Professional+Development

 Professional development is characterized by a thorough reflection of one’s progress and the plans made to increase competency and skill in the areas felt to be lacking. Over the years, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has defined a number of standards for students, teachers, and administrators. The NETS-T, standards for teachers, are comprised of:
 * 1) Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
 * 2) Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
 * 3) Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
 * 4) Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
 * 5) Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

ISTE NETS-T Standard (found at [])
**1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity** > Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, > and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, > creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. > Teachers:
 *  a. ||  promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness. ||  ||   ||
 * b. || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. ||
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">c. || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. ||
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">d. || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments. ||  ||

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Current Abilities
<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I have the ability to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity through virtual environments. I myself, am able to explore and create using digital tools and have the ability to teach my students how. I can properly use the basic technology and create different pieces using those digital tools.

===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Need – Why is there a need to develop in this area? === <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In today's society, more and more is being offered through technology and virtually accessible so students need to be taught in a way to keep up. It is important they know how to use such digital tools to succeed in a virtual environment.

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Goal
<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">My goal is to pass my knowledge and ability about our virtual environment onto my students and teach them how to use it properly. Using such tools in a creative and academic way are both crucial is today's society. I want my students to feel comfortable with using the technology provided.I plan to keep my Wiki up to date for my future classes and get them involved with the site.

===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Short Term Plan – What will you do during this class. === <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">During this class, I plan to use the technology provided on a daily basis and get the students involved. Each day I will have a lesson plan or activity to complete or create digitally, independent or together.I will update the site with new information and class lessons I have been working on.

===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Long Term Plan – what you will do in the next year. ===

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In the next year and years to come, I plan to keep up with the technology, for my knowledge and ability, and for the sake of teaching my students. I will try to incorporate and plan around using and creating within the virtual environment to keep my students well rounded and informed. I will use my Wiki to keep all my class work together in one place and to have my resources all in one place to refer back to when I get my own class.

===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Assessment – How will you know that you did it? === <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Either throughout the year or at the end of the year, I will have several activities or small projects for the students to complete using their virtual environment and technology within the classroom and school. I will crease a page or two with different lessons, activities, and notes throughout the year up till graduation.

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">(Image found at: http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech159.shtml)