3.7 Communication & Collaboration
Candidates utilize digital communication and collaboration tools to communicate locally and globally with students, parents, peers, and the larger community. (PSC 3.7/ISTE 3g)
Artifact: Canvas Announcements
Reflection:
During the ITEC program, I was encouraged to find ways to communicate with students, parents, peers, and the larger community. I created weekly class announcements on Canvas to communicate with students and parents. To communicate with peers and the larger community, I am part of Middle School Science Teachers on Facebook. I have posed questions and responded to peers with constructive feedback and technology recommendations to increase engagement. I also will send images of class activities and learning targets covered to my Academic Facilitator to post on the school's Facebook site.
This reflection explains my ability to use Canvas as a communication tool with students and parents. I posted the learning targets and success criteria the week's lessons would meet each week. I posted the announcement each Sunday. Parents and students can determine needs and ask questions about the week. Examples include concerns over the content, usually during Unit 4: Evolution, or completing work that was missed by a student being absent a day. All information is readily available to ensure clarity in class.
This reflection also explains how I have demonstrated my ability to use digital collaboration tools to communicate locally and globally with peers and the larger community. The Middle School Science Teachers page on Facebook includes teachers from across the globe who teach middle grades science. It has been beneficial and provided learning opportunities. For example, a teacher posted about culture-social science. I had never heard of it, so I was able to research it. I have helped teachers identify resources, including digital tools like Nearpod, Kahoot, and Blooket. Lastly, I like to showcase my student's collaboration skills. When students complete labs or projects, I will take pictures and send them to my Academic Facilitator to post on Facebook with the learning target in the post. These posts help me lead by example and recognize my students for their hard work.
I have learned I am not alone, and through this program have grown substantially. Many of the posts on the Facebook group ask questions that I can answer because of other artifacts completed in the ITEC program. For example, a teacher asked about picking a program. I recommended asking for a trial license, using it to gather data, compare assessment results and usage data, and then present a choice with a justification based on the data collected. A recommendation like that was possible because of my time in Data Analysis and Technology Leadership. If I could change something or add something, I would like to create a Facebook page titled GA Middle School Science Teachers. Georgia (GA) has their performance standards. While being on the Middle School Science Teacher group is excellent, I also believe having a GA-focused one will be more specific to my standards. Having both would help me compare similarities and connect locally more.
There are two ways to measure the impact. First, twelve of the fifteen science teachers at Teasley are now on the Middle School Science Teachers group. After learning about it, I joined after a teacher told me and I shared it at my first department meeting. Lastly, a teacher can measure the benefits by measuring how often the group uses a strategy and how many times the teacher responds to help a fellow teacher. A teacher should have more impactful strategies and use technology more engagingly if participating in this global group.
During the ITEC program, I was encouraged to find ways to communicate with students, parents, peers, and the larger community. I created weekly class announcements on Canvas to communicate with students and parents. To communicate with peers and the larger community, I am part of Middle School Science Teachers on Facebook. I have posed questions and responded to peers with constructive feedback and technology recommendations to increase engagement. I also will send images of class activities and learning targets covered to my Academic Facilitator to post on the school's Facebook site.
This reflection explains my ability to use Canvas as a communication tool with students and parents. I posted the learning targets and success criteria the week's lessons would meet each week. I posted the announcement each Sunday. Parents and students can determine needs and ask questions about the week. Examples include concerns over the content, usually during Unit 4: Evolution, or completing work that was missed by a student being absent a day. All information is readily available to ensure clarity in class.
This reflection also explains how I have demonstrated my ability to use digital collaboration tools to communicate locally and globally with peers and the larger community. The Middle School Science Teachers page on Facebook includes teachers from across the globe who teach middle grades science. It has been beneficial and provided learning opportunities. For example, a teacher posted about culture-social science. I had never heard of it, so I was able to research it. I have helped teachers identify resources, including digital tools like Nearpod, Kahoot, and Blooket. Lastly, I like to showcase my student's collaboration skills. When students complete labs or projects, I will take pictures and send them to my Academic Facilitator to post on Facebook with the learning target in the post. These posts help me lead by example and recognize my students for their hard work.
I have learned I am not alone, and through this program have grown substantially. Many of the posts on the Facebook group ask questions that I can answer because of other artifacts completed in the ITEC program. For example, a teacher asked about picking a program. I recommended asking for a trial license, using it to gather data, compare assessment results and usage data, and then present a choice with a justification based on the data collected. A recommendation like that was possible because of my time in Data Analysis and Technology Leadership. If I could change something or add something, I would like to create a Facebook page titled GA Middle School Science Teachers. Georgia (GA) has their performance standards. While being on the Middle School Science Teacher group is excellent, I also believe having a GA-focused one will be more specific to my standards. Having both would help me compare similarities and connect locally more.
There are two ways to measure the impact. First, twelve of the fifteen science teachers at Teasley are now on the Middle School Science Teachers group. After learning about it, I joined after a teacher told me and I shared it at my first department meeting. Lastly, a teacher can measure the benefits by measuring how often the group uses a strategy and how many times the teacher responds to help a fellow teacher. A teacher should have more impactful strategies and use technology more engagingly if participating in this global group.