Week 5: Course Reflection

When I began the course I was unsure what to expect but the title “The Technology Link” made me think that I would be learning ways to connect technology and learning in the classroom. I was looking forward to finding new and better ways of integrating technology. I must admit I was not thinking about applying this use as an administrative leader. As this is only my second class I am still becoming adjusted to thinking as an administrative leader instead of a classroom teacher. This class helped me to move forward in that area. As I took the self-evaluation at the beginning of the class I knew that I had a lot to learn about administrating technology in the school. I hoped that the course would help me to become better informed and better prepared to lead others in technology integration. I believe that I have begun to achieve that outcome. Some of the outcomes set forth by the course were related to the leadership I envisioned but many of the detailed knowledge expectations were not aligned with my own expectations.
The course outcomes included learning about the state technology plan and technology standards, assessing the status of a campus, and analyzing and facilitating technology integration on a campus. In these areas I have gained a great deal of knowledge that directly affects my ability to be a technology leader. My knowledge of the STaR chart and the Texas Long Range Plan, for example, is relevant to the work in my school because as an instructional leader I must be informed and knowledgeable of the state expectations. This knowledge leads me to expect more of myself and to intentionally model technology integration in my school. The use of e-communication in the course was a great way to find out how other schools and districts are dealing with common technology challenges and achievements. Any information gained in this way will be an asset to my learning and my future in leadership. The information is relevant because it is up-to-date and addresses the technological advances of our world.
An area that I feel that I did not achieve the intended outcome is in curriculum planning. The course outline suggests that a learning outcome is to design and implement strategic planning to enhance teaching and learning, including curriculum alignment and assessment. While these areas were addressed I do not feel that I personally obtained enough knowledge to facilitate this on my campus. I didn’t feel that the course delved deeply into the specifics of curriculum planning as much as it did into the state expectations and how to evaluate the campus needs and progress. I believe this is the case because there is simply no way for a five week course to cover all these areas comprehensively. However, I do feel that the focus of this course is correctly placed. As an instructional leader you will have curriculum specialists that will assist in that area. Knowing the expectation and plans of the district and state are imperative in the evaluation of a school.
The course readings were very informative and the discussion assignments were a good way to share information. In fact this was my favorite part of the course. After the initial confusion in posting the quotes the expectations became clear and I learned a great deal from the posting of my classmates. While I do feel that I was successful in completing the assignments I did experience some frustration about needing more information. I wanted to know a little more about what the outcome should look like. I understand that this is part of my learning style and in absence of an example I often debate about what is correct. I also understand that it is good for me to have to work in this manner as it stretches me to consider many possibilities. I find it difficult to more onto the next assignment while I am unsure if I have completed the previous one as was expected. It is a relief each time a grade is posted as I am able to see if I am on the right track.
Through this course I learned that, as stated above, I really prefer to have an example to follow. Of course it is also important to realize that an example won’t always be available and I need to be confident and do my best. I recognize my personality and learning style and I have to work outside of my comfort zone. Fortunately technology is something that I am comfortable with. As I read the articles I realized that I have quite a bit of basic techie knowledge which I must attribute to the fact that my husband is an information systems manager. Due to this technology is a great part of our lives and he keeps me informed of the newest trends. This helps me to have an open attitude toward technology and as a leader that is important because new ideas and possibilities present themselves on a regular basis. I learned that while I regularly use technology in my classroom I need to work to incorporate more activities that allow the students to use the technology individually.
Blogging is a valuable way to give people an opportunity to share their knowledge or opinions without having everyone present in the same room. Posts can be made at times that are convenient for everyone and the restraints of a meeting are removed. My principal and I are currently working on a grading committee in the district. The committee is using Edmodo to facilitate discussions outside of the meetings. My principal has created a blog to allow campus staff members to share their opinions with us. This removes the need to meet as a group and everyone is able to read the information and contribute at their own convenience. I also think that blogs can be a valuable teaching tool because they allow students to express their opinions or ask questions that they may feel unsure of presenting in front of their classmates. I found many suggestions for blogs in the discussion board that could be used to enhance the current learning. Blogs can also give parents an opportunity to interact with each other and staff members.
As is often the case when we are dealing with the internet and anything that is posted online privacy, security and control are issues that must be addressed, especially when we are working with children. Our district has moved to a new webpage system this year and it has controls that help in these areas. I am able to set up my pages and blogs with parameters that only allowed those with passwords to view the material. Pages can be set that allow only parents or only students to log in. The grading committee blog mentioned above is on the principal’s page and is only available to teachers from our school. This is a way to protect information and deal with security issues. Another concern is when inappropriate comments are being posted to a blog that is open to students. The blog administrator must monitor the postings and remove anything that is questionable. We must also teach our students to report this type of behavior so that it can be dealt with in a timely manner. Teaching students to recognize what is inappropriate is important and will help them to understand what is acceptable in their own blogging behavior.
As mentioned above parameters can be set that limit the audience of a blog. This allows the blog administrator to remain in control of what is viewed. To provide information and availability to all stakeholders I believe that you must first identify who will, or should, be involved. Once that has been established then those members will need to set up passwords that allow controlled access. This is available to teachers, students, and parents. When a blog is available to the public it is important to remember that while that will ensure that all stakeholders have availability it also creates an even greater need for security. Caution must be taken in what is posted to ensure the safety of all. It would be an interesting use of a blog to have teacher post daily or weekly to keep stakeholders informed of what is happening in the classroom. The administrators could also maintain such a connection that allows everyone to stay up-to-date about happenings at the school and in the classrooms.

Week 4 Action Plan

Campus Action Plan
2009-2010

The Texas STaR chart was used to gather information about our campus technology strengths and weaknesses. The area of greatest weakness was Teaching and Learning. It was indicated that instruction continues to be teacher-directed for the most part. This was corroborated by student interviews. Our current Campus Improvement Plan does not address technology integration and correcting that needs to be the first step. The Site Based Decision Making Committee will add a section to the campus plan that will be used to implement and evaluate campus technology integration. The interviews that were conducted have brought this concern to the forefront and the process has been started at this time. A Technology Goal Team will be developed to evaluate technology integration on the campus. A member from the Technology Goal Team will serve as a representative on the SBDM committee. This representative will be charged with the job of presenting the goal team findings to the SBDM committee and reporting the committee discussions and decisions back to the goal team. This will help the campus to stay informed of the level of technology integration. The Instructional Technology Specialist will also serve on the Technology Goal Team to act as a liaison between the district and the campus. The district goal is to encourage and engage students. Student interviews indicate that they find technology usage is to be engaging work. Professional Learning is needed to guide this implementation with teachers. This is a district goal and a working part of the District Improvement Plan. Currently district bond monies are being utilized to purchase technology tools such as projectors and document cameras. Grants are also available to those seeking additional funds for technology in their classrooms. A dream plan would include a computer/laptop for every 4-6 students with wireless availability.

Professional Development Planning:
Professional development opportunities will be in accordance with district focus and initiatives. District professional development will be under the direction of the Director Professional Learning. Campus professional development will be chosen by the principal with the ongoing input of the SBDM committee and the appropriate goal team leaders. Teaching and Learning was the weak area on the STaR chart and professional development is a valuable tool for improving that area. Student interviews indicated that they are generally more engaged by lessons that include technology. Ideally professional learning would also include online sessions that teachers can work around their schedules.

District professional learning initiatives include the following:
- Working on the Work (P. Schlecty 2006)
o Creating engaging work that includes technology integration.
o Ongoing evaluation of design qualities.
- Continuous Improvement (Baldridge 2005)
o Graphing of student progress.
o PDSA (Plan Do Study Act) Cycle.
- Scholarly Behaviors
o Analyzing student learning styles using computer testing.
o Encouraging students to access multiple resources including technology available in the classroom, school and world.
o Complete Meyers-Briggs personality style computer testing.
- Technology Integration Training
o Copyright Laws (Davidson 2005)
o Cyber Ethics (Kruger 2003)
- Distance Learning Opportunities
o Presentations for teachers and students through distance learning carts and SKYPE.
- Campus and Teacher Webpages
o Training for teachers includes blogs and podcasts available on each webpage.
- Action Learning Teams
o Technology integration in presentations as examples of possible usage for teachers.
- Textbook Online Programs
o Training to use online assessment programs.
o Parent and students access to online resources.
- Ongoing Technology Classes
o Windows Movie Maker, Power Point and Excel.
o Training for Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts.
o Implementation of Classroom Performance Systems (CPS.)
- Edsoft (D2SC)
o Assessment disaggregation processes.
o Developing reports using given parameters.
o Sorting assessment information by objectives.
- Skyward
o Gradebook training and report access.
- Needs-based Training
o Instructional Technology Specialists survey needs and provide training as needs arise.


Evaluation:
The format for evaluation will be varied according to the process being evaluated. The district has several evaluation programs in place as does each campus. These programs will be implemented to evaluate the processes being evaluated. Instructional Goal Teams will discuss data and make recommendations in specific academic area, including technology.
- Surveys will be completed by teachers once per semester to find the technology “atmosphere” of the building.
- Interview students and parents in an ongoing process to evaluate technology integration.
- Completion of the Texas STaR Chart annually and a presentation to share the results with the staff.
- Professional development will be monitored and evaluated through the Electronic Registrar Online (ERO) system.
- Annual evaluations of tools/hardware (desktop computers, laptops, document cameras, projectors, media retrieval system, etc.) will be completed to assess availability and ensure they are in working order.
- Technology repairs will be evaluated through reports by tracking tickets from input to completion.
- Inventory will be completed annually to limit the loss or “drift” (Holub 2007) of resources.
- Principals will conduct building “walk-thrus” and consider technology usage in appraisals (PDSA.)
- Professional development will be evaluated through online surveys and blogs.
- Student achievement will be monitored through programs such as Tetradata and Edsoft (D2SC) as well as the Skyward grading program.
- Annual review of the Campus Improvement Plan to consider if technology goals are being met.
- Staff members will promote technology integration through a recognition program that highlights a “Tech Star” who has implemented technology into a lesson or another format that engages students.
- Most importantly, ongoing formative assessment throughout the year that helps teachers/staff members and students to evaluate themselves and their level of technology integration.

STaR Chart Presentation

STaR Chart Presentation

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Week 2, Part 2

Infrastructure for Technology is the area of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology that I find to be the foundation of technology education. I believe that teachers who are inclined to use technology will find training and utilize it in their classrooms. However, no matter the amount of self-motivated learning and usage they can be held back if they do not have the necessary tools. The goal of Infrastructure for Technology is to ensure that schools have high-speed connectivity along with digital tools and resources for every learner. This infrastructure must be reliable, safe, flexible and accessible. To provide customized technology education the infrastructure is essential in order to support the other areas on the plan. The plan says that there must be equitable access among all campuses. I see this as a challenge because district budgets are not equitable. The state sets this goal but does not necessarily provide the financial means to implement it. Despite this it appears that most districts are meeting the need as this category is considered to be Advanced for the state. Our school is advanced in this area due to the commitment of our district to fund this initiative. I wonder though how equitable it can be when so many districts are struggling with funding and cutting staff. Staff is needed to implement and maintain the technology. Keeping the infrastructure up-to date requires funding that is consistently available and reliable support. Our nation has continued to advance in technology access but there are still areas where students do not have the access or updated tools. I believe that while we are on the right traffic we have weak spots that need to supported and strengthened. Infrastructure is the foundation and the other areas require the tools to implement the teaching and learning that our students require.

Week 1, Part 3

The Pre-K Technology Application TEKS are focused on giving students opportunities to not only experience technology but to begin to use it with confidence. The introduction suggests that students will expand their abilities in the four strands. It also states that children will benefit from interacting with the technology that surrounds them. They will become more confident and become independent users. these TEKS lay the foundation for the future by introducing students to technology in appropriate ways and starting them on the road of lifelong learning. The behaviors suggested for the children are the basics that are required for students to build toward computer expertise. Teaching the student to double-click and follow the prompts of software is the beginning of the process. Correct usage starts early and is an ongoing process.

A spiraling curriculum returns to concepts over time and builds upon them while periodically introducing new concepts. Each time we return to a concept we build upon it and students become more proficient in that area. In the strand of communication students are expected to publish information in a variety if media. It begins in pre-k with student using software to create writings and drawings. The process in grades K-2 begins by using stored files or video in printed files or monitor display to share their ideas. In grades 3-5 the process of publishing information is extended into more formats such as internet documents and video. Grades 6-8 have students developing slide shows, newsletters, brochures, and various multimedia presentations. In the high school TEKS some of the classes are actually focused on a way of publishing information. For instance there are TEKS for the class Desktop Publishing. The basis of the class is to communicate information to an audience through the media of desktop publishing. Multimedia and Web Mastering are also examples of furthering the process of publishing information in various formats.

Week 1, Part 3

I have heard of the Texas Long-Range Plan but did not know much about it. I was not aware that it was such a comprehensive plan. I was glad to see the results of the research. My own answers fit the trends that were shown in the report. The emphasis on preparing our students for jobs in the ever-changing world was thought provoking. It is scary to see how far behind United States students are from students in India and China. I know that our students are just as smart and capable but there is something missing in our education process. Somehow we have to figure out how to meet the needs of the students in a way that will prepare them to function in a global technology that is changing daily. I found the research from surveyed students to be very interesting. I was surprised by the fact that math was the area that most students wanted to see technology being used. I am going to work to implement more technology into my math curriculum as a result of this information. I was impressed by how detailed the plan is and found it hard to summarize it because there was so much information.

I would share the plan with my faculty. It is good to see that for the most part we share common goals and needs which is demonstrated by the research results. It also does a good job of describing the needs of today's students and teachers would benefit from seeing the graphs and information presented in the plan. As a good leader you would need to be very knowledgeable of the plan and its expectations. It would be appropriate to use the guiding principles of the plan as the guiding principles of your school. The information gives value to the purpose of integrating technology into the curriculum. It would help teachers to see the need of technology education and how important it is to the future of our students.

Week 1, Part 2

The first technology assessment was the Technology Applications Inventory. As I completed this inventory I found that I have a reasonable amount of knowledge of "Foundations" and "Solving Problems." I do understand and use a variety of files as well as storage devices. I do a great deal with a digital camera but paused at the sentence that stated the files are seldom over 125k. This seems like a small amount for the digital files we use today. Our school district is always trying to move ahead with technology and I have opportunities to participate in the domains named above. "Information Acquisition" was an area in which I feel I need to work to improve my knowledge of many of the areas listed. As I read many of the statements I realized I am unsure of determining accuracy and validity. I had some degree of knowledge but did not feel confident enough to check yes as an answer. My greatest area of weakness was Communication. I have participated in distance learning but do not have the knowledge required to produce or implement it myself. While I use spreadsheets often I am not comfortable with all of the available tools. I am working toward improving that weakness. In summary I would say that I have some knowledge of most of the areas listed in the inventory but not a great enough knowledge to check yes.

For the second assessment I completed the SETDA Teacher Survey. As I stated in the previous paragraph my district makes a great effort to stay current in technology applications. There is a goal to use technology to increase student performance. There is also an ongoing effort to evaluate that usage and is effectiveness. I use technology daily in both my teaching and my personal life. Students use technology to complete research, develop projects, practice academic skills, and more. Teachers are expected to use technology daily. There are many programs available for student assessment and presentation tools are available. Many day-to-day processes including lunch count and gradebook, are completed using online tools. I have a working knowledge of most of the programs listed and I am increasing my skill level daily. I regularly think about ways to implement technology and work with our campus instructional technologist on a regular basis. I use technology to manage student assessment. All teachers have a website and email, as well as access to a server, digital camera, document cameras and most of the technologies listed. Technical support is available and usually has a quick turn-around. Most of our technology is new and high quality. Most of the schools have an equal availability of technology but our newest schools have been built to meet a high standard of technology usage. Improving technology throughout the district is an ongoing process. Students have technology available at schools but many classrooms, including my own, only have 2-3 student computers. Laptops are available on a portable cart. All schools have at least one computer lab. The best summary of technology in our district and schools is that it is considered of great importance and we are moving forward as quickly as funds will allow. Our superintendent and school board believe that technology is of utmost importance in the lives of our students.

One of my greatest strengths in instructional technology is my willingness to learn and try new things. Since technology changes daily it always seems to be a "new thing." I am always willing and excited to attend training. I make the most out of new opportunities and share the information I gain with my colleagues. As a veteran teacher of 19 years I can remember being the first person on my campus to type my lesson plans on a word processor and print them. Now we are required to save our plans on a server. My husband is an information systems manager and he has always worked to keep me aware of available technology. This knowledge is a strength. Another strength is being able to work with people and understand their perspective. I try to understand where each person is coming from and how their previous experiences are affecting their present learning. One of my weaknesses is the amount of time needed to learn about the new technologies and put them to use. It requires time to understand and implement programs. While I believe I have a strength of understanding people’s perspectives I also have a weakness that causes me to be frustrated with people who are not willing to change. It is hard for me to understand why people do not want to at least try something new. Taking these things into consideration I try to always present new opportunities with enthusiasm and kindness. Teachers feel comfortable coming to me to ask questions and share their ideas.

I found that I personally need to work to expand my technology usage to give my students more opportunities. I have had my students complete projects but wonder how I could have them interacting with the technology daily. I use a document camera and projector on a daily basis as well as the connection to my computer. I am aware though that this is more of a display than interaction. When students come forward to use the system or display their work it becomes more interactive. One of my goals is to find ways to utilize this technology better in my math classes. Previously I taught other subjects and found more opportunities to use web searches and other activities in reading and social studies. Now that I teach only math I am struggling to find new ideas.

In the Applications Inventory I found that while I have a good amount of general knowledge it would be appropriate for me to gain a deeper knowledge of many areas. It would be helpful to learn more about the network and systems used by our district. I also need to find opportunities to learn more about videoconferencing and other communication skills. I consider myself to be a technology literate person but was still unsure about some of the items on the checklist. The SETDA Teacher Survey was so detailed and specific that I find it difficult to address all areas. Win general what I have discovered fits with what I had already suspected and that is- our district is moving in the right direction where technology is concerned. They have set technology at the forefront for both professional and student learning. Looking through the survey I realize all the opportunities that are available for us. Unfortunately I know that I am not personally making the most of all of those opportunities. This is something I am working to improve. The newest schools in the district have even more available to them but there is an action plan in place to improve availability to all campuses. An area concern for some campuses, including my own, is that many of the families do not have access to technology in their homes. Creating web pages and other online opportunities are not as affective when internet is not available at home. It takes time and effort to utilize the available free services at the school or library. It also requires transportation that many of our families do not have. This is an area of weakness that must be addressed.

I believe that the assessments were accurate as I was honest in completing them. I am curious about the appropriateness of the first assessment. Some of the statements did not seem appropriate for an instructional leader but instead for someone in a technology position. On one hand I believe that a principal needs knowledge of the systems of their building and district but on the other hand some of these addressed very technical areas that may not be necessary, Perhaps this class will help me to see better the needs of a leader concerning technology knowledge.