, and more can literally make for a very much richer, more vibrant, accessible, and effective type of instruction provided to the students.
Advocacy very likely will include also, Ed Tech Evangelism. And related to this, simple Visioning, getting the school community to envision what it wants and what it feels the greatest value would be, in refining and expanding its technology program. What’s involved here is simply informing colleagues about the role of technology and its potential in Education. What do we mean by Ed Tech when we speak of it. What sorts of things is it and does it do? Why is it important? How does it impact the important things that happen in classrooms and schools? A great deal of potential success in establishing vital and successful technology programs in schools rests on sharing knowledge, understanding, and potential with colleagues who may have their position on it greatly through such efforts. To that end, one very useful tool is video. A good number of videos have already been created and made available on line for this purpose. Can we identify a few that we feel have particular potential for our advocacy efforts and that may even provide a starting point for our own efforts in producing a video.
Below are a few videos that I’ll start off this inquiry with. What do you think of these? Do they make good points? Are they off base or misguided in the approach they take or the points they make? What did they miss? What should be added or dropped? AND can you find others to suggest be added to this list? Your input will be much appreciated.
MG
  1. Can Technology Change Education? Yes!: Raj Dhingra at TEDxBend https://youtu.be/l0s_M6xKxNc

  2. Beyond EdTech -- build an effective learning ecosytem | David Miyashiro | TEDxAmericasFinestCity
    https://youtu.be/_oAoTdQ80XI
  3. What 60 Schools Can Tell Us About Teaching 21st Century Skills: Grant Lichtman at TEDxDenverTeachers
    https://youtu.be/UZEZTyxSl3g
  4. Ed Tech Challenge: What is this digital shift, and how do we make it happen?
    https://youtu.be/eEv96XJHQp8
  5. Technology in Education
    https://youtu.be/aXyCECMxhOs
  6. The history of technology in education
    https://youtu.be/UFwWWsz_X9s
  7. Technology in Education: A Future Classroom
    https://youtu.be/uZ73ZsBkcus
  8. Khan Academy: The future of education?
    https://youtu.be/zxJgPHM5NYI
  9. What is Educational Technology
    https://youtu.be/gGY2cwWC8Ag
  10. 10 Emerging Education and Instructional Technologies that Educators Should Know About
    https://youtu.be/uPCLRwgG6dM
  11. What Is Educational Technology?
    https://youtu.be/Q1PzO2kopRc
  12. Instructional technologies -- Changing teaching and learning | Eric Simon | TEDxNewEnglandCollege
    https://youtu.be/E45A1UR1roE
  13. Instructional technologies -- Changing teaching and learning | Eric Simon | TEDxNewEnglandCollege
    https://youtu.be/E45A1UR1roE