Career and Professional Development Plan

I have thoroughly enjoyed the course work requirements for the M.Ed. Learning and
Teaching with a specialization in Instructional Technology. The degree has allowed me
to reflect on the best practices for integrating technology into the classroom. I have
learned some of my strengths and weaknesses and have had an opportunity to
consider my short and long range goals. I would like to share these with you now.
Strengths- Below is a professional reflection in which I explain my current instructional
strengths relevant to a few of the many NETS-T standards that I use in integrating
technology into my curriculum.
NETS-T Standard 5a, b and d
5. Engage in professional growth and leadership
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative
applications of technology to improve student learning
In October of 2014 I was able to present a session on Integrating Apps into the
Classroom at the South Carolina Science Council Conference at the Myrtle Beach
Convention Center. I have led student participation in the Horry County Schools
Technology Fair in conjunction with the Grand Strand Technology Council. In addition I
have led student exhibitions at the Robotics Appreciation Night at the Pelicans Stadium
in conjunction with the Grand Strand Technology Council.
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion,
participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing
the leadership and technology skills of others.
One program that was incorporated at Myrtle Beach High School is the T3 program,
which stands for Teachers Teaching Teachers. I have led several of these sessions for
the teachers at Myrtle Beach High on the use of Technology and Integration of
Technology in the classroom.
d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching
profession and of their school and community
I have had the opportunity to lead sessions on integrating technology in the classroom
and using Apps through staff development for Horry County Schools in June and
August of this past year. I also was able to lead a session on at the South Carolina
Science Council Conference held in October of 2014. In addition I have been able to
share with teachers at my school many of the things I have been learning through the
Instructional Technology Program once a month during our Technology Training
Sessions.
NETS-T Standard 2a and b

2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments

a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity
I have learned to develop websites and use educational platforms for communicating
with students and providing learning materials as well as providing an online
environment to receive and submit assessments. I have created several weebly pages
to assist students in learning content and providing tutorials on various technology
topics. I use Moodle, Edmodo and Blogspot for delivering content, collecting student
work submissions and for student communication relevant to current events in science. I
also provide alternative assessments to students that allow them the freedom to explore
the implementation of various digital tools. Students use basic word processing,
spreadsheet and presentation programs as well as create animations, videos and
simulations which are posted online.
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to
pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their
own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own
progress
I am currently managing a robotics course online that allows students to learn at their
own pace. They also have the freedom to create, program and operate their own robots
in a virtual world. I use Edmodo for students in both Robotics and Honors Chemistry to
assess their own progress in the assignments that I provide to them. In the Edmodo
program I load assignments into a calendar that allows students to monitor their
progress and be informed of upcoming events. The assignments are submitted on
Edmodo and graded and annotated with feedback for the students.
Weaknesses- A few of my current instructional weaknesses relevant to the NETS-T
standards and a specific strategy for improvment include:
NETS-T Standard 2d and 5c
2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative
assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting
data to inform learning and teaching
I have yet to master a successful way to manage the resulting data from formative and
summative assessments to inform learning and teaching. To me this means creating or
allowing for immediate remediation to students for students that do not meet a certain
level of successful understanding of standards.
A specific strategy for me to improve this weakness is that I would like to develop an
assessment tool that is based on if then programing. If a student does not master a
certain standard, as provided for a particular content area by the state or federal

government, then they would be immediately directed to a set of tutorials and questions
that would allow for remediation and a certain level of success before moving onto the
next standard. I would also like for the students (maybe parents) and myself to track
this progress electronically.
5. Engage in professional growth and leadership
c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular
basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources
in support of student learning
At this point in my life I find it very difficult to find the time to evaluate and reflect on
current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of
emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning. I have found that
most of the tools and resources that I use or am made aware of happen by chance.
Either I have stumbled across the tool or it has been shared with me from other
teachers. I have compiled a list of many of these and have shared them with others.
Not having the time is a poor excuse. I must make the time for this area of professional
growth and development. I am more aware of the every changing and newly emerging
research, digital tools and resources that support student learning due to the work done
for this M.Ed in L & T (Instructional Technology). One strategy that I would like to
implement as soon as all coursework is complete is to investigate online newsletters
that highlight educational research and professional practices in order to stay current on
these topics. Subscribing to blogs and newsletters that bring awareness to emerging
digital tools and resources that support student learning would be the first step in
strengthening this weakness.
Career Plans
My short term career plan is to gain employment with the South Carolina Virtual School
program or another online educational program in order that I may teach online courses
from my home in the Republic of Panama. I would like to teach and develop online
science or technology courses without being restricted to location. I am interested in
providing some of these courses in Spanish as well. I have shared with others how the
skills learned and developed through this M.Ed. program have never been more
applicable in training students with twenty first century skills. I feel that this new skill set
has also prepared me to branch out of the physical classroom and into the virtual one. I
would also have to say that I have been extremely excited about the knowledge I have
gained through the program and have been able to immediately implement the things I
have learned into my current teaching assignments of Chemistry, Physics and Robotics.
I have never had an experience that was so applicable and as valuable as this one. I
have been able to implement everything I have learned immediately into the classroom.
My long term career goal or dream is to develop an interactive video game that students
can play in order to learn chemistry content. This idea came to me after a student

missed school for two days because they were playing Grand Theft Auto V when it was
first released. The student was so engaged in the video game that they could not even
put it down to go to school. In school the student was mediocre and disinterested at
best. I would like to be a part of creating a video game that is exciting, fun and
educational. Assassins Creed is a video game that incorporates a great deal of history
into the story line. I would like to create a game that students can play and learn the
Chemistry Content standards from the history of chemistry to each of the standard
concepts. I am sure that it will be met with hesitation since most students just want to
blow something up in chemistry class and I cant imagine that this wont be part of the
game, maybe this will give them that outlet and they would learn something along the
journey? Another long term goal that I have is to use the knowledge that I have gained
to provide consultations to school districts and businesses on the use of technology to
help them in achieving their goals of integrating technology into their day to day
operations.