Technology Vision Statement
For as long as I can remember, I always wanted a piano. In third grade, I finally got a piano and started taking lessons. I have no idea where this desire came from, but it was always there. Since I had a good musical foundation, when I started having actual music classes in school, I was ahead of the game. This gave people(including myself) the impression that I was good at music. That head start gave me confidence in what I was doing. Even though I knew it was where I fit, I struggled with performance anxiety throughout high school and college. I am convinced that I continued in music out of a desire to conquer that fear. While it will always be a struggle for me, it has taught me that if perfection is the goal, you will always feel like a failure.
Many of today's teachers learned to teach without the technology to which they currently have access. They lack the background knowledge in technology to give them the confidence to try. Many teachers who know how to use the technology they possess, have trouble taking technology beyond a surface level. They stop short of implementing technology in a seamless and authentic way for many reasons, like lack of time and fear of failure. What I want them to know is that with technology, there is no failure, only experience.
I finished my master's degree in educational technology in 2013. I originally chose this degree because I have always been interested in technology, but also because I enjoy it. I have spent countless evenings and after school hours attempting to create affordable versions of technology that I could not purchase. When smart boards first came out, I found tutorials detailing how to create your own interactive board using Nintendo wii remotes and infrared pens. I was able to get one working, but things like that don't always work out in the long-term due to software incompatibilities and outdated equipment. Re-purposing technology doesn't always work out, but it often leads to something that does.
I want to be the buffer that makes working with technology safer. As a music teacher, most of the technology I have is re-purposed from its original intent. Integrating technology into teaching takes the ability to see beyond what something is marketed for into it's possibilities for individual teachers. This takes time, something that not a lot of teachers have, and the creativity to see beyond a product's possible limitations.
Many of today's teachers learned to teach without the technology to which they currently have access. They lack the background knowledge in technology to give them the confidence to try. Many teachers who know how to use the technology they possess, have trouble taking technology beyond a surface level. They stop short of implementing technology in a seamless and authentic way for many reasons, like lack of time and fear of failure. What I want them to know is that with technology, there is no failure, only experience.
I finished my master's degree in educational technology in 2013. I originally chose this degree because I have always been interested in technology, but also because I enjoy it. I have spent countless evenings and after school hours attempting to create affordable versions of technology that I could not purchase. When smart boards first came out, I found tutorials detailing how to create your own interactive board using Nintendo wii remotes and infrared pens. I was able to get one working, but things like that don't always work out in the long-term due to software incompatibilities and outdated equipment. Re-purposing technology doesn't always work out, but it often leads to something that does.
I want to be the buffer that makes working with technology safer. As a music teacher, most of the technology I have is re-purposed from its original intent. Integrating technology into teaching takes the ability to see beyond what something is marketed for into it's possibilities for individual teachers. This takes time, something that not a lot of teachers have, and the creativity to see beyond a product's possible limitations.