Some syllabus information is available on this website. Or you can see the full syllabus, with the weekly calendar by clicking the links below:
Course Description & Objectives
Instructional (sometimes called educational) technology is becoming an increasingly important part of K-12 education. New and emerging technologies are what your students will be using to learn and complete homework, and it will be what they will use to succeed as professionals in the workforce. It can also be how you enhance learning, improve motivation and engagement, increase accessibility, individualize instruction, and improve communication with parents and stakeholders. In this course, we will learn ideas and skills for integrating technology effectively into your teaching. Specifically, I hope that by the end of the semester, you will be able to:
- Understand how technologies can enhance their teaching, professional work and communication, and personal professional development.
- Design technology-enhanced lesson plans, activities, and resources.
- Identify resources to assist them in learning how to integrate technologies in the future.
- Be motivated and confident in their abilities to learn how to use new technologies in their teaching.
- Understand how to more effectively teach the gospel utilizing emerging technologies.
ISTE Technology Standards
My goals for this course and inspiration for the activities are based in part on the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). These are the technology standards most often cited for teachers. A short description of the standards can be downloaded from ISTE. There are also technology standards for your students.
Course Policies
Course policies and assignments are subject to change as we move through the course because, like technologies, technology-enhanced instruction is constantly evolving! I will always give adequate notice of any changes to the policies or calendar.
Required Equipment
There is no textbook required for this course. Instead, you are required to have a flash key drive for backing up your work and a web camera if you are in the online course. Other equipment (i.e. cameras) are available in the TEC lab in the McKay building. For our reading assignments, you will be asked to read my blog and other material you find online every week and share ideas you learn about using technology in your subject area.
Late & Makeup Work
Due dates for assignments are listed on the calendar. A minimum 10% late penalty will be assessed for work submitted after the assignment deadline unless I have previously approved a later deadline due to extenuating circumstances. Work that is submitted over a week late will receive an additional 10% penalty for each week late. No late work is accepted after the final exam date.
Assignments can be resubmitted until you achieve the grade you desire up to 90% of the total points. I do this because this is the way we learn new technologies: We keep trying and retrying!
Gradebook
We will not be using Blackboard. Instead information will be on this website, and we’ll use the new BYU Gradebook. Please check your grades frequently and inform me of any missing or incomplete scores.
Backing up Work
It is your responsibility to back up all of the work you do in class, saving it in at least TWO locations until you receive your final course grade. To do this you can use: 1) your required USB key/flash drive, 2) home computer, 3) email attachments, 4) free online space (such as http://www.box.net or Dropbox), or 5) external hard drive. If you need motivation for backing up your work, ask me about some of the crises I had as a student 
.
Course Grading & Honesty Policy
Final grades will be calculated with the following percentages. You must complete ALL assignments to get a passing grade. You must honestly complete all the work yourself, but you may share ideas with each other.
A (94-100) A- (90-93) B+ (87-89) B (83-86) B- (80-82) C+ (77-79) C (73-76) C- (70-72) F (0-69)
Honor Code Standards
In keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are expected to be honest in all of their academic work. Academic honesty means, most fundamentally, that any work you present as your own must in fact be your own work and not that of another. Violations of this principle may result in a failing grade in the course and additional disciplinary action by the university. Students are also expected to adhere to the Dress and Grooming Standards. Adherence demonstrates respect for yourself and others and ensures an effective learning and working environment. It is the university’s expectation, and my own expectation in class, that each student will abide by all Honor Code standards. Please call the Honor Code Office at 422-2847 if you have questions about those standards.
Preventing Sexual Harrassment
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education. Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU’s policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university, but to students as well. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895 or 367-5689 (24-hours); or contact the Honor Code Office at 422-2847.
