EDLD 5352, Thomas Warlick,Week 5 Assignment - Reflections

When I began this course I envisioned that we would learn how to lead educators in instituting technology in their classrooms. Looking back, the outcome envisioned was probably too generalized. Yes, technology in the classroom was the main outcome, but it is much deeper. The course outcomes include understanding the state mandated technology plans and goals as well as using digital tools to create a learning environment beneficial for the 21st Century learner. Now that I understand the components for the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology there is so much more to using technology as an instructional leader. There are many tools and strategies that are available to be used to educate students to their specific needs. The future administrative leaders will be very instrumental in positively using these technological tools and strategies to lead our students in the 21st Century.

I learned many things about being an effective, modern administrator in this course. The STaR Chart, Texas Long-Range Plan, and technology TEKS are data sources that are very important for the campus principal to evaluate and make data-based decisions. The instructional leader’s duty is to hire prepared personnel, find ways to provide them the tools they need, and provide ongoing professional development in order to create a modern learning environment. As an athletic director, I plan to try to incorporate and model technology use more effectively in my department. The knowledge that I have gained in this course has allowed me to take an in-depth look at what is expected by the national and state standards to help teachers implement technology strategies in the classroom. The course has allowed me to look at these roles through the eyes of an administrator and become versed on modern classroom strategies. The challenge of integrating technology on some campuses will be a challenge, but this course has demonstrated the need to always take a proactive approach to integrating technology across the curriculum. The first step is to get all of the teachers to understand and believe in what has to be done and model these practices as their leader.

I approached this class with an open-mind and gained a wealth of knowledge. The course was well presented and was very learner-centered in the technology application activities that the learner was require to engage in. The course opened my eyes to technology issues that the campus I work on could improve on in the future. The course raised my level of expectation that I have for my campus becoming a modern 21st Century technology learning center. The campus has its fair share of bad attitudes towards the integration of technology, but these attitudes are slowly changing through the modeling of technology use. Overall my attitude has changed towards the use of technology across the curriculum which in turn allowed me to be very receptive to learning throughout the course.

When I first read through the assignments that concerned the use of certain technology tools and the creation of the blog site, I was concerned with what level I would be able to complete all assignments. The overviews from the instructors allowed me to successfully complete all the assignments. I sought help from the technology department on my campus if I was unsure about certain procedures to carry out the assignments. The creation of the Power Point allowed me to become more effective at use this tool to create presentation. My seventh-grade daughter was a great resource and very helpful in teaching me more efficient ways to create an awesome presentation. The learning in this application demonstrated that our students can be a great resource as we seek strategies to implement modern technology practices in pour classrooms.
I have taken from this course the ability to look at education through an administrator’s view.

As I have moved through these courses, I have learned to study the information from the perspective of an instructional leader. The courses have allowed me to view my current position in a different light. I have to admit that I do not incorporate technology in a manner that is necessary for a modern 21st Century educator. The knowledge I have gained in this course has given me the tools and confidence to use modern technology applications to be a more effective leader in my athletic department. The course has changed my attitude towards being open-minded and always engaging in life-long learning opportunities. The leader is responsible for developing the vision for technology on the campus and must be willing to engage and model practices that create a sense of importance for the vision. I have truly grown in the area of technology leadership which in turn will allow me to lead a modern 21st Century school.

The use of blogs and blogging in the 21st Century School can allow all stakeholders to have an avenue to communicate and share information. The accessibility and easy to use features allows learners with minimal technological skills to use the digital tool. The educational value of a blog is demonstrated in this course by the posting of assignments and other cohorts accessing and posting comments on the blog site. The blog can be used by teachers to share class notes and other important materials that students and parents can view 24/7. Students can post their assignments on a blog and classmates can collaborate to improve existing work. The blogging tool allows students to engage in a learner-centered activity that they can access at their conveince.

The only concern I have with blogs is the ethical practices that students must be taught when working with online tools. A blog should be monitored by school personnel and disciplined with the same expectations that are established in the classroom. My experience has taught me that students are going to be excited about using these types of resources because it is something that they are familiar with. Students are more likely to engage in ethical behavior when they are excited about learning and engaged. Blogs allow the students to control their learning and collaborate with fellow classmates and teachers which is a skill they will have to use in the modern economy. If a blog is monitored properly, it can be a great tool to positively affect student achievement.

As an athletic director, I believe I could use a blog to communicate with school stakeholders about upcoming events and general concerns that they have for the athletic program. I believe student confidentiality would be a concern and a set of standards would have to be followed in the use of a blog. The gathering of input from stakeholders in concern to a rule or policy change could be gathered using a blog. The practice would demonstrate collaboration with all stakeholders and build a sense of value in their input. The blog can be a modern technology tool to increase buy-in from all stakeholders.