Artifact 5: Self Study Journal

Description:

This Self-Study Journal was completed individually and then shared with Drake Stockett and Jeffrey Kirkpatrick, who were also in my instructional technology program cohort. This activity was completed in the Summer of 2024 in ISTC 735 Technology, Learning and Design with Professor Kenton. For this assignment, we were to go through a reflection process to help us understand our beliefs about teaching, learning and the classroom computer. The self-study protocol: Making Meaning Through Storytelling was used in this process to share a powerful teaching experience that used computer technology, explain the activity and the role the technology played, and then ask each other questions.

            For this assignment, I decided to share an experience of a first grade reading lesson that focused on knowing how to read based on clues in the text including punctuation, special print and dialogue. This lesson took place at Magnolia Elementary in Harford County Public Schools and consisted of 18 readers of various levels and backgrounds. Students practiced this skill in their individual reading time, and then had the opportunity to create a post on Padlet of them reading and showing how they changed their voice to match what was in their books. Drake and Jeff read about my experience and this lesson, and then gave me feedback on why they believed it was a powerful lesson for the students. In addition, I was able to read about experiences that they shared involving a teaching or learning experience and give feedback to them on why I thought it may have been a powerful experience for them. This self-study journal gave a lot of good insight on how incorporating technology can impact the learning experience in positive ways.

 

Standard Alignment:

Standard #2- Connected Learner

2b. Actively participate in professional learning networks to enhance coaching practice and keep current with emerging technology and innovations in pedagogy and the learning sciences.

Through the sharing of our experiences, we were able to participate in a professional learning network to coach each other on why our experiences were powerful. We used the Making Meaning: Storytelling framework to be able to do this through a series of questions. Our experiences involved the incorporation of technology, allowing each of us to gain insight on how technology could be used and incorporated in powerful ways.

 

2c. Establish shared goals with educators, reflect on successes and continually improve coaching and teaching practice.

After sharing our experiences and giving each other feedback, we were able to reflect on the feedback given to us in terms of why the experience was powerful, additional insights, and suggestions. Through this experience, I was able to gain more insight on my own teaching practice involving the components that made this lesson successful and suggestions on how to make the learning experience better.

 

Reflection:

The experience shared in this Self Study Journal took place at Magnolia Elementary School in Harford County Public Schools. This lesson took place in a first grade reading classroom of 18 students of varying abilities. I shared this experience for this journal because I felt that this was a great reading lesson, and it was powerful in the way that technology was incorporated. I received a lot of great feedback from my group and gained additional insights from our collaboration. I was also able to give feedback to others and learn about other ways to incorporate technology in lessons so that it can be meaningful and powerful to students.

The Self Study Journal addressed many of the ISTE connected learner standards. This study allowed me to participate in a professional learning network with members of my cohort to enhance our coaching practice. It also allowed me to reflect on my successes and find ways to continue to improve my teaching through reading the suggestions given by my group members.

This self-study using the Making Meaning protocol was effective and I can see why collaboration and connecting with others is so important. Hearing from others and their experiences is motivating and can be so helpful when incorporating new strategies in the classroom.