Vision and Outcomes
After taking this course I find that I still have questions about instructional leadership. I was expecting this course to give me a better understanding but I must say that I think I have more questions than answers now. The most pressing being why technology seems to be the main focus of the course. Surely technology is not the only information I will need as a leader. I do feel that what I learned was important and relevant to instruction leadership and I know that technology is the future of education but what about the rest. Perhaps there isn’t more but I will do some more of my own investigating to find out.
Assignments
When it came to the assignments I must say that technology was my biggest ally. Through working with others online and through Skype we were able to figure out how to do our assignments correctly. Or at least what we thought was correct. My Academic Coach was very efficient and knowledgeable but sometimes the assignments were difficult to comprehend and the overviews sent through email were often just the assignment directions. I will say that through working with others I was able to be successful on my assignments, especially if grades are the main indicator. As for the assignments, some of the requirements were a bit excessive. This was particularly the case for creating a technology action plan. There was so much information that this could have been a project that lasted the entire course. Having to rush through all of the information in one week did not seem very effective to me.
What I Learned
All of the information gained in this course was very relevant and valuable to me and the work that I do. I have learned that I may always be just a step behind my students if I don’t make the effort to stay current. Incorporating technology in the classroom should be a priority but it should also be effective. Doing a report through Power Point isn’t necessarily any better than doing one on a poster. We have to make it better. My high schoolers can do Power Points at the drop of a hat. We need to have them push the boundaries and step it up a notch to really keep them engaged. After reading the articles and participating in the discussion boards I have found myself asking my students questions about how much they really know about technology and what are some things that they know that maybe I don’t. I also found that if I just play around with technology then I feel more comfortable with it. This was the case when I started this blog and the case in my photography class. I knew that using Photoshop was going to be a priority for my class but I really didn’t know anything about it. I finally hopped on the computer, asked a few questions and even let my students guide me to be able to get around enough for my class. They still have questions and so do I but, I feel the we know we can work through it together and figure out what to do.
Blogging
I had tried to start a personal blog several years ago but just never really got that into it. After this course though, I feel I can really make it an interesting part of the learning experience for my classes. Students can interact with me from home and discover how to write reflectively and how to communicate effectively. It also can help them bounce ideas off of each other and learn how to work collaboratively. It would be easy to tie what the students have been doing in class to outside artists that they can view through the blog and then discuss. As a teacher, a blog could not only have information for students but for other teachers and parents as well. As an administrator, this might help teachers feel they have a voice in the system and help the community connect to the school.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Technology Action Plan
After analyzing the STaR chart results, a technology survey using Survey Monkey and the notes from my interviews I have determined that professional development, while available and appropriate for learning technology, needs to be redesigned in order to be more effective. After a technology professional development has been completed and time has been given for teachers to implement the technology in the classroom, an additional meeting of the participants and trainer should be added to see how things are going and if additional help is needed. It was also determined that a subscription to Atomic Learning would benefit the district by providing an online analysis of trainings that teachers already have, what training is still required and what are any obstacles from use. A mentor support system will be developed so that new technology savvy educators are paired with veteran teachers who are not as strong in technology to offer support, both in technology and curriculum & instruction. Both could benefit each other by collaborating on how to integrate technology into the curriculum and instruction.
Further evaluation suggests that having trainers come to campuses to support teachers as they use new trainings would be beneficial. Trainers should also teach teachers about the Technology TEKS and give strategies for how to address them. In order to say up-to-date on current instructional technologies, CITs will attend an annual instructional technology conference.
Monitoring measurements will be a survey for teachers to report progress every nine weeks and walkthroughs that the CIT will conduct to observe teacher progress. The data collected from the surveys and observation reports, along with a survey at the end of the year of students and parents to evaluate rends and determine the success of integration of technology with instructional and organizational leadership will be used in the evaluation process to determine effectiveness.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
STaR Chart PowerPoint
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
STaR Chart PowerPoint
View more presentations from Hutto High School.
Campus STaR Chart Analysis
The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology includes four main sections. Teaching and Learning. Educator Preparation and Development, Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support, and Infrastructure for Technology. For this blog I will be focusing on Educator Preparation and Development.
What exactly is Educator Preparation and Development? To put it simply, it is training for teachers, whether initial or ongoing, that supports the transformation of teaching and learning. The long range plan would like for all teachers to have the proper training in technology. From those just entering whose preparation programs should model the appropriate use of technology to veteran teachers whose districts and campuses should provide on-going job-embedded professional development.
After reviewing the 2007-08 State-wide Summary Data for the Texas STaR Charts it is easy to see that a majority of schools fall into the Developing Technology category with 74.2%. My campus, and district for that matter, falls within the developing category and we have been for the past three years. I find it unfortunate that so many schools are still in the developing stages.
I have found that most campuses spend a majority of their time and budget on bringing technology into their schools but fail to follow through with the proper training or staff development to help teachers incorporate the new technology into their classrooms. The recommendations listed in the Plan are a great start for all of the different entities involved in education but without follow through from each of the entities, we will not have the success we desire.
It is my recommendation that all campuses, districts, service centers, state boards, and education agencies do a self assessment to see where they are in their progress of meeting the recommendations set by the Plan. This will help every entity see their part in the success or failure of our goals. I also recommend that principals make it their number one priority, when it comes to professional development, to make sure that all of their staff is properly trained and prepared to use any technology that the school has available on their campus.
What exactly is Educator Preparation and Development? To put it simply, it is training for teachers, whether initial or ongoing, that supports the transformation of teaching and learning. The long range plan would like for all teachers to have the proper training in technology. From those just entering whose preparation programs should model the appropriate use of technology to veteran teachers whose districts and campuses should provide on-going job-embedded professional development.
After reviewing the 2007-08 State-wide Summary Data for the Texas STaR Charts it is easy to see that a majority of schools fall into the Developing Technology category with 74.2%. My campus, and district for that matter, falls within the developing category and we have been for the past three years. I find it unfortunate that so many schools are still in the developing stages.
I have found that most campuses spend a majority of their time and budget on bringing technology into their schools but fail to follow through with the proper training or staff development to help teachers incorporate the new technology into their classrooms. The recommendations listed in the Plan are a great start for all of the different entities involved in education but without follow through from each of the entities, we will not have the success we desire.
It is my recommendation that all campuses, districts, service centers, state boards, and education agencies do a self assessment to see where they are in their progress of meeting the recommendations set by the Plan. This will help every entity see their part in the success or failure of our goals. I also recommend that principals make it their number one priority, when it comes to professional development, to make sure that all of their staff is properly trained and prepared to use any technology that the school has available on their campus.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Foundations of Technology starting in the Pre-K
Many of you may be just as shocked to hear (as I was) that there at TEKS for technology in Pre-K. That’s right, at the age when children are learning to share their toys, wash their hands and not to wee in their pants, they are also learning how to open and navigate through software programs, learn how to name all the parts of a computer and its input devices, operate sound/voice recorders, operate touch screens, use software, and be able to realize that they can find information through technology.
This may seem a bit overwhelming but as I look back at my own son’s experience with Pre-K and technology I realize that it’s not any different than trying to teach your kids how to play Hi-Ho Cheerio or CandyLand. Pre-Kers use programs such as Reader Rabbit or JumpStart to not only learn shapes and colors they also learn how to use a mouse and how to start a program. Recording or listening to a story on a computer is no different from when we used to listen to books on tape as children. Now some may say that operating a touch screen is a bit much but I believe it is the best first step to take maybe, even easier than learning how to use a mouse. Software such as the ones above also have programs built in for kids to create their own pictures or express themselves with music. Some may feel that technology is being pushed down their throats but in reality, it is preparing them for school and the real world.
The Pre-K technology requirements lay the foundation for student performance just like the regular Pre-K curriculum lays a foundation. Society has chosen to give our kids a leg up on school by providing an opportunity to prepare for school without the pressure of having to “pass” to the next grade level. The technology TEKS for Pre-K do just the same.
This brings up the point of spiraling or scaffolding. The technology TEKS are based on a scaffolding system. One example where this is evident is in the Technology Application Strand Solving Problems. It starts in TEKS 7(ABC) with the basics of USING software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences in the elementary levels and develops into TEKS 7(A-J) in middle school. Which cover topics including but not limited to using software, creating and editing word processing and spreadsheet documents, creating databases, and now CREATING multimedia documents incorporating text, audio, video and graphics. It then builds further in the high school level by separating into different computer classes including Computer Science I and II, Desktop Publishing, Digital Graphics/Animation, Multimedia, Video Technology, and Web Mastery. Which each have TEKS associated with various methods of dealing with text, audio, video and graphics.
This may seem a bit overwhelming but as I look back at my own son’s experience with Pre-K and technology I realize that it’s not any different than trying to teach your kids how to play Hi-Ho Cheerio or CandyLand. Pre-Kers use programs such as Reader Rabbit or JumpStart to not only learn shapes and colors they also learn how to use a mouse and how to start a program. Recording or listening to a story on a computer is no different from when we used to listen to books on tape as children. Now some may say that operating a touch screen is a bit much but I believe it is the best first step to take maybe, even easier than learning how to use a mouse. Software such as the ones above also have programs built in for kids to create their own pictures or express themselves with music. Some may feel that technology is being pushed down their throats but in reality, it is preparing them for school and the real world.
The Pre-K technology requirements lay the foundation for student performance just like the regular Pre-K curriculum lays a foundation. Society has chosen to give our kids a leg up on school by providing an opportunity to prepare for school without the pressure of having to “pass” to the next grade level. The technology TEKS for Pre-K do just the same.
This brings up the point of spiraling or scaffolding. The technology TEKS are based on a scaffolding system. One example where this is evident is in the Technology Application Strand Solving Problems. It starts in TEKS 7(ABC) with the basics of USING software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences in the elementary levels and develops into TEKS 7(A-J) in middle school. Which cover topics including but not limited to using software, creating and editing word processing and spreadsheet documents, creating databases, and now CREATING multimedia documents incorporating text, audio, video and graphics. It then builds further in the high school level by separating into different computer classes including Computer Science I and II, Desktop Publishing, Digital Graphics/Animation, Multimedia, Video Technology, and Web Mastery. Which each have TEKS associated with various methods of dealing with text, audio, video and graphics.
Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020
While there were nine sections under the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology only four of them are the true focus. The four key sections are: Teaching and Learning; Educator Preparation and Development; Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support; and Infrastructure for Technology. These sections are the core of the Long-Range Plan. The other sections are not needed if the four key sections are not adequately met. The plan noted that it was only a basic one and that much more is still needed, especially in the department of skilled individuals to help maintain and use the plan appropriately. Even though it is a basic plan there were excellent recommendations for teaching and learning and for educator preparation to help teach our 21st Century learnerrs.
In my experience I find that schools seems to be willing to put the money into buying technology for the classroom but fall short of training or preparing teachers to use that technology to its greatest potential. This is especially true for smaller districts who are trying to keep up in the information age. The biggest shortfall is in hiring skilled individuals needed to support technology use. These individuals can find better paying, less demanding jobs outside of the educational system. This is a bit of a tragedy for our students who truly deserve to have an education that prepares them for the real world.
In my experience I find that schools seems to be willing to put the money into buying technology for the classroom but fall short of training or preparing teachers to use that technology to its greatest potential. This is especially true for smaller districts who are trying to keep up in the information age. The biggest shortfall is in hiring skilled individuals needed to support technology use. These individuals can find better paying, less demanding jobs outside of the educational system. This is a bit of a tragedy for our students who truly deserve to have an education that prepares them for the real world.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Week 1, Technology Assessments
After analyzing the Technology Applications Inventory my strength was definitely in Information Acquisition with 100% of my responses being yes. The other strengths were in Foundations and Communication with 83% each. My weaknesses in those categories were in understanding the difference between operating systems, awareness of the Copyright Law of 1976, the Fair Use Guidelines for Multimedia and knowing and abiding by Acceptable Use Procedures. Other weaknesses were in designing and implementing procedures to track trends, set timelines etc. and selecting representative products to be collected and stored in an electronic evaluation tool. There was one category I had to say no to but was reluctant. The digital file formats were very familiar to me but because I couldn’t recognize two of them I felt it necessary to say no. My weakest category was in Solving Problems with Technology tools with only 72%. While I make presentations and movies and such on a regular basic I was unclear on the difference between linear and non-linear multi-media projects. I also do not have any experience using interactive environments, using technical writing or using groupware, collaborative software and productivity tools to create products. There was also the item regarding integrating acquired technology into language arts, science, math and social studies curricula. If I taught a core course then I would be able to answer this with a yes but because I teach an elective I was forced to say no.
The SEDTA survey was far more extensive and required a bit more analysis. My school has recently undergone a huge renovation and expansion and with it new classrooms have been equipped with more computers, one or more projectors for each department are now available, school cameras are available for check out from the library, and we now have several computer labs and mobile carts available throughout the school. Because of these new additions my art department has been blessed with our own computer lab and a new large format scanner and a large format printer soon to come. They have also uploaded Adobe CS4 to every computer in the lab. You would think that with all this new equipment would come with some training or professional development, but I have yet to see or hear of either. As far as I can tell there are no plans for any in the near future and there seems to be no system of tracking technology use on our campus. Another thing that was apparent through this survey was the lack of technology being integrated into curriculum. I know that in my classroom we used technology at the beginning of the year as a way to integrate it into the curriculum but we were never required to do so, nor were we given any guidelines for integrating technology.
Overall, I would say that the assessments were fairly accurate with a few minor exceptions. I would like to see more training and professional development on technology offered at my school. I would also like for data assessments to be developed to see how effective technology is being used in the classroom.
The SEDTA survey was far more extensive and required a bit more analysis. My school has recently undergone a huge renovation and expansion and with it new classrooms have been equipped with more computers, one or more projectors for each department are now available, school cameras are available for check out from the library, and we now have several computer labs and mobile carts available throughout the school. Because of these new additions my art department has been blessed with our own computer lab and a new large format scanner and a large format printer soon to come. They have also uploaded Adobe CS4 to every computer in the lab. You would think that with all this new equipment would come with some training or professional development, but I have yet to see or hear of either. As far as I can tell there are no plans for any in the near future and there seems to be no system of tracking technology use on our campus. Another thing that was apparent through this survey was the lack of technology being integrated into curriculum. I know that in my classroom we used technology at the beginning of the year as a way to integrate it into the curriculum but we were never required to do so, nor were we given any guidelines for integrating technology.
Overall, I would say that the assessments were fairly accurate with a few minor exceptions. I would like to see more training and professional development on technology offered at my school. I would also like for data assessments to be developed to see how effective technology is being used in the classroom.
Introduction
Welcome, this blog was created for my grad school class at Lamar University. Here I will be posting regular assignments and comments about technology in education.
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