Journal Set #1: One Change

Describe one thing that you would like to change in your school that relates to technology.
This can be something small or large. It should relate to technology, but it doesn’t have to be
technology. For example, it could have to do with class scheduling in order to make
technology use easier.
One thing that I would like to change in my school that relates to technology is the appropriate
use of technology by our students. All too often, I see our “tech team” and outside BCPS
technology staff fixing problems that seem to be preventable. Although there are certain videos
we show our students at the beginning of the school year regarding device care and proper use,
I do not believe this alone is enough to protect our technology and ultimately our students. In
the fifth grade in particular, some students have been seen searching inappropriate topics on
the Internet and “hacking” school security measures. I would like to see a change in student use
of technology, and I believe that begins with extensive and consistent instruction in digital
citizenship and device care and management. Perhaps this is something I could address during
my internship.

Journal Set #2: Vision

Reflect on your current professional setting. Does your school have a vision statement? If yes,
do you know what it is? Can you state it or roughly summarize what it is?
Find the vision statement for your school. Was it easy or hard to find? Where did you find it,
if you did? Would you consider it a good vision statement? Is technology included in the
vision statement?
What steps could you take to either improve the current vision or create a vision for your
school?
The vision statement for my school was easy to find. First, it is posted on a large sign in the
atrium of our school. Second, it is posted on the home page of our school website, as shown in
the photo. Overall, I do believe that it is a good statement that represents the goals and values
of our school. However, the vision statement is combined with the mission statement, so it is
difficult to separate the two. It would be better if it were more clear which statement was the
vision statement and which was the mission statement. In our online reading, “The Best
Examples of a Vision Statement,” it states that a good vision statement is succinct, long-term,
not too specific, but also not too general. I believe that our vison and mission statement is
rather long, but I believe it accurately represents our school. It definitely addresses long-term
goals, and I believe it does a nice job balancing the specifics so that the goals are general
enough to be easily measured and achieved. Although the statement is mostly values-based, it
does include technology in one line, stating that technology will be used to “inspire and engage
students” and help students meet high academic and social expectations. I think that in order
to improve the vision, we could separate it from the mission statement of the school in order to
make it more brief and succinct.
Journal Set #3: ACOT
After reading about the various stages of the ACOT Model, think about the specific action
steps you might take to help move teachers in your school from one stage of the ACOT Model
to the next stage.
Hint: Your first action step might involve finding out the stage in which they are. In your
Project Prep for the ACOT - Tab Display you will begin identifying specific teachers and the
stages in which they fall in the ACOT Model.
The first action step that I would take to help move teachers from one stage of the ACOT Model
to the next is to find out the stage in which they currently are. I might create a quick survey for
teachers to take to help them determine the stage they are in if they are struggling to figure it
out. I would also have brief summaries of the ACOT stages for teachers to read and understand
easily to help them make their determination. The second action step that I would take after
knowing the ACOT stage in which teachers feel they fall would be to create a checklist of items
that would be helpful to that teacher in order to move them to the next stage of the ACOT
Model. For instance, if a teacher were in the adoption stage, I would help them adopt the
technology by supporting them with planning technology-rich lessons. I would provide them
with resources and low-tech options that are easy to begin implementing on your own. I would
also suggest taking ample time to get students used to the technology. Have digital citizenship
lessons to teach students to use technology safely and give students a controlled environment
to explore and learn your expectations of their use of the technology. I would remind the
teacher that it is important to dive in when it comes to the effective use of technology in the
classroom because according to the ACOT Research Article, students in ACOT classrooms
showed strong signs of self-esteem and motivation, as well as high attendance rates and few
discipline problems (Dwyer, Ringstaff, & Sandholtz).
Journal Set #4: Ely's Eight Conditions of Change

In your interviews, you will determine what others in your school think about your
innovation and get a sense of the culture of change around that vision. The goal of the
interviews is to determine what Conditions of Change are not currently met at your school.
After learning about Ely's Eight Conditions of Change in this Module Tab-Display, consider
some strategies or action steps you can take to work around or work through any conditions
that are not met.

When thinking about Ely's Eight Conditions of Change in relation to my innovation, the
implementation of Microsoft 365 in my school, I believe that the conditions that are not met
are #2 (knowledge and skills exist), #3 (resources are available), #4 (time is available), and #7
(commitment by those who are involved). One step that I would take to work through condition
#2 is to determine teachers' competencies with Microsoft 365 through a simple online survey.
Teachers would rate their knowledge of certain aspects of Microsoft 365 so that I could get a
feel for what teachers need in terms of professional development. Then, I could differentiate
professional development based on teachers' level of proficiency with Microsoft 365. For
condition #3, I would set up an "office hours" time for teachers to conference with me for help
with Microsoft 365. This could be in person or online. I would make myself available as often as
possible, and even set up screencasts of how to do certain things that I am asked frequently for
teachers to access on their own. One step I would take to address condition #4 would be to
develop professional development that teachers could complete in their 50-minute planning
period in order to avoid taking time out of the school day to complete professional
development. Finally, I would work through condition #7 by recruiting support from my
administration and STAT teacher in implementing this innovation and providing incentives for
teachers who commit fully to this innovation.

Journal Set #5: Perceived Attributes

After learning about Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation and Perceived Attributes, reflect on a
time that a new technology tool, software program, etc. was introduced to you as a teacher
to use in the classroom. Choose at least one stage from the Perceived Attributes (Trialability,
Observability, Relative advantage, Complexity, Compatibility) that was not met in the
implementation of this new tool/program. Describe the tool/program, at least one stage that
was not met in the implementation of this new tool/program, the diffusion of this new
tool/program (how widely used and accepted by the other teachers), and if this tool/program
is still available and/or supported in your school/district.

In my experience as a teacher, there have been many new technology innovations introduced
by my school. One tool that I attended a professional development session to learn was
Edmodo. At the time, my administration and STAT teacher were encouraging ELA teachers to
use Edmodo as a discussion forum for students to reflect on learning in the classroom. It
seemed like an awesome idea, and I knew that I needed to have my students discussing core
content in a meaningful way during rotations in my classroom. However, through the
implementation of this new tool, two stages of the perceived attributes were not met, relative
advantage and complexity. In my opinion, Edmodo was not any better than our LMS for
participating in classroom discussions. Our LMS already had a space for discussion forums, and
when used, I was able to use discussion posts as grades, formative assessments, and more with
ease. In addition, Edmodo was complex. There were many more features present than just the
discussion forum, and I was not ready to utilize those features with my students. Compared to
the ease of using our LMS which my students already knew and understood, it seemed
counterproductive to introduce a completely different technology tool that did the same thing.
Other teachers at my school seemed to really love Edmodo and ran with it in their classrooms. I
believe that these teachers were a bit more experienced than I was, and they saw the
advantage of the other features Edmodo had to offer. However, at this time, Edmodo is no
longer used in my schoolhouse. I was told that Baltimore County began to move away from
Edmodo, and I have noticed that our new LMS, Schoology, is very similar to Edmodo.

Journal Set #6: Stakeholders

After completing the Information to Share: Technology Plan and Technology Committee
survey and reviewing the responses (Stakeholders Tab Display - Check-In Time) name a
student in our class that has what you consider a 'good' plan at their school. What makes it a
good plan based on the limited information you have been supplied? If you were to create a
tech committee or get involved in your school's current tech committee, what purpose would
that tech committee serve? Think of purpose as not why it is forming (for a grant or planning
purposes like what was in the Survey) but rather what will the tech committee do? What is
the purpose of forming or becoming involved in the tech committee? (If a tech committee is
already formed, or you are on the tech committee, consider what purpose it currently serves
the school and if any change could be made to the purpose of that tech committee.)
After viewing the responses to the Technology Plan and Technology Committee Survey, I
believe that Katrina has a good plan at her school. One reason why I think it is a good plan is
because Katrina was the one to develop the plan. As a major stakeholder in the school, Katrina
is the perfect person to work on her school's technology plan, especially since she strives to be
a technology leader in her career. The plan is newly created and up-to-date, follows the vision
of the school, and professional development is readily provided to teachers. If I were to be a
part of the tech committee, the purpose that the committee would serve would be to meet the
technical needs of all teachers and students at the school. If there is a technology problem, the
tech committee would address it. If there is a problem that the tech committee does not know
how to fix, they will find the person who knows how to fix it. In addition, the tech committee
would be made up of people who are technology leaders and have a background in educational
technology. Then, if teachers want advice on new ed tech tools to use in the classroom, they
could come to the tech team for ideas and support.

Journal Set #7: Action Steps

After identifying some of the Goals, Objectives, and Action Steps for the plan for your
Technology Initiative in the Action Plan Forum (Activities Tab), reflect on the scope of your
initiative. What pieces of your plan are not within your locus of control (what you can
change)? Are you able to engage or do you have access to the stakeholders you have
identified to implement your initiative? If you are listed as the primary person to get many
things completed, do you have the capacity (time and support) to do those items? Could
some of the pieces be delegated?

After identifying some of the steps in my action plan, I believe that my action plan is
reasonable. I can engage with and have access to all the stakeholders defined in my initiative.
However, I believe that I may have put too much on my plate alone since I am the primary
person leading this initiative. It would be hard to delegate these pieces to someone who is not
fully committed to implementing Microsoft 365 in our schoolhouse. If I had a partner who
would spearhead this with me, it would make the implementation much easier. I could also
change the timeline of the initiative, giving myself more time to get things done effectively
rather than in a rushed fashion.

Journal Set #8: Fear of Failure

As Will Ferrell stated, "...my fear of failure never approached in magnitude, my fear of 'what
if.' What if I never tried at all?" (USC, 2017). Reflect on your time spent in education, both as
a student and as an educator. In this time, has fear of failure ever held you back from trying
something?

When writing and submitting grants, you will be putting yourself (and your knowledge and
writing skills) into the public arena. Everyone likes to win, but, unfortunately, not everyone
can be a winner. When you begin writing grants you may be faced with rejection, not being
selected, and critique. If you win, your writing, work, classroom, and/or artifacts may be
displayed and promoted to the public. Identify some fears you may have about applying
and/or submitting grants. You can also identify any barriers, obstacles, or policies that may
hinder your motivation to try.

USC. (2017, May 12). Will Ferrel | USC Commencement Speech 2017 [Video File]. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/mfjGmBVAL-o
Naturally, fear of failure has certainly held me back from trying something during my time spent
in education as both a student and an educator. When I was a young student, I was shy, self-
conscious, and afraid to put myself out there. Although I had great ideas and much to say, I
feared being wrong. As an educator and now an older student, I am less reserved and take
many more risks. However, there is still always that voice in the back of my head reminding me
of my fear. As an adult, it is easier for me to push that voice aside and try anyway. When writing
and submitting grants, I can only imagine the doubts one must face. Is my knowledge
sufficient? Am I writing this in the way that my reader wants? Being faced with rejection and
critique must be devastating after putting so much time and effort into your project. I am not
someone who deals well with rejection, so that would be my main fear when writing a grant
proposal. I would fear that my hard work and valuable time was wasted if my grant was not
approved. The sheer amount of paperwork is daunting and could potentially hinder me from
even trying in the first place. Motivation is important here, and at this point in my career, I am
not highly motivated about a particular technology initiative to want to write a grant.

Journal Set #9: Barriers to Funding

In this module and in Module 5 we have explored many policies that could hinder your
success, willingness, and ability to get funding through Grants, Crowdfunding, and
Community Partnerships. Reflect on the different policies we have explored both in-class and
in the readings/viewings. In this journal entry, list some of the barriers that may hinder you in
writing, receiving, and/or spending money raised through funding activities.
After reflecting on the different policies that we have explored both in-class and in the readings
and viewings each week, there are many barriers that may hinders someone in writing,
receiving, or spending money raised through funding activities. Some of these barriers include,
but are not limited to:
 Limited funding sources and vendors for public education systems
 Grant applicants must follow the application process to a T
 There are many steps to the grant writing process
 Applicant's work and writing are up for public critique and review
 Funds are tight all around
 There are worries about privacy of students when fundraising
 Grant selections are made through an extremely selective process
 There is no room for error when applying for a grant
 Applicants must "know the rules and follow the instructions" which is difficult because
every grant organization has different guidelines
 There are strict dates to adhere to when applying
 Many legal assurances and signatures are needed
 There are strict rules about who can use funds and how once they are granted

Journal Set #10: Digital Divide

Reflect on the Digital Divide through your experiences as well as presented in class and in the
Readings/Viewings in the module. In your journal entry respond to these bullets:
 Identify specific populations in your school who are disadvantaged by the uneven use
of technology across the school. (These populations could be based on gender,
ethnicity, grade level, gifted & talented, etc.)
 If a teacher in your school doesn't use technology, how does that impact the digital
divide?
 What action steps can you take, as a technology leader, to make the situation better
(knowing that you won't be able to solve the whole problem)?

1. Specific populations in my school who I believe are disadvantaged by the uneven use of
technology across the school are students with significant learning delays in general
education classrooms because they are so often pulled for one-on-one or small group
learning without the use of technology. Students in Kindergarten are at a disadvantage
because these students do not have devices of their own like grades 1-5. I also believe
students who teachers believe can't be trusted to use technology properly are at a
disadvantage. These students have their technology taken away and then are
unfortunately left with nothing.
2. If a teacher were to choose not to use the technology provided for them, this would
widen the digital divide. The students in that teacher's class would be at a significant
disadvantage compared to students in other classes in the same grade. The students in
this teacher's class would be behind technologically when they move on to the next
 grade and would have difficulty when forced to use technology on standardized testing
or in other classes in the school building such as special area. The teacher would be
putting herself, her students, and other teachers in a very unfortunate situation.
3. As a technology leader, I could encourage this teacher to use the technology provided
by finding out the reason why she is choosing not to use it in the first place. By
identifying the root of the problem, we can attempt to fix it together. I could offer
support in using the technology for both the teacher and her students. I would be
available to the teacher for any technology concerns, meeting before or after school, at
lunch or planning, online, or even creating screencasts for things that are simple to
communicate. I could also be sure that sufficient professional development is held when
new technology is rolled out in the building to ensure that teachers feel comfortable
and to avoid this situation from happening in the first place.

Journal Set #11: The Role of the Tech Leader in Your School

Reflect on some roles that a technology leader may have to perform at your school. You may
have a technology leader at your school to help guide these ideas, you may not. List those
roles and tasks that a technology leader may have to perform at your school and consider
what you can do as a technology leader while still in the classroom.
 Example: If fixing 1:1 devices is a role for the technology leader at your school, the
likelihood of you being able to do that while still teaching in the classroom is very slim.
If assisting teachers with some of the tools at your school (Microsoft, Google, Devices,
Breakout EDU Kits, etc.) in PD or in small group coaching is a role for the technology
leader at your school, you are more likely to be able to do that role.
In this journal entry, you should not only list the different roles and tasks a technology leader
may have to do at your school but also list or notate those roles and tasks that you could do
as a technology leader while still in the classroom.
Roles of a technology leader at my school:
 Fixing 1:1 devices
 Putting in tickets for broken technology
 Answering teachers' technology requests
 Helping teachers and students with technology issues
 Supporting teachers and students with technology tools
 Conducting technology-related professional development
 Requesting new technology from the district
 Supporting school-home digital communication
While still in the classroom, it may be difficult to tackle all these roles, but there are some that I
could support. Although I could not fix 1:1 devices for teachers and students, I could create a
screencast showing teachers how to put in tickets for broken technology or devices that they
need help fixing. I could easily answer teachers' requests, helps teachers and students with
technology issues, and support teachers and students with technology tools during my planning
time or via screencast. It would be difficult to conduct professional development or request
new technology on my own, but I would be happy to be a part of a team of staff members that
would on these feats together as a technology team. Lastly, I can help to support school-home
digital communication by helping to formulate the digital newsletter, as I currently do.