The educator reflects on his/her application of the ISTE standards and goals for using them in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to review my ISTE Portfolio. In this short three and a half minute video I’ll introduce myself and reflect on how this process of creating a portfolio for ISTE Certification has changed the way I perform my duties as an Educational Technology Specialist / Instructional Technology Trainer with the Utah Education Network.
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Transcript of Michael Hakkarinen’s ISTE Portfolio Intro Video
Hello, and thank you for reviewing my ISTE Certification Portfolio. My name is Michael Hakkarinen. I’d like to welcome you to beautiful Utah. This is where I work on campus at the University of Utah. I’m an instructional technology specialist with the Utah Education Network. UEN provides internet access and reliable connectivity to every public school, college, university, and library in the state of Utah. Along with reliable internet access we also offer high quality curriculum aligned online resources and tools. Along with Utah’s Online Library, The Teacher Toolbox, and a massive repository of digital media, we also helped broker a deal to provide Canvas to every student in Utah through state funding. My specific job in the Professional Development Department is to insure that all educators know how to access and use the powerful online tools made available to them in order to truly transform teaching and learning in a blended environment.
As an educator, specifically an instructional technology specialist, I’ve struggled to be a “Pioneer” with educational technology. It’s easy to find new tools, learn how to use them, and share the benefits of using them with other teachers. But it’s not always easy to do so in a way that communicates a common vision for using technology.
Since my first ISTE Conference in 2009, it’s been a real challenge trying to find a common ground for where we are going with technology in schools and classrooms. The ISTE Standards have evolved and been revised in that time, and this year I’m seeing just how effectively they work to create not just a common ground, but a common language.
Since much of our professional development to Utah educators occurs online, I’ve found the ISTE Standards are an essential addition to our online courses. Assignments, discussions, and projects with ISTE Educator and Student Standards aligned provide teachers with clear expectations and a solid understanding of not just what and how we are using technology, but why.
My practice with the ISTE Standards has changed dramatically since our first ISTE CAP Training back in February. Instead of looking for connections to the standards with the content I’ve already created, I find myself redesigning my materials, revising presentations, and building completely new resources based on the standards. By putting the ISTE Standards first, it allows me to put students first. Both my students, the teachers we support, and the students they’re working with in classrooms across the state. These standards give us a clear definition of what exactly a strong digital citizens does, what creativity really means, how computational thinking benefits everyone in all subject areas, and why we need to use technology as a transformative tool, not a digital substitution.
In the next few years I look forward to growing and working with ISTE as a Certification Authorized Provider, Conference Presenter and Attendee, and as a member of this fantastic forward thinking organization that is driving instructional technology around the world. And I hope you enjoy reviewing my portfolio. Thank you for your time, your advice, and your consideration.
Return to ISTE Certification Portfolio Home Page
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