In the Spring of 2015 I presented two roundtables at the 2015 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada. SITE is an international conference organized by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). This was my first academic research conference and I was so happy to experience it with close colleagues.
My first paper was from an independent study I conducted during my Master’s, “Technology Coaches: The Heart of Technology Integration.”
Abstract:
As access to educational technology grows within P12 schools and districts, the need for technology integration support does as well. With the increase in devices including laptops, phones, tablets and the integration of technology into the curriculum, the number of school district technology staff is growing to support technical as well as pedagogical needs. This roundtable explores the role(s) of the technology integrationist, who typically serves on a district’s technology team. This position primarily serves as an instructional coach for educators throughout the district. If educators have the support of technology coaches, they are more likely to use technology as a tool within their instruction (Beglau et al., 2011). The conversation will begin by featuring insights from seven technology coaches serving throughout one state’s school districts, specifically strategies for technology integration, challenges, and job responsibilities.
Citation:
Peterson, L.R. (2015). Technology Coaches: The Heart of Technology Integration. In D. Rutledge & D. Slykhuis (Eds.), Proceedings of SITE 2015–Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1392-1395). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved September 8, 2017 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/150186/.
The second roundtable was a collaboration with my adviser Cassie Scharber and district partners from Austin Public Schools, John Alberts, Jason Senne, Derik Gustafson, and Jennifer Gosha.
Abstract:
Approaching technology integration using best practices that acknowledge the teachers’ already heavy work loads and focus on quality teaching and learning in a safe and supportive environment can be a key to success. When both successes and failures are celebrated, innovation is encouraged and the educational paradigm shifts in schools. Using a set of guiding learning philosophies, the possibilities created in a 1:1 laptop environment, and the supports of a technology integrationist and instructional coach, middle school educators were challenged to try something new within their classrooms. The goal was to help these educators “play” with their pedagogical approaches and create a culture that embraces change. Ideas, suggestions, and insights about how to go about this work from others who are experiencing and researching similar processes will be the focus of the roundtable conversations.
Citation:
Scharber, C., Alberts, J., Peterson, L., Gustafson, D. & Gosha, J. (2015). Nurturing Innovation within a 1:1 Middle School. In D. Rutledge & D. Slykhuis (Eds.), Proceedings of SITE 2015–Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1396-1398). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved September 8, 2017 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/150187/.
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