Mentored Community Engagement Experience
As I have mentioned in the introduction, I am focusing on community engaged teaching and learning through working with LATTICE during the 2013/2014 academic year as part of my graduate assistantship work that required me to spent 10 hours /week for this work. In this mentored experience, i was working closely with Matinga Ragatz, MA.: the 2010/2011 Michigan Teacher of the Year, who is the LATTICE Session Director.
Prior to taking the position as the LATTICE graduate coordinator, I have been a regular member since 2007. In 2009, I was voted to be a member of Board of Directors until August 2013. I agree to take the graduate coordinator position because as someone who has been involved with LATTICE both as a member and as part of the Board of Directors, I see that LATTICE need to have a progressive change in the organization, especially on how the session is designed and conducted throughout the academic year in order to revive the spirit and the vision of LATTICE. This is the societal issue in LATTICE that i was addressing with my mentored community engagement experience. Fitzgerald et.al. (2005) argues that engagement between university and public/private sector should aim, among others, to address critical societal issue.
Other concerns that LATTICE needs to address include: helping teachers to become global educators and the integration of technology in their classroom teaching and learning activities. Gaudelli (2003) defines global education as "a curriculum that seeks to prepare students to live in a progressively interconnected world where the study of human values, institutions, and behaviors are contextually examined through a pedagogical style that promotes critical engagement of complex, diverse information towards socially meaningful action." For teachers to be effective global educators, it is essential to understand the concept of global education and how that looks like in the classroom.
Prior to taking the position as the LATTICE graduate coordinator, I have been a regular member since 2007. In 2009, I was voted to be a member of Board of Directors until August 2013. I agree to take the graduate coordinator position because as someone who has been involved with LATTICE both as a member and as part of the Board of Directors, I see that LATTICE need to have a progressive change in the organization, especially on how the session is designed and conducted throughout the academic year in order to revive the spirit and the vision of LATTICE. This is the societal issue in LATTICE that i was addressing with my mentored community engagement experience. Fitzgerald et.al. (2005) argues that engagement between university and public/private sector should aim, among others, to address critical societal issue.
Other concerns that LATTICE needs to address include: helping teachers to become global educators and the integration of technology in their classroom teaching and learning activities. Gaudelli (2003) defines global education as "a curriculum that seeks to prepare students to live in a progressively interconnected world where the study of human values, institutions, and behaviors are contextually examined through a pedagogical style that promotes critical engagement of complex, diverse information towards socially meaningful action." For teachers to be effective global educators, it is essential to understand the concept of global education and how that looks like in the classroom.
In nowadays digital era, it is necessary for educators to master and incorporate technology in their classroom teaching and learning more than ever before. Koehler and Mishra (2009), who developed the concept of TPACK (see diagram on the left), define technology knowledge (TK) as:
"Knowledge about certain ways of thinking about, and working with technology, tools and resources. Working with technology can apply to all technology tools and resources. This includes understanding information technology broadly enough to apply it productively at work and in everyday life, being able to recognize when information technology can assist or impede the achievement of a goal, and being able to continually adapt to changes in information technology." Upon understanding the technology knowledge concept, Koehler and Mishra (2009) take us a little further to understand the concept of Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) which they describe as, "an understanding of how teaching and learning can change when particular technologies are used in particular ways. This includes knowing the pedagogical affordances and constraints of a range of technological tools as they relate to disciplinarily and developmentally appropriate pedagogical designs and strategies." |
This technological pedagogical knowledge is what we want to nurture at LATTICE through our monthly sessions in 2013/2014 academic year. I believe the effective way to assist educators to cope with their needs to incorporate technology in their teaching and learning activities as well as in their becoming global educators is through an on-going professional development that is conducted within the context of their day to day school operation.
For this matter, my mentored experience with LATTICE was focusing on establishing a conducive and productive professional learning community that can help its members to find solutions to the problems they are facing in the school context and beyond.
Newmann et.al. (2000) state that a strong professional community consists of: a. The staff sharing clear goals for students learning b. Collaboration and collective responsibility among staff to achieve the goals c. Professional inquiry by the staff to address the challenge they face d. Opportunities for staff to influence the school's activities and policies. |
References (for all pages in LATTICE)
Doberneck, D. M., Glass, C. R., & Schweitzer, J. H. (2010). From rhetoric to reality: A typology of publicly engaged scholarship. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 14(5), 5-35.
Doberneck, D. M., Glass, C. R., & Schweitzer, J. H. (2012) Beyond activity, partner, and place: How publicly engaged scholarship varies by
intensity of activity and degree of engagement. Journal of Community Engaged Scholarship 4(2), 18-28.
Emery, M., Fey, S., & Flora, C. F. (2006). Using community capitals to develop assets for positive community change. CD Practice, No. 13.
Flora, C.B. & Flora, J. (2012). Rural Communities, 4th edition. Iowa State University Press.
Fitzgerald, H E., Smith, P., Book, P., Rodin, K. (2005). Engaged Scholarship: A Resource Guide. Draft Report submitted to the Committee on
Institutional Cooperation. In Glass, C. R., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2010). Engaged scholarship: Historical roots, contemporary challenges.
In H. E. Fitzgerald, C. Burack & S. Seifer (eds). Handbook of engaged scholarship: Contemporary landscapes, future directions. Vol. 1: Institutional change. East Lansing, MI: MSU Press.
Gaudelli, W. 2003. World Class: Teaching and Learning in Global Times. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Himmelman, A. T. (2002). Collaboration for change: Definitions, decision-making models, roles, and collaboration processes. Available at:
http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/4achange.pdf
Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.
Kretzmann, J. & McKnight, J. (1993). Building communities from the inside out: A path towards finding and mobilizing a community’s assets.
Chicago, IL: ACTA Publications.
Michigan State University. (1998-1999). The Several Forms of “Community Mapping.” Best Practice Brief #4. University Outreach and
Engagement: East Lansing, MI. Available at: http://outreach.msu.edu/bpbriefs/issues/brief4.pdf.
Newmann, F., King, B., & Youngs, P. (2000). Professional development that addresses school capacity: Lesson from urban elementary schools.
American Journal of Education, 108(4), 259-299.
Stanton, T. K. (2008). New times demand new scholarship: Opportunities and challenges for engagement in research universities. Education,
Citizenship, and Social Justice 3(1), 19-24.
Sonka, S. T., Lins, D. A., Schroeder, R. C., & Hofing, S. L. (2000). Production agriculture as a knowledge creating system. International Food and
Agribusiness Management Review, 2, 165-178.
Doberneck, D. M., Glass, C. R., & Schweitzer, J. H. (2012) Beyond activity, partner, and place: How publicly engaged scholarship varies by
intensity of activity and degree of engagement. Journal of Community Engaged Scholarship 4(2), 18-28.
Emery, M., Fey, S., & Flora, C. F. (2006). Using community capitals to develop assets for positive community change. CD Practice, No. 13.
Flora, C.B. & Flora, J. (2012). Rural Communities, 4th edition. Iowa State University Press.
Fitzgerald, H E., Smith, P., Book, P., Rodin, K. (2005). Engaged Scholarship: A Resource Guide. Draft Report submitted to the Committee on
Institutional Cooperation. In Glass, C. R., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2010). Engaged scholarship: Historical roots, contemporary challenges.
In H. E. Fitzgerald, C. Burack & S. Seifer (eds). Handbook of engaged scholarship: Contemporary landscapes, future directions. Vol. 1: Institutional change. East Lansing, MI: MSU Press.
Gaudelli, W. 2003. World Class: Teaching and Learning in Global Times. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Himmelman, A. T. (2002). Collaboration for change: Definitions, decision-making models, roles, and collaboration processes. Available at:
http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/4achange.pdf
Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.
Kretzmann, J. & McKnight, J. (1993). Building communities from the inside out: A path towards finding and mobilizing a community’s assets.
Chicago, IL: ACTA Publications.
Michigan State University. (1998-1999). The Several Forms of “Community Mapping.” Best Practice Brief #4. University Outreach and
Engagement: East Lansing, MI. Available at: http://outreach.msu.edu/bpbriefs/issues/brief4.pdf.
Newmann, F., King, B., & Youngs, P. (2000). Professional development that addresses school capacity: Lesson from urban elementary schools.
American Journal of Education, 108(4), 259-299.
Stanton, T. K. (2008). New times demand new scholarship: Opportunities and challenges for engagement in research universities. Education,
Citizenship, and Social Justice 3(1), 19-24.
Sonka, S. T., Lins, D. A., Schroeder, R. C., & Hofing, S. L. (2000). Production agriculture as a knowledge creating system. International Food and
Agribusiness Management Review, 2, 165-178.