The use of instructional technology in twenty-first-century classrooms is not a subject to be debated. Rather, it needs to be embraced as a standard practice rather than an enriching activity. In Instructional Technology Tools: A Professional Development Plan, author L. Robert Furman presents a comprehensive guide to help educators embrace the use of instructional technology tools in the classroom. Answering the typical questions often posed by teachers and staff, Furman emphasizes the practical use of technology and introduces a breakthrough development called E-ProDev Days for offsite electronic professional development. He gives administrators the tools necessary to conduct fulfilling and meaningful professional development days, in-house or electronically, revolving around technology. Instructional Technology Tools: A Professional Development Plan also includes professional development lesson plans; tutorials for teachers and students; sample sites where examples of each e-tool are available to share; addresses to obtain the e-tools. Presenting a logical and practical approach to teaching a staff how to successfully use e-tools in their classroom, Instructional Technology Tools: A Professional Development Plan helps administrators help teachers to enhance their classrooms, manage time, organize themselves, and save money.

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY TOOLS

A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANBy L. Robert Furman

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 L. Robert Furman, EdD
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4697-8930-9

Contents

Dedication................................................................1Preface...................................................................2Acknowledgments...........................................................3Glossary of Terms.........................................................4Instructional Technology Tools............................................5Online Resource...........................................................8Typical Questions/Concerns from Teachers..................................9Electronic Professional Development Days..................................12Professional Development Plans............................................13Full-day (8 Hour) Plan....................................................15Half-day (4 Hour) Plan....................................................17Full-day (8 Hour) E-ProDev Plan...........................................19Year-long Plan with Technology as the Focus...............................22Tutorials.................................................................25WebQuest..................................................................26Zunal.....................................................................27Glogster..................................................................29WizIQ.....................................................................32Museum Box................................................................34GoAnimate.................................................................37Prezi.....................................................................39Webspiration..............................................................42Hot Potatoes..............................................................45VUVOX.....................................................................49quikmaps..................................................................53TargetMap.................................................................55ChartGizmo................................................................57Solvr.....................................................................59DecideAlready.............................................................60Diffen....................................................................63Bubblus...................................................................64Bookr.....................................................................66Penzu.....................................................................68Masher....................................................................70Integration Ideas.........................................................71Management E-Tools........................................................77Collaboration Tools.......................................................78Organization and Management...............................................84Research..................................................................91Communication.............................................................93Resources.................................................................96Administrative Professional Development Planning Form.....................97Beginning of the Year Welcome Letter......................................101Reproducible Full-day Agenda..............................................103Reproducible Half-day Agenda..............................................104Reproducible E-ProDev Day Packet..........................................105Evaluation Form for Professional Development Day..........................109Technology Project Rubric.................................................110Works Cited...............................................................111E-Tools Cited.............................................................112

Chapter One

Instructional Technology Tools

As a principal in a typical middle-class elementary school, I am sure that when I bring up the subject of technology in the classroom, I hear the same concerns from teachers that many other school administrators hear. I hear the same concerns every time I send out the agenda for the next professional development day and the word "technology" is somewhere on that agenda. When administrators ask teachers to use technology, we often hear the following questions:

Why do we have to use this technology?

When are we going to have the time to learn how to use this new software?

It will take me twice as long to use the technology because I have to teach the students how to use it before I assign the project that uses the technology. Where is the time?

Technology never works in our school. Will this be available to us in the classroom when we want to use it, or will it be blocked?

Is our network strong enough to handle thirty students on the same web page at the same time?

Do these questions sound familiar? This manual will give your district's professional development presenter the answers to all of these difficult questions that teachers ask. These are the common obstacles that administrators have to overcome when presenting a professional development day that features technology. But there is hope.

Preparing an effective professional development day can be compared to what our teachers do when they prepare effective lessons in their classrooms. Our professional development days have to be engaging, with good pacing and solid outcomes. They have to be planned to accommodate all different types of learners and include an exciting, motivational beginning known as an anticipatory set that will grab our listeners from the beginning. We, as administrators, have to model the same quality of instruction that we expect from our teachers.

This book is designed to give the administrator all the tools necessary to conduct fulfilling and meaningful professional development days, in-house or electronically, revolving around the topic of technology. It will give you the ability to address those difficult questions the teachers have been asking. This publication also includes:

Professional development lesson plans

Tutorials for teachers and students

Sample sites where examples of each E-Tool are available for you to share

Addresses to obtain the E-Tools

As an administrator, you are the instructional leader. Administrators must take that title to heart and feel the power of that title to the core. As instructional leaders, we must be the models for excellent teaching. Opportunities to shine and model superior teaching lie in well-structured professional development days. We can win the hearts of our staff with one good, meaningful lesson. If we want the staff to use the E-Tools that we share with them, then we need to model those tools. If we want our schools to be on the cutting edge of instructional technology, then we must be willing to share the use of technology in our daily work.

Walden University, an online university, did a wonderful study on myths involving technology and education (Grunwald and Associates). Three of the myths are worth repeating here because they drive home the realization that some teachers and administrators are not all on the same page when it comes to technology.

Myth: Given that students today are already comfortable with technology, teachers' use of technology is less important to student learning.

The Walden study has shown that this statement simply is not true....