680 Course Reflection

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About 18 months ago, I started the Teaching with Technology endorsement program through the University of St. Francis. My first course was EEND 675: Foundations of Educational Technology. My final reflection today marks the last day of the last course in the endorsement sequence, EEND 680: 21st Century Educational Leadership, and my last hurrah in this program.

The ISTE standards have been the common thread throughout every course and each USF adjunct instructor has done a respectable job reminding course participants of their importance in education today. My goal is to continue to incorporate the student, teacher, and teacher-leader standards in my curriculum and be a resource in my school building.

Speaking of instructors...Michelle Nevin, Kristin Beeler, Scott Hagedorn, and Kim Darche were phenomenal leaders in their own right as they helped many of us along this path. I've also had the pleasure of meeting some great educators from all across the DuPage area who have participated in these courses with me. I've enjoyed the countless face-to-face and virtual encounters with many of you and have learned a great deal from your experiences.

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It's fitting that I end the program with this course because leadership has taken on a new meaning for me as I've progressed through the course sequence. Educational technology programs, applications, and platforms will continue to improve, and newer, better things will come along to enhance curriculum and guide student learning. Compared to 18 months ago, I can clearly see the importance of developing better digital citizens in my classroom, maintaining/modeling a positive and ethical presence online, and using technology to address the 4 Cs - communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Part of my job as an educator is preparing 21st-century learners to be successful, contributing members of society.

I doubt I will every move into an administrative role as I'm quite happy being a science teacher, department head and ed tech leader in my building. I endeavor to redefine my leadership role and be a lifelong learner in fulfilling this quote by John Quincy Adams: "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader."