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.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
EDLD 5352, Thomas Warlick, Week 4 Assignment - Creating a Action Plan
Superintendent
Technology Responsibilities
· Create and establish a district technology vision in coordination with the local board of education
· Ensure that district policy reflects the needs of all stakeholders and align with national and state standards
· Ensure that funding and resources are available to meet the technology needs of the district
KCISD Curriculum Director
Technology Responsibilities
· Documentation and assessment of the integration of technology into the adopted curriculum across the district
· Ensure access to the C-Scope curriculum program via technology resources
· Monitoring access to curriculum material via C-Scope
KCISD Technology Director
Technology Responsibilities
· Monitors and distributes technology equipment to individual campuses throughout the district
· Ensures that district technology equipment (hardware and software) appropriate for district operating systems
· Collaborates with campus principals to analyze data from campus and teacher STaR chart surveys
· Collaborates with the campus principals to determine and address technology needs at each campus in the district
· Collaborates with campus and district administration to ensure SBDM improvement plan technology goals are being achieved
· Monitors the maintenance of district technology equipment
KCHS Campus Principal
Technology Responsibilities
· Collaborates with teachers and the technology department personnel to determine and address technology needs of the campus
· Collects and analyzes data from the campus and teacher STaR chart surveys
· Uses data to develop campus improvement plan goals through collaboration with the campus and district SBDM team
· Models technology expectations for campus personnel to ensure a modern vision for the 21st Century technological world
· Allocates campus resources to integrate technology into classroom curriculum
· Develops a comprehensive staff development plan to promote an environment of life-long learning
· Provides instructional leadership by monitoring and evaluating the integration of technology by teachers to positively affect student achievement
District and Campus Technicians
Technology Responsibilities
· Maintain and monitors technology hardware and software at the district and campus level
· Assist teachers and administration with application of technology in the classroom
Campus Teachers
Technology Responsibilities
· Integrate technology into classroom curriculum to ensure the 21st Century needs of students are being met
· Collaborate with campus administration to ensure campus improvement plan technology goals are being met
· Provide data-driven, student-centered instruction to meet the diverse needs of all students
A principal’s role as a modern instructional leader is to ensure that technology is integrated into the curriculum. The principal must model the use of technology to develop a vision for all campus personnel. A principal evaluates and assesses the integration of technology on the campus by collecting and analyzing data from various sources. The data sources includes STaR chart surveys, Speak Up/Project Tomorrow, AEIS reports, SBDM team meetings, and annual summative evaluations that are used to make data-driven decisions. The principal is responsible for developing a comprehensive professional development plan to ensure life-lone learning and modern instructional techniques are being implemented at the campus level. The campus administrator allocates budgetary funds to ensure that the technology needs of the campus are being met in accordance to campus improvement goals. The ultimate responsibility is to create a learning environment that meets the diverse needs of all learners on the campus.
Professional Development Plan
The professional development plan will address areas identified in the campus improvement plan for KCHS. The areas of needed improvement include integration of technology into all disciplines to enhance instruction, increased staff confidence in usage of technology and technology troubleshooting, and creating a more efficient system for student usage of technology equipment. The goal of the professional development plan is to provide administrators, teachers, and technology department employees with professional development activities that are relevant to meeting the goals of the campus improvement plan. The plan will attempt to incorporate activities that will be provided online and with the use of existing school technology. The goal is to involve staff members in activities that allow them to meet their job requirements without removing them from the classroom setting to positively affect student instruction.
Integration of Technology into School-Wide Curriculum to Enhance Instruction
Needs Assessment
· Administration will gather data from STaR chart surveys, campus technology surveys, interview with teachers and students
· Administration and teachers will analyze data from surveys and interview and incorporate performance data sources that include PEIMS, AEIS, and AYP
· Identify professional development activities that will help teachers to integrate technology across all disciplines
Participants
· Campus Administration, technology department personnel and teachers
Professional Development Activities
· Peer teacher training in PLC’s to incorporate techniques that existing staff members currently use on the campus
· Teachers will participate in content specific trainings that allow for integration of technology in the specific disciplines and appropriate for student skill level
· District technology experts will train staff members in use of existing technology components that are available for use in the district
· Region III webinars and onsite training workshops
· Purchase software or program that include professional training on the campus site
Increased Staff Confidence in Usage of Technology and Technology Troubleshooting
Needs Assessment
· Gather data from STaR chart surveys, PDAS evaluations, teacher interviews, and collaborative PLC teams to identify the needs of staff members
· Continually identify the needs of the staff to update professional development activities to meet the needs of staff members
· Technology will log technology requests from campus staff to create a data base that will be used to identify areas of needed improvement
Participants
· Campus Administration, technology department personnel and teachers
Professional Development Activities
· KCISD technology department staff will development online and small group trainings to assist staff members
· Learner-centered training that allow staff peers to lead activities to help teachers gain confidence with the use of technology and create a level of comfort for learners
· Accessible software programs that allow staff members to engage in learning activities in an anytime, anywhere setting
Creating a More Efficient System for Student Usage of Technology Equipment
Needs Assessment
· Identify needs through the use of data from STaR chart surveys and interviews with teachers and students
· Access the existing systems and evaluate the effectiveness of the impact on student usage and achievement
Participants
· Campus Administration, technology department personnel and teachers
Professional Development Activities
· Professional experts that provide district and campus leaders with solutions to existing systems
· Training district leaders and technology department personnel on techniques that allow for more effective use of the existing systems
· Teachers will participate in PLC learning groups to identify ways to improve student use of technology in all disciplines and identify possible changes that the campus needs to explore
Evaluation Plan for Technology Improvement Action Plan
The plan for evaluating the professional development activities to improve the integration of technology into all disciplines to enhance instruction, increase staff confidence in usage of technology and technology troubleshooting, and create a more efficient system for student usage of technology equipment will involve constant, ongoing evaluation. The evaluation will use data from various sources to accurately assess the effectiveness of the activities. The effects of the activities on student achievement will be assessed through the use of data from AEIS, AYP, and 9 weeks grading reports. The effect of the professional development on teacher instruction will be identified by the data gathered in yearly STaR chart surveys and evaluations of classroom practices. Teachers will meet regularly as PLC teams to assess the level that professional development is addressing the areas of need. Team leaders will meet with administrative leaders to provide data that allows the campus leaders to address the effectiveness of the plan.
The campus instructional leaders will evaluate the effectiveness of the plan by collecting and analyzing data sources that include: STaR chart surveys, staff interviews, team meetings, AEIS and AYP reports. The principal will seek evidence that will identify the effect of the learning on teachers and students through gathered data. As a leader, the principal will measure data against state and national standards. These standards are established in the Long-Range Technology Plan, Local Technology Plan, NETC standards, TEKS, and the Texas STaR chart areas. Effective campus leadership will provide evaluation that is regular and ongoing in an attempt to constantly assess the integration of technology in a modern 21st Century campus.
Technology Responsibilities
· Create and establish a district technology vision in coordination with the local board of education
· Ensure that district policy reflects the needs of all stakeholders and align with national and state standards
· Ensure that funding and resources are available to meet the technology needs of the district
KCISD Curriculum Director
Technology Responsibilities
· Documentation and assessment of the integration of technology into the adopted curriculum across the district
· Ensure access to the C-Scope curriculum program via technology resources
· Monitoring access to curriculum material via C-Scope
KCISD Technology Director
Technology Responsibilities
· Monitors and distributes technology equipment to individual campuses throughout the district
· Ensures that district technology equipment (hardware and software) appropriate for district operating systems
· Collaborates with campus principals to analyze data from campus and teacher STaR chart surveys
· Collaborates with the campus principals to determine and address technology needs at each campus in the district
· Collaborates with campus and district administration to ensure SBDM improvement plan technology goals are being achieved
· Monitors the maintenance of district technology equipment
KCHS Campus Principal
Technology Responsibilities
· Collaborates with teachers and the technology department personnel to determine and address technology needs of the campus
· Collects and analyzes data from the campus and teacher STaR chart surveys
· Uses data to develop campus improvement plan goals through collaboration with the campus and district SBDM team
· Models technology expectations for campus personnel to ensure a modern vision for the 21st Century technological world
· Allocates campus resources to integrate technology into classroom curriculum
· Develops a comprehensive staff development plan to promote an environment of life-long learning
· Provides instructional leadership by monitoring and evaluating the integration of technology by teachers to positively affect student achievement
District and Campus Technicians
Technology Responsibilities
· Maintain and monitors technology hardware and software at the district and campus level
· Assist teachers and administration with application of technology in the classroom
Campus Teachers
Technology Responsibilities
· Integrate technology into classroom curriculum to ensure the 21st Century needs of students are being met
· Collaborate with campus administration to ensure campus improvement plan technology goals are being met
· Provide data-driven, student-centered instruction to meet the diverse needs of all students
A principal’s role as a modern instructional leader is to ensure that technology is integrated into the curriculum. The principal must model the use of technology to develop a vision for all campus personnel. A principal evaluates and assesses the integration of technology on the campus by collecting and analyzing data from various sources. The data sources includes STaR chart surveys, Speak Up/Project Tomorrow, AEIS reports, SBDM team meetings, and annual summative evaluations that are used to make data-driven decisions. The principal is responsible for developing a comprehensive professional development plan to ensure life-lone learning and modern instructional techniques are being implemented at the campus level. The campus administrator allocates budgetary funds to ensure that the technology needs of the campus are being met in accordance to campus improvement goals. The ultimate responsibility is to create a learning environment that meets the diverse needs of all learners on the campus.
Professional Development Plan
The professional development plan will address areas identified in the campus improvement plan for KCHS. The areas of needed improvement include integration of technology into all disciplines to enhance instruction, increased staff confidence in usage of technology and technology troubleshooting, and creating a more efficient system for student usage of technology equipment. The goal of the professional development plan is to provide administrators, teachers, and technology department employees with professional development activities that are relevant to meeting the goals of the campus improvement plan. The plan will attempt to incorporate activities that will be provided online and with the use of existing school technology. The goal is to involve staff members in activities that allow them to meet their job requirements without removing them from the classroom setting to positively affect student instruction.
Integration of Technology into School-Wide Curriculum to Enhance Instruction
Needs Assessment
· Administration will gather data from STaR chart surveys, campus technology surveys, interview with teachers and students
· Administration and teachers will analyze data from surveys and interview and incorporate performance data sources that include PEIMS, AEIS, and AYP
· Identify professional development activities that will help teachers to integrate technology across all disciplines
Participants
· Campus Administration, technology department personnel and teachers
Professional Development Activities
· Peer teacher training in PLC’s to incorporate techniques that existing staff members currently use on the campus
· Teachers will participate in content specific trainings that allow for integration of technology in the specific disciplines and appropriate for student skill level
· District technology experts will train staff members in use of existing technology components that are available for use in the district
· Region III webinars and onsite training workshops
· Purchase software or program that include professional training on the campus site
Increased Staff Confidence in Usage of Technology and Technology Troubleshooting
Needs Assessment
· Gather data from STaR chart surveys, PDAS evaluations, teacher interviews, and collaborative PLC teams to identify the needs of staff members
· Continually identify the needs of the staff to update professional development activities to meet the needs of staff members
· Technology will log technology requests from campus staff to create a data base that will be used to identify areas of needed improvement
Participants
· Campus Administration, technology department personnel and teachers
Professional Development Activities
· KCISD technology department staff will development online and small group trainings to assist staff members
· Learner-centered training that allow staff peers to lead activities to help teachers gain confidence with the use of technology and create a level of comfort for learners
· Accessible software programs that allow staff members to engage in learning activities in an anytime, anywhere setting
Creating a More Efficient System for Student Usage of Technology Equipment
Needs Assessment
· Identify needs through the use of data from STaR chart surveys and interviews with teachers and students
· Access the existing systems and evaluate the effectiveness of the impact on student usage and achievement
Participants
· Campus Administration, technology department personnel and teachers
Professional Development Activities
· Professional experts that provide district and campus leaders with solutions to existing systems
· Training district leaders and technology department personnel on techniques that allow for more effective use of the existing systems
· Teachers will participate in PLC learning groups to identify ways to improve student use of technology in all disciplines and identify possible changes that the campus needs to explore
Evaluation Plan for Technology Improvement Action Plan
The plan for evaluating the professional development activities to improve the integration of technology into all disciplines to enhance instruction, increase staff confidence in usage of technology and technology troubleshooting, and create a more efficient system for student usage of technology equipment will involve constant, ongoing evaluation. The evaluation will use data from various sources to accurately assess the effectiveness of the activities. The effects of the activities on student achievement will be assessed through the use of data from AEIS, AYP, and 9 weeks grading reports. The effect of the professional development on teacher instruction will be identified by the data gathered in yearly STaR chart surveys and evaluations of classroom practices. Teachers will meet regularly as PLC teams to assess the level that professional development is addressing the areas of need. Team leaders will meet with administrative leaders to provide data that allows the campus leaders to address the effectiveness of the plan.
The campus instructional leaders will evaluate the effectiveness of the plan by collecting and analyzing data sources that include: STaR chart surveys, staff interviews, team meetings, AEIS and AYP reports. The principal will seek evidence that will identify the effect of the learning on teachers and students through gathered data. As a leader, the principal will measure data against state and national standards. These standards are established in the Long-Range Technology Plan, Local Technology Plan, NETC standards, TEKS, and the Texas STaR chart areas. Effective campus leadership will provide evaluation that is regular and ongoing in an attempt to constantly assess the integration of technology in a modern 21st Century campus.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
EDLD 5352, Thomas Warlick, Week 3 Assignment
EDLD 5352 Instructional Leadership: The Technology Link
Week 3 Assignment
Thomas Warlick, EA 1122
December 6, 2009
In reviewing the Karnes City I.S.D. (KCISD) District Improvement Plan and the Karnes City High School (KCHS) Campus Improvement Plan, the plans had many similarities in relation to goals and objectives. The technology goal at the district level was to create and maintain a technologically integrated learning and working environment for all stakeholders based on the Best Practices for Instructional Technology and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Curriculum components. The district developed four objectives under the technology goal. The first objective indicated that KCISD will develop a plan to address and implement state mandated technology goals, instructional goals, technology TEKS, student and teacher accessibility. The next objective stated that the district would identify the level of technology integration based on the teaching and learning section of the Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) chart. The district also indicated that studying the level of instructional technology and student competency through the use of surveys and evaluations would be an objective. The final objective for the district was to improve the technology mobile services for the KCISD professional staff by improving all technological systems. The district goal and objectives correlated with the state education objectives 8 and 9. The state objectives indicated that educators will keep abreast of the development of creative and innovative techniques in instruction and administration using those techniques appropriate to improve student learning. The other state objective indicated that technology will be implemented and used to increase the effectiveness of student learning, instructional management, staff development, and administration. The district is aligning the goals and objectives with the state to support the need for continued improvement in these areas.
The review of the KCHS campus plan indicated that the campus goal for technology was exactly the same as the district goal. The campus listed two objectives under the technology goal that were the same as the first two district objectives. The objectives related to the developing a plan to address and implement state and local goals and identifying the level of integration based on data retrieved from the STaR chart. The campus plan did have more detail in concern to the activities and strategies that would be used to reach the campus and district technology goal. The strategy to incorporate technology into all disciplines to enhance instruction, related directly to the goals of the state and national standards to integrate technology into curriculum. Other strategies included increasing technology hardware and software along with implementing modern technology tools like podcasts, webinars for professional development, and time allotment for increased and improved training.
The round table discussion between Dr. Steve Jenkins, Dr. Kay Abernathy, and Cindy Cummings from the Lamar Educational Administration program related to the incorporation and exploration of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and National Education Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A). The integration of the standards is essential for today’s modern 21st Century administrator to implement and model technology across a school’s curriculum. The round table panel members did an excellent job of relating the standards to the needs of school administration candidates.
The first standard, leadership that inspires and leads the development of a shared vision for the comprehensive integration of technology in schools is addressed by Jenkins as an essential for creating a modern 21st Century learning environment. Abernathy stressed that modern principals need to learn and model technology skills for all stakeholders to reflect a vision that meets the needs of all learners. She indicated campus leadership has the opportunity through modeling the use of technology tools to increase buy-in from all school stakeholders. Cumminings indicated the importance of improving school vision by principals staying on top of trends and research for the practical use of technology by all school stakeholders. She stated that principals must introduce and model the use of the 21st Century technology learning tools to ensure all stakeholders are moving from a Digital Immigrant status to the status of Digital Citizen.
The round table members discussed the development of a robust digital age learning culture standard as an important task for today’s principal. Cummings stated that improving technology mobility and accessibility to increase student technology skills is the first step to creating this culture. She insisted that to move towards a digital culture, teachers must move away from the holder of all knowledge and allow students to be resources of updated knowledge through digital sources. She believed that teachers should teach students to evaluate the relevance of the digitally acquired knowledge and construct their own knowledge from these sources. Cummings went on to indicate that collaboration and assessment by all stakeholders is key to evaluating the processes and outcomes in a digital culture. Abernathy discussed that the modern schools already require that instruction be individualized to meet the needs of each learner. She believed that the use of technology in the classroom allowed for more individualized student instruction. She indicated for school culture to change, administration must be creative with their ideas of how to incorporate technology and spend budget funds to improve and increase technology resources.
One of the trends that Jenkins used to stir the discussion was the need for schools to use 21st Century digital-age professional development to train administrators and teachers. Cummings indicated the need to move away from the ‘Sit and Get’ method of professional development. She stated that professional development through the use of digital sources would provide each learner more relevant and differentiated instruction in training sessions. Abernathy indicated that school leaders must bring professional development to the desktop to allow for greater accessibility. Staffs need to have 24/7 accessibility to professional development, according to Abernathy, to always allow for continual learning.
To gain local insight into the trends discussed in the round table discussion, interviews were conducted with Jeanette Winn, the campus principal, Jayma Wood, SBDM member and special education teacher, and Jerome H. and Raul R., students. The interviews were conducted in two sessions, the first with Ms. Winn and Mrs. Wood and the second with the two students. The goal was to get views about the trend of merging 21st Century technology into local campuses.
In the interview with Winn and Wood, the principal stated the district and high school campus were effectively addressing the initiative to integrate technology across all areas of the curriculum. Winn stated that the campus addressed the technology needs and strategies to improve technology integration through the campus improvement plan. She believed that the campus was using data from the STaR chart to evaluate the needs of the staff in relation to technology. She believed that it was important to analyze the instructional time use of technology by each teacher and daily incorporation on technology into lessons across the curriculum. She believed that her role was to model modern technology use to demonstrate to her staff the importance of the incorporation into our daily lives. She believed that her leadership would set the tone for the school vision being one of incorporating technology use by all school stakeholders. Wood indicated that she felt that Winn did an excellent job of emphasizing the development of a culture that addresses the use of technology resources on meeting the goals of the SBDM team. I asked Wood, the special education teacher, how she could benefit from professional development that used digital tools instead of the normal ‘Sit and Get’ sessions. She believed that the sessions could focus on her individual needs as a special education teacher. She indicated that many professional development sessions she attends do not directly relate to her position and her individual needs as a learner. Winn indicated that as the instructional leader she was pursuing opportunities to use webinars to specifically meet the needs of individual teachers. I specifically asked the principal to address standard four, the importance of leadership that manages and implements strategic planning, monitors progress, and continually evaluates systemic change in concern to integration of technology in the classroom. She indicated that her role was to model technology usage and educate her staff through digital resources and traditional trainings on the importance of using the digital tools that students have available to them to improve learning. She went onto indicate the importance of staff members changing their mental model of the use of cell phones by students. She believed that the phones could be a tool that allows our school to move towards the modern 21st Century learning environment.
In meeting with the two students, Jerome and Raul, I initiated our conversation by asking them how they felt technology could be incorporated into helping them learn in the classroom. They both indicated that having more access to computers in each classroom would allow them to explore information on topics discussed. Raul indicated that he had access to the Internet via his cell phone, but he could not have it out in the classroom. Jerome indicated that he understood why schools were leery of cell phone usage, but he believed that students could benefit from their use in the classroom. They both indicated that if teachers would incorporate strategies into their lessons for cell phone use, it would result in students using their phones with a purpose. In asking the students about the current vision of the school in relation to technology, they revealed that the school was behind in the area of incorporating technology into instruction. I asked them if many of the topics they learned about in school could be accessed by them via technology. They stated that you could learn everything you wanted to know about any topic via the Internet. They indicated that many teachers try to incorporate technology tools, smart boards and computers into the classroom. Jerome believed that teachers in the future should allow students to use computers to learn about topics and do less lecturing. Raul indicated that sometimes he knew more about computers and technology than his teachers. He believed that the younger teachers understood what students wanted in relation to technology. Raul indicated that while he was glad his school provided computers to work on in the classrooms; he believed that the school should provide students with individual computers or allow them to use their resources in the classroom to improve the learning experience. After completing the interviews with the students, I understood their desire that technology be used more in the classroom and their vision about how that use can positively affect their learning outcomes.
After the viewing the round table discussion, staff and student interviews, and reviewing the readings, I have an in-depth understanding of the importance of integrating technology into schools to effectively impact student and teacher learning. The importance of school leadership developing a vision that supports integration of technology and modeling the use of digital resources in the learning environment is key in 21st Century schools. Leaders that are system thinkers and base actions on the modern research-based standards will be able to prepare teachers to prepare students for success in the 21st Century economy.
Week 3 Assignment
Thomas Warlick, EA 1122
December 6, 2009
In reviewing the Karnes City I.S.D. (KCISD) District Improvement Plan and the Karnes City High School (KCHS) Campus Improvement Plan, the plans had many similarities in relation to goals and objectives. The technology goal at the district level was to create and maintain a technologically integrated learning and working environment for all stakeholders based on the Best Practices for Instructional Technology and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Curriculum components. The district developed four objectives under the technology goal. The first objective indicated that KCISD will develop a plan to address and implement state mandated technology goals, instructional goals, technology TEKS, student and teacher accessibility. The next objective stated that the district would identify the level of technology integration based on the teaching and learning section of the Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) chart. The district also indicated that studying the level of instructional technology and student competency through the use of surveys and evaluations would be an objective. The final objective for the district was to improve the technology mobile services for the KCISD professional staff by improving all technological systems. The district goal and objectives correlated with the state education objectives 8 and 9. The state objectives indicated that educators will keep abreast of the development of creative and innovative techniques in instruction and administration using those techniques appropriate to improve student learning. The other state objective indicated that technology will be implemented and used to increase the effectiveness of student learning, instructional management, staff development, and administration. The district is aligning the goals and objectives with the state to support the need for continued improvement in these areas.
The review of the KCHS campus plan indicated that the campus goal for technology was exactly the same as the district goal. The campus listed two objectives under the technology goal that were the same as the first two district objectives. The objectives related to the developing a plan to address and implement state and local goals and identifying the level of integration based on data retrieved from the STaR chart. The campus plan did have more detail in concern to the activities and strategies that would be used to reach the campus and district technology goal. The strategy to incorporate technology into all disciplines to enhance instruction, related directly to the goals of the state and national standards to integrate technology into curriculum. Other strategies included increasing technology hardware and software along with implementing modern technology tools like podcasts, webinars for professional development, and time allotment for increased and improved training.
The round table discussion between Dr. Steve Jenkins, Dr. Kay Abernathy, and Cindy Cummings from the Lamar Educational Administration program related to the incorporation and exploration of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and National Education Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A). The integration of the standards is essential for today’s modern 21st Century administrator to implement and model technology across a school’s curriculum. The round table panel members did an excellent job of relating the standards to the needs of school administration candidates.
The first standard, leadership that inspires and leads the development of a shared vision for the comprehensive integration of technology in schools is addressed by Jenkins as an essential for creating a modern 21st Century learning environment. Abernathy stressed that modern principals need to learn and model technology skills for all stakeholders to reflect a vision that meets the needs of all learners. She indicated campus leadership has the opportunity through modeling the use of technology tools to increase buy-in from all school stakeholders. Cumminings indicated the importance of improving school vision by principals staying on top of trends and research for the practical use of technology by all school stakeholders. She stated that principals must introduce and model the use of the 21st Century technology learning tools to ensure all stakeholders are moving from a Digital Immigrant status to the status of Digital Citizen.
The round table members discussed the development of a robust digital age learning culture standard as an important task for today’s principal. Cummings stated that improving technology mobility and accessibility to increase student technology skills is the first step to creating this culture. She insisted that to move towards a digital culture, teachers must move away from the holder of all knowledge and allow students to be resources of updated knowledge through digital sources. She believed that teachers should teach students to evaluate the relevance of the digitally acquired knowledge and construct their own knowledge from these sources. Cummings went on to indicate that collaboration and assessment by all stakeholders is key to evaluating the processes and outcomes in a digital culture. Abernathy discussed that the modern schools already require that instruction be individualized to meet the needs of each learner. She believed that the use of technology in the classroom allowed for more individualized student instruction. She indicated for school culture to change, administration must be creative with their ideas of how to incorporate technology and spend budget funds to improve and increase technology resources.
One of the trends that Jenkins used to stir the discussion was the need for schools to use 21st Century digital-age professional development to train administrators and teachers. Cummings indicated the need to move away from the ‘Sit and Get’ method of professional development. She stated that professional development through the use of digital sources would provide each learner more relevant and differentiated instruction in training sessions. Abernathy indicated that school leaders must bring professional development to the desktop to allow for greater accessibility. Staffs need to have 24/7 accessibility to professional development, according to Abernathy, to always allow for continual learning.
To gain local insight into the trends discussed in the round table discussion, interviews were conducted with Jeanette Winn, the campus principal, Jayma Wood, SBDM member and special education teacher, and Jerome H. and Raul R., students. The interviews were conducted in two sessions, the first with Ms. Winn and Mrs. Wood and the second with the two students. The goal was to get views about the trend of merging 21st Century technology into local campuses.
In the interview with Winn and Wood, the principal stated the district and high school campus were effectively addressing the initiative to integrate technology across all areas of the curriculum. Winn stated that the campus addressed the technology needs and strategies to improve technology integration through the campus improvement plan. She believed that the campus was using data from the STaR chart to evaluate the needs of the staff in relation to technology. She believed that it was important to analyze the instructional time use of technology by each teacher and daily incorporation on technology into lessons across the curriculum. She believed that her role was to model modern technology use to demonstrate to her staff the importance of the incorporation into our daily lives. She believed that her leadership would set the tone for the school vision being one of incorporating technology use by all school stakeholders. Wood indicated that she felt that Winn did an excellent job of emphasizing the development of a culture that addresses the use of technology resources on meeting the goals of the SBDM team. I asked Wood, the special education teacher, how she could benefit from professional development that used digital tools instead of the normal ‘Sit and Get’ sessions. She believed that the sessions could focus on her individual needs as a special education teacher. She indicated that many professional development sessions she attends do not directly relate to her position and her individual needs as a learner. Winn indicated that as the instructional leader she was pursuing opportunities to use webinars to specifically meet the needs of individual teachers. I specifically asked the principal to address standard four, the importance of leadership that manages and implements strategic planning, monitors progress, and continually evaluates systemic change in concern to integration of technology in the classroom. She indicated that her role was to model technology usage and educate her staff through digital resources and traditional trainings on the importance of using the digital tools that students have available to them to improve learning. She went onto indicate the importance of staff members changing their mental model of the use of cell phones by students. She believed that the phones could be a tool that allows our school to move towards the modern 21st Century learning environment.
In meeting with the two students, Jerome and Raul, I initiated our conversation by asking them how they felt technology could be incorporated into helping them learn in the classroom. They both indicated that having more access to computers in each classroom would allow them to explore information on topics discussed. Raul indicated that he had access to the Internet via his cell phone, but he could not have it out in the classroom. Jerome indicated that he understood why schools were leery of cell phone usage, but he believed that students could benefit from their use in the classroom. They both indicated that if teachers would incorporate strategies into their lessons for cell phone use, it would result in students using their phones with a purpose. In asking the students about the current vision of the school in relation to technology, they revealed that the school was behind in the area of incorporating technology into instruction. I asked them if many of the topics they learned about in school could be accessed by them via technology. They stated that you could learn everything you wanted to know about any topic via the Internet. They indicated that many teachers try to incorporate technology tools, smart boards and computers into the classroom. Jerome believed that teachers in the future should allow students to use computers to learn about topics and do less lecturing. Raul indicated that sometimes he knew more about computers and technology than his teachers. He believed that the younger teachers understood what students wanted in relation to technology. Raul indicated that while he was glad his school provided computers to work on in the classrooms; he believed that the school should provide students with individual computers or allow them to use their resources in the classroom to improve the learning experience. After completing the interviews with the students, I understood their desire that technology be used more in the classroom and their vision about how that use can positively affect their learning outcomes.
After the viewing the round table discussion, staff and student interviews, and reviewing the readings, I have an in-depth understanding of the importance of integrating technology into schools to effectively impact student and teacher learning. The importance of school leadership developing a vision that supports integration of technology and modeling the use of digital resources in the learning environment is key in 21st Century schools. Leaders that are system thinkers and base actions on the modern research-based standards will be able to prepare teachers to prepare students for success in the 21st Century economy.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
EDLD 5352 Section 1122 Thomas Warlick Week 2 Assignment Part 2
The Teaching and Learning Area of the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020 reflects the need of shifting the roles of teachers and learners in the traditional classroom. As teachers serve the students of the 21st Century, they must take into account that these students will live in a world that requires the use of technology in every facet. The emphasis of the Long-Range Plan in this area is to actively involve the students in the learning process, instead of strictly recipients of the knowledge. Learning and teaching in the 21st Century must focus on connecting students' real-world experiences to the classroom. The modern classroom will extend beyond the traditional walls of the school. Students will need to be active learners in online and virtual communities to prepare them for real-world collaboration and communication. With the use of technological resources, schools should empower their students with the skills necessary to succeed in a global and digital world.
Progress in the technological teaching and learning area at the national, state, and local areas has increased due to legislative requirements. NCLB addressed the need for improvement by settings national standards for technology use in the classroom. An example of a standard in place is the requirement that all students become technologically literate by the end of their eighth grade year. Legislation has been passed that ensures that schools promote integration of research-based technological instruction in the classroom.
The Texas Campus STaR Chart allows schools to evaluate six focus areas in the teaching and learning key area. The focus areas include patterns of classroom use, frequency and design of the instructional setting using the digital content, technological content area connections, monitoring implementation and student mastery of technology application TEKS, and online learning in the classroom.
The data trends for the teaching and learning key area on the STaR Chart Statewide Summary indicate that most schools statewide in 2007-08 were in the Developing Tech classification. My campus was in the same classification for the 2007-08 and 2006-07 school years, but in 2008-09 report the campus was classified in the Advanced Tech stage. The data reflects the commitment that the local school district and campus has made to integrate technology into the modern 21st Century classroom.
My recommendation in this area is for leadership at the national, state, and local levels to continue to raise and improve standards for the integration of technology in the classroom. The funding needs to be available for schools to successfully meet the commitment to these standards. Teacher preparation and continued professional development will allow the 21st Century educator to meet the needs of all diverse learners regardless of geographical location.
Progress in the technological teaching and learning area at the national, state, and local areas has increased due to legislative requirements. NCLB addressed the need for improvement by settings national standards for technology use in the classroom. An example of a standard in place is the requirement that all students become technologically literate by the end of their eighth grade year. Legislation has been passed that ensures that schools promote integration of research-based technological instruction in the classroom.
The Texas Campus STaR Chart allows schools to evaluate six focus areas in the teaching and learning key area. The focus areas include patterns of classroom use, frequency and design of the instructional setting using the digital content, technological content area connections, monitoring implementation and student mastery of technology application TEKS, and online learning in the classroom.
The data trends for the teaching and learning key area on the STaR Chart Statewide Summary indicate that most schools statewide in 2007-08 were in the Developing Tech classification. My campus was in the same classification for the 2007-08 and 2006-07 school years, but in 2008-09 report the campus was classified in the Advanced Tech stage. The data reflects the commitment that the local school district and campus has made to integrate technology into the modern 21st Century classroom.
My recommendation in this area is for leadership at the national, state, and local levels to continue to raise and improve standards for the integration of technology in the classroom. The funding needs to be available for schools to successfully meet the commitment to these standards. Teacher preparation and continued professional development will allow the 21st Century educator to meet the needs of all diverse learners regardless of geographical location.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
EDLD 5352 EA 1122 Thomas Warlick Week 1 Assignment Part 4 Technology Application TEKS Summary
The goal of the technology applications TEKS in the Pre-Kindergarten educational setting is to enhance students ability to acquire knowledge, problem solve, and communicate with others. Exposing and giving students regular access to computers at this age is a key part of the objectives. As mentioned in previous posts, the goal of the Technology Applications TEKS is to prepare students for the 21st Century economy that weighs so heavily on technology. The first step in this process is at the Pre-Kindergarten stage where students are exposed to a variety of technology resources. By exposing these students to these resources, the foundation is laid as students move into 21st Century elementary and secondary classrooms.
In review of the TEKS, students are expected to use basic computer input devices while navigating computer software that is age appropriate. The TEK that I found interesting was the one that expected students to be able to create and express their own ideas using technology. The examples of this included students writing and drawing using technology. Education has come a long way since the day of crayons and a Big Chief tablet. The students are expected to recognize that information is accessible through technology via resources like the Internet. While the skills seem overwhelming to a secondary teacher, as a parent of children that have grown up in the 21st Century, these skills are very age appropriate.
A spiraling curriculum is one that builds upon previous knowledge by revisiting a concept using different forms of representation in a continuing cycle and at a higher level of complexity. An example of the Technology Application TEKS being a spiraling curriculum is comparing the grades 6-8 Technology Applications (Computer Literacy) TEKS and the grades 9-12 Computer Science TEKS.
In the grades 6-8 foundations strand, students are demonstrating their ability to do various technology skills. While in the Computer Science objectives, students are expected to make decisions while using the various technology skills.
In the information acquisition strand, grade 6-8 students are expected to locate information using the Internet and apply strategies to locate information. In the high school TEKS, students are expected to use the information they locate in research and resource sharing. Instead of simply carrying out search strategies, they are expected to construct the strategies.
Within the grade 6-8 problem solving strand, students are expected to participate and complete tasks in electronic communities and collaboration. The high school students are expected to participate in learning environments that extend beyond the classroom walls and are meaningful activities within a larger community.
The communications strand in high school expects students to publish information in a variety ways not limited to basic software, Internet documents, and video. In the grade 6-8 TEKS, students are expected to use basic technology resources to publish information for others to read or view.
The comparison of the TEKS between grades 6-8 and 9-12 demonstrate how concepts are revisited and built upon to increase the complexity. The spiraling of this curriculum guarantees student learning is increasing on a step by step basis as one move through technology application coursework.
In review of the TEKS, students are expected to use basic computer input devices while navigating computer software that is age appropriate. The TEK that I found interesting was the one that expected students to be able to create and express their own ideas using technology. The examples of this included students writing and drawing using technology. Education has come a long way since the day of crayons and a Big Chief tablet. The students are expected to recognize that information is accessible through technology via resources like the Internet. While the skills seem overwhelming to a secondary teacher, as a parent of children that have grown up in the 21st Century, these skills are very age appropriate.
A spiraling curriculum is one that builds upon previous knowledge by revisiting a concept using different forms of representation in a continuing cycle and at a higher level of complexity. An example of the Technology Application TEKS being a spiraling curriculum is comparing the grades 6-8 Technology Applications (Computer Literacy) TEKS and the grades 9-12 Computer Science TEKS.
In the grades 6-8 foundations strand, students are demonstrating their ability to do various technology skills. While in the Computer Science objectives, students are expected to make decisions while using the various technology skills.
In the information acquisition strand, grade 6-8 students are expected to locate information using the Internet and apply strategies to locate information. In the high school TEKS, students are expected to use the information they locate in research and resource sharing. Instead of simply carrying out search strategies, they are expected to construct the strategies.
Within the grade 6-8 problem solving strand, students are expected to participate and complete tasks in electronic communities and collaboration. The high school students are expected to participate in learning environments that extend beyond the classroom walls and are meaningful activities within a larger community.
The communications strand in high school expects students to publish information in a variety ways not limited to basic software, Internet documents, and video. In the grade 6-8 TEKS, students are expected to use basic technology resources to publish information for others to read or view.
The comparison of the TEKS between grades 6-8 and 9-12 demonstrate how concepts are revisited and built upon to increase the complexity. The spiraling of this curriculum guarantees student learning is increasing on a step by step basis as one move through technology application coursework.
EDLD 5352 Section1122 Thomas Warlick Week 1 Assignment Part 3
The analysis of the Long-Range Plan for Technology is a valuable tool in my training for administrative leadership. The plan emphasizes the importance for a school administrator to be actively involved in technology leadership. Educational technology leaders must be life-long learners of the important education tool. Administrators influence on technology will directly affect teaching and learning in the classroom. An administrator is responsible for modeling the use of technology for staff and students. They must emphasize the importance of the integration of into their jobs and lives.
In reviewing the plan, the emphasis on the role that technology plays in the lives of all citizens in the 21st Century global economy is made very clear. The plan pointed out the importance that technology be accessible and implemented in schools in an equitable fashion that meets the needs of all learners across our state. Our students regardless of where they come from will need the technological tools to allow them to contribute successfully to the worldwide economy. While many of the students in our classrooms possess technological skill prior to entering the classroom, we must provide leadership and facilitation of technology in the classroom to increase their skills as they move through the education system.
The emphasis of the plan on the role of educational technology leadership is what I thought was most relevant to my future role as an administrator. The leader must provide students and teachers with opportunities to grow in the area of technology integration in the classroom. While most educators will agree that technology plays an important role in the lives of our students, technology is important to instructional process. As a leader that believes in the integration of technology, the plan demonstrates the importance of professional development for the entire school staff. Technology provides professional development opportunities that did not exist just a few years ago.
The Long-Range Plan provides the direction for all stakeholders that will move the existing educational system towards a 21st Century model that meets the needs of all students. Technology will open avenues that many believed were closed due to limitations that were perceived to exist in individuals lives.
In reviewing the plan, the emphasis on the role that technology plays in the lives of all citizens in the 21st Century global economy is made very clear. The plan pointed out the importance that technology be accessible and implemented in schools in an equitable fashion that meets the needs of all learners across our state. Our students regardless of where they come from will need the technological tools to allow them to contribute successfully to the worldwide economy. While many of the students in our classrooms possess technological skill prior to entering the classroom, we must provide leadership and facilitation of technology in the classroom to increase their skills as they move through the education system.
The emphasis of the plan on the role of educational technology leadership is what I thought was most relevant to my future role as an administrator. The leader must provide students and teachers with opportunities to grow in the area of technology integration in the classroom. While most educators will agree that technology plays an important role in the lives of our students, technology is important to instructional process. As a leader that believes in the integration of technology, the plan demonstrates the importance of professional development for the entire school staff. Technology provides professional development opportunities that did not exist just a few years ago.
The Long-Range Plan provides the direction for all stakeholders that will move the existing educational system towards a 21st Century model that meets the needs of all students. Technology will open avenues that many believed were closed due to limitations that were perceived to exist in individuals lives.
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