Post your course reflections to your blog site. Please respond to the following reflection questions:
• What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
This course is titled Instructional Leadership in the course description available on Lamar University's website. The course description on that website states "topics include leadership related to curriculum, instruction, supervision, and theories and methods for adult learning and professional development." I was looking forward to learning these things. I feel that these are topics that are very important in the day to day life of a school administrator. It appears that Lamar intends for me to acquire this knowledge on my own.
It is important for a school administrator to understand the use and ethical issues associated with technology. Requiring us to develop a blog and make 96 posts to the discussion board is, quite possibly, not the best way to develop the understanding of these issues. I am disappointed that this class required so much time to deliver content that is in no way aligned with the course description, or with the skills I feel I will need as an administrator.
• To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?
The primary outcome that I achieved in this class is that I am now able to post documents to a blog. While I have had a personae blog for some time now I have never felt compelled to post documents to it. Therefore, prior to this class I did not know how to use Silde Share. I am quite comfortable with this process now. My district does not allow students to use blogs at school, so I do not know how this knowledge will benefit me at the present time. I cannot imagine a future position that I may have in which this knowledge will be of benefit. I already considered myself proficient in technology use prior to the start of this course. It is likely that someone who was less proficient in the beginning of this class would obtain more useful knowledge from the course content.
• What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
I did not achieve most of the outcomes listed in the course description, primarily teacher evaluation, mentoring, supervision, theories and methods for adult learning and professional development, and techniques for improving instruction. While other courses may have briefly touched on a few of these topics, none has been covered in depth in my course of study. These outcomes are, in my opinion, extremely important in the development of the skills an aspiring administrator must possess.
I was prevented from achieving these outcomes by the unannounced and unexpected change in the course content. While a technology course may be helpful for some, this does not seem like the best course to cut from the program in order to accommodate such a course. Additionally, since the technology skills of the students in the course vary widely it is difficult to design a course which provides necessary training to all participants.
• Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
I believe I carried out all course assignments successfully even though it was challenging in many cases. Directions were often vague and unclear, sometimes even contradictory. I cannot imagine the difficulty the academic coaches must have faced in grading many of the assignments.
The readings and the discussion board posts related to them were excessive. Combined with the multiple-part assignments, the reading and discussion board assignments made this class extremely time-consuming. I was never really sure if we were going to be broken into smaller discussion groups or not and we didn't seem to find out before the middle of the week. Our weekly overviews would advise us to post early in the week, by Wednesday, in fact, yet our small discussion groups would not be formed until Wednesday evening. The concern over losing any posts made before Wednesday caused me to wait until later in the week to even think about posting to the discussion board.
• What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
I learned that while I considered myself proficient in technology use prior to this class, there is always room for improvement. I learned that attaching files and embedding content into a blog is not difficult. I learned that there are tools available to make nearly every technological task easier. I learned about many tools that can help me, as a parent, keep my daughter safer online.
My time management skills were definitely tested and further developed as a result of this class. I found new reinforcement in my knowledge that I am task oriented and can devote my full attention to the task at hand. Other leadership skills related to supervision, adult learning, and instructional improvement will be developed through personal study, as well as through conversations with my supervisor and mentor. I am a lifelong learner and will have little trouble devoting myself to the development of these leadership skills that are still lacking.
• What is the educational value of blogs and blogging to the 21st century learner?
Blogs and blogging have the potential to be powerful educational tools in the coming years. The ability to easily create an interactive discussion forum has tremendous potential to powerfully impact education and learning. Exchanging ideas with learners from across the globe will forever change the way our students are able to present knowledge, acquire new knowledge, and discuss knowledge.
However, with this new global learning environment it is even more important that our students are able to analyze information they receive from any source. Educators must focus on creating discerning, analytical learners who are able to synthesize the information they receive from multiple sources into a useful database. Additionally, our students must possess superior skills of problem solving and communication. In order to adequately assist our students in mastering these skills, teachers must be adept at problem solving and must possess superior communication skills. These educational tools will raise the bar for everyone involved in education.
• What are the concerns of blogs and blogging in education?
Even though blogs and blogging are potentially powerful educational tools, there are some concerns. Many school districts block most of these types of sites and current Acceptable Use Policies may prohibit their use in the classroom. Many people, both in and out of education, do not understand blogs and blogging. This lack of understanding can cause some apprehension and distrust of the process. Some of those unfamiliar with them may see these tools as little more than arenas for entertainment.
Student safety when accessing discussion forums is also a concern for many. No one involved in the education of children wishes to see them exposed to potentially inappropriate material, either online or not. Monitoring blog comments is almost a non-negotiable in their use in education for this reason. Extensive staff development to convince today's educators about the potential positive educational impact of blogs and blogging is also necessary.
• How can you use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders?
I can see blogging has the potential to be a very effective communication tool. Stakeholders would have the ability to follow the blog in order to find out what new events are happening at every school in which they are a stakeholder. The interactive nature of blogs makes it easier for teachers and administrators to effectively disseminate information and also allows them to engage in a virtual conversation about events and issues at both the campus and district levels. Stakeholders can also use blogs to suggest improvements to events and programs, and to ask questions and get a response in a timely manner. Stakeholders can also benefit from the public nature of a blog. A principal would not necessarily have to answer the same question multiple times. A stakeholder might simply go to the blog and read the existing comments to see if their question or concern has already been addressed.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Edld 5352 Week 4 Assignment
Here is my Week 4 Assignment for your reading pleasure!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Texas S Ta R Chart And Walnut Bend Elementary
A summary of the STaR chart for Texas and Walnut Bend Elementary.
Texas S Ta R Chart And Walnut Bend Elementary
View more presentations from emakhlouf.
Web Conference
I just attended my first web conference. There was some initial confusion about the time, but it all worked out. It was a really neat experience. I enjoyed seeing what some of the classmates from the discussion boards and Facebook look like. It's nice to put a face with a name.
It was nice to have direct access to the professor. I felt that she would answer any question I asked. It was also nice to get real-time input from others in the Academic Partnership program. Sometimes I feel rather isolated. Finally, I was able to get some other students' blog addresses so I can follow their blogs through this process.
Now, I feel like I need a web cam............. ;-)
It was nice to have direct access to the professor. I felt that she would answer any question I asked. It was also nice to get real-time input from others in the Academic Partnership program. Sometimes I feel rather isolated. Finally, I was able to get some other students' blog addresses so I can follow their blogs through this process.
Now, I feel like I need a web cam............. ;-)
The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology: Teaching and Learning (Week 2, Part 2)
The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology is ambitious. It is based on a vision in which all learners have 24-hour access to technology tools to provide individualized instruction, produce knowledge, solve real-world problems, use research-based strategies in all subject areas, and effectively utilize a variety of forms to communicate with a wide range of audiences.
This is certainly a wonderfully effective learning environment! As I think about my own campus, I see a few classrooms that are close to this ideal. Many more, however, are similar to the ones most people over 30 sat in years ago. The teacher is the center of attention, the students are sitting and listening. There are computers in every classroom in my school, but too many of these are used only when a student takes an Accelerated Reader test. The STaR chart data for my campus supports my opinion.
The issue of ensuring all students access to technolgy tools is somewhat controversial in my district. Our new superintendent, Dr. Terry Grier, has issued every student laptops in a previous district. There has been speculation that he will do the same here, even though there has been no official decision to do so. The comments on this have been mainly negative, consisting primarily of concerns that students or their parents will steal and sell the laptops for drug money. With such a low view of the students and their families, it is no wonder that the classrooms I see bear little resemblance to the one envisioned in the Texas Long-Range Plan.
It is my opinion that a cultural change is necessary in order for my campus to come close to achieving the goals set forth in the Long-Range Plan. I do know that at my school this cultural change is being attempted. I do see a small decrease in the negativity and resistance to change that has been pervasive on our campus for years. Fewer staff members mention "the way it used to be", yet not much discussion takes place on what we can do about the way it is. I feel that our campus is at a crossroads in this area. I remain optimistic that over the coming years our classrooms will look more like the student-led, teacher-facilitated environment set forth in the Long-Range Plan.
This is certainly a wonderfully effective learning environment! As I think about my own campus, I see a few classrooms that are close to this ideal. Many more, however, are similar to the ones most people over 30 sat in years ago. The teacher is the center of attention, the students are sitting and listening. There are computers in every classroom in my school, but too many of these are used only when a student takes an Accelerated Reader test. The STaR chart data for my campus supports my opinion.
The issue of ensuring all students access to technolgy tools is somewhat controversial in my district. Our new superintendent, Dr. Terry Grier, has issued every student laptops in a previous district. There has been speculation that he will do the same here, even though there has been no official decision to do so. The comments on this have been mainly negative, consisting primarily of concerns that students or their parents will steal and sell the laptops for drug money. With such a low view of the students and their families, it is no wonder that the classrooms I see bear little resemblance to the one envisioned in the Texas Long-Range Plan.
It is my opinion that a cultural change is necessary in order for my campus to come close to achieving the goals set forth in the Long-Range Plan. I do know that at my school this cultural change is being attempted. I do see a small decrease in the negativity and resistance to change that has been pervasive on our campus for years. Fewer staff members mention "the way it used to be", yet not much discussion takes place on what we can do about the way it is. I feel that our campus is at a crossroads in this area. I remain optimistic that over the coming years our classrooms will look more like the student-led, teacher-facilitated environment set forth in the Long-Range Plan.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Technology Applications TEKS Summary (Week 1, Part4)
Analysis of Pre Kindergarten Technology TEKS
The TEKS for technology in Pre-K consist mainly of allowing students the time and guidance to see that technology can provide information and can be used to express ideas. The use of educational software is invaluable towards this end. Using a program that is high-interest and can provide practice with academic skills is a great way to provide practice with the basic skills of navigating through a program and using hardware features such as clicking a mouse and navigating from one screen to the next. Teaching students the names for these devices satisfies the remaining TEKS.
These basic Pre-K TEKS in technology are crucial for successful performance in higher grades. Even in grades K-2 a student is expected to know how to perform the basic functions described in the Pre-K TEKS. Students in these grades are expected to produce multimedia products designed to inform a specific audience about a specific topic. Without support from the teachers in Pre-K, teachers in grades K-2 would have a much more daunting task in front of them. Students without the foundation from Pre-K would likely be lagging in skills for much of their school lives.
A Spiraling or Scaffolding Curriculum
A spiraling curriculum is one in which students are exposed to new information many times. In a spiraling (scaffolding) curriculum using technology, students would be given many opportunities to experience differing aspects of technology, then would be asked to produce an informative presentation. In a research situation, students would be shown examples of searches yielding information. Later, they would be given the opportunity to conduct their own searches, under supervision. The would be shown examples of informative Power Point presentations, then guided through the steps of producing a Power Point slide. Over time, the students would develop their own Power Point slide show to present the findings of their research. As new topics of study are introduced, new opportunities for students to use their developing technology skills automatically present themselves. Students who have accomplished the basics would be encouraged to explore more advanced facets of Power Point in this example, adding music or publishing to the class or school website.
The TEKS for technology in Pre-K consist mainly of allowing students the time and guidance to see that technology can provide information and can be used to express ideas. The use of educational software is invaluable towards this end. Using a program that is high-interest and can provide practice with academic skills is a great way to provide practice with the basic skills of navigating through a program and using hardware features such as clicking a mouse and navigating from one screen to the next. Teaching students the names for these devices satisfies the remaining TEKS.
These basic Pre-K TEKS in technology are crucial for successful performance in higher grades. Even in grades K-2 a student is expected to know how to perform the basic functions described in the Pre-K TEKS. Students in these grades are expected to produce multimedia products designed to inform a specific audience about a specific topic. Without support from the teachers in Pre-K, teachers in grades K-2 would have a much more daunting task in front of them. Students without the foundation from Pre-K would likely be lagging in skills for much of their school lives.
A Spiraling or Scaffolding Curriculum
A spiraling curriculum is one in which students are exposed to new information many times. In a spiraling (scaffolding) curriculum using technology, students would be given many opportunities to experience differing aspects of technology, then would be asked to produce an informative presentation. In a research situation, students would be shown examples of searches yielding information. Later, they would be given the opportunity to conduct their own searches, under supervision. The would be shown examples of informative Power Point presentations, then guided through the steps of producing a Power Point slide. Over time, the students would develop their own Power Point slide show to present the findings of their research. As new topics of study are introduced, new opportunities for students to use their developing technology skills automatically present themselves. Students who have accomplished the basics would be encouraged to explore more advanced facets of Power Point in this example, adding music or publishing to the class or school website.
The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology (Week 1, part 3)
The state of Texas has done an outstanding job of analyzing the need for a plan for technology. The plan encompasses every facet of technolgy acquisition and education. I was unaware of the details of this plan until I analyzed it for this assignment.
The areas of the plan describing the teaching styles necessary to implement the plan and the preparation necessary for new and veteran teachers were interesting. I think the classroom described in the plan, one of student-centered, problem-based learning, is an ideal classroom environment for any content area. This environment is the ideal which teachers should aspire to attain. It is, however, a difficult environment to maintain in reality. The preparation of educators also needs to change if we are to attain this ideal learning environment. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace it seems that there must be an ever-changing educator preparation program, based on actual classroom experience. The current teacher preparation plan I see on my campus through the eyes of the student teachers we have is very similar to the teacher preparation plan I experienced more than a few years ago.
The one thing that kept going through my mind as I completed my analysis was the thought that this plan is difficult to fund. There seems to be almost no way to ensure that every school in Texas is able to receive the necessary funds to successfully implement this plan. In my own school district, there is a wide range of socio-economic levels in various schools. Currently, there is disparity between the assets, technological or otherwise, of schools in the same part of the city. It is hard for me to imagine how that issue can be resolved.
As an instructional leader, I will look for ways to increase the skills of the staff on my campus. I will utilize distance, or online, learning and courses designed to increase the expertise of staff. I will look for creative ways to schedule time and staff to increase the availability of qualified personnel to assist teachers in restructuring their classroom environments to more closely match the ideal classroom environment described in the Long-Range Plan. As students and staff become more accomplished I will empower them to assist other students and staff in increasing their skills. Finally, I will closely monitor funding and the existing inventory of technology devices present on my campus.
The areas of the plan describing the teaching styles necessary to implement the plan and the preparation necessary for new and veteran teachers were interesting. I think the classroom described in the plan, one of student-centered, problem-based learning, is an ideal classroom environment for any content area. This environment is the ideal which teachers should aspire to attain. It is, however, a difficult environment to maintain in reality. The preparation of educators also needs to change if we are to attain this ideal learning environment. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace it seems that there must be an ever-changing educator preparation program, based on actual classroom experience. The current teacher preparation plan I see on my campus through the eyes of the student teachers we have is very similar to the teacher preparation plan I experienced more than a few years ago.
The one thing that kept going through my mind as I completed my analysis was the thought that this plan is difficult to fund. There seems to be almost no way to ensure that every school in Texas is able to receive the necessary funds to successfully implement this plan. In my own school district, there is a wide range of socio-economic levels in various schools. Currently, there is disparity between the assets, technological or otherwise, of schools in the same part of the city. It is hard for me to imagine how that issue can be resolved.
As an instructional leader, I will look for ways to increase the skills of the staff on my campus. I will utilize distance, or online, learning and courses designed to increase the expertise of staff. I will look for creative ways to schedule time and staff to increase the availability of qualified personnel to assist teachers in restructuring their classroom environments to more closely match the ideal classroom environment described in the Long-Range Plan. As students and staff become more accomplished I will empower them to assist other students and staff in increasing their skills. Finally, I will closely monitor funding and the existing inventory of technology devices present on my campus.
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