Planting Seeds For !

e Future

Growing in Technology...

EDUC 526 Cap"one Expe#ence in Educational Technology and Learning Grow$ Assessment By Jody Barnyak

Professor: Ma' Hixson APU Mur#eta July 27, 2012

Section 1 Introduction
Even as a very young child, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. When my rst husband died in 1992, I began my schooling to get my teaching credentials. I decided that teaching would be a great job for a young mom with two small children. I have been teaching now for 17 years, with 16 years in kindergarten. Because of my love for children, teaching kindergarten has truly turned out to be the perfect job for me. I have also held the position of grade level chair for my grade level for ten years, and I coordinate the Reading For Rewards Program with the Lake Elsinore Storm for my school. When I started the masters program at APU in April 2011, I had been contemplating going back to school to get my masters degree for a few years. I had remarried in 2006, and my family has since grown to four children and ve grandchildren. My youngest child had started college in the fall of 2010, and I decided that the time had come for me to pursue my educational goal. With my kids off at college, my after work life had slowed down substantially. It was difficult not having activities to do in the afternoons and/or evenings. I was actually bored, and knew I needed to take a class or get involved in something. Another reason for pursuing my masters was the monetary factor. With two kids in college, our monthly income seemed to be dwindling. I was also working on my retirement plan and knew that having my masters would give me a nancial boost. However, I was not sure what I wanted to focus my degree on. I looked into Technology in Education, and I looked into Integrating Arts into Education. The Integrating Arts program was offered on weekends, and I really didnt want to spend my weekends at school. I was very interested in the Technology in Education program, because todays society kids are so

digital, and I had really been seeing a difference in my students in recent years. Their attention span had been getting shorter and shorter. Although I wanted to learn more about computer technology, I was also very apprehensive. Before my experience at APU, I was denitely technologically challenged. I could manage emails, pay bills online and surf the web, but that was all! I wanted to learn how I could incorporate technology in my classroom. I wanted to make learning more fun and exciting again. I was denitely nervous about starting the program, but excited and anxious to learn as well.

Personal Growth
Since starting the graduate program at APU, I feel so much more condent in my computer technology skills. Through much hands on experience (sometimes for many hours at a time), I am actually applying it in the classroom. I grew up without computers or cell phones and bought my rst computer when I was in my early thirties. When I started teaching, we were using chalk boards or white boards. Now, I have learned to incorporate technology in ways that I had never thought were possible. I have learned how to use video clips to introduce or reinforce concepts, how to make a movie, how to embed a video in a document, how to make a podcast, how to make a keynote presentation, and so much more. I have always known that I am a visual learner. I need to see something and how it works to understand it. Also, being interpersonal, I work well being in classes with other people and would not enjoy taking online classes. Being able to learn with a hands-on approach (kinesthetic) has really helped with my content mastery as well. I am also very logical, so concepts and reasoning need to make sense in order for me to understand them. (mathematical) Since I am now an empty nester, my house is very quiet when I get home from work. This has made it easier for me to do homework in the evenings. Taking two classes at a time while working full time has denitely proved

to be challenging, but really loving what I have been learning has made this journey enjoyable. Ive always been pretty good with time management and I do well meeting deadlines. I divide my assignments into small parts and work on one part at a time. However, my planning has not always been perfect. There have been more than a few times when I have become incredibly stressed and frustrated. Usually this would happen when I could not get some type of technology to work, and I would stress to complete the project by the deadline. Fortunately, the professors at APU have been very helpful and for the most part, readily available. I also spent many hours at the Apple store, and their instructors were very helpful. When I started the technology program, I bought a new MacBook Pro, with the one-on-one package. I certainly did get my moneys worth! Another thing I have learned about myself throughout this program is that I seem to do better with classes that have a few large culminating projects, rather than many smaller projects. Most of my classes here at APU have been designed that way, which has allowed me to experiment, and make revisions as needed throughout each course. When I rst came to APUs orientation, I met my study buddy Mary Molitor. It has been nice to have each other for support throughout the classes. I have met many other people as well, both fellow students and instructors. All of us entered into this program from different backgrounds, in different lines of work or teaching different grade levels, and with varying degrees of technology skills. However, we are all here to learn how to use technology in a positive way to educate others. Although I dont attend church on a regular basis, I have always had a Christian world view. Being a part of APUs program has given me the opportunity to explore my beliefs, and how they inuence the way I work and interact with my students and coworkers.

Professional Growth
When I started the APU Technology program, I was not using computer technology in my classroom with the students. I had a computer to check emails and took my class to the computer lab weekly, and that was all. Since then, our class was equipped with an ELMO document camera and a projector, and I have gone to a district meeting to allow me to access YouTube and other websites. Now I am regularly using some PowerPoint slideshows, and accessing the Internet to nd videos to support my curriculum. Most of the videos that I have used are less than ve minutes and keep my kindergarteners attention. As I stated before, I knew very little about computer technology before starting this program. However, I was very interested in learning how to effectively use technology in the classroom (as well as outside the classroom). In my 17 years of teaching experience, I have noticed in recent years that my students had grown less attentive during class. It has become more difficult to keep their attention throughout a lesson. A new teacher at our school, who is much younger than I, had shown me some of the interesting ways to incorporate technology in the classroom. It was intriguing to me and I knew that I had to learn how to incorporate technology in order to keep up-to-date with todays learners. I have begun incorporating many of the instructional strategies into my teaching that I have learned in this program. I used what I learned from EDUC 523 and EDUC 525 to create a website with resources and activities. Although my students are only in kindergarten, the website is also a useful tool for parents to keep up on whats happening in the classroom including activities for my young learners. I am also planning to use what I learned from EDUC 519 and EDUC 523 to make iBooks for different subjects in my curriculum. I can create an iBook to store information; photos, videos, worksheets, etc. for each subject. Instead of keeping everything in a le cabinet, I will organize the information in iBooks. For my Action Research Study, I want to find a way to get to the gym on a regular basis. Regular exercise is important to me to keep in shape and stay healthy, and also to tighten parts up that seem to be not as firm as they once were! I also like the way exercise makes me

feel emotionally as well. It increases the serotonin in my brain which makes me feel good about myself. The problem is I seem to get in the groove for a few months, and then something comes up (time issues or illness or something), and I fall out of the rythym.

Technical Growth
After reading Marc Prenskys Digital Immigrants vs. Digital Natives, I denitely knew that I t into the digital immigrants category. I was not very computer savvy. This is part of the reason I decided to pursue APUs digital technology program. Teachers are life-long learners, and must be willing to change and swing with the pendulum. Being back in school again has reminded me how important learning is, and how much I enjoy it. APUs program has helped me realize why todays students are so different, and it also helped me to develop lessons and activities to help them learn. There needs to be a delicate balance between traditional lessons and the incorporation of technology. Its important to keep todays learners engaged and we must incorporate technology when appropriate. The Technology and Learning program has exposed me to various techniques, programs, and ideas on how to effectively incorporate technology within lessons, assessments, and projects. I dont think Ill ever be a techie, but I am so much more comfortable with the computer now. In EDUC 524, I learned how to make a movie with iMovie. I developed a webpage with embedded videos and documents in EDUC 525 to keep parents informed. In EDUC 513, I learned about LiveBinders, which is a great organizational tool. In EDUC 515, I made a webquest with Questgarden, and I made my rst podcast. I didnt even know what a podcast was before! The review of the Multiple Intelligences in Education 522 was nice, because it helped me realize what styles I teach to the most. I have learned how to use such programs as Keynote, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Adobe Photoshop Elements, iMovie, iBook, and more. I have

discovered wonderful educational websites for online games and assessments, etc. I feel that now I can basically speak the same language as our technology department in my district. This is certainly a big jump for me, because that wasnt the case a year and half ago! I am delighted to say that I have used several of my projects in the classroom that I learned from various classes, some of which are: 1. Create instructional KeyNote presentations with links to videos and games. (EDUC 519, EDUC 523, EDUC 525) 2. Create instructional videos, podcasts and vodcasts for procedures and instructions. (EDUC 515, EDUC 514) 3. Edit photographs for newsletters. (EDUC 517) 4. Create a website on www.jbarnyak.weebly.com for parent/teacher communication. (EDUC 515 and 520) 5. Create documents for classroom use. (EDUC 519) Although we still have PCs in our classrooms, next year I will be moving into a classroom with updated technology. I am planning on buying an iPad this summer, and incorporating some of the iBook and Keynote presentations I have created in my classroom.

Life-Long Learning Plan

Although I love teaching kindergarten, in recent years I felt like I was in rut. I felt that I needed to learn new things and take on new challenges. Being in this program has reminded me how much I like being in school. When I rst started teaching, we were required to take 150 hours of classes every ve years to keep our credential updated. As of four or ve years ago, that is no longer the case. Being an empty nester now, I know I need to be involved in something more for me to feel challenged and involved. APUs program has denitely kept me busy, and provided the challenges!

This program has better prepared me to create lessons that are interesting and engaging for todays learners. Education is constantly changing. I believe it is better to know about the various methodologies so that I am better prepared for my students when changes occur. I plan to stay involved in order to stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest in educational technology advancements. I also believe it is important to stay connected with the professors at APU. They have been so inspiring to me throughout this program and they have such good insight into the future with regards to technology in education. I also plan on taking additional courses to gain additional knowledge within this particular eld of study. I have learned so much in the Technology and Learning program, but I plan to spend more time developing my website, and learning more about iBook, InDesign and document design. Due to nancial constraints with the California education budget in education, the future is very uncertain for many in this eld. I feel very fortunate to have started teaching so many years ago, before our current recession. I also feel that I am blessed to be able to go to work each day, and do what I love. I am hoping to retire in about 11 years and want to continue to keep up-to-date with incorporating technology in education.

SECTION 2 History of Coursework and Course Evaluation

Course Number EDUC 512 Instructor Course Name Productivity Software Jim Sullivan Term Completed Spring 2, 2011 Key Learnings

Adobe Connect, Webquest, Podcast, Webpage, hardware and software

EDUC 512-This was a good introductivity course introducing me to Adobe

Connect and threaded discussion, making a webquest, searching out information on various websites, developing a webpage, and understanding binary codes. I also enjoyed how Jim Sullivan would take things apart to show us how they work!

Course Number EDUC 515

Course Name Evolving Educational Technologies

Instructor Lance Martin

Term Completed Spring 2, 2011

Key Learnings Webpage, Podcast, Vodcast, Blogs, Weebly, Educational Websites

EDUC 515-This class was very informative for me. I had never blogged, or
even watched a podcast/vodcast. I made my rst webpage, podcast, vodcast, and learned about blogs. Lance was very helpful, especially because I was a novice in these subjects.

Course Number EDUC 513

Course Name Digital Age Literacies

Instructor Jim Pinckard

Term Completed Summer 2011

Key Learnings LiveBinders, Technology Implementation and Management Plan, Online Discussions with Googe Docs

EDUC 513-I really enjoyed learning about LiveBinders. Its a wonderful

organizational tool. We used Google Docs to create documents collaboratively with online students. Jim Pinckard often had difficulty with keeping communications working with our online classmates.

Course Number EDUC 514

Course Name Digital Video in the Classroom

Instructor Tory Temple

Term Completed Summer 2011

Key Learnings Video creating and editing, Rule of Thirds

EDUC 514-This was an excellent course. It was very challenging and

required many hours of homework. However, I will use my newly acquired

knowledge in both my professional and personal lives. Tory was a very engaging instructor. This was one of my favorite classes.

Course Number EDUC 522

Course Name Learning in the 21st Century

Instructor Nicol Malone

Term Completed Fall 1, 2011

Key Learnings Multiple Intelligences, Digital Blooms Taxonomy, Unit Plan

EDUC 522-This was helpful to review multiple intelligences, and I learned

about the digital version of Blooms Taxonomy. Nicole was very encouraging, and this was the rst class where I became aware of saving my coursework for my capstone. It would have been benecial to know about my capstone requirements earlier in the program.

Course Number EDUC 525

Course Name Web Design for the Classroom

Instructor Linda Mulhauser

Term Completed Fall 1, 2011

Key Learnings Web design, storyboarding, owcharts, keynote mapping

EDUC 525-This class helped me to ne-tune the Weebly website I had

created in a previous class. I was able to make my website more userfriendly for parents and students. Linda was very energetic and eager to help.!

Course Number EDUC 517

Course Name Digital Imaging

Instructor Tim Holder

Term Completed Fall 2, 2011

Key Learnings Photoshop Elements, Rule of Thirds

EDUC 517-Learned how to crop, edit, and enhance photos. This was
probably my least favorite class. The program was very difficult to

understand. Tim was very patient with those of us who were having technical difficulties. However, I dont feel I really learned this program very well.

Course Number EDUC 524

Course Name Curriculum Design and Delivery

Instructor Joanne Gilbreath

Term Completed Fall 2, 2011

Key Learnings Web design, Keynote, storymapping, owcharts

EDUC 524-This course helped me to develop a more engaging keynote

with hyperlinks to games and videos. I learned that keynote presentations can be more than just linear. Joanne was very informative and up-to-date with the latest technology.

Course Number EDUC 519

Course Name Document Design for the Classroom

Instructor Matt Hixson

Term Completed Spring 1, 2012

Key Learnings Adobe Creative Suite, iBook, portfolio proposal, growth assessment

EDUC 519-This class focused on Adobe Creative Suite and iBook. I really
enjoy using iBook and will be doing my capstone in iBook. We also looked at interactive apps and websites. Matt is very calm and organized. I left each one of his classes feeling condent to take on new challenges.

Course Number EDUC 523

Course Name HypermediaEnhanced Learning Environments

Instructor Tory Temple

Term Completed Spring 1, 2012

Key Learnings Video game project, content absorption rates, screen capturing, Second Life, GEARS

EDUC 523-This class focused on interactive learning. I learned how to

make an iBook, including media widgets. I produced a keynote presentation defending technology in education. After much practice, I learned how to download videos and embed them in my keynote or iBook. Tory really got me excited about different ways to use technology in my classroom.

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Course Number EDUC 520 Course Name Creating Web Media Course Name Capstone Experience in Educational Technology and Learning Instructor Tory Temple Instructor Matt Hixson Term Completed Spring 2, 2012 Key Learnings

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Course Number EDUC 526 Term Completed Summer 2012 Key Learnings

Evaluation of the Impact of the Ed Tech and Learning Program

This program teaches many strategies of implementing technology in the classroom. I have only just begun to use some of these technologies. When I complete the program and move into a classroom with updated technology, I plan to incorporate more technology into my everyday teaching. So far, I have developed a class website. This allows me to keep parents informed of general class guidelines, as well as up-to-date information. I am also incorporating videos from educational websites, as well as PowerPoint presentations. I am looking forward to when I dont have homework, so I can devote more time creating presentations for my students.

Program Evaluation
My overall experience at APU has been positive and inspiring. It is hard to believe that I am almost nished with my masters program. I have truly enjoyed all of my classes. The staff has been very warm and helpful. Not only the instructors, but the front-office staff and the support staff at the main campus, have all been wonderful. Although I have experienced many frustrations along the way, I am very thankful for my uplifting experience at APU and have recommended it to many of my friends. The main strength of this program is the instructors who understand and use technology in their own life and profession. They are able to speak from experience about what works and doesnt work, and have working knowledge of both PCs and Macs. We all came into this program with varying backgrounds and technological experiences. All the instructors were very patient and understanding of everyone with differing technological backgrounds, especially those of us who started the program at a very beginning level. With that said, there are minimal recommendations for this program. I would recommend that we be informed and guided about our capstone earlier in the program. Maybe one concept that could be taught is how to organize our projects and material, so that we could combine everthing in one place...ready for our capstone. For me, I had just purchased my MacBook Pro when I started the program, so my projects were not kept in an organized way. The only other issue that proved to be frustrating at times, was that some teachers had a hard time getting online classmates into our class session. This took time away from our instruction, both for in class and online students.