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Educational Technology ePortfolio

Rationale Paper
Christa Brediger
Boise State University
MET Graduate Student




















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Introduction

It is easy for us to imagine that we will suddenly come to a point in our lives where we are fully
prepared, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished. In fact, it is a process that must be
steadily maintained. It is dangerous to become settled and complacent in our present level of
experience.

- Oswald Chambers, The Go of Preparation

Two years ago when I made the decision to begin this journey, I had no idea how real
Chambers words would become. What I have gained technologically and pedagogically through
participating in this program goes beyond anything I had imagined when submitting my initial
application. In the process of completing the Educational Technology courses I was given the
opportunity to join our districts first Technology Integration Advisory Team (TIAT). We began
meeting once a month to discuss best practices in technology integration and how to
encourage fellow teachers to explore educational possibilities using tech resources. The Master
of Educational Technology (MET) program has equipped me with tools, theory, and confidence
to actively contribute integration strategies to both the TIAT and other educators. The MET
program has enabled me to effectively participate in the technological growth of my district in
ways I had never envisioned, like leading professional development trainings regarding
integration strategies, and coaching educators in using specific technology tools to enrich
classroom instruction.

As an educator, the confidence I have gained while being in the MET program is incredible. I
have always had a passion for technology and a desire to use it in my career, but struggled to
integrate it efficiently. It was easy to blame this struggle on the lack of technology available in
my building, so I decided it was time to make a change, take a chance, and write a grant.
Although I did not take any grant writing courses while in the MET program, I felt that courses,
like 504, Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology, and 505: Evaluation for
Educational Technologists, had prepared me with sufficient research based evidence to
articulate why our students were in need of more efficient technology resources. Upon
receiving the grant, we were able to install a new high tech computer lab. This past year
students, school wide, have shown incredible growth as they collaborated on new learning
platforms. My ultimate goal in teaching is not that all of my students score proficient on a
standardized test, though that is always something I strive for, but rather that my students can
attest that I have done everything in my power to set them up for success in their life. I have
witnessed through applying key ideas from this program, that technology is a critical piece in
this process of preparation.

As a graduate student, I could not be more pleased with this Masters program. Although the
program focus is educational technology, I can confidently say that I received valuable
pedagogical training. Courses like EDTECH 505, Evaluation of Educational Technology and
EDTECH 503, Instructional Design have provided rigorous training that has expanded not only
my pedagogical practices but also how I view education from a student perspective.
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This Rationale Paper will unpack the five Association of Educational Communications and
Technology (AECT) standards. I have strategically selected artifacts from each stage of my
journey and aligned them to the AECT standards as evidence of my mastery though the MET
program.
Rationale
AECT Standard 1: Design
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to design conditions for learning
by applying principles of instructional systems design, message design, instructional strategies,
and learner characteristics.

1.1 Instructional Systems Design: Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is an organized procedure
that includes the steps of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating
instruction. In education, instructional design is distinguished from other forms of instructional
planning by the level of precision, care, and expertise that is employed in the planning,
development, and evaluation process (Smith & Ragan, 2005, p. 7). ISD is a specialized planning
model that takes into account characteristics specific to the targeted learner group. The
designer then uses that data to develop an instructional plan that is tailored to learner ability
levels. The artifact that best demonstrates mastery of this substandard is the Instructional
Design Project (ID Project), constructed in EDTECH 503, Instructional Design.

For this project I designed an instructional lesson using a web 2.0 tool, called Animoto to help
my students gain proficiency in using basic organizational features, like creating files and
accessing the student server, on computers. The lesson was designed using the ADDIE
instructional design process (Peterson, 2003). The five stages of this process: analysis, design,
development, implementation, and evaluation allowed me to take a learner-centered approach
in addressing specific learner needs. Analyzing learner needs using multiple sources, designing
lesson objectives tailored to address student needs, and consulting a Subject Matter Expert
(SME) for lesson adjustment prior to implementation show proficiency of this benchmark.

1.2 Message Design: Message design involves planning for the manipulation of the
physical form of the message. Three principles in cognitive science are: dual channels, limited
capacity, and active processing (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 35). These principles make our student-
teacher contact time very critical, especially in e-learning. The artifact that demonstrates
mastery of this substandard is the Reading Quiz, created in EDTECH 503, Instructional Design.
Instead of taking a quiz on the history of Instructional Design, I developed digital post cards
using select graphics to express design models pertinent to Instructional Design. Articulating
each definition and concept through a pictorial representation required strategic planning and
rationale, which show my proficiency of message design. I have used this digital postcard
strategy/activity with my fourth grade students for vocabulary review and in place of chapter
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exams. Students are more engaged in the learning and I have found that they remember more
concepts long-term.

A second artifact to represent skills in this substandard is the Justification Paper, written in
EDTECH 506, Graphic Design. In this course we developed a unit of instruction using graphic
representations to communicate essential ideas. Lohr (2003) explains the importance of being
intentional in designing each aspect of a graphic so students are able to maximize their
research time. By being consciously aware of image justification I notice that both my students
and I are more selective in the images we choose to use to relay information. I have replaced
many pictorial illustrations in my lessons in order to generate a better platform for group
discussion and analysis on a topic. The justification paper highlights the rationale behind the
elements used in each graphic and therefore also shows mastery of this substandard.

1.3 Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies are specifications for selecting
and sequencing events and activities within a lesson. Smith & Ragan (2005) state that
instruction must be focused on specific learning goals. iPad an Idea, created in EDTECH 513,
Multimedia, is a podcast tutorial recorded using an online program called Audacity. The
instructional podcast was designed for teachers in my district, who were using an iPad for the
first time. The podcast breaks down iPad set-up into short steps and allows listeners to pause
instruction when necessary, keeping listeners free of content overload (Smith & Ragan, 2005).
Keeping learning goals and theories like content overload in mind while constructing this
tutorial demonstrates mastery of this substandard.

The Social Networking lesson plan, created in EDTECH 597, Blogging in the Classroom, also
supports this benchmark. In this lesson students use social networking platforms such as Padlet,
My Big Campus, and VoiceThread, to discover the significance of systems and organization in
our world. The lesson is chunked in a way that allows students to reflect frequently over
specific pieces of information to, again, alleviate content overload. At any point in time,
human memory holds only seconds of information before it is passed on to either a long-term
storage area of the brain or simply lostyou can think of chunkingas a type of presentation
strategy useful when considering optimal load (p. 51). The use of social networking to initiate
peer collaboration and self-reflection in this lesson demonstrates proficiency in using
instructional strategies.

1.4 Learner Characteristics: Learner characteristics are those facets of the learners
experiential background that impact the effectiveness of a learning process. Teachers strive to
develop student-centered learning environments (SCLEs). In these environments, teachers may
set the learning goals, but the learner determines how to proceed based on individual needs
and questions that arise (Jonassen & Land, 2012, p. 8). In the Learning Theories paper,
constructed in EDTECH 504, I discuss the Discovery Learning Theory, which follows a
constructivist approach on education. Learners construct their understanding of the world
based on how they interpret different experiences (Etmer & Newby, 1993). The Theories of
Educational Technology paper, written in EDTECH 504, is another artifact that addresses this
substandard. In this paper I dissect the steps that my school district has taken toward
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integrating technology from a constructivist approach. Through this process I have been able to
better understand the vision of my district regarding technology integration. It has helped me
adjust my teaching strategies so that students use technology in order to unpack content rather
than using technology just because it is available. Both of these theory reflections have played
an active role in developing my methods of teaching using learner characteristics as the
foundation and therefore illustrate mastery of this benchmark.
AECT Standard 2: Development
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop instructional
materials and experiences using print, audiovisual, computer-based, and integrated
technologies.

2.1 Print Technologies: Print technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials, such as
books and static visual materials, primarily through mechanical or photographic printing
processes. Lohr (2008) continually emphasizes on the importance of visual literacy in
educational design. She defines it as making information meaningful and memorable (p. 6).
The entire course of EDTECH 506, Graphic Design was based off this principle. The opening
graphic from my Earth and Space Systems unit was used as the insignia for the entire
exploration. Students were asked to make a hypothesis of what each word meant based off its
design. Students had to provide evidence to support their thinking. Each graphic in this unit was
designed to enable learners to develop key concepts in a memorable way. The placement and
design of each graphic utilized to relay essential ideas in the Earth and Space Systems unit
prove proficiency of this substandard.

2.2 Audiovisual Technologies: Audiovisual technologies are ways to produce or deliver
materials by using mechanical devices or electronic machines to present auditory and visual
messages. Research reveals, people have separate information processing channels for
visual/pictorial processing and for auditory/verbal processing (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 122).
Clark & Mayer explain that the Modality Principle states that learners will show greater
cognitive gains when information is presented in graphic illustrations explained via audio. This
allows the learner to focus on the illustration without having to decode an on-screen text at the
same time.

A Digital Story, designed in EDTECH 513, Multimedia, is the artifact I have aligned to this
benchmark. The story highlights the history of the Sun Valley ski resort in Idaho. The video was
created in iMovie and published on YouTube. Viewers listen to a rich narration while viewing
photographs that share the developing personality of the resort. The iMovie follows the
Modality Principle closely, freeing up the viewers processing channels, which is why it
demonstrates proficiency of this substandard.

The Ratio Table, also produced in EDTECH 513, is another artifact that aligns with principles of
audiovisual technologies. This instructional video was developed to help my fourth grade
students organize and solve two-digit by two-digit multiplication problems. It was recorded
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using an iPad app called Doceri and then published on YouTube. By posting this tutorial on my
class blog students and parents were able to view the lesson from any device with Internet
access, which demonstrates mastery of substandard 2.2 audiovisual technologies.

2.3 Computer-Based Technologies: Computer-based technologies are ways to produce or
deliver materials using microprocessor-based resources.

The Virtual Tour, generated in EDTECH 502, Internet for Educators, is by far the best
exemplification of this substandard. Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 was the software used to write
the html and css for this e-learning activity. Through this activity, my students took a virtual
fieldtrip to their pen pals hometown, Seattle. The students wrote letters to their pen pals
asking questions about places they visited on the virtual field trip. Writing code to design and
produce a virtual learning experience for students demonstrates proficiency of using computer-
based technologies.

The Spreadsheet/Database Lesson Plan, constructed in EDTECH 541, Integrating Technology
into the Classroom, is the second artifact to represent this benchmark. The objective of this
lesson is to familiarize students with Excel spreadsheets for the purpose of collecting,
organizing, and articulating information. In this graphing activity, students were asked to chart
birthdays for all of the fourth and fifth grade classes. Research has shown that students who
interact with spreadsheet software visualize numerical concepts better (Roblyer & Doering,
2013). Using Excel software to collect, organize, and dispense information reflects proficiency
of this substandard.

2.4 Integrated Technologies: Integrated technologies are ways to produce and deliver
materials, which encompass several forms of media under the control of a computer. People
are more likely to understand material when they can engage in active learning (Clark &
Mayer, 2008, p. 71). Integrated technologies allow students to engage in ways unlike ever
before. Multimedia presentations allow students to explore content in a highly interactive way.
The Interactive Presentation, designed in EDTECH 541, Integrating Technology into Classroom
Curriculum, best reflects my mastery of this substandard. This presentation features the Lewis
and Clark Expedition. It was produced in Google Presentation and includes audio/video clips,
written text, graphic illustrations, web activities, and quizzes designed on Google Forms. By
including these forms of media, the Lewis and Clark Interactive Presentation shows proficiency
of this substandard.
AECT Standard 3: Utilization
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to use processes and resources
for learning by applying principles and theories of media utilization, diffusion, implementation,
and policy-making.

3.1 Media Utilization: Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning. When I
need to change a brake light or figure out how to make changes to my Dreamweaver website,
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my first instinct is YouTube it! Today, we have access to more online tutorials than ever
before. Tutorial software is an entire instructional sequence on a topic (Roblyer & Doering,
2013, p. 86). A quality tutorial program must offer the learner frequent practice and quick
feedback. The Science/Math Content Area Project, developed from EDTECH 541, Integrating
Technology into Classroom Curriculum, is a collection of media tutorials and resources in math
and science content areas for both students and teachers. This collection of skill specific
tutorials providing resources for both students and teachers demonstrates mastery of this
benchmark. For teachers, I have included a Symbaloo at the end of the project with web
resources organized by color-code system.

3.2 Diffusion of Innovations: Diffusion of innovations is the process of communicating through
planned strategies for the purpose of gaining adoption. To represent mastery of this benchmark
I have selected my Final Synthesis Paper, from EDTECH 504, Theoretical Foundations of
Educational Technology. This paper discusses the dynamic learning environment that is
established when integrating technology from a constructivist approach. This approach
encourages students to develop self-regulated learning skills and strategies (Jonassen & Land,
2013). As I have become more knowledgeable in what the constructivist approach looks like in
a classroom situation, I have been able to slowly tweak my teaching the opportunity to
construct their learning. By doing this, I have witnessed a transformation in not only the
amount of content my students take away but how they approach critical thinking situations.
The Synthesis Paper provides research-based evidence of why constructivism is among the best
learning models in educational environments, which is why it demonstrates proficiency of this
substandard.

The Hypermedia Integration presentation, EDTECH 541, also demonstrates proficiency of this
substandard. This presentation was designed with Doceri software to capture a first hand
experience of integrating hypermedia into classroom instruction. The objective of the video
blog is to help other teachers recognize the opportunities that hypermedia integration unlocks
for learners, exhibiting proficiency of diffusion of innovations.

3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization: Implementation is using instructional materials or
strategies in real (not simulated) settings. Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of
the instructional innovation in the structure and culture of an organization, as stated in AECT
standards. The m-learning Activity, developed from EDTECH 502, is based off the Project Based
Learning model, which focuses on learning in real life situations (Buck Institute for Education).
Through this activity students create a How To video incorporating the use of time, order, and
transition words. This activity provides organized strategies for publishing an instructional video
to a public audience, which shows proficiency of this substandard.

I also include the Spreadsheet/Database Lesson Plan as a second example of mastery in this
area. This lesson allows students to implement and perfect organizational skills, which are
necessary for success in every day life.

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3.4 Policies and Regulations: The AECT standards state that policies and regulations are the
rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional
Technology. The School Environment Evaluation, EDTECH 501, Introduction to Educational
Technology, is the best artifact to represent mastery of this standard. Our district has gone
through extensive improvements and shifts within technology integration over the past four
years. This evaluation critically dissects our district policies and regulations regarding
instructional technology. It was during the completion of this evaluation that I joined my
districts Technology Integration Advisory Team (TIAT) and was able to have an inside view of
the transformation taking place.
AECT Standard 4: Management
Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to plan, organize, coordinate, and
supervise instructional technology by applying principles of project, resource, delivery system,
and information management.

4.1 Project Management: Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling
instructional design and development projects. The artifact the best represents mastery in this
area is the PSE Evaluation Report, from EDTEH 505, Evaluation for Educational Technologists.
Our school implemented a high tech Research and Presentation Center (RPC) with specific
objectives to increase overall student growth and achievement. Following the goal-free
evaluation model presented by Boulmetis & Dutwin (2011), I developed and implemented an
evaluation to assess if the stated objectives for the RPC were being met. This information was
presented to our school leadership team for program review and adjustment. Teachers were
impressed with the growth students were showing from using the resources in the RPC. As
project based learning is becoming more prevalent in teaching methods, the leadership team
decided to create a list of project ideas and technology supports for teachers to reference as
they continue to integrate the RPC into instruction. The process of gathering, assessing, and
presenting information in order to further develop a project shows proficiency of the project
management substandard.

4.2 Resource Management: Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and
controlling resource support systems and services. The artifact that I have chosen to represent
mastery of this standard area is the Technology Use Planning Overview, developed in EDTECH
501. In this post I reflect over course readings on the issues of technology use planning, what I
see happening in my own district, and what is being portrayed by society regarding technology
use. My post explains what it means to plan for technology use and why it is important in the
field of education. This artifact demonstrates mastery of this standard as it involves planning for
future technology use and assessing what is being done currently in an active school district.

4.3 Delivery System Management: Delivery system management involves planning, monitoring
and controlling the method by which distribution of instructional materials is organized . . . *It
is] a combination of medium and method of usage that is employed to present instructional
information to a learner. The first artifact that represents mastery of this standard is the
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Concept Map Assignment, from EDTECH 502. This lesson teaches how to use longitude and
latitude. There are a variety of multimedia resources for students to explore in this assignment.
Since media is changing all the time, it is critical that we maintain our resources. Updating and
refining this web-based resource shows mastery of monitoring and controlling how
instructional material is organized and delivered.

The second artifact representing this substandard is the Worked Example Screencast, from
EDTECH 513. This lesson demonstrates how to use ratio tables to solve two-digit by two-digit
multiplication problems. Smith & Ragan (2005) state that instruction should be designed in a
way that is easily accessible and understandable to the learner. By uploading the screencast to
my class blog, students were able to access it outside of the classroom. I was also able to
monitor how often the video was viewed. Both students and parents showed a positive
reaction to the screencast. Parents shared with me their appreciation of having a short tutorial
available for them to refer to during homework time. Students felt that they were frustrated
less with practicing new concepts at home when they had a live worked example to reference.
Eventually students began to create their own tutorials, which were posted to the class
discussion board.

4.4 Information Management: Information management involves planning, monitoring, and
controlling the storage, transfer, or processing of information in order to provide resources for
learning. The Evaluation for RFP assignment, from EDTECH 505, demonstrates mastery of this
standard. The purpose of this assignment was to evaluate the efficiency of an instructional
training package for school districts. I devised a budget for the evaluation, created and
distributed a survey to participating school districts, analyzed and prepared the data to present
to the distributing company, and provided possible options for reviewing the instructional
program. Planning the evaluation budget, conducting surveys and organizing the data, and
presenting possible steps of action to the company demonstrate mastery of this substandard.
AECT Standard 5: Evaluation
Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to evaluate the adequacy of
instruction and learning by applying principles of problem analysis, criterion-referenced
measurement, formative and summative evaluation, and long-range planning.

5.1 Problem Analysis: Problem analysis involves determining the nature and parameters of the
problem by using information-gathering and decision-making strategies. The artifact that
demonstrates mastery in this area is the Instructional Design Project, from EDTECH 503,
Instructional Design. Using Instructional Design strategies, I conducted a needs assessment of
students to determine what computer skills needed to be sharpened. Smith & Ragan (2005)
focus on two key aspects of problem analysis: analyzing the learning context, and determining
the instructional needs of the learners. After gathering data from student and teacher surveys,
and personal observations, I determined an appropriate learning activity that addressed both of
these key aspects using a web-based program called Animoto.

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5.2 Criterion-Referenced Measurement: Criterion-referenced measurement involves
techniques for determining learner mastery of pre-specified content. I have chosen the
Multiplication Jigsaw, created in EDTECH 502, to represent this substandard. Self-regulated
learners are generally characterized as active and efficient at managing their own learning
through monitoring and strategy use (Jonassen & Land, 2012, p. 173). This activity has learners
investigating one of five different multiplication strategies. Being student-directed, learner
mastery is determined by how effectively the students teach each other their assigned strategy.
Coaching and modeling of thinking skills while working in teams is essential in skill mastery
(Jonassen & Land, 2012, p. 36). Students felt that they gained more confidence in how to use a
given strategy after taking the time to learn it and teach it to others. They found the jigsaw
format very meaningful as they were forced to truly know the concept in order to guide their
peers.

5.3 Formative and Summative Measurement: Formative evaluation involves gathering
information on adequacy and using this information as a basis for further development.
Summative evaluation involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information
to make decisions about utilization. I have chosen the PSE Evaluation Report, from EDTECH 505,
to represent mastery of this substandard. Boulmetis & Dutwin (2011) define evaluation as the
systematic process of collecting and analyzing data in order to determine whether and to what
degree objectives have been or are being achieved (p. 4). The purpose of this report was to
determine if the objectives of our schools Research and Presentation Center (RPC) were being
met. This report demonstrates formative evaluation by using gathered data to determine what
structurally needs to be modified to continue student growth from the RPC services. The report
demonstrates summative evaluation by determining which resources in the RPC are being
utilized most.

5.4 Long-Range Planning: Long-range planning that focuses on the organization as a whole is
strategic planning. Long-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. My Digital Inequality presentation,
developed in EDTECH 501, represents this standard. Four classmates and I were asked to act as
a Digital Inequality Task Force to determine the best way to address this digital divide. We were
given a project budget and asked to rank a set of seven possible options ranging from equipping
libraries to providing free Internet access to the public. Our team collected research to find
what specifically was causing this divide. Using this information we ranked our options,
providing rationale, for which would provide the community the most training to decrease this
gap. As technology evolves and more resources are made available online, educators must
prepare students for jobs not yet invented and to deal with issues not yet created.
Conclusion

The MET program at Boise State University has been a valuable and impressive experience. I
have been stretched as both a student and educator. In reflection of this journey, the most
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influential courses were EDTECH 503, 504, 505, and 506. These courses have shaped not only
how I teach, but also how I view educational tools. The instructors of the MET program
demonstrated how to use technology to maximize student contact time, which addressed my
most pertinent reason for beginning the program. As I began implementing various EDTECH
strategies and tools with my students I immediately observed an increase in their excitement
and engagement. Through discussions carried beyond our classroom walls, my students have
expressed to me that they are learning more than they ever have before, which satisfies my
purpose and drive for being an educator.

To revisit Oswald Chambers words: It is easy for us to imagine that we will suddenly come to a
point in our lives where we are fully prepared, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished. I
am elated with how far I have grown, but my growth does not stop here. I feel accomplished to
have arrived at the end of this journey with so many new tools and strategies to implement in
my practice and share with both my students and fellow teachers. Technology has opened the
door for so many dynamic learning experiences, and I am thankful for how the MET program
has prepared me to actively participate in this unexplored voyage in education.



















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References

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Chambers, O. (1992). My utmost for his highest. Oswald Chambers Publications Association,
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Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction (3rd
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Lohr, L. L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance: lessons in
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Peterson, C. (2003). Bringing addie to life: instructional design at its best.
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Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology
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Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional design (3rd ed.), Hoboken, NJ:
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