Runninghead:BASECAMPREFLECTIONANDRATIONALE

BaseCampReflectionandRationale:

http://markflancbaum.weebly.com/

MarkFlancbaum

April4,2015

UniversityofColorado,Denver


BASECAMPREFLECTIONANDRATIONALE

Ihavealwaysbeenpassionateabouteducation.FromthetimeIwasayoungstudenttonowasa
teacher,Ihavevaluededucation.Ididnotalwaysplantobeateacher.Infact,my
undergraduatedegreeisincomputerscience.Ilovedthetechnologycomponentofcomputer
science,butitwasnottherightfitforme.Thatledmeintothefieldofeducation.After
graduatingwithmyelementaryteachingcertificate,IbeganmyteachingcareerinWesley
Chapel,Florida.ItaughtfourthgradeforfiveyearsinFlorida.Aftermeetingmywife,I
relocatedtoDenver,ColoradoandbeganteachingfourthandfifthgradeatBrownInternational
Academy.

IknewIwantedtogetmymastersdegree.However,Iwentbackandforthoverwhichdegreeto
pursue.Finally,IdecidedIcouldcombinetwoofmypassionsthroughtheILTprogramatthe
UniversityofColorado,Denver:educationandtechnology.Althoughmydecisiontookalong
timetomake,Ihavenotregretteditforonemoment.

Basecampgoals
Mybasecampislocatedat:
http://markflancbaum.weebly.com/
Itservesasasinglelocationfor
metodevelopmyonlinepresence.Mygoalsformybasecampare:

1. Representmyselfasaprofessionalinasingle,onlinelocation
2. Showcasemyeducationalandprofessionalwork
3. Contributeideastotheeducationaltechnologylearningcommunity
4. Designmybasecampwithsimplicityandprofessionalism

Basecamprationale
IdesignedmybasecampusingprinciplesIlearnedintheILTprogram.Myhomepage
representsthequalityofsimplicity.Iwantedvisitorstobeabletoaccessallmycontentthrough
thehomepage.Iorganizedmysiteintosixcategories:AboutMe,ProfessionalWork,Thoughts
(MyBlog),ProfessionalLearningNetworks,Rsum,andContact.Eachcategoryiseasily
accessiblefromthehomepage.Ialsodesignedmybasecamptoincludeonlyessentialitems.I
excludeddesignelementsthatcreatedclutter.Ideletedunnecessarycontentinmydescriptions.
Finally,Idesignedmybasecamptobeconsistent.Ireviewedthesiteagainandagaintocheck
forconsistencyinfont,colors,design,andlayout.Icreatedconsistentlookingpagesand
consistencybetweenpages.

Iviewmybasecampasanevolvingspacethatisneverfinished.Iaskedbothtechnology
leadersandfriendsandfamilyoutsidethetechnologyfieldtocritiquemysite.Iaskedfor
generalfeedbackandfeedbackspecifictomydesignprinciples.TableAhighlightsthefeedback
Ireceived.


BASECAMPREFLECTIONANDRATIONALE

TableA:FormativeEvaluation

Reviewer

Feedback

Reviewer#1

Someofyourdescriptionsofyourworkarelong,especiallyifyoualso
haveapapertogoalongwithit.

Iwouldtrytomakeyourheadingslookmoreprofessionalinsteadofjust
underlinedtext.

IwouldgetridofthenumbersforthedescriptionsofReflectivePractice,
Technology,etc.

Reviewer#2

Couldyoumakeitsoyoudonthavetoscrolldownonyourhomepageto
seeeachoftheoptions?

Reviewer#3

Thealignmentofthewordsonyourhomepageseemtobeslightlyoff.

Resume=Rsum

Unnecessaryspacingbetweenprojects.

Reviewer#4

OntheAboutMepage,spacingbetweentheimageandvideolooksalittle
awkward.

ThefeedbackIreceivedwasvaluableinimprovingmybasecamp.Ibelieveusingformative
assessment,alongwithprinciplesacquiredthroughtheILTprogram,allowedmetocreatea
professional,userfriendlybasecampforpeopletolearnaboutme.

Competencies
IorganizedmyprofessionalworktodemonstrateachievementoftheILTcompetencies.I
completedmostoftheshowcasedworkasILTcourseassignments.Someoftheartifactswere
inspiredbytheILTprogram,butweredoneonmyowninmyprofessionalsetting.Ibelieve
eachartifactaddressesseveralcompetencies.However,Ifocusedononlyonecompetencyper
artifact.

ReflectivePractice
DuringmytimeintheprogramIgrewinmyreflectivepractice.Ihavealwaysconsidered
myselfareflectiveperson.However,theILTprogramchallengedmetoreflectinwaysIhadnot
donesobefore.IreflectedforthefirsttimeonwhoIwasasadesignerandatechnologyleader.
MyArtistStatementisoneexampleofthistypeofreflection.Ialsoreflectedoftenontheequity
ineducation.Icompletedseveralprojectsthatfocusedonpeoplewhoarehistorically


BASECAMPREFLECTIONANDRATIONALE

marginalized.InmyTrendsReflectionIcomparetheinequitiesbetweentwoofmystudents.
ThroughmyInfographicIexploreinequalitiesinchildrensrights.

Alongwiththeproducts,theprocesseswithinmycoursesallowedmetogrowinmyreflective
practice.Mostprojectsrequiredmetoformativelyevaluateotherswork.Inturn,myworkwas
critiquedbymyclassmates.Thisformativefeedbackloopinstilledinmeagrowthmindset
towardmywork.Ilookedatmyworkasbeinginprogressratherthancompleted.Ibelievethis
reflectivestanceimprovedtheoverallqualityofmyworkandwillimprovemyworkgoing
forward.

Technology
WhenIbegantheILTprogramIconstantlywantedtoknowwhattoolsIshouldbeusing.While
Istillbelievetoolsareimportant,myviewhaschanged.Toolsareconstantlychanging.
Adaptingtonewtechnologiesandchoosingthebesttoolsforthetaskismoreimportantthan
simplylearningnewtools.

Ihaveusedandlearnedmanytechnologytoolsduringmycoursework.MyprojectsinCreative
Designsrequiredmetouseseveraltoolsforeachproject.IusedPowerPointtocreatemy
infographic.AlthoughIhadusedPowerPointbefore,Ihadneverusedittocreatesuchadetailed
visual.IusediMovieextensivelyforseveralprojects.GarageBandwasusefulforaudio
components.Ialsousedseveralwebbasedtoolsintheprogram.PowToonandWeVideowere
excellentadditionstomytoolbox.IspentalotoftimehelpingmystudentsandstaffuseGoogle
Driveeffectively.IusedtheHaikuLearningPlatformtocreateanonlinecourseandWeeblyto
createseveralwebsites.Thislistonlyscratchesthesurfaceofmytechnologycompetencies.
WhenIreviewmyportfolioIseemanyofthesetoolsondisplay.Mymajortakeawayhowever,
isthattoolschange.Itisthepersonusingthetoolswhoneedstheskillstoadapttonew
technologiesandchooseappropriatetoolsforthetask.

LearningandInstruction
IfirstlearnedaboutaboutalignmentinLenScrogansassessmentcourse.Irememberthinking
therewasoftenamisalignmentbetweenobjectives,activities,andassessmentsinmy
professionalsetting.Learningsufferswhenthisisthecase.Itiscriticaltocreateinstructionthat
isinalignment,andIhavestrivedtodosoeversince.OneprojecthighlightingthisistheunitI
designedtogowithmydigitalstory.IntheunitIwascarefultoalignmyobjectives,activities,
andassessments.AnotherprojectthatshowcasesalignmentismySharingthePlanetonline
course.Intheonlinecoursethereisastrongalignmentbetweentheobjectives,activities,and
assessments.Inmyprofessionalsetting,therearesometimesinstanceswhereIamunableto
alignoneoftheseelements.Forexample,apoorlyalignedtestassignedbythedistrictorstate.
However,whenIdohavecontrol,Iwillalwaysdesignwithalignmentinmind.


BASECAMPREFLECTIONANDRATIONALE

Mydesignofinstructionalmaterialshasalsobecomemoreintentional.Asaninstructional
designer,IusetheADDIEmodel.InthepastIneglectedthefirstandlastphaseofADDIE.I
wouldnotdoastrongenoughanalysisofmylearners.Iwouldalsomoveontooquicklybefore
evaluatingwhatIhaddone.UsingtheADDIEprocesshashelpedmeimprovemyinstructional
design.Morethananything,Ihaveimprovedinmyformativeassessmentoflearningwhichruns
througheachstageoftheADDIEprocess.TheinstructionalmaterialsIcreate,andunitsIdesign
arestrongerduetomygrowthinlearningandinstruction.

CreativeandSocialMedia
BeforethisprogramIwouldhaveneverconsideredmyselfadesigner.TheCreativeDesigns
coursechangedmythinking.ThereadingsintheCreativeDesignscourseprovidedmewitha
strongfoundationfordesigningeffectively.Inparticular,HeathandHeaths
MadetoStick
and
Reynolds
PresentationZen
influencedmegreatly.Ilearnedwhateffectivedesignlookslike
andbegantoimplementitintomywork.IfindmyselfconsideringdesignineachlessonIcreate
formystudents.ThreeprojectsshowcasingintentionaldesignareHaveaDream,my
infographic,andmyArtistStatement.IntheseprojectsImadeintentionaldesigndecisions.In
HaveaDreamandmyinfographicIdocumentedthosedecisionsinadesigndocument.

SocialmediaisanareainwhichIcontinuetogrow.Itendtochoosenottousesocialmedia
muchinmypersonallife,andsoithasbeenachallengetoimplementitinmyprofessionallife.
Bloggingonmybasecamphasbeenanexcellentstart.Ialsohavedesignedonlinesocial
learningexperiencesformystudents.Oneexampleisstudentsprovidingfeedbacktoeachother
ontheirdigitalwork.Anotherexampleisaninquiryblogwherestudentsareabletoaskinquiry
questionsandanswertheirclassmatesquestions.

Inowconsidermyselfadesignerwhoisabletoapplystrongdesignprinciplestomywork.

InquiryandChange
InquiryisthedrivingphilosophyintheschoolIteach.Howeverbefore,Ionlythoughtof
inquiryasaprocessIledmystudentsthrough.NowIseeitasaprocessIcanandshouldgo
throughtopromotepositivechanges.

DuringtheprogramIcompletedseveralprojectsaimedtoimproveprofessionalpractice.Inmy
actionresearchprojectIexploredtherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandwritingattitudes.
IcompletedseveralchangeprojectsimplementingandthenimprovingtheuseofGoogleDrive
atmyschool.IalsocompletedaprojectwhereIexploredhowdigitalbadgesaffectedstudent
outcomesinmyclassroom.TheformalchangeprojectsIcompletedhavehelpedtoingrainthe
inquiryprocessinme.Inowfindmyselfcompletingtheinquiryprocessinformallyinmy
classroomonaregularbasistopromotechange.


BASECAMPREFLECTIONANDRATIONALE

ProfessionalLearningandLeadership
IbelieveprofessionallearningandleadershiptobeoneofthecompetenciesinwhichImadethe
mostsignificantgrowth.BeforeIwascontenttostayinmyclassroomwithmystudents.
ThroughtheILTprogramIhavetakenonmanyleadershiprolesinmyschool.FirstIcreateda
technologycommitteeatourschool.AfterthatIledanefforttohelpimplementationofGoogle
Drive.GoogleDrivebecameacommoninitiative.IledseveralmoreGoogleDriverelated
projects.DuringtheprogramIranwholestaff,smallgroup,andindividualprofessional
developments.Ialsocollaboratedwithmysupervisorsandcolleaguestosolveproblemsatour
school.BeforethisprogramIwaslookedatasastrongteacher.NowIamseenasaleaderin
ourbuilding.

Reflection
WhenIbegantheILTprogramIlikedtheideaofcombiningmypassionsofeducationand
technology.BeyondthatIdidnotknowexactlywhatIhopedtoaccomplishotherthanearninga
mastersdegree.AsIprogressedthroughtheprogramthepictureofwhatIwantedtoachieve
becameclearer.Iwanttobealeaderinthefieldoftechnology.IbelieveIhavepreparedmyself
todojustthat.Thereisnoonethingthatcouldpreparemetobeatechnologyleader.Instead,
theculminationofmyexperiencesintheILTprogramhavegivenmethefoundationtobe
successful.TheILTprogrampresentedmewithmanychallenges.Iwasabletoovercomeeach
challengethatcamemyway.TheprocessofovercomingthesechallengesiswhatIbelievebest
preparedmeformyfutureintheeducationaltechnologyfield.Iknowwhateverproblemscome
myway,Iwillhavetheskills,experience,anddeterminationtosolvethem.

Idonotknowexactlywheremycareerwilltakeme.IbelieveIwilltransitionintoatechnology
relatedpositionintheupcomingyears.Ihopetostayinthefieldofeducation,butamopento
technologyjobsoutsideofeducation.IhavelearnedthroughthisprogramthatIenjoy
supportingothersmorethanbeingthepersoninthespotlight.Iwilllookforatechnology
positionwhereIcanbeinasupportrole.IamgratefulformyexperienceintheILTprogram.It
hasbeenchallenging,yetmeaningfulandrelevant.Ihavelearnedagreatdealfrommy
professorsandcolleagues,andIbelieveIampreparedforwhatevercomesnext.