Benjamin Perry

3/4/19
EDTECH 592
Artifact Rationale Statements

STANDARD 1 - CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Candidates demonstrate the knowledge necessary to create, use, assess, and manage theoretical
and practical applications of educational technologies and processes.

1.1 Creating: Candidates demonstrate the ability to create instructional materials and learning
environments using a variety of systems approaches.

Students have varying skill sets. As such, it is important for teachers to provide a variety of
ways to approach learning. During Educational Game Design (EdTech 536), I worked with a
group of individuals to develop a Minecraft map and Minecraft Map User Guide that used
several different methods of learning for students. This was done by installing modifications to
the game that added a variety of custom items, quest-giving NPCs, and location-specific
challenges, giving students the chance to work together and advance through the tasks set before
them.

1.2 Using: Candidates demonstrate the ability to select and use technological resources and
processes to support student learning and to enhance their pedagogy.

There are a plethora of technological tools that can be used to support student learning.
Often, I think of big-picture concepts like class management systems, when working to enhance
my student experience. However, in terms of tools that help students connect to a particular
content, RSS feeds have amazing potential. In Intro to Educational Technology (EdTech 501) I
explored not only how to use RSS feeds, but how they could be creatively applied in the
classroom. I took it a step further too, find a way to connect an RSS feed to the media
powerhouse, YouTube. By taking a few extra steps in the creation of an RSS feed many
educators may not know about, I created a simple method to keep up to date with relevant
vloggers and their published content that relates specifically to my classes.

1.3 Assessing/Evaluating: Candidates demonstrate the ability to assess and evaluate the
effective integration of appropriate technologies and instructional materials.

Assessing and evaluating technology integration is an important aspect of the Educational

Technology program as well as in the classroom. In Educational Game Design (EdTech 536), I
was given the opportunity to analyze and review the work of Ph.D. students studying the
practicality of Minecraft as an educational tool in a variety of fields. Students given the
opportunity to join an afterschool Minecraft program demonstrated the viability of this game as a
powerful tool for learning in several fields including physics, mathematics, creative writing,
geography, and programming. By reviewing these materials, I examined how this program could
be used in my own classroom as a valuable resource. While no formal cost versus benefit
analysis was required in the assignment, this artifact spurred me to work with the administration
of my local school to review the viability of migrating our outdated programming curriculum to
include python and java, two programming languages regularly used in the modern world that
can be taught via mods available in Minecraft.

1.4 Managing: Candidates demonstrate the ability to effectively manage people, processes,
physical infrastructures, and financial resources to achieve predetermined goals.

Having had the opportunity to teach a multitude of classes, I found that cheap, reusable, and
effective methods help students improve and are vital in avoiding burnout. During my time as a
student in Educational Games and Simulations (EdTech 532), I studied some of the ways that
games can be used in a classroom. Rather than explore methods that would be expensive to a
school that does not support a 1:1 student to computer ratio, I knew that to take full advantage of
the material, I would need to explore ideas and concepts beyond the digital realm. As it so
happened, I knew I would be teaching a new creative writing class the following school year.
After doing some tinkering, I found a way to teach this class as a low budget, reusable, gamified
experience rather than a traditional writing course. Since then, I have been able to repeat using
this class as an introductory class to creative writing and have even had multiple students ask to
repeat the class.

1.5 Ethics: Candidates demonstrate the contemporary professional ethics of the field as defined
and developed by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology.

During Creating Educational Websites (EdTech 502) I created a Netiquette For Online Use
webpage where I addressed the basic ethics and rules of common technology use. I noticed that
students often have issues not knowing what is acceptable on the internet and what is not ok. By
creating a basic explanation of what is expected and accepted online, I ensured that my students
knew how to minimize their digital footprint while maximizing their online experience.
Similarly, a Copyright Scavenger Hunt was another help that I put together during my time
in EdTech 502. This tool helps students avoid missteps that could have lasting detrimental
consequences. Plagiarism, even if accidental is still plagiarism and ignorance is not innocence.
Using this artifact, students can keep themselves safe from expensive copyright lawsuits.

STANDARD 2 - CONTENT PEDAGOGY

Candidates develop as reflective practitioners able to demonstrate effective implementation of
educational technologies and processes based on contemporary content and pedagogy.

2.1 Creating: Candidates apply content pedagogy to create appropriate applications of processes
and technologies to improve learning and performance outcomes.

While I have had opportunities to teach multiple classes, one class I return to teach regularly
is mathematics in 5th and 6th grade. During my time in Creating Educational Websites (EdTech
502), I created a few web pages that applied to my curriculum. This concept map was one of my
early attempts at making material that I can use in class. Its development helped me to realize
how important it is to be clear and interesting. It has been something I have used every year in
my curriculum since its creation. As a concept that has been an issue most of my classes, having
a digital reminder has helped those that spend the time to work on it.
2.2 Using: Candidates implement appropriate educational technologies and processes based on
appropriate content pedagogy.

Educational Game Design (EdTech 536) provided me with a plethora of experience in tech
implementation and application. A group of educators and I collaborated in the creation of a
server and lesson revolving around teaching physics concepts in Minecraft. During one particular
week, we were tasked with examining different types of interactions that would maximize
student learning. While many of these interactions were dependent on applying modifications
and adaptations to the current Minecraft system, some are available without modifying the game
code. By reflecting on these interactions, I created reliable tasks, quests topics, and learning
experiences to keep my students actively engaged rather than just passively participating.

2.3 Assessing/Evaluating: Candidates demonstrate an inquiry process that assesses the

adequacy of learning and evaluates the instruction and implementation of educational
technologies and processes grounded in reflective practice.

In EdTech 503, Instructional Design for Educators, I worked with another educator to study
students success using the Instructional Design Project. In this project, we focused on a specific
group of students with a particular learning goal in mathematics. Rather than rely solely on our
own efforts, the project was reviewed by content experts in the classroom to guarantee quality in
the learning process. Students were given the opportunity to learn with both traditional methods
in addition to online technological tools. As any good evaluation does, its planning was criticized
and appraised before it was implemented in my own middle school classroom. As a result, I was
able to then compare student achievement using our planned methodology to former student
success alongside the success of their peers who may have learned different methods to evaluate
the same material.

2.4 Managing: Candidates manage appropriate technological processes and resources to provide
supportive learning communities, create flexible and diverse learning environments, and develop
and demonstrate appropriate content pedagogy.

As a mathematics teacher, I have seen first-hand how some students require more buy-in to
the material being taught. Some students devour material in plain text while others struggle even
with a mentor assisting them. However, if you give the struggling student some kind of reward
beyond learning, their work ethic increases tenfold. As a student in Interactive Courseware
Development (EdTech 511), I created several interactive online experiences for students
designed to help increase the buy-in that students have in the learning experience. Rather than
plain, linear learning, I adapted the experiences to include remediation for students that needed
extra practice along with a streamlined process for others that excel. By including both avenues
in the programs, students participated in a flexible learning experience that worked to adapt to
their skill level.

2.5 Ethics: Candidates design and select media, technology, and processes that emphasize the
diversity of our society as a multicultural community.
 Technology is not a respecter of persons, however, that does not mean that everyone has the
same access and understanding of it. As a student in EdTech 502, Creating Educational
Websites, I produced several different web pages. One such page, Web Accessibility, was
designed to show educators and website developers the need for addressing the diverse needs of
our community by providing links to sources that are developed and could effectively aid in the
construction of tools and other websites to meet these needs.

STANDARD 3 - LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Candidates facilitate learning by creating, using, evaluating, and managing effective learning
environments.

3.1 Creating: Candidates create instructional design products based on learning principles and
research-based best practices.

As a student in Interactive Courseware Development (EdTech 511), I focused on creating

tools and products that would effectively aid students and teachers in a particular field or on a
specific topic. As a teacher of mathematics, I focused on a concept that often confuses many 6th
grade students: Volume of a Prism. This gamelet provided concise instruction to students
studying and reviewing the introductory ideas of volume. Rather than leaving teachers with a
program and no training or plans, I made sure that each of the gamelets included a justification
and lesson plan. By doing so, both students and teachers were better prepared as they move
forward in their studies.

3.2 Using: Candidates make professionally sound decisions in selecting appropriate processes
and resources to provide optimal conditions for learning based on principles, theories, and
effective practices.

Virtual tours and field trips are powerful, low risk and high reward methods for students to
experience course content not normally available in the classroom. During my time in EdTech
502, Creating Educational Websites, I was able to construct an unconventional, yet useful virtual
field trip that would allow students to explore different types of graphs they might encounter in
the real world. Each graph included explanations as to what the graph might look like, together
with how one might read and gather information from it.

3.3 Assessing/Evaluating: Candidates use multiple assessment strategies to collect data for
informed decisions to improve instructional practice, learner outcomes, and the learning
environment.

Educational Game Design (EdTech 536) was a enjoyable and thought-provoking way to test
out using Minecraft in a classroom. With a small group of other students, I developed Kaboom!
A short set of lessons built around creating devices that launch blocks and provided students
opportunities measure the amount of force provided in a given direction (up, down, or forward).
A walkthrough of the game is broken into part 1, part 2, and part 3. In this gamified experience,
students were tested using quizzes, quests, and submissions of work to the teacher to confirm
that benchmarking data was collected from multiple sources to ensure the validity of the
demonstration of their knowledge.
3.4 Managing: Candidates establish mechanisms for maintaining the technology infrastructure
to improve learning and performance.

In a modern classroom, ensuring that a school’s administration and staff understands how
technology can be applied is vitally important. Buying a tool just because it is new, does not
make it effective, administrators and educators need to see the value of a tool to make it
worthwhile. In Evaluation for Educational Technologists (EdTech 505) I created a hypothetical
Evaluation Proposal & Response for a fictional company. This proposal demonstrates the ability
to set up an evaluation of programs that a school has in place or may wish to implement for
future use. Similarly, an Evaluation Report was completed, reviewing a local school’s use of the
online learning tool Imagine Math. In doing so, I analyzed the use of Imagine Math as a
remediation tool used in summer school activities. Not only were weaknesses and strengths of
the program's usage identified, but suggestions were made as to how the program could be best
implemented in a regular school day.

3.5 Ethics: Candidates foster a learning environment in which ethics guide practice that
promotes health, safety, best practice, and respect for copyright, Fair Use, and appropriate open
access to resources.

School districts can lose thousands of dollars every year due to teachers unaware or
uncaring of copyright laws. As such, during Creating Educational Websites (EdTech 502), I
constructed a simple Copyright Scavenger Hunt. This simple website demonstrated knowledge
of what kinds of resources fall into Fair Use in addition to what was still covered under copyright
law. As it was designed as a scavenger hunt, the site encourages learners to look beyond the first
page and actively hunt down the answers, ensuring that those who take on the hunt will have a
greater understanding and retention of the ethical boundaries of sharing.

3.6 Diversity of Learners: Candidates foster a learning community that empowers learners with
diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.

Creating Educational Websites (EdTech 502) Web Accessibility showed educators and
website developers the need for addressing diverse needs. It also provided links to sources that
are developed and could effectively aid in the construction of tools to meet these needs . This is
not the only way to meet students’ needs, however. In an age of constant filming and uploading,
YouTube is a powerful source for learning that younger learners are extremely adept with. As
such, I worked to find a way to include YouTube channels in a classroom RSS feed. This
allowed students who may not learn well in a traditional educational setting, to have ready access
to regularly updated videos that can provide information and education in a way not available to
their typical classroom.

STANDARD 4 - PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Candidates design, develop, implement, and evaluate technology-rich learning environments
within a supportive community of practice.
4.1 Collaborative Practice: Candidates collaborate with their peers and subject matter experts
to analyze learners, develop and design instruction, and evaluate its impact on learners.

Collaboration in program development is key in a world of constant change. By

collaborating with known experts as well as our peers, we can work together to certify that any
instructional design helps a learner to grow in the most effective way. One artifact, in particular,
embodies this indicator of understanding. The construction of a Minecraft Physics and Forces
Server during Educational Game Design (EdTech 536). In this case, collaboration with peers was
important as the artifact was developed and tested to ensure that the application was engaging yet
concise. Minecraft uses retro, cube-based graphics to draw students in while using a surprisingly
realistic physics engine that allows students to demonstrate the use of forces and vectors. While
collaborating with two of my peers, I created a world where one can calculate the force of
gravity in a digital world by using simple formulas derived from Newton's laws. Though the
content extended to material taught in college-level classes, I used two modifications to
Minecraft which allowed students as young as 11 and 12 years old to demonstrate an
understanding of physics concepts in a digital world and then apply them to the real one.

4.2 Leadership: Candidates lead their peers in designing and implementing technology-
supported learning.

The construction of a Minecraft Physics and Forces Server during Educational Game Design
(EdTech 536) was no easy task. As the only member of my team that had experience modifying
the game and setting up a server, I took the lead role in guaranteeing that we had a strong
foundation from which we could build. While a little bit of tinkering was necessary to get the
proper setup, I was able to help work with and guide my team toward a common goal as we
worked to develop an immersive world.

4.3 Reflection on Practice: Candidates analyze and interpret data and artifacts and reflect on the
effectiveness of the design, development, and implementation of technology-supported
instruction and learning to enhance their professional growth.

Evaluation for Educational Technologists (EdTech 505) provided several experiences to

examine and interpret data. The most useful to me as an educator was the Evaluation Report.
This activity required gathering data from a number of sources while making sure to keep them
separate as to not invalidate the data. After analyzing the results of using a program like Imagine
Math, I was able to work with the local schools to decide how to best proceed with its use. Based
on the achievement of students during summer school, we determined that implementing
Imagine Math as an intervention tool during the regular school year would greatly increase
understanding amongst students that were struggling with course material.

4.4 Assessing/Evaluating: Candidates design and implement assessment and evaluation plans
that align with learning goals and instructional activities.

Interactive Courseware Development (EdTech 511) provided the opportunity to create a

number of artifacts involving assessment and evaluation. These artifacts all culminated into the
final Muzzylane Assessment and Assessment Plan. These plans combined all four of the
practices and evaluations, ensuring that each one helped to move students toward their learning
goals. The assessments ranged from a Q&A style testing to matching challenges and other ways
for students to demonstrate their mastery of the subject.

4.5 Ethics: Candidates demonstrate ethical behavior within the applicable cultural context during
all aspects of their work and with respect for the diversity of learners in each setting.

During Creating Educational Websites (EdTech 502) I created two major websites that
focused around the ethical and cultural use of the internet and other technological resources in an
effort to aid students. Both were specifically designed to make educators aware of the challenges
they face with online tools. Web Accessibility was a website designed to enable those with
physical impairments to understand how to better access the material educators plan to use on the
internet. The Copyright Scavenger Hunt was designed to ensure that all students do not lose out
on educational experiences due to the loss of tools that may have infringed on someone’s
copyright.

STANDARD 5 - RESEARCH
Candidates explore, evaluate, synthesize, and apply methods of inquiry to enhance learning and
improve performance.

5.1 Theoretical Foundations: Candidates demonstrate foundational knowledge of the

contribution of research to the past and current theory of educational communications and
technology.

Evaluation for Educational Technologists (EdTech 505) provided me the opportunity to

produce a review of the literature: The ABC’s of Evaluation. This artifact shows a breakdown
and analysis of the parts and procedures of evaluation and why it is important. Similarly, during
Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology (EdTech 504), I synthesized and developed
ideas to connect social constructivism and educational technology. Here, I connected modern
theories about educational technology to social constructivism, a theory that has been around for
many years. This is evident in that; social constructivism revolves around the idea that our
understand of the world is determined on how and what we interact with. The purpose of
educational technologies are to widen the bridge by which students interact with the world. With
a wider bridge, students have the opportunity to interact with more of the world and by so doing,
gain a greater understanding of it.

5.2 Method: Candidates apply research methodologies to solve problems and enhance practice.

Humans are always seeking to improve and grow in one way or another. This can be seen in
the evaluation report from Evaluation for Educational Technologists (EdTech 505). Here, I
researched a program as it was being used and analyzed its effects on learners. This has helped
me to better understand what I can do to enhance the learning experience of my students.
Similarly, in Educational Game Design (EdTech 536) I developed Kaboom! This short set of
lessons was built around creating devices to launch blocks and measure the amount of force
provided in a given direction (up, down, or forward). A walkthrough of the game is broken into
part 1, part 2, & part 3. The game used elements that I developed through collaboration with
other students, experimentation, and analysis of Ph.D. studies on the application of Minecraft in
the classroom.

5.3 Assessing/Evaluating: Candidates apply formal inquiry strategies in assessing and

evaluating processes and resources for learning and performance.

In Educational Game Design (EdTech 536) evaluation and feedback were important in
developing a quality lesson. As such, a Review of another Peer’s Game Plan Lesson was an
important artifact that demonstrates improving a learning experience. My review was used by
this group of peers to further improve their Minecraft lesson. By following the set rubric of
evaluation and helping to explain what issues exist in its current format, my peers’ Minecraft
resource was able to be refined and improved for future students to use.

5.4 Ethics: Candidates conduct research and practice using accepted professional and
institutional guidelines and procedures.

Research is an important aspect as one works to improve the application of technology in

education. During Intro to Educational Technology (EdTech 501), I worked with an array of
students around the world as we analyzed the challenges of digital integration into the Hawaiian
educational system. Comparisons were used to evaluate telecommunications limitations, the
state’s cultural push for higher education, and computer access and funding. After examining
these challenges, we were able to provide an analysis of the various methods Hawaii might use
to improve upon and reduce, it’s digital divide.

LIST OF ARTIFACTS
Please list all unique artifacts that were used in this paper. Simply list the course name and title
of the artifact. After the name, indicate the AECT Indicator it is used to illustrate. List the
courses in numeric order. If one of the artifacts is split into two or more parts (for example, the
EDTECH 503 ID project) as you describe it above, you can list the two parts as unique artifacts.
Please number the list so that the total number can be quickly ascertained.

EDTECH 501 - (Educational Technology): Schroeder, Spring 2017

1.The Digital Divide (5/4)
2.RSS Feed (1/2; 3/6)

EDTECH 502 - (Creating Educational Websites): Instructor, Summer 2017

3. Netiquette For Online Use (1/5)
4. Copyright Scavenger Hunt (1/5; 3/5; 4/5)
5. Concept Map (2/1)
6. Web Accessibility (2/5; 3/6; 4/5)
7. Virtual Field trip (3/2)

EDTECH 503- (Instructional Design for Educators): Trespalacios, Spring 2018

8. Instructional Design Project (2/3)
EDTECH 504- (Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology): Yang, Summer 2018
9. Social Constructivism Theory and Educational Technology Research (5/1)

EDTECH 505- (Evaluation for Educational Technologists): Thompson, Summer 2018

10. ABC’s of Evaluation Analysis (5/1)
11. Evaluation Proposal & Response (3/4)
12. Evaluation Report (3/4; 4/3)

EDTECH 511 - (Interactive Courseware Development): Parlin, Fall 2018

13. Design Document (2/4)
14. Muzzy Lane Prism Volume Activity (3/1)
15. Prism Volume Lesson Plan (3/1)
16. Muzzy Lane Matching Game (4/4)
17. Matching Perimeter, Area, and Volume (4/4)

EDTECH 532 - (Educational Games and Simulations): Haskell, Spring 2017

18. Pathfinder, Creative Writing at Play (1/4)

EDTECH 536 - (Educational Game Design): Baek, Spring 2017

19. Minecraft Map User Guide (1/1; 4/1; 4/2)
20. Minecraft Education Parts 1 & 2 (1/3)
21. Minecraft Lesson: Kaboom! Walkthrough (3/3; 5/2)
22. Peer Review Minecraft Lesson and Location (5/3)
23. Ideas for Interaction (2/2)