RUNNING HEAD: Reflection on Learning 1

Reflection on Learning

Jennifer D. White

University of West Georgia

Reflection on Learning 2

Introduction

As I reflect on MEDT 7476, I realize I have had the opportunity to learn about the

principles of assessment of student learning with the use technology. I was tasked with planning

and implementing a technology-based assessment while using technology-based instruction. I

hope this learning along with future learning will benefit me in my current position as the

Technology Director of the Telfair County School System. I have been in the position for five

years, and I hope to hold this position for many, many years. Prior to becoming the Technology

Director, I was a Technology Specialist for three years. I also have information technology

experience in the banking industry. My current job duties include, but are not limited to

maintaining the system’s network infrastructure, purchasing of hardware and software,

maintaining and updating hardware and software, providing technical support to end users,

applying for E-Rate funding, writing technology grants, and providing technology training.

Basically, I am responsible for everything related to technology. In fact, I have been mistaken

for working in the maintenance department with requests to work on computer furniture and air

conditioners.

I decided to pursue a degree in Instructional Technology to learn more about integrating

technology into instruction. Mishra, Koehler, and Kereluik (2009) state, “that educational

technology exists in the interplay between pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and

technology knowledge” (p. 51). I believe my technology knowledge is strong, but my

pedagogical knowledge and content knowledge are weak. I hope I can learn more in these areas

so I can become more beneficial to teachers when it comes to technology integration.

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Review of Learning

The course mainly consisted of learning the principles of assessment of student learning.

The readings in the course allowed me to better understand assessments and how they assess

student learning. The readings allowed me to learn there are many ways to assess student

learning. The assessments can be more traditional paper and pencil tests, but they can also be

performance based assessments. In today’s world of technology, it is important for educators to

incorporate technology into assessments. It is essential for students to be able to show learning

through the use of technology. When writing about assessments and technology, Greenstein

(2012) states “Rather than a selected-choice test, students will use technology to apply their

learning to the design of products, story building, creation of artifacts, and collaborative results”

(p. 129).

The course provided me with the opportunity to evaluate a technology based

measurement instrument. I chose to review Pearson’s AIMSweb benchmarking and progress

monitoring tool. I learned the history of the instrument, who uses it, how it is administered, how

it is scored, and how the results are used. I also reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of

AIMSweb.

The course also provided me with the opportunity to develop an assessment plan. I

developed the plan with the help of a 4th grade science teacher. The instruction and assessment

focused on the water cycle. The assessment plan required students to view an OER video and

show their learning by designing an infographic that explained the three stages of the water

cycle, three ways to conserve water, and three reasons why water conservation is important.
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After the assessment plan was completed and approved by the course instructor, I was

able to implement the plan with a 4th grade class. Student results on the performance task were

good. The students were very engaged throughout the completion of the assessment. The

students took pride in their finished product. It was very encouraging to see the excitement on

the students’ faces. The experience is one I will never forget.

Review of OERs

At the beginning of the course, I had never heard of the term open educational resource

(OER). I learned quickly they were resources and materials that are available for educators to

use. According to Wiley and Hilton (2018), “The ‘open’ in open educational resources indicates

that these materials are licensed with copyright licenses that provide permission for everyone to

participate in the 5R activities - retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute” (p. 134). When I

began my assessment plan, I struggled with understanding the instructions for integrating the

OER into my assessment plan. After several emails with the instructor, I got a clear

understanding of OERs and the requirements for the assignment. After the clarification, I had no

issues finding a resource to use and integrating it into my assessment plan.

I believe the use of OERs can be very beneficial to educators. They can provide

materials and resources to teachers to use so they do not have to recreate material. It provides a

world of sharing for teachers where they do not have to have fears of copyright laws. OERs can

also provide teachers with ideas on different way of teaching various topics. While searching for

OERs, I did discover many resources that were no longer available. Many links were no longer

accessible. It seems as if the resources come and go, and the OER repositories are not updated

when resources are no longer available.

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Implications

The learning I acquired in this course has forced me to think about how I can improve

technology trainings for teachers, and how to better assess their understanding. In prior courses,

I have learned various theories of learning and instructional design models that have helped me

develop more effective technology trainings. This course has helped me identify and potentially

implement principles of effective assessments. This course has helped me realize that teachers

are similar to students when it comes to learning. I have realized that teachers have varying

levels of technology expertise, and I should begin developing trainings with this in mind. This

course has also provided me with some different ways I can assess teachers for understanding

during technology trainings.

Through assessments in my technology trainings, I will be able to get an idea of who

understands and who does not understand. The assessments will give me an understanding of the

teachers who are using and implementing technology and the teachers who are struggling to use

and implement technology. Mishra and his co-authors (2009) state, “Learning technical skills

alone is not sufficient – learning how to integrate technologies into teaching is equally

important” (p. 50). I believe it is important to encourage educators to learn new technologies and

implement them into their instruction. Teachers must have and use technology knowledge,

content knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge in order to make integration successful. I am

going to make it a goal to become more active in encouraging educators to use technology. I am

going to seek out teachers who rarely use technology and talk with them face-to-face to

encourage them to use and learn technology. If they are willing, then I will spend one-on-one

time with them to help them with their technology skills and knowledge as well as help build

their confidence.
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Conclusion

Technology has changed education and can continue to change education if education

will change with the rapidly changing technology. Learning the principles of assessment and the

importance of technology-enhanced instruction has given me a different perspective of my

current job as a technology director. I previously mentioned my job duties, but now I understand

I must also focus on determining if teachers understand my technology trainings. I must also

determine if they understand how to use technology to enhance instruction rather than just as a

tool to create instruction. By being familiar with the principles of effective assessments and the

use of technology to support assessments, I hope I can help teachers make a change in their

classrooms. If the change benefits one child, then it will have been worth it to me.
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References

Greenstein, L. (2012). Assessing 21st Century Skills: A Guide to Evaluating Mastery and

Authentic Learning. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Mishra, P., Koehler, M., & Kereluik, K. (2009). The Song Remains the Same: Looking Back to

the Future of Educational Technology. TechTrends, 53(5), 48-53.

Wiley, D. & Hilton, J. (2018). Defining OER-Enabled Pedagogy. International Review of

Research in Open and Distance Learning, 19(4), 133-147.