M.S. Information and Communication Technology's Competencies
This program is based on a student centered learning approach and as such each student will develop a statement that identifies their personal program goal. This is an opportunity for the student to look ahead and develop a program that best meets their needs.
Competency #1
Discuss the historical, philosophical, social, psychological, multicultural, and political influences of ICT on a global economy.
Artifacts
Telecommunications in the Conceptual Age View more presentations from Jen Hegna. |
Competency #1 Self-Assessment
Today’s world is immersed with technology. These immersions not only affect how we run our organization or how we learn, but how we create new businesses and compete in a global economy. At the forefront, is the need for high capacity bandwidth. Within our classrooms may be the next inventor of Google, Apple, or Facebook. Limiting students access to high capacity Internet is a detriment to the US’s competitive edge. This topic was contrived after numerous discussions with teachers and technology directors in my region. All too often, district leaders and decision makers have a hard time understanding how bandwidth has a direct impact to classroom learning. This research is to serve as a primer for districts to support more bandwidth in their schools. The second presentation – “Telecommunications in the Conceptual Age” – was presented to district leaders and politicians in Southeast Minnesota in December 2008. State policy decision makers need to understand the impact of bandwidth of schools in Minnesota. This need is even more prevalent in rural Minnesota where access to high speed Internet is very costly because it is not readily available. Yet, due to their small size - rural districts will rely even more on bandwidth to give students the same learning opportunities as those in the metro areas. |
Competency #2
Analyze current issues and trends in ICT.
Artifacts
Competency #2 Self-AssessmentThe 2006 Horizon Report (pdf) indicated that educational institutions had 2 to 3 years to adopt educational gaming within their schools and classrooms. For several years, I have dabbled with Second Life, yet, I had a very hard time understanding the educational value of the tool.
In the fall of 2009, I enrolled into the Learning Technologies course at UW Stout. Understanding second life was a significant component of that course. From that experience I learned that gaming and augmented reality sites - like Second Life - do have educational value. Within this environment, students can participate in small/large group discussions and lectures. I had the opportunity to schedule a couple SL sessions and it was great to actually hear and visually communicate with the professor and other students because in an online program,. Too often the only form of discussion is text based and asynchronous. Communicating with Second Life made the other students come to life! I also had the opportunity to take a virtual field trip and documented that journey above. I can share and present information, participate in simulations, and interact with other people. I can take a walk in the Empire State Building, or tour the great Pyramids in Egypt. Broadband and access to powerful - yet affordable hardware has really made application like Second life come of age. Challenges to K12 The biggest challenge to public education is the dark side of Second Life. There is quite a bit of inappropriate behavior that made me, as an adult, very uncomfortable and I can not imagine setting a group of teenagers on the loose in this new world. There are ways to mute these avatars and report their misuse but Second Life is intended for students 18 and over. There is a Teen Second Life that is intended for 13-17 year olds. However, adults are not allowed into this environment so there may be concerns of "who is watching" the children. |
Competency #3
Relate how the information society affects global social transformation.
ArtifactsDisrupting TCS 702 CollaborativeProject Wiki (link) This is a collaborative wiki edited by 4 students from UW Stout.. |
Competency #3 Self-AssessmentWhat started out as a small group project blossomed into something very meaningful to me! This project is probably my most memorable group project I have ever participated in and it had such an effect on me that later I wanted to pursue the feeling of community in an online classroom. (later research) With our textbook, Wikinomics, being the driving force of our project we used several social media tools to accomplish our task to: “Propose a possible group project that relates to ideas raised in Wikinomics and would address two or more seminar objectives and purposefully contribute toward each team member achieving one or more program objectives.” What started with Google Docs, moved to DimDim, Skype, Jing, Blogtalk Radio, Wiki, Youtube, and VoiceThread. We had utilized several social media tools to develop our project. We overcame distance and other problems (limited bandwidth, computer problems, and busy schedules) to work together and complete the project. The use of asynchronous and synchronous technologies brought forth the human factor in an online environment and this was truly transformative for me! The relationships created using these technologies have proven beneficial as I still connect with a couple of my group members on a regular basis. |
Competency #4
Plan, evaluate, and revise ICT systems.
Artifacts
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Competency #4 Self-AssessmentIn 2008, my school district decided that it was time to look at incorporating a new student information system. This new ICT system would affect every stakeholder in the district, including students, staff and parents. It was imperative that each stake holder be represented in the decision. This research describes the problems and limitations the district’s legacy system and the need for a new system and recounts the steps the district made to make the decision as it relates to information and communication technology processes in organizations. How would the technology affect the organization? How would it affect the end user? How do we gather input from the stakeholders? What about the economics? Was it affordable and what was the return of investment? Finally how would the technology be integrated in other systems? Was it robust yet customizable to address our own district's needs? Integrating this system was a great decision that was supported by all stakeholders. The system has provided new innovative ways to continue to support information, communication, and learning in the educational environment. |
Competency #5
Evaluate and use ICTs appropriate to one's own career.
ArtifactsThe Social Media Project (link) This site was developed using Google Sites and resouces on the web. Disruptive Technology in Education View more presentations from jenhegna. |
Competency #5 Self-AssessmentWithin the course of my education, social media has played center stage to how I learn and how I share what I have learned. This entire portfolio is linked to artifact after artifact of resources developed using social media. As I recognize the importance of social media to my graduate education, I also now recognize the importance it can have to public education
The Social Media Project is a repository of social media tools that I have collected and organized containing tutorial information, specific tools, and examples of resources educators can utilize or follow. The Disruptive Technologies slideshare presentation took this one step further and was used to train teachers (summer 2009) not only how to use these social tools in the classroom but why to use them. |
Competency #6
Analyze the philosophy and principles underlying the organization and operation of ICT enterprise.
Artifacts
Social Media - a computer basedtraining module (link) This site was developed using the Articulate Studio. Competency # 6 Self-AssessmentThe work in this competency is one of my most meaningful works in the ICT program. As I enrolled in each online course (e-learning and ICT) I recognized that I gravitated to some courses more than others. After a successful group project, I realized that the courses, where the sense of community was strong, not only motivated me, but engaged me in my learning experiences.
Some courses were designed around content. These classes required very little student:student or student:teacher interactions. It felt as though I was still in the traditional classroom listening to lectures. I didn’t want to raise my hand to ask questions. I didn’t want to participate in the discussion. In these courses, I felt very isolated. However, in courses where community interaction was encouraged it engaged me and motivated me to share, learn, and produce more! I was delighted when instructor’s used Web2.0 technologies and tools instead of only relying on email and D2L. Environments where student:student interactions and small group projects were used I found to be more meaningful and memorable. This topic was so important to me that I felt I needed to investigate how teachers can build online learning communities in their own online or face to face classrooms using social media and plan to incorporate my findings within my own online classroom. |
Competency #7
Interpret and conduct research to improve the body of knowledge relating to ICT.
Artifacts
Wordle image of research.
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Competency #7 Self-AssessmentWhile participating in a local telecom consortium group made up of K12 school districts , the need to keep members up to date with information became apparent. Traditionally, one or two people would update a website with new information. Enter social networking. Free websites like Ning would allow all users to easily contribute information. Ning also included ways to maintain online discussions, publish widgets, and allowed members to be connected. Using social networking can improve the knowledge of all members. However, how to get users actively involved in this task is not so easy. Even though we were able to get users to become members – we still struggle with keeping the site up to date. The idea everyone contributing is possible, but hasn’t been successful as 1 or two people still contribute to the cause. Is it a training issue? Is it a “buy-in” issue? These are challenges that this group will have to address. |
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