Reflection on Instructional Leadership EDLD 5352

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.