Professional Documents
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Rationale Paper
Rationale Paper
Introduction
I am mother of three busy kids for whom I coach, lead, and volunteer my time, a wife to a
husband who works 24 hours at a time, and a full time teacher. So it only seemed logical then
that this was the perfect time in my life to earn my Master’s degree. I had eight hours each night
from the time I put my kids to bed to the time they had to get up. I had plenty of time, or so I
thought, so my journey began. Two years ago, I made a decision that would lead to two very
fulfilling, albeit busy years of my life. I researched various master’s programs throughout the
country, but I knew Boise State University was “the one” the minute I saw that it could be
I have always been a ‘technie’ person. I was the one who programmed the VCR for my parents,
hooked up everyone’s computers, and took care of the general computer “stuff” around the
house. I even spent a year of my undergraduate program in electrical engineering because the
technical end was so appealing to me. However, when I realized that I needed more interaction
with people, I found a great balance in education. As a teacher, I find every opportunity to
enhance my teaching with meaningful technology. All of these factors made it a pretty easy
decision for me to pursue Educational Technology for my graduate program. Technology comes
so natural to me that I thought I could handle the program with ease, along with all of my other
responsibilities. Boy was I wrong! Talk about a fish out of water? It was me. I had a lot to learn,
but because I enjoyed it so much, I took in every minute of it, and felt my Boise State University
helped me to grow professionally, as well as personally. My journey will end on December 17,
completed during my course work in the EdTech program at Boise State University. This paper
will link each of the assignments to the Association for Educational Communications and
Technology (AECT) standards and explain how each project demonstrates mastery of the
standards, as well as explain my deepened understanding of the use of certain technologies in the
classroom.
Standard 1: Design
Instructional Systems Design is an organized procedure that includes the steps of analyzing,
designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating instruction (AECT, 2000). EdTech 503 was
an instructional system design class teaching the “systematic and reflective process of translating
principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, information
resources, and evaluation” (Smith & Ragan, 2005). Throughout the course of the semester, I
created three projects that helped me deepen my understanding of instructional design, which
started off as little to none. I use a lot of my own materials when I teach, but I also rely on
materials that are already created for me. Understanding what goes into the creation of
I created three projects: Integration of Smart Boards into the Classroom, Creating an Electronic
Portfolio Using Google Sites, and an extension to the second project, Creating an Electronic
Portfolio Using Google Sites. Although I had previously used Smart Boards and Google sites in
the classroom, these projects provided a new perspective into new ways of implementing these
technologies into the classroom. Creating the project from start to finish, instead of just using the
materials made available to me through the school allowed me to use all of the elements of the
project in a meaningful and in depth manner, instead of scratching the surface. I felt like I had
greater control of how it could be implemented because I created it, but I also felt like I designed
quality instruction that either I or another teacher could effectively use in the classroom.
Message Design involves planning for the manipulation of the physical form of the message
(AECT, 2000). In EdTech 504, we were to research an educational theory and consider its
implications in relation to practices of a current technology. Web 2.0 has come to the forefront of
not only education, but also the entire technological world. I chose to write about the
Web 2.0 tools directly relates to the Constructivist theory because these tools allow for a more
student-directed type of learning. Students can expand their learning outside the four walls of
the classroom and take charge of their learning. Many Web 2.0 applications enhance the ability
of students to work independently and take learning to a new level. Because students can use real
life applications to construct meaning, the web 2.0 tools closely adhere to the Constructivist
theory.
Instructional strategies are specifications for selecting and sequencing events and activities
within a lesson (AECT, 2000). Throughout my coursework at Boise State University, I created
many tools for my classroom that fit this standard. EdTech 502 offered ample opportunity to
create sequencing events and activities within a lesson. Two particular assignments that fit such
description are my virtual field trip, Virtually Rome and my jigsaw activity, Genre Study: A
Jigsaw Activity. The virtual field trip required students to start on the home page, receive
assignments, and work sequentially through the field trip. Each tour stop along the way required
participation in a travel journal that, by the end of the project, would have a simulated field trip
to all of the locations in the assignment. The jigsaw activity required collaboration among
students to complete a task. In order for the jigsaw to be completed properly, all students had a
Another project, coming from EdTech 506, was a thematic unit of instruction for language arts.
The Language Arts Review for Ohio Achievement Assessment is a unit of study that students
can use to review areas deemed as areas of weakness. Contained in the unit are six lessons, along
with six web pages, reviewing areas in the language arts course of study. Teachers could use this
Learner characteristics are the facets of the learner’s experiential background that impact the
effectiveness of a learning process (AECT, 2000). In EdTech 501, we explored the “Digital
Divide” or the gap between those with access to technology and those without. The Digital
Divide Memo was created as a beginning step to bridging the technology gap, which has a clear
impact on the learning process. Additionally, I wrote a synthesis about The Purpose of
Technology in Today’s Classrooms. This synthesis made clear the need for technology in
today’s classrooms and outlined its advantages, such as improved student achievement on
proficiency tests, less behavioral issues, greater attendance, higher retention rates, and distance
learning for alternative students (Stratham & Torrel, 2006). These elements point to the necessity
Print technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials, such as books and static visual
504, I reviewed and synthesized a multitude of print resources on the topic of Web 2.0. This
Annotated Bibliography allowed me to offer one resource for student and other educators to
2.2 Audiovisual Technologies, 2.3 Computer Based Technologies, & 2.4 Integrated
Technologies
Audiovisual technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials by using mechanical devices
or electronic machines to present auditory and visual messages. Computer based technologies
are ways to deliver microprocessor-based resources. Integrated technologies are ways to produce
and deliver materials which encompass several forms of media under the control of a computer
(AECT, 2000). In EdTech 502, I created a virtual field trip, Virtually Rome that encompasses
three of these elements in the development standard. The webpage that was created for this
project allowed me to offer students a field trip via the computer, with no fees or permission
slips, and allowed the students to experience Rome. Through the virtual field trip, students were
able to explore the Colosseum, visit the Sistine Chapel and watch a video on its history, tour St.
Peter’s Basilica, and watch a video on the history of Circus Maximus. Through these
technologies, 7th graders went on a field trip that would otherwise be impossible.
Standard 3: Utilization
3.1 Media Utilization
Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning (AECT, 2000). One class that I
was initially skeptical about, but eventually found to be one of my most useful was my YouTube
for Educators course. Through the creation of my own channel in Youtube, I was able to
compile great resources for my students while controlling the undesirable content that YouTube
often carries. The personal channel in YouTube was also a landing site for the videos I created
using the technologies available through the site. I was able to create reviews and interactive
quizzes for student use. The use of a media that is so popular to teens really interests students
and captures their attention academically using something that is otherwise a fun time passer at
home.
Diffusion of Innovation is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the
purpose of gaining adoption (AECT, 2000). Again for this example is the use of the Digital
Divide Memo. This memo, albeit hypothetical was created with a plan in mind on how to bridge
the gap between the “haves and have nots” in a community facing technological inequalities.
Institutionalization is the, continuing routine use of the instructional innovation and culture of an
organization (AECT, 2000). As stated in media utilization, YouTube can be an effective ongoing
tool in today’s academic settings if used appropriately. The use of a personal channel, along
with videos, such as this Parts of Speech Interactive Quiz, allow teachers to use seemingly social
tools in an academic setting and garner real results. Another example of ongoing technology can
be seen in the The Language Arts Review for Ohio Achievement Assessment thematic unit.
Through the use of this unit, students have the opportunity to practice their skills for their high
stakes testing. These tools and their repetitive have made them a part of the culture of our
classroom and the students have been very receptive to their use.
Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the
diffusion and use of Instructional Technology (AECT, 2000). Two activities I created in EdTech
502 were created to address this specific issue. Netiquette in Middle School and Plagiarism and
the Internet are two examples of activities created for students with the intention of teaching the
rules of the internet. Where the Netiquette video is only an overview of proper behavior when
using technology to communicate, the plagiarism website offers a video, as well as an activity
for students to complete. I have used both sites with students and felt that they were able to
Standard 4: Management
Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and
development projects. The three projects from EdTech 503: Integration of Smart Boards into the
Classroom, Creating an Electronic Portfolio Using Google Sites, and an extension to the second
project, Creating an Electronic Portfolio Using Google Sites offer an insight into the entire
project process. These projects absolutely included the planning, monitoring, and controlling of
the projects. All three projects included use of the Smith and Ragan instructional design model,
which involved the three components of analysis, strategy, and evaluation (Smith & Ragan, 2005).
4.2 Resource Management
Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and
development projects (AECT, 2000). In EdTech 501, I looked at the technology plan that was in
place at the school for which I worked. Working with a group of my peers, I created a Tech Use
Plan that detailed the goals, needs, and plan for implementation of the current and future
technology at the school. With a comprehensive plan in place, we were able to move in a
direction that would allow the teachers and technology team to move forward with specific and
comprehensive evaluation for the Couch-to-5K running program. It detailed very specifically,
both formative and summative forms of evaluations, and offered a budget to see the evaluation
through. I feel this project helped to broaden my perspective on evaluation as a tool that is used
Delivery system management involves planning, monitoring and controlling ‘the method by
and method of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner (AECT,
2000). The Tech Use Plan created in 501 was created specifically for the teachers of Blessed
Sacrament school. Since its creation, the plan has been implemented as the primary technology
use plan for the school. It was beneficial to the school because there was a comprehensive plan
in place from start to finish, relieving the stress of creation, and allowing the teachers and tech
team to integrate the plan immediately. Although the plan was put into place, all the teachers still
had input by completing the needs assessment survey. I am confident that this plan was a step in
the right direction towards greater use of meaningful technology in the classroom.
Information management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling the storage, transfer, or
processing of information in order to provide resources for learning (AECT, 2000). Because
Blessed Sacrament is a private school and state funding is not a major part of the equation, it is
very important to seek out alternative sources of funding for technology. Moving Readers in the
WRITE Direction is a grant proposal created in EdTech 551 in an attempt to fund laptop
computers to help underperforming students reach benchmark in reading and writing. This class
proved my most challenging in my entire program. I hit wall after wall because we were a.)
private, reducing funding options, and b.) considered middle class, even though we had a $0
technology budget and a $500,000 loan covering operating expenses that the church could not.
However, we were servicing an entirely new population that did not fit the traditional mold of
private schools. While this project proved very challenging for me, it also turned out to be one
of my favorite projects because of its potential impact on students, technology use, and the
school as a whole.
Standard 5: Evaluation
Problem analysis involves determining the nature and parameters of the problem by using
503 dealt with the integration of Smart Boards in the classroom. While Smart Boards can be a
great asset to a classroom, they can also be a very expensive piece of wall art if not used
effectively. The idea for this project came from a great desire to be the school that had “Smart
Boards in every room”. However, we are a private school, so that meant there were religion
classrooms. The religion classroom got a Smart Board, and well, it looked nice on the wall. The
goal of this project was to help teachers understand how to effectively use the Smart Boards,
even in classrooms that did not really need them to begin with. I felt that this project was one
that a lot of schools could relate to when dealing with the drive for technology.
specified content (AECT, 2000). The Jigsaw Activity created in EdTech 502 is a good example
of this standard because it allows for the learners to work collaboratively to master specific
content. As a teacher, I was able to determine mastery by the way they presented the material to
their fellow students to create the whole. I loved that this project allowed students to not only
take control of their learning and demonstrate constructivist principles, but they also were able to
share their information with other students, giving them a sense of pride in their work.
Formative evaluation involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information as a
adequacy and using this information to make decisions about utilization (AECT, 2000). Seeing
that formative and summative evaluation are the latest buzz words in education, this standard
was something I felt comfortable with even before creating the Evaluation Proposal in EdTech
505. What I learned from this project was not necessarily more about formative and evaluation.
Rather, the evaluation proposal helped me to understand the relevance and prevalence of
evaluation outside of the academic arena. The proposal offered opportunity for extensive
range is usually defined as a future period of about three to five years or longer. During strategic
planning, managers are trying to decide in the present what must be done to ensure
organizational success in the future (AECT, 2000). The Grant Proposal created in EdTech 551
was created with a long term plan in place to use and evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
Through a series of assessments over a two to three year period, student progress would be
measured to determine whether or not the project was making a positive impact on the students.
The proposal planned long range, and was meant to increase student achievement in the future,
The articles in this paper are a reflection of my understanding of the AECT standards, and
provide examples of the implementation of the knowledge of theories and applications that I
gained as a graduate student while attending Boise State University. The knowledge I gained
through this work has not only made me a more effective user of classroom technology, but it
has also given me a deeper understanding of the purpose behind technology in the classroom,
Boulmetis, J., & Dutwitn, P. (2005). The abcs of evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.