What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
Prior to the commencement of this course, I considered myself somewhat technologically savvy. I used technology in my lesson plans, in my daily life and in my professional correspondence. However, I was looking forward to new information as to how to utilize technology as an educational leader. I was pleasantly surprised as the course unfolded in that it acquainted me with state and federally mandated requirements regarding technology. I had never read the Technology TEKS for my grade level, much less for Pre-K. I was shocked at the expectations. The creation of the Blog was helpful and can be immediately applied to my tutorial instruction and easily modeled with my colleagues to form online communities. The readings were related really well to the content and yielded many interesting views and research regarding technology and today’s students. This course exceeded my outcome expectations, and I will share what I have learned within my campus environment.
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?
This course introduced me to things about which I knew nothing. For example, I had never heard of the Texas Long-Range Plan (TLRP) and I was never aware of the significance of the STaR Chart and why I had to take it. However, I feel that I can go to school well equipped with a better understanding of what is expected of me and the technology used in schools. This knowledge will be helpful when I present my staff development on the STaR Chart. I believe all of this knowledge will be helpful when I hear teachers complaining about having to incorporate technology into instruction.
This course also showed me new ways of using technology in my classroom. Normally, I have students make posters or do a PowerPoint presentation for their group projects. Next semester, I am going to get students to post blogs to collaborate with one another. Finding new ways to integrate technology into classroom instruction should increase student achievement. Instead of just having one source of technology to offer, I now have multiple sources of technology that should engage the students of the 21st century.
What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
I was not really disappointed by any of the outcomes that this course yielded. I suppose the only outcome that I had that was not realized was that I expected more than a couple of programs that would encourage collaboration among my colleagues. Also, I still have not really acquainted myself adequately enough with my weakness identified by the week one evaluations which was creating audio and video to share via streaming or other presentation modes. I was a little surprised that out of all of those many articles that we had to read, none of them touched on talked about streaming video and audio. I am not real sure why those things would be mentioned in the survey at the beginning, if they were not going to be covered during the class. However, nothing really prevented me from achieving these outcomes, and I have other internet resources available to me that can assist me to learn. Additional professional development is also not something to which I am not adverse. In order to be an educational, instructional, and technological leader on my campus, I need to be able to model all of those strategies and expectations to my co-workers.
Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
I was not as successful as I would have liked on the last 2 assignments, as apparently I misread or misunderstood in regards to citing references, which cost me points. I felt the assignment was thorough, but I somehow missed the part that stated to have references.
To be successful in this course, I knew I must work extremely hard the entire way. As a result, I have spent many hours at the computer working on the assignments. Each week’s task was involved and contributed to the overall learning experience. It was hard at first to respond to all the articles I read, and then turn around and respond to two other colleagues. I am not a very open person, and I found that to be intimidating. However, I didn’t let any setbacks ever become a deterrent to my spirit to complete the assignments.
I am glad to have the opportunities to complete these journal entries. They give me a chance to reflect on my learning experience and that is something that I need to be able to do and can model and/or expect from colleagues and other educational leaders.
What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
Before this course began, I did not feel that working with technology was a major weakness in my experience as an educator. Yet, I did not realize how in the dark I was regarding NCLB and state expectations regarding technology and teachers’ personal knowledge and instructional incorporation.
Despite having a few problems, I always remained positive. I have been very fortunate to have a wonderful family that has been understanding and helped me get through this course. My husband and daughter sacrificed many hot cooked dinners in order for me to complete my readings or assignments. I have had the opportunity to share information with several colleagues in this course in regards to the articles. Some of them had something to contribute to the overall success of my assignments. Any time I had trouble with the application portions of the assignments, I knew they were there to help me. Along the way, I was able to help them with some issues they were having.
Probably the most important thing I learned from this class is that when people work together anything can be accomplished. As an educational leader, I feel it is important to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each student and allow students to work together to achieve academic success.
What is the educational value of blogs and blogging to the 21st century learner?
Blogs can be a productive way for students to express opinions, practice writing, collaborate with peers and learn to accept constructive criticism and return it in kind. The only drawback is that it takes a tremendous amount of time to create, monitor and maintain. According to Will Richardson in his article Blog Revolution that we read in Week 3, “Blogs are one of many new disruptive technologies that are transforming the world. They are creating a richer, more dynamic, more interactive Web where participation is the rule rather than the exception.” It is definitely not a passing fad. Blogs are used as collaborative spaces where students, teachers, and guests can build content together. In addition to providing teachers with an excellent tool for communicating with students, there are numerous educational benefits of blogs. Blogs are:
Highly motivating to students, especially those who otherwise might not become participants in classrooms.
Excellent opportunities for students to read and write.
Effective forums for collaboration and discussion.
Powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur.
What are the concerns of blogs and blogging in education?
School districts have guidelines and acceptable use policies (AUP) regarding the use of school and division-wide computer networks and the Internet. These terms and conditions identify acceptable online behavior and access privileges. Policies regarding the displaying of any student work must be adhered to strictly. Teachers must take the necessary steps to secure parental permission before using the blog in a participatory manner. Blogs may be viewed publicly, as any other Web site. Students must be trained on issues regarding access, privacy, security, and free expression. As blogs have no publisher, producer, or editor, students must carefully consider the content of postings to avoid anything defamatory, libelous, or an infringement upon the rights of others. Blogs are created by individuals for various and assorted purposes. Content should be recognized as the opinion of the blogger, and, therefore, may not necessarily be factual.
How can you use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders?
I believe using blogging as a communication tool with school stakeholders could be tremendously useful as parents who do not have emails, but do have computer access can pull up a blog, read and respond to issues affecting their children. A blog would be an easy way to keep community members updated with various things happening around the school. Before this class, I never really thought about setting up a blog for the school. However, I think it would be a great way to keep everyone informed. We could post information about PTA meetings, benchmark testing, spelling bee or other activities planned around school in which community members could be involved. Instead of using a monthly newsletter, a blog could be used. Not only would you be saving paper, but this would keep information current and up to date, not a month behind or ahead.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Week 4 - Professional Development Plan
Week 4 Assignment, Part 2: Professional Development Planning
After reviewing the campus and district improvement plans, I came to the conclusion that my campus needs to improve technology staff development to better facilitate learning for the faculty and students. The teachers need to become familiar with the district program Eduphoria. The district has adopted this program to encompass everything for the teachers from lesson plans to district assessment tests and scores.
The professional development for teachers on Eduphoria can be broken into several different sessions. Eduphoria consists of five different areas that teachers need to be familiar with: Forethought, Aware, Helpdesk, Workshop, and PDAS. These trainings should be conducted by the Campus Technology Instructional Specialist and Campus Instructional Specialist. This five week training should be held consecutively on Monday’s afterschool starting in January once we return from Winter Break.
Session #1 – Forethought – Teachers will learn how to use Forethought to submit lesson plans online. They will become familiar with how to find their subject/grade level scope and sequence and how to plug in the TEKS objectives. Upon completion of the training, teachers will be expected to submit their lesson plans online in Eduphoria. The principal will check lesson plans weekly.
Session #2 – Aware – Teachers will be shown how to use Aware to get the most out of the program. The Campus Instructional Specialist will show the teachers how to upload district assessment scores by class, school and district. The teachers will be shown how to look up individual student scores, and even how to look up a test for a student and break down the test to show which specific objective the student is struggling with. After Aware training, each teacher should be able to create a data chart for each student with his/her test scores. This chart will be shared in grade level meetings with the campus instructional specialist following district assessments.
Session #3 – Workshop – The campus technology instructional specialist will review Workshop with the teachers. Teachers will update their profile during the training. The TIS will share various ways to locate trainings and workshops that are relevant to the needs of the teachers. He will review the proper way to register for workshops and complete surveys after workshops. Once Session #3 is complete, teachers will register for Session #4 and #5 and also complete the survey for Session #3.
Session #4 – PDAS – The campus technology instructional specialist will introduce the PDAS section of Eduphoria. He will set up each teacher to be able to view their walk-throughs and evaluations from the principal or assistant principal. He will walk the teachers through how to sign an evaluation electronically. After the PDAS session, teachers will electronically sign any and all walk-throughs and/or evaluations in the PDAS section of Eduphoria.
Session #5 – Helpdesk – Helpdesk has many different sections that a teacher has to navigate through. The campus technology instructional specialist will need to walk the teachers/staff through the appropriate sections to complete if a teacher needs technology assistance. Technology assistance can be anything from printer cartridge to a CPU tower not working. After a teacher submits a ‘ticket’ for help, the Campus TIS or even a District TIS will come to assist the teacher with whatever they may need. Once Session #5 is complete, any assistance the teacher may need with technology will have to be submitted to the Helpdesk.
After these trainings are complete, the faculty should have a better understanding of Eduphoria. Once a teacher knows Eduphoria and how to use the program, it should help them focus more on the students and how to help them.
Week 4 Assignment, Part 3: Evaluation Planning for Action Plan
The technology action plan integrating instructional an organizational leadership must include evaluation components that provide measurable outcomes designed to address the following:
Teachers will be expected to attend trainings on Eduphoria. In effort to evaluate the Eduphoria training, the following will be expected from teachers upon completion of each training:
•Session #1 - Upon completion of the training, teachers will be expected to submit their lesson plans online in Eduphoria. The principal will check lesson plans weekly.
•Session #2 - After Aware training, each teacher should be able to create a data chart for each student with his/her test’s scores. This chart will be shared in grade level meetings with the campus instructional specialist following district assessments.
•Session #3 - Once Session #3 is complete, teachers will register for Session #4 and #5 and also complete the survey for Session #3.
•Session #4 - After the PDAS session, teachers will electronically sign any and all walk-throughs and/or evaluations in the PDAS section of Eduphoria.
•Session #5 - Once Session #5 is complete, any assistance the teacher may need with technology will have to be submitted to the Helpdesk.
After reviewing the campus and district improvement plans, I came to the conclusion that my campus needs to improve technology staff development to better facilitate learning for the faculty and students. The teachers need to become familiar with the district program Eduphoria. The district has adopted this program to encompass everything for the teachers from lesson plans to district assessment tests and scores.
The professional development for teachers on Eduphoria can be broken into several different sessions. Eduphoria consists of five different areas that teachers need to be familiar with: Forethought, Aware, Helpdesk, Workshop, and PDAS. These trainings should be conducted by the Campus Technology Instructional Specialist and Campus Instructional Specialist. This five week training should be held consecutively on Monday’s afterschool starting in January once we return from Winter Break.
Session #1 – Forethought – Teachers will learn how to use Forethought to submit lesson plans online. They will become familiar with how to find their subject/grade level scope and sequence and how to plug in the TEKS objectives. Upon completion of the training, teachers will be expected to submit their lesson plans online in Eduphoria. The principal will check lesson plans weekly.
Session #2 – Aware – Teachers will be shown how to use Aware to get the most out of the program. The Campus Instructional Specialist will show the teachers how to upload district assessment scores by class, school and district. The teachers will be shown how to look up individual student scores, and even how to look up a test for a student and break down the test to show which specific objective the student is struggling with. After Aware training, each teacher should be able to create a data chart for each student with his/her test scores. This chart will be shared in grade level meetings with the campus instructional specialist following district assessments.
Session #3 – Workshop – The campus technology instructional specialist will review Workshop with the teachers. Teachers will update their profile during the training. The TIS will share various ways to locate trainings and workshops that are relevant to the needs of the teachers. He will review the proper way to register for workshops and complete surveys after workshops. Once Session #3 is complete, teachers will register for Session #4 and #5 and also complete the survey for Session #3.
Session #4 – PDAS – The campus technology instructional specialist will introduce the PDAS section of Eduphoria. He will set up each teacher to be able to view their walk-throughs and evaluations from the principal or assistant principal. He will walk the teachers through how to sign an evaluation electronically. After the PDAS session, teachers will electronically sign any and all walk-throughs and/or evaluations in the PDAS section of Eduphoria.
Session #5 – Helpdesk – Helpdesk has many different sections that a teacher has to navigate through. The campus technology instructional specialist will need to walk the teachers/staff through the appropriate sections to complete if a teacher needs technology assistance. Technology assistance can be anything from printer cartridge to a CPU tower not working. After a teacher submits a ‘ticket’ for help, the Campus TIS or even a District TIS will come to assist the teacher with whatever they may need. Once Session #5 is complete, any assistance the teacher may need with technology will have to be submitted to the Helpdesk.
After these trainings are complete, the faculty should have a better understanding of Eduphoria. Once a teacher knows Eduphoria and how to use the program, it should help them focus more on the students and how to help them.
Week 4 Assignment, Part 3: Evaluation Planning for Action Plan
The technology action plan integrating instructional an organizational leadership must include evaluation components that provide measurable outcomes designed to address the following:
Teachers will be expected to attend trainings on Eduphoria. In effort to evaluate the Eduphoria training, the following will be expected from teachers upon completion of each training:
•Session #1 - Upon completion of the training, teachers will be expected to submit their lesson plans online in Eduphoria. The principal will check lesson plans weekly.
•Session #2 - After Aware training, each teacher should be able to create a data chart for each student with his/her test’s scores. This chart will be shared in grade level meetings with the campus instructional specialist following district assessments.
•Session #3 - Once Session #3 is complete, teachers will register for Session #4 and #5 and also complete the survey for Session #3.
•Session #4 - After the PDAS session, teachers will electronically sign any and all walk-throughs and/or evaluations in the PDAS section of Eduphoria.
•Session #5 - Once Session #5 is complete, any assistance the teacher may need with technology will have to be submitted to the Helpdesk.
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