6.

Content knowledge and professional growth

Artifact 1
I. Title: Technology Integration Project
II. This artifact is the culminating deliverable for a technology integration project. As a member
of the change agent team are project involved implementing a Learning Management System
(LMS) in to a high school. We felt that a Learning Management System was a great choice for
technology integration because our LMS (CANVAS) is the perfect learning tool for todays tech
savvy student. As digital natives, our students are accustomed to having information at their
fingertips. Why shouldnt their school curriculum work much the same way? CANVAS was
designed to make learning more intuitive for the students and teacher alike.
III. Course: MEDT-8461 Diffusion of Innovations
IV. Conceptual Framework Descriptors:
Inquisitive: We believe that candidates should understand educational research and the
implications for practice have the ability to assess achievement and growth, and to question
practices and investigate alternative solutions in educational settings
.
Adaptive: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate flexibility and a willingness
to attempt promising new approaches for effective educational improvement.
Proactive: We believe that candidates should be able to advocate for the removal of barriers and
practices that impede educational improvement.
Leading: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate effective leadership skills to
initiate and facilitate educational improvement.
Reflective: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate critical thinking skills and
the ability to recognize their own internal strengths and weaknesses.
Knowledgeable: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate general knowledge
inherent in a liberal arts curriculum, advanced knowledge in content areas, proficiency in
technology, and specific knowledge in professional education.
Decisive: We believe that candidates should use data to make informed decisions that will drive
educational improvement.
Culturally Sensitive: We believe that candidates should understand diversity among individuals
and groups, be committed to equity and the belief that all children can learn, and have the tools
to prepare their students and clients for the global world they will face as adults.

Empathetic: We believe that candidates should be sensitive to the cultural, religious, gender,
sexuality, and socio-economic differences that are reflected in their communities and ensure that
these differences do not impede their educational progress.
Collaborative: We believe that candidates should be able to develop skills to work effectively
with various stakeholders involved in the educational process.
Reflection:
This artifact greatly broadens my depth of knowledge as it relates to integrating technology into
schools. As part of a change team we had to work diligently to plan the integration of the
Learning Management System Canvas To After evaluation of the selected school it was
determined that the selected school has the necessary resources, computer labs, Wi-Fi and the
personnel needed to move forward with implementation of our Learning Management System.
Our change team developed the necessary action steps for implementation. The first action step
was for the change agents to determine the integration time frame. Canvas is a cloud or
software as a service (SaaS) solution. We determined that it will take nine to twelve months for
full implementation. The change agent team determined this timeframe based on how clearly we
feel that we have defined our schools requirements and how well-suited Canvas is to those
requirements. The next biggest factor in determining the integration time frame is the amount of
variability and complexity that must be accommodated to support how our school operates. Our
rationale for these steps is because understanding of integration time frame is important for the
stakeholders so they will know what and when to expect a change in the process this will be an
important part of the diffusion process. The key actors for this phase of the transition will be the
change agents, Canvas implementation team and our early adopter staff members. With the
numerous knowledge gained and skills developed this artifact will prove to be invaluable to my
growth and development as an instructional technology leader.

Artifact 2
I. Title: Article Critique
II. Description: The purpose of this artifact was to critique a peer reviewed article on technology
integration in schools. The article that was selected was a quantitative, quasi-experimental study
and the purpose of the study was to examine the impact of the iPads use as a 1:1 computing

device on fifth-grade students mathematics achievement in two rural Virginia elementary

schools.
III. Course: MEDT-8484 Research on Media and Instructional Technology
IV. Conceptual Framework Descriptors:
Inquisitive: We believe that candidates should understand educational research and the implications for
practice have the ability to assess achievement and growth, and to question practices and investigate
alternative solutions in educational settings.
Knowledgeable: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate general knowledge inherent in
a liberal arts curriculum, advanced knowledge in content areas, proficiency in technology, and specific
knowledge in professional education.
Reflection:

The goals of this study will prove to be important in my professional development because there
is limited research regarding the potential use of the iPad in K-12 education. The data provided
explains what relationship if any, existed between student mathematics achievement and iPad use
in the classrooms. This study can prove to be a valuable resource for not only administrators at
the school level but management at the district level. Evaluating and critiquing articles such as
this one has provide me with the knowledge and skills to critique future articles which will be a
necessary skill for making decisions about instructional technology integration.