Professional Statement

______________________________________________________________________ Janine Al-Aseer University of Tennessee Information Technology 521 September 18 2!1"

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

A statement of professional goals, analysis of core values and reflective competency evaluation. #$%cational Technology is a fiel$ that has been $eveloping since the nineteenth cent%ry& Initially vie'e$ as a so%rce of me$ia the fiel$ 'as ac(no'le$ge$ for its) role in e$%cation as early as 1*!5& +rom the vis%al instr%ction of the early t'entieth cent%ry into the a%$iovis%al reso%rces of the 1*2!s #$%cational Technology blossome$ into a comm%nication an$ learning process& As the fiel$ has progresse$ so has technology itself& As 'e revie' these changes not only $o they reflect the progression in technology b%t also the mo$ifications in perspective on ho' to $efine learning an$ 'hat that entails& #arly $efinitions of the fiel$ foc%s on channels of comm%nication 'ith a clear recipient an$ sen$er& In the secon$ half of the t'entieth cent%ry this $efinition begins to blen$ into a learning process& In 1*,, the fiel$ is $efine$ again as a -.omple/ integrate$ process involving people proce$%res i$eas $evices an$ organi0ation for analy0ing problems an$ $evising implementing eval%ating an$ managing sol%tions to those problems involve$ in all aspects of h%man learning&1 2hile reflective of the ol$ perspectives this ne' $efinition highlights a para$igm shift in learning theories& +rom efficiency to efficacy an$ retention to critical thin(ing& This relationship bet'een concept pe$agogy an$ technology integration contin%e$ thro%gh the ne/t t'o $eca$es& As emphasi0e$ in the 1**3 Association for #$%cational .omm%nication an$ Technology 4A#.T5 $efinition #$%cational Technology is -The theory an$ practice of $esign $evelopment %tili0ation management an$ eval%ation of processes an$ reso%rces for learning&1 The emphasis on research an$ st%$y as 'ell as analysis in$icate a shift in approach to $efining the fiel$& 2hile I investigate$ the #$%cational Technology fiel$ I reflecte$ on this change an$ my previo%s (no'le$ge of the fiel$ an$ trie$ to ascertain my place 'ithin it& The most recent A#.T

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

$efinition $escribes #$%cational Technology as -The st%$y an$ ethical practice of facilitating learning an$ improving performance by creating %sing an$ managing appropriate technological processes an$ reso%rces&1 As I rea$ this $efinition certain 'or$s ca%ght my attention& If 'e are to $isc%ss ethical practice 'hose ethics are 'e prescribing to6 If 'e are to manage technologies 'hich sho%l$ be $eeme$ -appropriate1 an$ by 'hose stan$ar$ are 'e hol$ing that to6 2hat tools can I %se to best -facilitate1 learning6 As an e$%cator these are 7%estions I enco%nter an$ 'ill become more prevalent as both technology an$ my career gro'& 2ith nonprofit organi0ations an$ the p%blic school system as my focal point my professional aspirations are to create effective e$%cational c%rric%l%m for fo%n$ations centere$ on e/ten$e$ learning time programs& Ultimately I hope to p%rs%e my $octorate in school psychology to 'or( in a broa$ co%nseling capacity for st%$ents families an$ organi0ations& Altho%gh my f%t%re aspirations are still $eveloping I am confi$ent that I 'o%l$ li(e to facilitate an e$%cational environment that is $iverse fosters open comm%nication an$ change is rich in staff $evelopment opport%nities an$ that integrates technology in the most efficacio%s manner possible& As a teacher 'ho has 'or(e$ in $iverse environments an$ as a collaborator in the learning process I strive to be a lea$er in my 'or(place& In positions of lea$ership I have seen the effects of positive technology-base$ learning an$ of promoting information literacy& I have $esigne$ programs manage$ small teams eval%ate$ progress an$ 'or(e$ on research pro8ects& These e/periences have left me 'ith a 'i$e variety of professional competencies& I 'o%l$ $esignate emotional intelligence an$ interpersonal s(ills as my strongest assets 'or(ing in the fiel$& #/ternally foc%se$ an$ people-oriente$ I care abo%t others an$ feel I have a special talent in bringing o%t the best in them& It has been my e/perience as an e$%cator that emotional intelligence9an$ the empathy that comes 'ith it9is a vital trait& I have 'or(e$ har$

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

to strengthen this 7%ality in myself by e/pan$ing my frame of reference& :iving abroa$ for over three years re7%ire$ that I step o%t of my personal comfort 0one on n%mero%s occasions an$ learn to $eal 'ith the an/iety that often comes 'ith enco%ntering ne' an$ %nfamiliar sit%ations& ;ecoming comfortable 'ith this has improve$ my emotional intelligence by raising my a'areness empathy an$ compassion for in$ivi$%als from $ifferent bac(gro%n$s c%lt%res an$ e/periences& +%rthermore learning to comm%nicate effectively 'ith in$ivi$%als from $iverse

bac(gro%n$s has greatly improve$ my interpersonal s(ills as 'ell as my confi$ence an$ efficacy in 'or(ing 'ith other people& To contin%e to improve these s(ills I have so%ght varie$ positions that have allo'e$ me to provi$e informal co%nseling to chil$ren an$ a$%lts& This incl%$es 'or(ing at p%blic an$ private schools for elementary mi$$le an$ high school systems nonprofit organi0ations centere$ on e/ten$e$ learning time a psychology clinic in an a$ministrative capacity an$ lea$ing collegiate $isc%ssion classrooms& I feel most comfortable 'hen interacting in$ivi$%ally or in small gro%ps 'ith st%$ents an$ clients& I feel that my strong interpersonal s(ills bring comfort an$ str%ct%re to the co%nseling sessions an$ 'or(shops I have facilitate$& 2or(ing 'ith $isa$vantage$ an$ entitle$ st%$ents living 'ithin an a%thoritarian-permissive contin%%m ten$s to promote social an$ familial %pheaval& These %ni7%ely $iverse co%nseling opport%nities have e/pan$e$ my a'areness an$ place$ me in lea$ership roles 'here a maintaine$ enlightene$ para$igm has been essential to affect lasting change& I have to s%stain fle/ibility in regar$ to a$olescent learning styles ethnic $ifferences an$ feel comfortable 'or(ing 'ith a vast array of $ifferences an$ a$apting myself to best accommo$ate others& I am enco%rage$ that st%$ents often come to me 'ith personal iss%es in a$$ition to aca$emic iss%es& I feel that my non8%$gmental $emeanor an$ enth%siastic s%pport for their 'ell-being an$ gro'th

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

has create$ these relationships& These points in$icate to me that my capacity for empathy an$ interpersonal s(ills are an asset to my f%t%re co%nseling career& <evisiting the c%rrent A#.T $efinition I 'o%l$ note that improving performance an$ being a'are of available reso%rces are t'o fiel$s that I co%l$ strengthen& I have also referre$ to competency stan$ar$s to eval%ate s(ills that may be re7%ire$ of me an$ are in nee$ of more $evelopment& Using the International Society for Technology in Educations (ISTE) six

competency standards for leadership, my focus would be to create digital age learning environments and digital citizenship. As I have only worked in environments with limited technological capabilities, I would like to both enhance my own knowledge of technology while simultaneously promoting this technology for cultural awareness. I would also like to continue to develop my skills on creating assessment as well as my content knowledge and professional growth. .oming from social cognitive theory an$ a constr%ctivist perspective on learning I val%e e/periential learning an$ collaborative st%$ent-teacher e$%cational environments& ;eing min$f%l of self-efficacy I try to accomo$ate the best 'ay for learners to %n$erstan$ the information an$ fin$ that c%stomi0ing to their learning can sometimes be a $a%nting e/perience& This is

especially tr%e 'hen consi$ering ne' technology& +or e/ample ne' iPa$ labs in my facility le$ me to challenge the 'ay I %se$ tablets for personal %se an$ create a m%lti$imensional 'or(ing environment 'ith the %se of synchrono%s activities thro%gh pro8ectors lin(e$ games an$ sim%ltaneo%s e/ercises& This instance ill%strates the necessity for e$%cators to not only stay c%rrent 'ith e$%cational technology b%t p%sh themselves to fin$ ne' 'ays to %tili0e technology 'ithin their fiel$& I note the IST# Professional =ro'th competency of -<eg%larly eval%at>ing? an$ reflect>ing? on >my? professional practice an$ $ispositions to improve an$ strengthen >my?

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

ability to effectively mo$el an$ facilitate technology-enhance$ learning e/periences@1 I hope to contin%e my professional $evelopment by atten$ing conferences staying %p-to-$ate on c%rrent research an$ potentially 8oining varie$ organi0ations that can e/pan$ the brea$th of my (no'le$ge in technology& T'o organi0ations that I 'o%l$ li(e to e/plore f%rther are The International Society for Technology in #$%cation an$ International Association of Technology #$%cation an$ Aevelopment& ;oth are concerne$ 'ith international collaboration to share

a$vancements in technology in regar$ to e$%cation& In a$$ition I fre7%ently atten$ conferences for my professional organi0ation an$ hope to e/pan$ my atten$ance as my gra$%ate career contin%es an$ I have more potential to p%blish an$ present at s%ch conferences& .ontrasting these strengths I am still a novice in my fiel$ an$ have many s(ills that I am very ine/perience$ 'ith& By research e/perience is still very r%$imentary an$ I often fin$ myself $oing e/tensive research to fin$ the most effective %se of technology %tili0ation& The IST# Aigital Age :earning #nvironment competency lists -.oach>ing? teachers in an$ mo$el %se of online an$ blen$e$ learning $igital content an$ collaborative learning net'or(s to s%pport an$ e/ten$ st%$ent learning&1 As my e/perience 'ith coaching teachers is minimal an$ my technology (no'le$ge is still $eveloping this is the competency I feel 'ill necessitate the most 'or(& By professional $evelopment plan 'ill combine conference atten$ance research ac7%isition an$ organi0ation membership 'ith 'or(shops to both observe coaching in action as 'ell as obtain the information presente$ in or$er to $isseminate to my staff& Since revie'ing these competencies for my professional statement I have atten$e$ t'o 'or(shops at my organi0ation as 'ell as vie'e$ m%ltiple online training vi$eos to e/pan$ my (no'le$ge base& I have fo%n$ that being conscio%s of my 'ea(nesses has enco%rage$ me to -#ngage in contin%o%s learning to $eepen professional (no'le$ge s(ills an$ $ispositions&1

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

As my professional aspirations are $eveloping rea$ing abo%t the history of the e$%cational technology an$ becoming familiar 'ith competencies involve$ in becoming an #$%cational Psychologist have strengthene$ my ambition of $esigning effective learning environments an$ highlighte$ (ey proficiencies that I 'ill nee$ to 'or( to'ar$s refining& Cno'ing that the competencies associate$ 'ith this path 'ill not $evelop nat%rally I 'ill contin%e to $evelop my portfolio by ta(ing an active role in my professional gro'th& Ba(ing a commitment to apply my personal core val%es an$ beliefs abo%t e$%cational roles I hope to contin%e to improve these competencies to foster that professional gro'th&

Al-Aseer Professional Statement

<eferences A#.T& 42!!85& Aefinition& In A& Jan%s0e's(i D B& Bolen$a 4#As&5 Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary. :a'rence #rlba%m& International Society for Technology in #$%cation 4IST#5& 42!!85& NET for Coaches& <etrieve$ September 1E 2!1" from httpFGG'''&iste&orgGstan$ar$sGnets-for-coaches&asp/ <eiser <& 42!125& Trends and !ssues in !nstructional Design and Technology. 4"r$ e$& pp& 1-"35& Upper Sa$$le <iverF Pearson&