Descriptive

Artifact 1 is a Google Earth Studio Project I developed for my PGMT instructional technology design class (EDIS 5070, Fall 2021). I incorporated my creativity and development skills to make a one-minute virtual field trip as exciting as possible. The clip shows my ability to employ video production skills, animation programming in Google Earth Studio, and my vivid imagination to present students with an exciting custom tour of anywhere in the world. I chose to do my Google Earth tour of Rio de Janeiro. Ideally, the clip would have been longer with narrated parts and embedded Google interactivity, but I wanted to create a compelling portfolio product, so brevity was essential. I also wanted to put my production skills and creativity on full display as I believe these are two solid and unique areas that I bring to my teaching toolset. I composed the music, wrote the lyrics in Portuguese, programmed the instrumentation in a digital audio workstation, and sang the song! 

Artifact 2 is a unit plan with an integrated technology component to create a digital book using BookCreator. The tech plan is highlighted in yellow. The design enabled students to use book creator (bookcreator.com), an influential book creation application for young learners. It features user-friendly tools and a workflow that children grasp easily. Students easily grasp the intuitive click-and-drag navigation and can quickly produce content. Students can easily layout the content and make a table of contents, index, or glossary. The program offers an expansive array of options to produce all text features covered in the VSOL 4.6 Reading Strand. They can also insert images and illustrations from Book Creator’s vast library of images and clip art or import their drawings Secondary/ESL and photographs. Students can draw and use the camera to capture a still of anything. Artifact 3 is the same as Artifact 2 but uses VEED.IO, a powerful video editing program for young learners to tell visually compelling stories. Few classroom/lab activities require the kind of in-depth critical thinking to create a product such as a book or a video to deliver a presentation. ELLs and all students have an opportunity to develop and explore and learn new skills to convey a message.

Analytic

I selected these products to demonstrate my educational technology programming and production skills and my understanding of integrating technology design into a unit plan. Artifacts 2 and 3 are the same plans with varying technology-enhanced activities that can be combined or omitted depending on the instructor’s needs, goals, and access to technology resources. The book-creation and video projects are achievable with Chromebooks.

Artifacts 2 and 3 reflect student-centered strategies that support students in applying their learning to create a unique product. Support includes tech and learning support and motivation, and inspiration to be creative. The selected products, including the virtual field trip, show various instructional technologies that engage students with engaging activities and enthralling content.

All students are encouraged to dig deep into their cultures and identities to express their understanding of the material with unique ideas and perspectives expressed in creative and exciting ways. Second, students are required to respect their peers and their work. I believe a safe, inclusive environment helps to foster inspiration and critical thinking. Creative projects may be inherently individual, but they can still employ a collaborative workflow to maintain high student interactivity. I also enjoyed programming virtual field trips with Google Earth Studio. In demonstrating this proficiency, I created a product that showed my vision, passion, and love for Brazil in a context that would not have been possible to convey in a lecture.

Reflective

My instructional technology strengths are creativity and competency in managing and integrating technology in teaching and learning. I have an Educational Specialist degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Missouri-Columbia (2004). My edtech competencies are backed by 20 years of work experience in higher education in edtech positions. My mentors at Mizzou told me I would be a change agent and evolve with technology. I have maintained a high level of production skills, which is demonstrated in the virtual field trip. Increasingly, I see a need for future growth in IT security. As a K-12 teacher, I understand the massive responsibility I bear in safely and securely using technology with students.