ITEC 7305: Reflection

Jack Sinopoli
April 14, 2024

About Me, My Students, and Our School

My name is Jack Sinopoli and I’m a Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) instructor

for the Information Technology Pathway at Effingham College and Career Academy (ECCA) for

students in grades nine to twelve. My courses are Introduction to Software Technology (IST) and AP

Computer Science A (AP CSA). My IST students are primarily CTAE freshman and sophomores but

I occasionally have a few juniors and seniors taking the class as an elective. My AP CSA course is a

mix of CTAE and STEM students who are primarily juniors and seniors. Established in 2010, ECCA

is unique because it functions as a non-diploma granting extension of Effingham County High School

and South Effingham High School. ECCA originally opened as a CTAE project building, and was

expanded in 2015 to include the STEM Academy.

ECCA Culture of Professional Learning

Professional Learning in my school is encouraged and opportunities are provided. Our

administration regularly offers opportunities throughout the year and over summer breaks. I’ve

participated in Discovery Ed training, AP CSA training, collaborative lesson planning for STEM

that incorporates fire safety (and a trip to the Effingham Fire Department) and Bowling (and a

trip to Frames and Games), Peer PD’s, and Instructional Framework Academy with Dr.

Pijanowsky. Our district technology department and curriculum office also offer opportunities

directly related to tech including Canva workshops, Newline introduction and advanced training,

and AI Training (4 sessions). The opportunities to learn throughout the year are pretty balanced

between technology and traditional offerings.

 ITEC 7305: Reflection
Jack Sinopoli
April 14, 2024
ISTE Standards Usage at ECCA

To my knowledge, educators and leadership in my school are not using ISTE standards. A

colleague and I presented ISTE standards to our staff during a peer PLC but there was no

formal adoption of the standards. We are all Learners (2.1) that set professional goals and

participate in PLN’s. I try to stay current on research. There are leaders (2.2) in our district that

advocate for equitable access and model digital tool usage. This most frequently happens at the

district level, but there are instances at the school level as well during peer PLC’s. As far as a

shared vision, the district vision is more geared toward general technology usage and security

than meaningful student interaction. However, this is changing. The district IT ad curriculum

departments have joined forces on app approval and vetting. IT is making sure that apps are

COPPA and FERPA compliant and Curriculum is looking to see that apps have legitimate

educational purposes. Our educators create positive experiences for students (2.3 Citizen) and

the district promotes SEL in all schools. I hope that teachers are evaluating sources for

credibility and demonstrating this skill for students. I incorporate this into my IST classes when I

teach Digital Citizenship. I model netiquette for students and ask them to practice using Google

Classroom and other online learning platforms. Collaboration (2.4) among colleagues is

required at my school. We are working toward GaDOE STEM certification and our

administrators ask that we complete at least one interdisciplinary project each nine week period.

There are times when I’ve introduced new technologies into instruction that require me to learn

and troubleshoot along with students. We often ask them to use collaborative tools to enhance

the educational experience, including virtual instruction with Georgia Tech. There is always an

effort made to communicate effectively with those who have different experiences. At ECCA,

teachers are encouraged to design (2.5) authentic, learner driven activities and to create a

cross-curricular activity each nine week period. These are not always technology driven unless

they are collaborations with the Information Technology or Engineering pathways. We

 ITEC 7305: Reflection
Jack Sinopoli
April 14, 2024
accommodate learner differences and encourage active and deep learning. As facilitators (2.6),

we foster ownership of learning and promote classroom/district management of technology.

Most teachers are using digital platforms to organize learning materials and include hands-on

and field experience exercises whenever possible. It’s highly unlikely that computational

thinking and design are taught outside of Computer Science classes, though we do use the

Process, our version of an engineering design process for many projects. I think teachers often

model and nurture creativity in students, asking them to think of new ways to learn and

demonstrate knowledge. As analysts (2.7), teachers in my school participate in data teams

during PLC’s. Each teacher or team has an improvement goal for the year. They monitor

progress and adjust instruction as necessary. There is a big focus on incorporating alternative

ways for students to show proficiency and CTAE courses are moving to PBL when possible. I

have not had Professional Learning experiences focused on ISTE standards outside of the ISTE

Certification Program.

ISTE Standards for Educators in My Practice

I was unaware of ISTE standards prior to entering KSU but I understand how I was unknowingly

using them in my educational practice. I am a life-long learner (2.1) that sets professional goals.

As an Information Technology professional for many years, I needed to keep current on

research because the field changes so rapidly. It was only after entering education about a

decade ago that I heard the term PLC or PLN. Part of my motivation for completing this degree

program was to better position myself to become a technology leader (2.2) in my district. As an

Information Technology / Computer Science teacher for the CTAE pathway I have many

opportunities to empower learning with technology by engaging with educational stakeholders

including students, parents, fellow educators, and community partners. As a district, we are

one-to-one, provide AT when needed and diligently seek easy to ensure equitable access. I
 ITEC 7305: Reflection
Jack Sinopoli
April 14, 2024
model digital tool use for colleagues during PLC’s at least once each year. In the few coaching

opportunities I’ve had, I helped colleagues explore and evaluate tools that meet the educational

needs of their students. I teach Digital Citizenship (2.3) as part of my IST course. I create

opportunities for learners to practice online communications to promote empathy and positive

relationships. I challenge students to evaluate online resources for accuracy and credibility. We

talk extensively about safe, ethical, and legal behaviors. I model and promote the management

of PII through strong password creation exercises and online research. I challenge them to

discover as much about me as possible using the web to demonstrate how I protect myself

personally. As a collaborator (2.4), I work with colleagues and students to improve my practice

and exchange ideas. We often learn together. In a recent experience, myself, a colleague, and

Georgia Tech Savannah collaborators worked with students to build temperature and light

sensors using micro:bit technology and then extracted the data. We created these sensors as

part of the Farming with Big Data, an engaged learner project that provides hands-on real-world

connection between Computer Science and other disciplines. This was a first time experience

for all of us. Farming with Big Data was designed (2.5) as an authentic learner driven-project.

The sensor build activity was the first in a series of collaborative activities between our

Computer Science and AP Environmental Science students. During this interaction, we

completed various activities related to both Computer Science and Environmental Science. This

allowed us to personalize learning, encourage independent learning, and to accommodate for

learner differences This real-world experience provided an innovative learning opportunity for

students from both disciplines. As a facilitator (2.6), I always try to get students to take

ownership of learning. I want them to be responsible for their behaviors and outcomes as

individuals and when working in groups. This is true whether they are communicating and

working in person or online. As a Computer Science teacher, I set forth rules for handling

technology and appropriate online netiquette from the beginning. I explicitly teach
 ITEC 7305: Reflection
Jack Sinopoli
April 14, 2024
Computational Thinking to my IST classes and guide them to use the Process when working on

design projects. I provide examples and encouragement along the way hoping to spark their

creativity. As an analyst (2.7), I use data from formative and summative assessment to guide

instruction. In order to make sure students are successful in reaching their goals, I give students

multiple ways to demonstrate competency and differentiate learning based on student need. I

give students feedback on digital platforms and encourage them to respond in kind. I also ask

them to complete peer reviews and reflections on their learning. I communicate progress to

stakeholders, inducing students, parents, fellow educators and collaborators as needed using

digital platforms, email, and phone.

Using ISTE standards more regularly as part of this program has made me a better educator.

Two specific examples of changes to my practice include developing stronger collaboration and

educational design skills. More focus on collaboration has enabled me to build strong

relationships with Georgia Tech / CEISMIC faculty at the Savannah and Atlanta Campuses. In

turn this has provided opportunities for us to learn alongside our students. These collaborations

have also led to better educational design that is learner-driven and focused. We created

Farming with Big Data, a multidisciplinary project built on an environmental sensor network, that

has enabled collaboration district wide. The project site is our district's 324 acre farm and a

focus of educational activities for all of our schools.

Outstanding Artifacts

I am particularly proud of two artifacts, Artifact 8 and Artifact 11. In Artifact 8, I discuss how I

collaborated with a colleague to create an Engaged Learner Project called Farming with Big

Data. The collaborative project between Effingham College and Career Academy, Effingham

County School District, Honey Ridge Agricenter and CEISMIC at Georgia Tech Savannah

established an environmental sensor network at Honey Ridge Agricenter and provides

 ITEC 7305: Reflection
Jack Sinopoli
April 14, 2024
collaborative opportunities throughout the district and beyond. Artifact 8 also considers a virtual

learning activity that features guests from Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech’s Center for Education

Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC) and STEM@GTRI. They are

collaborating with my school as part of their Rural Computer Science Initiative. The artifact also

discusses how I communicated with all student supporters and how these learning experiences

for students align with my content standards. Artifact 11 discusses how I manage the use of

technology in student learning, the opportunities that I created for students that challenge them

to use a design process and computational thinking, and how I model and nurture creativity. I

think both Artifact 8 & Artifact 11 are particularly well documented in my ITEC portfolio largely

due Dr. Williamson and Dr. Harron. The Engaged Learner and Creative Computing Projects are

some of my best work.

ISTE Standards for Further Exploration

I think the ISTE standard that I’m most interested in further exploring is 2.4 Collaborator. I’ve

made some very powerful and impactful connections during the past two years with people at

Georgia Tech Savannah and Atlanta. The insights, support, and resources they have provided

have been amazing. We’ve created authentic real-world learning experiences that leverage

technology by establishing a sensor network and providing virtual instruction for programming..

It has provided us opportunities to collaborate and learn alongside our students. It has been an

honor to communicate this learning to students, parents and colleagues. I’d like to continue to

grow these partnerships and establish similar ones with Georgia Southern which operates two

campuses within an hour of my district. I’d also like to continue promoting these opportunities

and sharing these successes with local stakeholders and at state conferences.