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Jeff Ochs
Director of Alternative Education, Oroville Union High School District
November 9, 2015

INTRODUCTION
The Boise State University MET program requires candidates to meet the
rigorous 2012 AECT standards through a collection of artifacts that align to those
standards. The purpose of this paper is to showcase and demonstrate how my work
exemplifies those standards throughout the variety of classes completed. As the
Director of Alternative Education for the Oroville Union High School District, I oversee
a variety of alternative programs on different campuses and entered this program to
learn about how educational technology could improve learning across the various
programs. As the lead administrator of these alternative programs, the focus of much
of my work was not subject area specific rather than a focus on areas necessary for
staff success, college success, and student success in life skills. The paper follows
the suggested format addressing each major standard and substandard tied directly to
the Table of Artifacts found on my portfolio webpage.
STANDARD 1: CONTENT KNOWLEDGE- Candidates demonstrate the knowledge
necessary to create, use, assess, and manage theoretical and practical applications of
educational technologies and processes.

503-Google Drive Voicethread- This voicethread explains the development, rationale,

and outline for a staff development training in using Google Drive for all the
alternative education teachers in the district.
533- PIP Tutorial- This video lesson shows the specific steps to take to create a
Picture-in-Picture video to use for an instructional video.
554- Webquest page- This webquest takes students on an online journey in

understanding what is a credit rating and how to establish good credit as a young
adult.
502- Mobile Learning Activity- This mobile learning activity gave students the
opportunity to pair and utilize mobile technology for a college visit.
541-- Relative Advantage Chart- This chart required an evaluation of a learning
problem and addressing the issue with a technological tool to give students an
advantage to meeting the expected outcome.
554-- 21st Century Technology Leader- This defined and explained what the definition
of a 21st Century leader for todays educational institutions using an image depicting
this concept.
541-Network Expansion project- A voicethread explaining the necessity and process of

the network expansion project at Oroville Adult Education Center.

502- Netiquette for the High School Student- A website designed to advise high school

aged students of the guidelines of being online in an educational setting and in the
real world.
Indicators:
Creating - Candidates demonstrate the ability to create instructional materials and
learning environments using a variety of systems approaches. (p. 81)
The assignments in this program were quite varied and many could be samples
to meet this particular standard however, there were two artifacts demonstrate the
depth of learning in this area. Both the Google Drive Voicethread and PIP Tutorial
were created to contain a variety of system approaches to demonstrate the practical
applications of educational technologies and processes. The idea for the Google Drive
training was a result of some technology issues with students having access to office
productivity software outside of the classroom as well as a standardized methods of
how they created work products for classroom assignments. The Google Drive
Voicethread defined the rationale and step-by-step educational plan for staff to be

trained on the use which in turn they would teach to students. Multiple layers of
materials were created and featured in the voicethread which included screen shots
of creating a Google account, setting up a Gmail under that account, creating a
Google word document, and developing a short Slide presentation to be shared online
with a colleague. This instructional design project was developed after completing a
needs assessment survey to all alternative education faculty and finding the specific
areas to target for the training which will be discussed later as part of the
instructional design project that this artifact summarizes. Subsequently, after staff
were surveyed, interest in using Google Drive for students increased and is currently
being used at one of the schools after some training and staff collaboration.
For the PIP Tutorial, multiple instructional videos had to be created prior to
creating the recorded tutorial. The original intent for this bicycle mechanics video
was to be used in the Recycled Cycles class currently offered at the continuation high
school. This particular artifact can be defined as an instructional video on how to
make an instructional video. The original video of the lesson had to be created, then
the explanation of the lesson on the video through a Picture-in-Picture approach, and
then a step-by-step instruction on the process of creating the PIP video. These two
artifacts demonstrate mastery for this substandard.
Using - Candidates demonstrate the ability to select and use technological
resources and processes to support student learning and to enhance their
pedagogy. (p. 141)
The use of a Webquest and the Mobile Learning Activity allows students to
utilize a variety of technology resources to support learning in the two lessons. The
webquest using the guided-inquiry model developed by Dodge (1995) contained a

variety of online resources for students to learn about building their credit rating.
This topic was important to cover as this skill is not required to be taught in California
schools. I felt the need to develop this online lesson and pass it along to teachers
who work with students soon to go into the real world. The website links videos,
literature, and presentations on the subject and follows the standard webquest model
so students may get all the information necessary to develop their own presentation
on the subject.
I felt the mobile learning project needed to be a tool that students at my
current school could use to visit our local university. The activity allows students to
prepare for the visit using a standard internet capable device but requires them to
utilize a mobile device when they make the visit to Chico State University. The
activity allows students to pair up to use one mobile device so that it is not required
of every student to own one. This is an issue at that school as there is a high poverty
rate in the area. This activity utilizes multiple technology tools available at the
school including web research and watching video tours of the campus before the
actual visit. This activity encourages students to use their own mobile device (or a
partners) to download the CSUC mobile app to continue and complete the activity.
The use of several technological resources and processes within these two artifacts
exemplify my attainment of this standard.
Assessing/Evaluating - Candidates demonstrate the ability to assess and evaluate
the effective integration of appropriate technologies and instructional materials.
Everett Rogers (2004) defined the term relative advantage as the degree to
which an innovation is perceived as the idea it supersedes (p. 15). The use of a

Relative Advantage Chart as modeled after Roblyer & Doering (2013, p. 56) allowed
me to assess and evaluate effective technology to give students the opportunity to
utilize tools or strategies to better understand a concept or skill. The items on the
chart are real examples of learning barriers students in my schools have come up
against in the past few years. The recent increased use of technology and innovative
strategies in schools has helped students overcome many of these barriers allowing
them to move forward with improved understanding of concepts and skills necessary
to meet standards.
Managing - Candidates demonstrate the ability to effectively manage people,
processes, physical infrastructures, and financial resources to achieve
predetermined goals. (p. 178)
In my role as a school administrator, management of personnel, processes,
facilities, infrastructure and budgeting are my main duties. The image I chose to use
and define in the 21st Century Technology Leader assignment for EdTech 554 gave me an
opportunity to showcase what I do on a regular basis. An administrator is a jack of all
trades and needs to have a diverse set of skills to be able to meet the goals of the
organization or project set in place regardless of the particular focus area. In the case
of a technology leader, I have a myriad of examples in my schools I could refer to that
were not part of this program and some that have been implemented since I began.
One project I accomplished prior to beginning this program that I documented as one
of the artifacts meeting all aspects of this standard was the Network Expansion project.
Moving and reestablishing an entire network as well as expanding infrastructure on a
new campus took planning, coordination with tech support personnel, infrastructure
changes and financial allocations to complete the project successfully.

Ethics - Candidates demonstrate the contemporary professional ethics of the field

as defined and developed by the Association for Educational Communications and
Technology. (p. 284)
Our job as educators is not only to deliver instruction for content area mastery,
but also to introduce societal rules and ethics to our students. In the Netiquette for the
High School Student web page I designed, I provided students with guidelines of online

etiquette as defined by Christensson (2014). The page had five reminders for online
rules to follow that will help protect them from misdoing and prevention of future
issues. Far too often have we seen or heard of someone posting personal or damaging
information online or plagiarizing from an online source. This page is an attempt to
educate those students who may not understand that the internet is forever and can
come back to haunt you if rules and ethics arent considered.
STANDARD 2: CONTENT PEDAGOGY- Candidates develop as reflective practitioners able
to demonstrate effective implementation of educational technologies and processes based
on contemporary content and pedagogy.

502- Budgeting Webquest- Students follow this webquest to discover and practice the
steps in building a household budget. Teacher lesson plan included in documentation.
541- Video Enhanced Lesson Plan- This lesson plan designed for use in a high school
classroom for students to learn the steps and components of writing an argumentative
essay based on a selection of video scenarios.
502- Online Jigsaw activity- This online jigsaw activity is designed to assist high school
students in setting up Google accounts to be able to use online tools.
503- Instructional Design Project- This comprehensive instructional design plan details
the needs assessment, rationale, and lesson outline for a staff training in the use of
Google Drive in the classroom following the Larson & Lockee model of instructional
design.
501- Xtranormal BYOD video- This animation features a discussion regarding the
rationale to introduce a BYOD program and its benefits to the school and students.

541-Social Media Voicethread- A voicethread presentation of the positive uses of social

media in the classroom and campus.

554- Todays Customers - This Prezi compares the educational models from the 20th
century and todays classroom using specific examples how technology has affected
student education.
Indicators:
Creating - Candidates apply content pedagogy to create appropriate applications
of processes and technologies to improve learning and performance outcomes. (p.
1)
I chose two very different work samples to demonstrate mastery of this
pedagogy standard. I developed a Budgeting Webquest based on the guided-inquiry
model developed by Dodge (1995). As with the other webquest artifact, the use of
guided inquiry allows students to discover learning through suggested pathways. In
this particular activity, students had to follow a process that led them to find a job
online, a place to live with creating an online renter profile, develop a household
budget by doing research on monthly costs, and write it up in a culminating report.
This was another learning activity that may not be found in a regular high school
curriculum but valuable for any young adult moving out on their own for the first
time.
I took a different approach when I wrote the Video Enhanced Lesson Plan for
students learning how to write an argumentative essay. The lesson is written in a
standardized lesson plan format integrating necessary components including
accommodations for English Learners and special needs students. However, this
lesson is enhanced with video resources for students to refer to for topic background
and help with writing the argumentative essay. The topics chosen are school related

and offer a common ground for students to relate to. They have access to technology
in the computer lab and links to online resources if they need to work outside of the
classroom.
Both of these examples use appropriate technology applications to improve
learning and performance opportunities for students.
Using - Candidates implement appropriate educational technologies and processes
based on appropriate content pedagogy. (p. 141)
The jigsaw strategy developed by Aronson (1978) can be used as an alternative
to conventional classroom teaching methods. Rather than grouping a whole class
around a teacher, the students work in smaller interdependent groups where each
student has a part of a topic and become experts in that defined area. Students
then share their learning with the rest of the class to create a jigsaw picture of the
entire topic. It is a powerful strategy to use when taking on a multi-layered topic like
the online jigsaw activity to learn how to use Google Tools. In this activity, the task is
broken into three expert areas and students learn their section by following the
respective links. Students are assessed through a presentation of the topic area.
Using a proven teaching strategy paired with online tools shows mastery of the
standard.
Assessing/Evaluating - Candidates demonstrate an inquiry process that assesses the
adequacy of learning and evaluates the instruction and implementation of
educational technologies and processes (p. 116-117) grounded in reflective
practice.
One of the biggest single artifacts in the program is a result of the EdTech 503Instructional Design course. My Instructional Design Project was to teach alternative
education teachers how to use Google Drive for the classroom which in turn they

would train students to use it. Using the ADDIE model (Allen, 2003), I developed an
assessment tool to determine the level of knowledge in use of online productivity
tools and designed the 3 hour workshop from the survey data. Utilizing the textbook
resource, I knew that I had to take a constructivist approach in designing the
instruction. In fact, I found that many of the learning activities utilizing technology
are constructivist based which gave credo to how this learning activity was designed. I
wanted this staff to learn from authentic real-world experiences and reflection
about those experiences (Larson & Locke, 2014, p. 77). This activity would give them
authentic tools to use with students and hopefully augment their teaching.
This project forced me to look at all the steps necessary to complete it within
the stated guidelines. I had to take in all the different situations, schedules and
needs of my staff to make sure that it was a worthy endeavor and a valuable use of
their time. With this project it was necessary for me evaluate the data and change
my design to fit the needs of the learners. In this case, I needed to address the needs
of the teachers in the different alternative education programs at my schools. This
project stretched my comprehension in the design and implementation process to
really look at the tiniest of detail to make sure all important facets didnt get
overlooked. I am glad I was able to take this course prior to EdTech 505-Evaluation as
it provided background in analysis of data and design of a program the meet the
needs of a given program.
Managing - Candidates manage appropriate technological processes and resources
to provide supportive learning communities, create flexible and diverse learning
environments, and develop and demonstrate appropriate content pedagogy. (p.
175-193)

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I had the opportunity to showcase the classroom Facebook pages from the
continuation high school in my Social Media Voicethread. In the voicethread I discussed
different social media communities schools can use (E-Pals, Skype, Edmodo) and gave
an example of how one of my schools utilized online communities. One of the
innovative teachers wanted to use social media to showcase student learning and
have a centralized site where students could find information and post (with
permission) information relating to the Science class and their project to research a
local Superfund site. The Prospect High School Takes on Dioxins page is still active
and getting more interest even without further postings from students as the teacher
is keeping it active.
Another technology opportunity I wanted to pursue at our schools was BYOD.
Our computer network at the time was not open to student use as it was not
configured that way. More and more students were using smartphones, tablets and
even laptops. There is an increasing trend of school districts allowing students to
BYOD. A survey by Project Tomorrow (2014) documented that there was a 19%
increase between 2010 and 2013 in principals allowing BYOD on high school campuses.
The Xtranormal BYOD video is the scenario I created to support the argument for
using BYOD at the schools. Nearly everyone uses a mobile device in their everyday
lives and students should be able to do so for their daily educational activities.
Ethics - Candidates design and select media, technology, and processes that
emphasize the diversity of our society as a multicultural community. (p. 296)
Diversity in education has come quite a way as our nation has evolved. What
was once status quo in so many of our nations schools does not meet the needs of

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todays diverse learners. A comparison and what once was and what now is can be
seen in Todays Customers prezi presentation. The design of the 21st century classroom
addresses the needs of our diverse learners from all backgrounds, learning styles, and special
needs they represent. Examples of appropriate technology for use in our modern classrooms
are listed and discussed within the presentation.

STANDARD 3: LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS- Candidates facilitate learning by creating,

using, evaluating, and managing effective learning environments.
554- Digital Learning Experience- This webquest takes students on an online journey in

understanding what a credit rating is and how to establish good credit as a young
adult.
503- Instructional Design Project- This comprehensive instructional design plan details the

needs assessment, rationale, and lesson outline for a staff training in the use of Google
Drive in the classroom following the Larson & Lockee model of instructional design.
505- Involuntary Transfer Program Evaluation - This paper evaluated the effectiveness of

student success as it related to the OUHSD Involuntary Transfer to alternative

education program.
541-Network Expansion project- A voicethread explaining the necessity and process of

the network expansion project at Oroville Adult Education Center.

502- Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt- This site is designed to advise high school students of
the definitions of what plagiarism is in school and the real world and the
consequences when committing plagiarism.
541- Assistive/Adaptive Technology- A collection and description of assistive and adaptive

technology for students with disabilities or other special needs.

Indicators:
Creating - Candidates create instructional design products based on learning
principles and research-based best practices. (pp. 8, 243-245, 246)
One of the assignments in Edtech 554 was to create a Digital Learning Experience.
I chose to create a website with a webquest activity on how to build your credit

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rating. I used this webquest model to meet this standard based on this definition by
Tom March (2004) A real webquest is a scaffolded learning structure that uses links
to essential resources on the World Wide Web and an authentic task to motivate
students investigation to.. transform newly acquired information into a more
sophisticated understanding (p. 42).
I previously wrote that this topic was important to cover as this skill is not
required to be taught in California schools. I felt the need to develop this online
lesson using this strategy as it opened up the availability to utilize online resources
instead of traditional texts and could be implemented in classes without the need for
additional resources.
Using - Candidates make professionally sound decisions in selecting appropriate
processes and resources to provide optimal conditions for learning (pp. 122, 169)
based on principles, theories, and effective practices. (pp. 8-9, 168-169, 246)
The Instructional Design Project I produced had to meet the needs of teachers at

different schools and schedules. Google Drive was not only the focus of the training
but the online cloud based medium necessary to deliver the training. It is designed
using a constructivist approach as this learning task focused on authentic
experiences involving learners in activities carried out in the real world (Larson &
Lockee, 2014, p. 78). Specifically, these teachers were being trained in the use of
Google Drive so they could then transfer that learning along to their students. The
training session is broken into 30 minute modules to fit the schedule needs of
teachers on the various campuses. The intent was to have minimal paper involved in
this training and since everything was in the cloud-based Google Drive, teachers
would have access to their work samples anywhere they could log on to the internet.

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After the survey detailing the needs assessment for the training was collected,
many staff asked when the training would occur. I can enthusiastically say that many
teachers from the different campuses not only learned how to use Google Drive and
the tools but went so far to start using it in the classroom with students. One of the
schools has moved to using Google Classroom and another teacher is using it with
adults in a distance learning project.
Assessing/Evaluating - Candidates use multiple assessment strategies (p. 53) to
collect data for informing decisions to improve instructional practice, learner
outcomes, and the learning environment. (pp. 5-6)
I chose to focus on a new program in my school district that needed to be
evaluated to decide if it was an effective program. The Involuntary Transfer Program
Evaluation (IVTP) targeting students who were not on track to graduate from the two
district comprehensive high schools due to either failing too many classes or a poor
attendance record resulting in a lack of credit accrual. I used multiple assessment
strategies in collecting data to form a decision on program effectiveness.
The evaluation was designed using the goal-based method as defined by
Boulmetis & Dutwin (2011) to evaluate if the objectives were attained based on the
student data collected. Quantitative student data of credit accrual and student
attendance percentage were pulled from the Aeries student accounting system and
entered onto a spreadsheet list of the students included in the IVTP. Qualitative data
was generated through a ten question student survey utilizing Surveymonkey online
survey tool disseminated to students after the evaluation period. The data from this
evaluation proves that the IVTP is an effective program that the majority of students
have accepted and found success.

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Managing - Candidates establish mechanisms (p. 190) for maintaining the

technology infrastructure (p. 234) to improve learning and performance. (p. 238)
As I wrote in a previous explanation, the Network Expansion project for the
Oroville Adult Education Center was accomplished prior to beginning this program.
That project specifically established mechanisms to move, expand and maintain
technology infrastructure which improved learning and performance for the students
in our programs. Maintenance and upgrade of this network has been an ongoing
process as well. While not documented in the project, this infrastructure
necessitated partnership with both district technology staff to monitor and maintain
the LAN and a working relationship with the Butte County Office of Education
Technology Department who operated and maintained the county-wide WAN.
While the original move and expansion was the physical component, the
ongoing maintenance and evolution of the network structure has been a focus for me
as we rely on it for daily operation. When our network doesnt function, the school
doesnt function. There have been numerous occasions where I have been the on-site
tech for many troubleshooting issues when a trained tech could not physically be on
campus. Through what I learned in this program, particularly in the EdTech 552Networking class, I have been able to assist district and county tech personnel
prevent problems and troubleshoot site issues so functionality has not interrupted
student learning.
Ethics - Candidates foster a learning environment in which ethics guide practice
that promotes health, safety, best practice (p. 246), and respect for copyright,
Fair Use, and appropriate open access to resources. (p. 3)

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One of the issues we deal with as educators is dealing with plagiarism across all
subject areas and assignments. Prior to the infusion of the accessibility of internet
resources in the classroom, plagiarism seemed to be limited to students copying from
a textbook or a classmate. It is much easier for a student to find content, copy and
paste into their document and claim it as original. Veteran teachers can catch this
most of the time but now we have the online tools to verify the plagiarism. The
Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt was an activity designed to provide students with the
opportunity to learn the definition of plagiarism and know that they can be caught
rather easily using some simple online tools. It also provided an insight to how
plagiarism is dealt with outside of high school, into college and even the workforce. A
student cannot learn correct ethics if they do not understand that they are actually
being unethical when plagiarizing.
Diversity of Learners - Candidates foster a learning community that empowers
learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities. (p. 10)
With all the different technology available students, there is always a need for
specialized equipment and technology for special needs students of various abilities
and disabilities. The Assistive/Adaptive Technology artifact displays a variety of
available technologies and equipment to assist students with disabilities or special
needs. I did not only look for adaptive technology for students with disabilities
because there are many students we work with that are not considered disabled, but
at-risk of not being successful in school. The examples shown in this artifact can
empower those students who need that extra help or different approach to get to
that diploma.

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This particular assignment helped me find an assistive technology tool for a

student who had been recently paralyzed in a car accident and needed technological
assistance to complete his schoolwork. We were able to program an iPad so he could
log in with a swipe and type his assignments on the touchscreen using the limited
motor skills from the paralysis. It took him a while to learn how to use it as he
progressed in his recovery and is scheduled to graduate this year.
STANDARD 4: PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS- Candidates design, develop,
implement, and evaluate technology-rich learning environments within a supportive
community of practice.
554- Technology Plan Rubric- This technology plan rubric was a collaborative effort with

another classmate and was developed to evaluate the quality of a school technology
plan.
554- Chromebook flowchart- This flowchart outlines the process and planning stages for the
implementation of a new Chromebook program on a high school campus.
551- Proposed Adult Education program- This sample is a proposal to start up a new adult
education program through the use of grant funding. All aspects of defining the needs, makeup
of the facility and staff, and proposed budget.
533- Final Video Reflection- A reflection video as the culminating activity for the YouTube for
Educators class.
541- Reflection Blog Entry - This is the final blog entry for the 541 course with reflection on
what was learned, able to apply, and my performance in the class.
505- RFP for Far West Labs- A proposed evaluation of the marketability of Far West

Labs Determination of Instructional Purposes (DIP) training program

501- Digital Inequality blog & voicethread- A blog post and voicethread discussing the

digital divide and suggested solutions to address the digital inequality.

Indicators:

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Collaborative Practice - Candidates collaborate with their peers and subject

matter experts to analyze learners, develop and design instruction, and evaluate
its impact on learners.
I was able to work with another outstanding colleague to develop a Technology
Plan Rubric that can be used to evaluate a school or district technology plan. We were

able to collaborate online using a Google Drive shared document. We researched

other school technology plans and created major sections of Vision, Focus on
Learning, Budget & Sustainability, Professional Development, Technology Support,
Hardware, Software and Infrastructure, and Timeline of Implementation. Below is an
example of our Outstanding ranking target for the Focus on Learning section.
The mission of the rollout is to utilize technology to improve learning outcomes by
personalizing instruction. The plan explicitly states how the goals of the rollout support and
promote student improvement and achievement. The learning goals are aligned to ISTE
standards, integrated with state standards and measured by required state testing as well as
other tools such as surveys.

This rubric can be used to develop and design learning opportunities and
evaluate the school technology plan for effectiveness of student learning. As an
aside, our instructor commented that this was one of the best examples of a
technology rubric she had seen in her classes. Out of all the collaborative
assignments done in the program, I felt this was one of two successful and practical
products developed. Many of the other collaborative assignments were presentations,
or jigsaw reports which did not produce a useful policy or tool when completed.
Leadership - Candidates lead their peers in designing and implementing
technology-supported learning.
Much of my position as an administrator is leadership of the various schools and
programs under my supervision. In performing my job, I have to take the lead on

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designing and implementing many programs within the scope of my influence. The
Chromebook flowchart is an example of what I had to accomplish to get a couple
Chromebook labs onto the continuation school campus. I had piloted a Chromebook
of my own on our network which convinced my Superintendent to trust me to deploy
this program on that campus. The flowchart shows the steps I had to take to put the
program in place. Students are now using the technology in English, Science, Special
Education, and Careers classes and utilize Google Classroom. Subsequently, weve
expanded the number of Chromebooks on that campus because of demand and a pilot
program at one of the large high school has begun.
Another large project that I am connected to through our regional adult
education consortium is a Proposed Adult Education program for another community.
That program would mirror our current Oroville Adult Education Center program
which would include high school diploma, ESL and distance learning classes through
the use of Chromebooks. Considering it would be a completely new location,
discussion on technology needs was forefront in the design because there would be a
lack of being on the same network and set up costs would have to be limited. You can
see from the description of the new program that all aspects of instituting a new
school were considered and budgeted for.
I have always looked to take the lead in technology in all the schools I have
worked at. I documented examples of my leadership experiences is this blog post
from the EdTech 501 Introduction class and continue to move forward with technology
integration in the schools.

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Reflection on Practice - Candidates analyze and interpret data and artifacts and
reflect on the effectiveness of the design, development and implementation of
technology-supported instruction and learning to enhance their professional
growth.
There were a few opportunities for reflection on learning throughout this
program the two examples I would like to emphasize are the Final Video Reflection
from the YouTube for Educators class and the final Reflection Blog Entry from EdTech
541. The video reflection required us to comment on what we learned from the class
and which assignments showcased that learning and attainment of the standards. The
ten minute in-depth video features my explanation of how the use of video in a
learning situation can be powerful and engaging to students. Using video and video
production in a classroom can empower those students to use a different modality to
produce a quality learning artifact.
The Reflection Blog Entry gave me an opportunity to discuss my learning and
difficulty therein for this particular class. This class was geared toward a classroom
teacher and I hadnt been in the classroom for 16 years at that point. It was a
struggle to understand and complete many of the assignments as I had to learn how to
use all the online resources teachers use regularly. However, what I found is that all
the work I did in that class allowed me to open up conversations with my teaching
staff regarding using technology tools in the classroom. That started the momentum
to increase the use of technology and online resources in a majority of classrooms on
that campus.
Assessing/Evaluating - Candidates design and implement assessment and
evaluation plans that align with learning goals and instructional activities.

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The proposal put together by Cobblesector Evaluation Services to perform an

evaluation of the Determination of Instructional Purposes (DIP) training program was
the main focus of the RFP for Far West Labs paper written for the EdTech 505 class. The
premise for the evaluation was for the marketability of the DIP training program
developed by Far West Labs. The evaluation was designed to utilize various data
sources and evaluation practices including a market analysis, an online survey,
program participation training, and focus group training. It follows a standard RFP
model with included staff qualifications, budget for the service, and a timeline for
services rendered.
Ethics - Candidates demonstrate ethical behavior within the applicable cultural
context during all aspects of their work and with respect for the diversity of
learners in each setting.
After watching Aleph Molinaris Lets Bridge the Digital Divide Ted Talk (2011,
August) I better understood what Id already been witness to at my continuation
school. There is a high poverty population in the area and I knew that many of my
students did not have the technological opportunities that many other students had
regular access to. The Digital Inequality blog & voicethread expounded on Molinaris
discussion as it related to the students in my school. I explained the issues I see as a
problem, gave evidence using college entrance requirements as an example of
expectations of these students, and made suggestions on how we can close the digital
divide for our students. I have worked to close that divide on the campuses by
providing the technology and training so those students have every opportunity to
leave high school on the same plane as others who have more resources.

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STANDARD 5: RESEARCH- Candidates explore, evaluate, synthesize, and apply methods

of inquiry to enhance learning and improve performance.
504- Educational Theory Research paper- The focus of this APA style paper was on

research supporting the use of a constructivist approach in using online distance

learning for adults.
505- Involuntary Transfer Program Evaluation - This paper evaluated the effectiveness of

student success as it related to the OUHSD Involuntary Transfer to alternative

education program.
501- School Evaluation Survey blog post and write up- This sample is a blog post with two

attached documents detailing a schools technology maturity benchmarks based on a

rubric.
554- Social Media Policy- This collaborative effort required our three person team to

research and develop a social media policy for staff.

Indicators:
Theoretical Foundations - Candidates demonstrate foundational knowledge of the
contribution of research to the past and current theory of educational
communications and technology. (p. 242)
I chose to write my Educational Theory Research paper on The Role of
Constructivism for Adults Participating in Online Distance Learning. Throughout this
program, I had become convinced that constructivism was the educational theory that
made the most sense to me. It also was well documented that many of the programs
associated with online learning and andragogy were designed with the constructivism
theory in mind. As an example, the Moodle open-source online learning platform
philosophy states that the design and development of Moodle is guided by a "social
constructionist pedagogy" (Moodle, 2012). I had also been looking to find ways to
introduce a distance learning program at my adult school and wanted more
information on what kind of program would work based on research. The research I

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found supported the fact that constructivist based online programs fostered success
with adult learners.
Method - Candidates apply research methodologies to solve problems and enhance
practice. (p. 243)
The Involuntary Transfer Program Evaluation required specific research and
evaluation methods to make a decision on the effectiveness of the Involuntary
Transfer to Alternative Education program for our school district. I followed the
proven evaluation method and report template from the required Boulmetis & Dutwin
book (2011). Specific qualitative and quantitative data was used to evaluate the
program. Student credit accrual data and attendance percentages for the first four
grading periods of the school year were collected through the student accounting
system. A student perception survey regarding the transfer to alternative education
was given to those students who continued to be enrolled at the school after the
evaluation period. Results for all three component areas were compiled and
analyzed. It was determined that the program was quite an effective strategy for
student success.
Assessing/Evaluating - Candidates apply formal inquiry strategies in assessing and
evaluating processes and resources for learning and performance. (p. 203)
The School Evaluation Survey blog post and write up was the final formal
assignment for EdTech 501 Introductory course and required us to utilize a school
technology maturity survey as a rubric to evaluate a school. The evaluation tool
covered the areas of Administrative, Curricular, Support, Connectivity, and Innovation
and contained sub-categories within those to further define where the school rated on
this evaluation tool. The final write up required a narrative evaluation for the school

23

explaining why it received the ranking in each category and culminated in an overall
ranking based on the evaluation rubric. This overall look at a given school using a
detailed rubric allowed us to meet this standard as we were able to assess and rank
each area and sub-area within the evaluation tool.

Ethics - Candidates conduct research and practice using accepted professional (p.
296) and institutional (p. 297) guidelines and procedures.
I was fortunate to team up with two other exceptional class colleagues to
research and write a sample school district Social Media Policy for staff members. It
was modeled after our research several sample social media policies. I provided the
group with the California School Boards Association sample policy obtained through
my school district office as a starting point. All group members brought ideas to the
table and we had several online discussions on what was appropriate for the proposed
policy and what was not necessary. We focused on this as a policy for staff members
or anyone who was using social media on behalf of the school district. I found out
during my research that my district did not have a social media policy and that our
district attorney advised against it at this point. I felt the artifact we developed
could be used as an acceptable policy.
CONCLUSION
Throughout the entire masters of Educational Technology program I felt I was
challenged with the variety and depth of the assignments in each of the classes. I
was forced out of my comfort zone but realized that unless you are challenged, you
cannot grow as an individual. I know I have a much better understanding of the role
of educational technology and have utilized many of the skills I learned in the

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program to good use already. From webpages to online tools to educational research
and design, the information and skills I learned from the classes and instructors
provided me with the expertise necessary to improve the education of students.

REFERENCES
Allen, M. W. (2003). Michael Allen's guide to e-learning: building interactive, fun, and
effective learning programs for any company. John Wiley & Sons.
Aronson, E. (1978). The jigsaw classroom. Sage.
Boulmetis, J., & Dutwin, P. (2011). The ABCs of evaluation: Timeless techniques for
program and project managers. John Wiley & Sons.
Christensson, P. (2014, July 9). Netiqutte Definition. TechTerms.com. Retrieved July,
2014, from http://www.techterms.com/definition/netiquette.
Dodge, B. (1995). WebQuests: a technique for Internet-based learning. Distance
educator, 1(2), 10-13.
Larson, M., & Lockee, B. B. (2014). Streamlined ID: a practical guide to instructional
design. Routledge.
March, T. (2004). The learning power of WebQuests. Educational Leadership,61(4), 4247.
Molinari, A. (2011, August). Aleph Molinari: Let's bridge the digital divide!
[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/aleph_molinari_let_s_bridge_the_digital_divide

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Moodle Philosophy (2 February 2012) Retrieved from:

http://docs.moodle.org/27/en/Philosophy
Project Tomorrow. (2014). The new digital learning playbook: Understanding the
spectrum of students activities and aspirations. Retrieved from
http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU13StudentsReport.pdf
Rogers, E. M. (2010). Diffusion of innovations. Simon and Schuster.
Roblyer, M.D. and Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into
teaching. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.