EDLD 5352 Instructional Leadership Week 5 Assignment:

While Reading the syllabus for this course, I was very nervous because technology in content mastery is not up to par with the other subject areas. It made me think about what I really knew about technology and how teachers integrate it into the classroom. Since I have been out of the classroom for the past five years, I really began to feel out of touch with the way students are taught in the classroom. Because of this class, I learned more about specific aspects of technology than I dreamed. I have heard of blogging, but never thought about the educational implications it can have. One of the elements of this course is the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, which must be in effect by 2020. I was in the dark about the Texas Long-Range Plan which was put into place by the SBEC. After taking this course I have a better understanding of how the STaR Chart information and the data is used and the purpose of completing the survey. I also learned how to assess the technology status of a campus. I feel that I have achieved the outcomes of this class, and I look forward to sharing my new found knowledge of blogging with my colleagues, so they too can begin incorporating new aspects of technology into the classroom.
The knowledge I have gained in this class will definitely be relevant to the work that I do. I have already looked at and subscribed to blogs regarding evaluation and assessment. The district provides several staff developments throughout the year on technology and now that I am a little more in touch with new gadgets out there, I will be more inclined to sign-up for these in-services. I feel that blogs would be a great way for all of us to share ideas and finalize a special education staff development agenda. It will also allow all stakeholders a voice and let the administration hear what our department needs. I also would like to share the concepts of blogging with other teachers and staff members. There are probably quite a few teachers that are unaware of these technology tools and the educational impact they can have on students. It would also allow me as a department head to communicate with staff and get feed back in real time with out having to hold a meeting.
Sadly, my blog did not look as good as I wanted it to. I wanted to add more graphics and photos to make it look more user-friendly, but I had some problems. The problems I encountered were posting information to the blog website. I found it difficult to add text and change the font, size, and color. The buttons on the tool bar were confusing and difficult to use. For example, when I tried to post pictures the size and the layout options were confusing. After several hours of frustration, I began to get more familiar with the program and was able to navigate it with a better success rate. I also found the organization chart to cause me more hours of frustration than I care to mention. I hate when you know exactly how you want the blog to look and cannot, for lack of knowledge, get the program to cooperate. Needless to say, if I would have had more experience with the program it would have been a lot easier. I definitely need to spend more time learning the finer details of blogging.
I feel that I was successful in carrying out the course assignments, even though I was as apprehensive at first. My plan was to take it one week at time and focus on each particular task. I quickly became frustrated with board discussions. Waiting for someone else to post so I could respond was stressful. I was discouraged with the repetitiveness of having to turn in the assignments in more than one place. I had heard of blogging before, but this was the first time that I had actually created one. I just took my time and took it step by step. I soon discovered that blogging could be enjoyable. I also began to see how blogging could provide an educational opportunity for students that can be both meaningful and fun. Collaborating with my colleagues was great and I am glad I have found some other students that also enjoy sharing ideas. I am looking forward to sharing my new found knowledge with my colleagues at my campus! Even though it took a lot of time getting things going in the right direction I still enjoyed this part of the course.
I definitely discovered that I am a “digital immigrant” (Prensky 2001) and did not know as much about technology as I thought I did. I have discovered that I do have the ability to learn and apply new technology concepts. It is easy for me to be afraid of the unknown, but with a positive attitude and perseverance, I can master new technological applications. Throughout this course, I learned how to create a blog and how it can be used for educational purposes. I also discovered what the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 was all about. Technology and information systems such as AEIS, AYP, and STaR Charts, are used to identify campus curriculum, instructional needs, and professional development needs in a district. All three of the above documents assist administrators in making instructional and staff development decisions. I was able to share this information with a few of my colleagues and I look forward to sharing this information with more teachers in the near future. I have to acknowledge, that I am pleased with myself for stepping out on the edge and learning something new. All technology can be intimidating to the people known as “digital immigrants!”
Blogging can be used in countless ways in education. It would allow students from around the world to collaborate directly on assignments or to share information with each other about different topics. The students of today are not timid in using technology on a daily basis. It is up to us as instructional leaders to continue to meet the needs of our students to ensure they are prepared for the 21st century. There are some dangers on the internet like cyber bullies, adult predators, viruses, worms, etc. Personally, the risks are worth the rewards. Imagine teaching a German class and actually blogging or collaborating with students in Germany, or talking about Physics with a Noble Prize winner. The real world applications are endless. There will always be dangers, but if we educate students on the pitfalls, the rewards far outweigh the negatives. Students will make good choices if they have a solid background of information. Teachers can make a difference in the student’s ability to decipher what information is pertinent and what information should be discarded. Technology must be seen as a tool and not as something frightening. In order for this to work, school districts must have acceptable use policies in place so it can be used appropriately and safely. I already use the web to communicate with athletes, parents, administrators, and other members of the community. It is the job of educators to help students of the 21st century with this endeavor. Remember, "it takes a village to raise a child" and we must reach outside the traditional school setting to the community. In order to do this, technology will provide us the means to accomplish the endeavor.

“Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.

From "Proverb: It Takes a Whole Village to Raise a Child". H-Africa (a member of H-Net's consortium of scholarly lists). http://www.h-net.org/~africa/threads/village.html. Retrieved 2007-12-01.

Edld 5352 Week 4 Assignment Ea1136 Todd Ward

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Edld 5352 Week 4 Assignment Ea1136 Todd Ward

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Reach for the Stars

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Texas STaR Chart Presentation

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Education Preparation

Texas STaR Chart

Opinions vary on the following key areas: Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Leadership, Administration, and Support, carry the most weight. The arguments are reminiscent of which came first “the chicken or the egg.” Everybody will have their own ideas but I believe that if we build the infrastructure the rest will be achievable. Infrastructure for Technology is the backbone of the educational system for the 21st century. The shift into technological world without the infrastructure to support this initiative would be futile. Districts must have reliable computers for student use, access to the internet with high capacity servers, the proper technical support, and the ability to do distance learning.

The survey of districts across the state of Texas illustrate my point because 57.2% of them in 2007-2008 fell into the category of Infrastructure for Technology and received a rating Advanced Technology. Little Elm ISD is on par with rest of the state. We have been in the Advanced Technology rating for last three years. The STaR Chart summaries area average points for years 2006-2009 totaled 15.67. The STaR Chart summary statewide revealed that 1.2% of the schools are early tech, 34.9% were developing tech, 57.2% were advanced tech, and 6.7% were target tech. The district I believe is charting a path toward that target of technology implementation.
On the national screen … “We are a nation on the move. There is a new fervor in American education, a new creativity – driven in part by this generation of tech-savvy students – that bodes well for the future of our country. We must listen to our students.” (Secretary of Education Rod Paige).

Little Elm ISD has followed the trend both at the national and state level. I have been in Little Elm for the past 12 years and I have witnessed a lot of changes. The school district grew form 354 students in 1998 to 1400 today. The growth we experienced was mind boggling. The district had to build a new high school along with several new elementary schools, and was able to really upgrade the infrastructure at all the campuses. The high school recently added two additional computer labs to go along with four they already have in place. Students are get access to Study Island, Rosetta Stone, and Reading Plus in all of these labs. The servers handle the traffic both in LAN and WAN due to fact they are new. Every class room has in focus machines mounted overhead, student to computer ratios have improved, staff integration of technology has increased; yet, there is still room for improvement. Looking forward, I believe Little Elm ISD is on the right path and may even be slightly ahead of the curve.

The goal of every district should be the improvement of student performance in every endeavor. I am concerned that as the economy strains, school districts including mine will not be able to keep up with changes in technology. However, I believe if districts will plan how to maintain, service, replace and reuse as must of the technological gizmos as possible it may be able to help vault students into the 21st century. I would also encourage administration to recruit great technology personal. I would offer to pay teachers stipends for the tech savvy to give staff developments to other teachers and get the community involved chances are there are a lot of gifted people in the area.

Technology Applications Standards TEKS

Technology Applications Standards TEKS

Technology and the new age of learning require our students to become evermore adaptable. Using new software is like learning how to use the Pythagorean Theorem, can be difficult at start but with practice, it also can be mastered. Starting in Pre-K students are expected to start, use and exit age appropriate software. Kindergarten through second grade students are expected to use software features to evaluate works in progress and final products. Students in grades 3-5 are required to use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning opportunities. Students in grades 6-8 are expected to use groupware, collaborative software, and productivity tools to create products. High school students must make decisions regarding the selection, acquisition, and use of software taking under consideration its quality, appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency. In essence, students will start out with the basics of starting up and exiting software and then eventually be able to analyze and make informed decisions about specific software and its capabilities. The TEKS are designed to help students build upon learning with each transition in the educational process. This knowledge and skill they will take to next level so that they will be technology savoir-faire in the 21st century.

Key Ideas of the Long-Range Plan for Technology

Key Ideas of the Long-Range Plan for Technology

Children will learn the basics functions of the computer. They will be able to start up, use, and exit basic age appropriate software programs. They will be able to use basic input devices such as a mouse and keyboard. They will follow basic oral and pictorial cues for operating programs and begin using basic technical terminology. Pre-K students will also use a variety of software programs that will enhance learning experiences.

All of these skills that are being introduced at the Pre-K level are prerequisites for more advanced technical applications. Students must master the basics of operating a computer and software programs to fully understand how we can integrate technology into our learning. Introducing these basic skills at an early age gives students the opportunity to get a jump start on mastering the skills necessary to be technology savvy 21st century learners.

The plan outlines very effectively what the state expects in the realm of technology for the future. I found it interesting that the state believes that online collaboration and distance learning are very important factors in the education of our students. I also learned that the state will take some responsibility in making sure that all students have access to connectivity. As an instructional leader it will be important to make sure that your campus has an up to date web site that is interactive. Students and parents must be provided with access to information that impacts their education. Teachers must be held accountable for maintaining their websites as well as their grade books since parents are supposed to be provided with access online. It is imperative that real-time feedback be provided to students with regards to their progress in classes. Administrators and teachers must also stay up to date with communications with students and parents through email. We live in an interactive society. Educators must stay current on the best way to provide that interactivity. As an administrator we must look for ways to aid our teachers in staying connected with students and parents and providing interactivity through technology. We must do this not by increasing the teachers work load but by making it easier for them to do their jobs.

Requisite Technology Skills Assessment

Requisite Technology Skills Assessment

The Technology Applications Inventory indicated foundations to be one of my strong suits. I would agree because I do feel that I have the basics mastered when operating a computer and software. However, things are ever changing and never static. There is still so much that I do not know about the foundations with technology applications. I still feel the frustration when the technology does work the way I anticipated. All to often it was because I did not have the skill or lacked the knowledge to successfully operate the program, software, or computer correctly. The inventory showed that problem solving and communication were my areas of weakness. I would also agree with this result. I have been out of the classroom for the last seven years, so I feel as if I have lost touch with technology applications and how students incorporate technology into their learning. I hope that this course will help me to gain new information and knowledge so that I can better understand technology and today’s learners. I believe that many teachers feel restricted due to the districts policy on what it will allow to be viewed. The blocks that we all have seen are extremely annoying and it takes an act of God and Congress to get it unblocked by the central office. I believe it is like Pandora’s Box we all want students and teachers to use technology, but we are afraid we will not be able to control it once it is out of bag. Therefore, the districts technology policies often hamper progress.

The SETDA Teacher Survey

The SETDA Teacher Survey consisted of a battery of questions on how we use technology at our respective campuses, my personal use of technology, what are the districts policies and procedures dealing with technology, and what technology is available to use at our campus. I believe most schools are using technology to send out emails, teacher grade books, check attendance, and involve new gadgets in the enrichment of lessons. I know on personal level I use the grade book which parents of my students can check though parent portal. This program allows parents to keep track of student’s grades on real time bases. I also use technology in athletics by showing video clips, helping players make highlights, and sending these out to prospective universities. Our campus also has new remodeled computer labs which allow students hands on working with computers. Our district policies dealing with technology are changing as the technology changes. However, the guides they have set in place are consistent with and help facilitate students skills for the 21st Century.