Another crazy-busy week has come to an end...and after a few brief hours of sleep, another will begin. EDET 636 took a backseat to professional responsibilities this week, resulting in a jam-packed weekend of research and reading. Wednesday had me thinking about the course as I sat in a full-day EED workshop in Anchorage with educators from across Alaska as we reviewed and discussed "ALDs" (Achievement Level Descriptors) for the new AMP assessment. During our working lunch, AAI staff provided a demo of the new technology practice test...the one designed to help Alaskan students learn the technology they will use to answer questions on the new standardized assessment next spring. Wow...what an advantage students who have tech skills will have over those who sit down to take the assessment with limited experience with computers, keyboards, maneuvering a mouse, etc. So...on Wednesday I was definitely thinking about the "Impact of Technology on Student Learning." On Thursday and Friday, I participated in two days of in-service with colleagues from a neighboring district. As rural districts, we are both looking at ways to expand opportunities for our students and those across rural Alaska, so a team of CRSD educators and I hung out with the neighboring district for a couple days as they led their own staff through a variable-term "phase" at their Anchorage facility. Much of our conversation centered around the tremendous value of these in-depth hands-on experiences coupled with customized learning in an online environment for rural students. Again, I spent two more days considering the "Impact of Technology on Student Learning." It was not until Saturday, however, that I was able to buckle down and get to work on the nuts and bolts for the class itself. I read a number of my colleagues' posts but am not sure I contributed much more than pats on the back. I completely forgot about the tweet-meet on Thursday evening, as I was still completely engrossed in an in-service at 5:00 p.m. However, I did read through the tweets and tried to piece together the conversation that occurred...though I must admit I'm still trying to figure out the best way to follow a Twitter conversation that involves a number of people and lots of questions. Feels a bit like trying to complete a 500-piece puzzle without the picture on the box to guide the efforts. The knot in my stomach tonight is related to my research question itself: WHAT in the world is it?!?! Articulating one single question will be my goal for the coming week...along with the understanding that the question itself will not determine the future of the universe. It's a question that is important to me and that has relevance in my professional realm. It's one of those times when I need to loosen up and let a "good" question guide me without agonizing over what the "PERFECT" question with a potential world-wide impact might be.
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AuthorTammy Van Wyhe: rural Alaskan educator, leader, learner, writer. Archives
May 2015
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