ETEC 524, Post #1

Ok, friends, it’s time for me to post my first entry in regard to ETEC 524, the course that prompted me to create this blog. I will start with my…

Introduction
My name is Cinda Boshart. I am the librarian at the Greenville Sixth Grade Center and an LIS student at TAMU-Commerce. I am in my next-to-last semester after taking courses for two years. I am so excited to be in this introductory course and really wish it had fit into my schedule earlier. I certainly have needed and benefitted from the technology courses I’ve had as I had little background knowledge before beginning this degree. I am hoping this course will pull together much of the information and skills I’ve been exposed to thus far and help me refine basic skills I can use both professionally and personally.
I am seeking this degree in order to keep my job as I am presently working under an emergency certification. I love my job and feel qualified for it in many ways. Finishing my degree will give me the knowledge and skills I need to continue learning and growing in the field of library information science. My present goal is to obtain my Master’s degree this summer. In the future, I want to continue learning through experience and other continuing education opportunities. I want to be a qualified and competent library media specialist who successful grows students into effective seekers of knowledge.

My Educational Technology Philosophy
· My philosophy of educational technology focuses on using technology so that all those in my sphere of influence, including myself, are empowered by its ability to provide access to information, technologies, and communication to foster relationships.

· Educational technology should not focus on the acquisition of new technology for the sake of having more tools, but should focus on the knowledge and skills desired in order to reach certain goals for our students and ourselves.

· Technology serves to motivate students, enrich instruction, and increase productivity in a professional setting.

· Technology can add value to a balanced educational program.

· Educators should introduce students to the ability of technology to change lives through information acquisition, sharing, and communication.


Definition of Educational/Instructional Technology
Educational/instructional technology involves theories, processes and tools used in addressing educational needs and problems. It involves designing, developing, utilizing, managing, and evaluating processes and resources for teaching and learning. Simply put, it is any technology used by educators to aid the teaching and learning process.

Roblyer, M. D. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2006.
Newby, Timothy J., et al. Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2006.
Lever-Duffy, Judy, et al. Teaching and Learning with Technology. Boston: Pearson, 2008.

Technology Skills I Would Like to Develop
I would like to learn more about Web 2.0 applications (blogs, wikis, flickr, delicious, voicethread). I also want to get more comfortable using desktop publishing and PowerPoint. I will use these to help students integrate knowledge into real-world projects and to help them build relationships with others with whom they can learn and collaborate to solve problems.
I don’t really feel proficient enough with any technological skills to the extent that I could share with others.

Jay & Cinda Plus Eight (plus Six!)

Here's my family including our two sons-in-law and 4 grandchildren.

My first post~

I've enjoyed reading other people's posts and now it's my turn! I actually had to create this for an Educational Technology class, which is nice since it prompted me to get going and do it. I'm learning to not be so hesitant to use all of these cool technology tools...it's definitely not something I'm drawn to learn naturally, though. I'd rather be spending my Saturday outside in the garden. Want to see what I'm looking at through my window right now? Let's see if I can get a photo of it and then post it here...