Statement of Goals

The area I need to work on is my Professional Preparation, specifically in Planning and Designing Learning Environments. The prescribed action I’d like to focus on is “needs to start trying out available educational H/W and S/W”. Here is the breakdown of my SMART goal:

Specific - I’ve set this goal because even though I’m hesitant to try out new things, my comfort level increases once I’ve had some exposure to it. If I took the plunge and forced myself to see what’s available, I would be more likely to have the desire to use the technology. The first step I’d take would be to just experiment with the software (ie. MarkBook) on our laptops – to find out what is actually out there. Even though our laptops are loaded with software, I haven’t taken the time to look through any of them. I will aside a specific time after school to explore on a regular basis. Another way I will try out available educational technology is through my action research project. I will be working with a student with language difficulties, specifically, issues with vowel recognition. The SERT teacher at my school has directed me to software and websites (www.starfall.com)I can use to help the student. I would like to achieve my goal of trying out available educational technology by the end of the term, by working both at home and at my PDS site.


Measurable – For sure, my goal is measurable in time. I’d like to start by spending two hours a week exploring the software on my laptop. After a couple of weeks, I will re-evaluate the amount of time I’ve spent and perhaps devote more time if needed. I think it would also be measurable in terms of the number of times I use technology to teach in my next practicum, in comparison to my last practicum. If the frequency of use increases, it would be safe to assume that I’ve succeeded in my goal.

Achievable – The goal is most definitely achievable. As long as I remain dedicated to spending time and effort in exploring available software, I will be successful.

Realistic – For the most part, I think my goal is a realistic one. The B. Ed. Program is extremely busy and tiring, but I would be willing to devote time to trying out software and hardware. I do believe that in the end, it would make me a more well-rounded educator, which is incentive enough for me to realize this goal.

Tangible/Timely – I will be able to see and feel the results as I meet my goals, as my proficiency and comfort level increases. The timeline I have set is reasonable because I would need to be knowledgeable enough in the language software to complete my action research project. Although my deadline is set for the end of the term (April), I intend to keep on exploring beyond this timeline. Since technology is always changing and advancing, I hope to be a lifelong learner, always improving myself and increasing my knowledge of new technologies.