Running head: REFLECTION ON LEARNING

Reflection on Learning: Application to Professional Practice

Tammy Hotchkiss

University of West Georgia

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Reflection on Learning: Application to Professional Practice

Introduction

In order to be effective in assessing the skills of students during the educational process,

one must always implement current strategies. As an educator, new to the technological world

certain challenges are encountered with vigor placing challenges with the rate of technological

advancement. Todays educators have the task of constant inovation to the ISTE Standards

(Standards in Action, 2015) and methods in which to apply them in the classroom setting.

Review of Learning

These standards are in place to ensure that the student has the potential to attain their

college and professional goals long term. As an educator, meeting these standards while

achieving interest and intrigue is utmost important. The first step available in this process is the

ISTE Seal of Alignment. The Seal of Alignment finds high-quality products aligned to the

globally recognized ISTE Standards and constructs their availability as a resource for teachers.

They are based on three categories: readiness, mastery, and proficiency. As a research based

product, each product undergoes rigorous evaluations by experts ensuring they meet the criteria

for the ISTE Standards (Standards in Action, 2015).

As stated in the The Planning, Implementation and Evaluation of Professional Learning,

Tom Guskey, professor of educational psychology at the University of Kentucky's college of

education had this to say about this new learning for educators: We should start where students'

weaknesses and shortcomings are and then seek strategies or techniques to help teachers

understand those shortcomings...Teachers will teach as they were taught, and if they are going to

incorporate these ideas in their teaching, they need to experience them as students. The
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professional development will have to model very clearly the kinds of activities we want teachers

to carry forward and use in their classrooms (TPIEPL, 2013).

21Things4Teaches is one example of a readiness-based category product that is offered

as a free, web-based resource to teachers. With 21Things4Teachers, teachers are able to

choose from various modules collectively as a ready-to-go technology course, providing a set of

resources for increasing student proficiency in targeted technology skills. It assists with

creativity, collaboration, communication, research, critical thinking, problem solving, digital

citizenship, technology operations and concepts (Standards in Action, 2015).

Implications

An example of a mastery-based category product that is offered is Oracle Academy, an

online program that certifies teachers to teach computer science courses in secondary school.

Oracle offers a five-course series of Database Design, Database Programming with SQL,

Database Programming with PL/SQL, Java Fundamentals and Java Programming using real-

world settings with expert feedback (Standards in Action, 2015).

A proficiency-based category product that is offered with self-guided sequential online

interactive learning activities would be iWitness. Although it does not focus on teaching digital

literacy, it does provide substantial resources for students to conduct research. Specific topics

such as Holocaust education, is offered through video testimonies from survivors, a wide array of

photographs, as well as supportive articles reinforcing the information aforementioned

(Standards in Action, 2015).

Another step available is Project ReimaginED. It aligns educators lesson plans to the

Common Core State Standards by basically rethinking learning. Through the use of webinars,

podcasts, and interactive digital learning media it allows the teacher to offer technology based
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lessons for the classroom setting. Teachers are able to transition to a technology-rich and

standards-ready learning environment through simple diagnostic tools and setup imaginative

learning tools (Standards in Action, 2015).

Through Global Reach, educators are able to influence education on a much larger scale.

Whether Arabic, Estonian, French, Indonesian, Korean, Romanian, Spanish, or Australian,

literacy is available as an instructional practice to all at the simple click of a button (Standards in

Action, 2015).

Conclusion

In closing, it is imperative that the availability and scope of tools available to educators

be advocated to others and implemented in the classroom from the initial thought process of

where to begin to the completion of the assessment and evaluation of the standards being met.

Although experienced educators appear gifted in the education field, a perfect balance of

planning, implementation, and assessment is vital in the professional learning efforts is the

perfect formula for effective teaching. From the students who will flourish from using it, to the

organizations needed to support its cause, it is crucial that its use be carried out over all nations

and supported by legislation. The implementation of this digital media is essential in maintaining

technological literacy throughout the world (Advocacy Platform, 2015).

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References:

Standards in Action. (2015). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from

http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-in-action

Advocacy Platform. (2015). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from

http://www.iste.org/standards/advocacy-platform

The Planning, Implementation and Evaluation of Professional Learning (TPIEPL). (2013).

Retrieved November 19, 2015, from https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/Professional-

Learning-Guidelines-section-4-with-cover.pdf