WPP - Final Overview

This will be my last blog post for CEP-812. Another MAET course concluded! During the course I've been working on my Wicked Problem Project.

The first part consisted in identifying a need or opportunity where technology could make a real impact. I divided the problem in three parts that are connected to the same solution:

Part 1: We’ve had Google Apps in our school for three years now but my teachers still don’t use many of the tools or features that would make their work a lot easier.

Part 2: As Technology Coordinator I have to make sure that all the technological resources available in the school are being used effectively. I wanted to design a system that would give me better control of all our devices and software.

Part 3: I feel that there isn’t enough communication between different subject areas or grade levels of what interesting or creative activities are being done using technology.

What solution did I find for all the parts of my problem?

Incorporate most of the tools that Google Apps has to offer in creating a site where teachers could request assistance and resources and at the same time they could share how their activity went with other members of the staff, I would not only make part of my job a lot easier but also build a functional demonstration of how using Google Apps could be very helpful for other educational tasks and promote their use in the classroom.

To make sure that my solution had the necessary elements to become a good learning resource for my teachers I analyzed it using the TPACK model.

I began with Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK). In this solution, the same tools that I want my teachers to learn are the ones that they will be using on a daily basis for sharing their edtech experiences and scheduling the use of different technology resources. TPK in this case would help them identify similarities and differences of doing tasks with or without Google Apps. I think it will also be a good engagement strategy since they are using the same thing that they are learning.

For TCK, Technological Content Knowledge, the content in this case is Google Apps. You might say that the whole site is a non-linguistic representation of the content, since it's a physical or digital model of the different tools. This will help create a mental picture of the different functionalities.

Finally for Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), this solution has a very practical or kinesthetic approach to learning the content. The teachers will first have the experience of using Google Apps as part of the school's needs to keep track of technology integration. Later, they can appropriate the same tools for their own needs inside the classroom.

Watch the next video to learn more about my WP Project:

GLP - Finished Video

Yesterday, my team mate Alex Gonzalez and I finished our 10 minute instructional video for our Group Leadership Project. It was a good team work experience. I think we both contributed a lot of good ideas and were dedicated to deliver a good final product. It’s even sad about it being over and not knowing if we'll get the chance to work together again. Watch the video and tell us what you think:


Google Apps Scripts PD Presentation from Alex Gonzalez on Vimeo.


What tool did we use to deliver the tutorial? Why?

The great thing about technology is that it no longer matters were you are. For this project we used a great variety of tools to communicate and collaborate. By now, you’ve probably noticed that we’re both very much into Google Apps, so we used some of them for this project. Gmail was an essential part of our communication; it was nice to know that we were just an email or a chat away. We also shared a Google document and created a Google site for our script and storyboard. Collaborating with these apps was really easy! It allowed us to focus more on the content and creation process of the project and not so much in the technology.

We also used videoconferencing tools like Skype and Vyew. I’ve never used Vyew before and it does have some nice features, but Skype has become one of my favorite ways to communicate with others. I could hear Alex a lot clearer and being able to see his screen during the editing process of the video pretty much felt like we were working together in the same room. What can I say, Skype rocks!

For the actual production of the video, we also used a mix of tools. From the commonly known MS Power Point program for visual aids, to screen capturing programs like Screenflow and Jing. Not to mention other not so very essential tools like Photoshop and Soundbooth for editing photos and recording audio.

There are very few projects that I’ve done that required such a variety of tools. It was nice learning experience.

What did I learn during the development process of the final product?

Aside from combining all the tools that I mentioned earlier, I also learned that a well-planned storyboard makes a great difference if you’re creating a tutorial of this kind. It allowed us to organize ourselves better and work our parts at our own pace and time. At the end, putting it all together wasn’t hard at all because we had followed our plan.

Of course, I also learned that you have to be flexible and some things may change when you construct the video. It’s like when you see some clothes that you like in a store, but later change your mind when you try them on. We made some last minute changes, some parts from the script or storyboard didn’t quite fit anymore or we added other elements to make our message clearer.

What would I do differently if I had to develop a similar product again?

The topic of our video reminded me of old times, when I worked as a web developer. I think the video is a nice overview of what Google Apps Script is, but there is still so much more to be said. I would have liked to make more specific short videos of the things we mention. This tool has so much potential, for those that are willing to take the time to program a little, there are so many possibilities for what you can do. Our video can give you a very broad idea of the scripting feature but it won’t actually teach you how to really use it.

Professional Learning Plan CEP-812

Another MAET course concluded. This was the last of the courses from the Certificate Program. After looking back at my 810 Personal Learning Reflections, I remember being very interested in learning more about TPACK and sharing it with the other schools in APDE. I’m glad that we revisited this topic in 812 and that I gave my first workshop about it to the Academic Directors and Technology Coordinators of all the schools on Mach 28th of this year. Another goal from 810 was to promote Mobile Learning in my school. In 812 my certainty of the potential of these tools was even more profound. It’s going to be slow process, but we’re taking our first steps in allowing mobile devices for learning in my school. My PLN has grown so much since I started it in 810. My classmates have been great examples to follow. With each course I get to know more about them and it’s been a great experience to work in group projects with really talented people.


I must confess that I was worried at first to make podcasts and vidcasts for this course. It felt weird recording myself in English at the beginning. I just wasn’t used to it. English is not my first language and although I’ve been learning it since I was in Kindergarten, I always get a little nervous and worry about doing it well. I’m now proud of what I’ve accomplished to do and feel more confident using these methods of communication. It inspired me to volunteer in a school project to design and implement a multimedia studio. I’m sure our students would learn very important skills creating podcasts and vidcasts for several of their courses. With time and practice I want to improve the quality and production of these types of resources, especially to complement the professional development/learning of our teachers. I hope that by the end of this year my school will count with the space and equipment for audio and video production that students and teachers can use.

One of the reasons why I decided to apply for the Master’s program was because I wanted to be a better leader in educational technology in my job and for my country. Improving the educational system in my country is one of my dreams and I know that with the help of technology the children in Guatemala will have better opportunities to learn. The second session of this course gave me some great resources and insight on how to accomplish this. It made me reflect on the eight traits of a Technology Leader: Modeling, Approachable, Informed, Knowledgeable, Risk Taker, Supporter, and Initiator. I want to learn more about Technology Plans and Standards in Guatemala and other countries. I constantly have to plan and give group workshops and also assist teachers individually. I always worry about if I’m doing the right things when it comes to professional development for my teachers. The idea of professional learning (not development!) is something that I definitely want to motivate in my workplace. I’m really excited that I will be attending to my first ISTE conference this year! I believe that these courses have prepared me to make the most of this trip. I can attend to the different lectures, forums and workshops with more knowledge and experience on different Educational Technology topics.

In session three of this course, I really enjoyed exploring all the Date Visualization tools that are now available on the Web. So to finish this post, I decided to use the very popular Wordle app and invite you to visualize my Professional Learning Plan in a word cloud. Enjoy!