Hi all, Janet Yunker here . . .
I'm finally getting smarter and doing my work BEFORE the weekend . . . . .
Chapter Four Summary/Reflection
The effectiveness of computer applications to provide information, manage budgets, analyze test scores and improve overall office operations has been broadly accepted by educational systems. The modern demands of reporting data and the need for quick access to information require that school administrators have systems that integrate information needs with computer technology.
There are three categories of applications: databases to manage information, spreadsheets to manage numerical data and office automation to manage words and communication.
The most important application is the database because it is a collection of files where data can be created, updated and accessed. The data files are interrelated so that information does not have to be entered multiple times. Queries enable others to access data for reports and files without having to be knowledgeable of the technical aspects of the database. Frequently, the complexity and size of databases require a full-time administrator to keep them updated. Spreadsheets analyze numbers and are used for planning and modeling. One benefit of a spreadsheet is the ability to change something in one cell and have it change other cells immediately. Administrators can do “what if” to explore effects of a change. These calculations are simple to perform and staff can learn to use them in a matter of hours.
Office automation requires local or wide area networking in order to be effective. Software must link and integrate several automation packages. An example of this linkage would be the ability to merge data files with the text of a letter. It offers personalization in mass mailings and also saves considerable time. Electronic mail distributes messages quicker and easier than traditional mail and offers a record of communication, unlike a phone conversation. Another type of office automation software is an office support system which includes calendars, address points, appointment books and alarm clocks.
Specialized administrative applications allow administrators to develop portals to the Internet from their school home page. There are also statistical packages, test-scoring equipment and telephone calling systems that combine computers with telephones in many school districts.
Professionally, I use computer applications throughout every school day. My day begins by checking email messages followed by checking a department WIKI. School attendance and grades are all entered electronically. Parents send messages through email or Webgrader. For student achievement testing, The Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement provide scoring and summaries online. When our department sends letters home to parents we use the mail-merge feature to customize each letter. Without these time saving integrated applications, my job would be much more difficult, if not impossible, considering the workload. With the help of the integrated system that is available at North High School, I am much more organized, able to access data and I don’t have to worry about losing information because it is safely stored on a central hard drive.
October 3, 2007
School District of Waukesha
Information and Technology Literacy Plan Summary
The School District of Waukesha has an extensive information and technology plan that spans over 190 pages, which is impractical for the average reader to digest. Fortunately, they put goals in a table format to make it easier to understand. Following are the key areas that this reader found interesting enough to comment on for this summary.
To begin with, on the cover it states that the plan extends from January 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008, which is a short time to achieve goals. Most articles that this reader has read recommend a span of five years in which to accomplish a plan.
The vision statement emphasizes preparing students to be responsible competent users of information and technology in order to improve achievement and opportunities. That statement is fine but limited as it applies to the confines of the school environment. Wording it in a broader sense and focusing on preparation for careers in the future, along with a statement about creativity and problem solving might be more appropriate.
The technology plan committee is comprised of two building administrators, one elementary teacher, five secondary teachers, three library specialists, three technology resource teachers, four department chairs, the principal of IQ academies, and one representative from the district office who is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Representatives from the business community, the school board, the support staff and student population were not included. It might be insightful to include these people for their valuable input.
In the action plan under Goal B it states that by June 2008, 100% of educators will show growth on the Waukesha Teacher Proficiency Benchmarks. This seems vague as a goal, so this reader would rephrase it to state that 100% of educators will reach the proficient level by 2008. As for the goals for school administrators, the plan is much tougher.
School administrators are expected to demonstrate a leadership capacity, model and evaluate technology, in addition to holding teachers accountable for integrating technology into teaching and learning. Unfortunately, this reader sees this goal as “dumping” everything on the principal so that he can be the “fall guy” when the plan has not been achieved. If technology is something that the principal is comfortable with, then of course, he/she should take a leadership role. If not, he/she should not be held accountable for the success of others in this plan.
Lastly, the plan states that there is a program called Star Online which provides resources on how to integrate technology into teaching along with an online Microsoft tutorial package that can be used by all staff and students. This opportunity needs to be communicated across the district because it is likely that many faculty members and students are unaware of its existence.
In conclusion, reviewing this plan was an eye-opener for me, as I thought there would be nothing that I could possibly comment on. The School District of Waukesha has been very thorough with their technology plan but they should continue to broadcast the availability of resources, learning opportunities and online support available so that teachers will access them.
October 2, 2007
Staff Development for New Technologies
McKenzie, J. (1993).Staff Development for New Technologies. From Now On The Educational
Technology Journal. (unknown), unknown.
Once new technology has been determined for a district, the task of defining teacher competencies in order to deliver the program becomes necessary. Districts have to first explain what they expect their teachers to achieve within a defined timeline. This is no longer an optional requirement.
If 100% literacy is the goal within a short timeline it makes sense that new hires should be interviewed on their technology skills. Hiring those that already have skills would save the district money. For senior staff, if they are planning on retirement within a few years they could pass on training with the agreement that they would retire on an agreed upon date. As for the regular staff, those that plan to stay for five or more years should proceed with training.
The next step is to form a Staff Development Committee. It has been found that the more participation, the stronger the committee. The committee should produce a booklet of learning opportunities that follow a five-year progression. That way, faculty can select courses based on their individual needs and preferences.
The number one guideline is that options should be available that suit all learning styles, meaning online offerings, small group and large group.
Secondly, faculty should be able to actually practice in a simulated environment in order to become comfortable enough to use it in a classroom. They should also be able to envision using that technology with their own curriculum rather than in general terms.
As for the time commitment, faculty should be compensated for that which they devote to learning new technology the same way that the private sector does. And instruction should be kept at a pace that is comfortable for the learner, meaning that anxiety is avoided. Covering too much ground at one time may not be productive.
Alternate ways of acquiring literacy should be available through school visits, peer coaching, with visits to workplaces among other options. Administrators should be included in these expectations to acquire the same standards.
The teachers for staff development should be chosen from across the board to bring more diversity to teaching styles and attitudes, and there should be ongoing support to encourage growth.
The technology portion of the staff development program should be embedded so that it complements all of its parts. The program should have a built-in component for assessment so that the faculty can demonstrate proficiencies and a component for assessing faculty’s ability to accept change.
After reading this article, I decided that it must have been written from the viewpoint of an educator that is not objective or realistic. Expecting faculty to volunteer to pass on technology development because they are going to retire with a five-year period is unreal. Most teachers would not volunteer that information, nor would they pass up on a free learning experience. And the expectation that faculty should be able to learn the new technology by observing in the workplace or school visits is also unrealistic. The school would have to pay for a substitute teacher, the students would be without their primary instructor, and the teacher would be getting a snapshot view at best of the technology in daily use. The teacher should collaborate within her/his own school during a portion of the day instead.
October 2, 2007
Evaluating Administrative Software
Vecchioli, L (1998). Evaluating Student Records Management Software. Washington, DC: ERIC
Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation.
According to Vecchioli, in her book entitled, “Evaluating Student Records Management Software, the most important factor in evaluating software is what individual needs the software must meet. Once that is determined there are six primary considerations which are:
1. The role of the administrator in the process
2. Formation of a school-wide committee
3. Requirements of the school
4. Design of the system,
5. Implementation of the product
6. Ability to consult with the software company
After that, the secondary categories to be addressed are security issues, the cost of the software, hardware requirements, the cost of the systems administrator, data entry and conversion, available training and consultant fees.
To simplify the process of evaluating, the author designed a framework that schools could tailor to their specific needs. This evaluation tool is broken down into five major categories that explore what the software has to offer.
First, the system scope is looked at for it’s security features, and whether it addresses major functions such as records, scheduling, attendance and grading. And then the age of the vendor’s company is ranked as an indicator of stability.
Secondly, the software should be easy to use with online help, the ability to: view reports on screen as well as print them out, define new data fields, and make entries through the mouse or keypad.
The next consideration is the software’s technical merit, whether it is capable of being networked, interfaced with the Internet and updated “real time”.
Fourth, the systems qualifications are ranked according to how often they are updated, how long the product has been on the market and whether or not an advisory board of users provides feedback on the vendor.
Lastly, support services and training opportunities are addressed. Toll free support should be available in the form of a real person. The vendor should also supply software updates and remote access support along with on site and off site training seminars and training workbooks.
At this point, the author offers an in depth evaluation of three different software packages and their capabilities as it applies to school records, scheduling, attendance and grading.
After reading this selection and comparing to others that I found interesting, I believe that this tool offers a thorough framework for school districts to utilize when they want to address a need in the area of student records management. Whereas many of the other evaluation tools ask generic questions that can be applied to multiple areas, this one was unique. It was simple to fill out with yes or no answers. The categories were sectioned off into blocks so that it did not appear to be an overwhelming task to complete. And having five sections made it easier to understand for someone that is not an expert in software. The only negative aspect was no specific number of responses determined whether or not the software passed the worthiness test. It would have been nice to be able to plug in the responses and have a graph or percentage scale come up with a recommendation. But having said that, overall, extensive time and energy was required to produce this framework and it is offered free to those who would like to adapt it to their school district’s situation, so each school district should at least come up with their own scale of merit.
September 29, 2007
Summary 3 - Technology Integration
Technology Integration As a Transforming Teaching Strategy
Woodbridge, Jerry (2004). Technology Integration As a Transforming Teaching StrategyRetrieved September 29, 2007
http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17701367
The buzz word in education today is technology. Everyone wants to implement it in the classroom, however, few teachers are knowledgeable about how to proceed. The fact of the matter is that teachers have to be open to change and they need a model to guide them to understand the possibilities that can assist them in transforming their ideas of how to teach students.
The article’s author, Jerry Woodbridge, conducted observations in 16 classrooms, interviewed two-dozen teaching professionals and had 27 responses to an online survey. He wanted to explore how teachers who have learned to integrate technology actually perform several years later in the classroom. Another purpose for his research was to explore the relationship between the beliefs of the teachers and their usage of teaching strategies that included technology. These teaching strategies require students to construct their own learning using the computer as a tool, which parallels a constructivist’s philosophy in education.
Students today are computer savvy and can perform beyond what educators expect of them. Unfortunately, this may be due to the fact that many educators lack confidence using technology and the skills necessary to instruct students. In most schools the technology staff has focused on filling classrooms with equipment and networking, while many teachers have minimal knowledge about “what to do” with that equipment.
In order to successfully integrate technology, Woodbridge poses that teachers need to incorporate three things: Use software to create, manipulate, and enhance student learning, use problem-based assignments, and establish a constructive learning environment. Later in his article, he gives a classroom example of a teacher utilizing all three components.
This article basically reinforced the learning that has taken place in this master’s program, with that of problem-solving learning tasks and using the computer as a tool for learning.
In order to resolve the great divide among teachers that are technologically educated and those that are not, I will need to be an active role model for my colleagues. During the school year we have Inservices at North High School where teachers voluntarily educate their peers on technology and equipment such as the Smart Board or Kurzweil, a text to voice program. Giving examples of how these things can be used in the classroom is critical. Therefore, job shadowing in the classroom may prove to be another beneficial way to familiarize teachers to technology integration.
With Jerry Woodbridge’s three points for success with technology, I will be able to integrate technology into my curriculum on a daily basis with student-driven learning as the primary goal. This will not only engage my students in the learning process, it will also prepare them for future careers in our modern society. I highly recommend this article for those who are interested in incorporating technology into the classroom, but have doubts on exactly how to proceed.
Planning for Technology Podcast (Review 2)
September 23, 2007
Planning for Technology - Part One
Bailey, J. (unknown). Planning for Technology Podcast. Retrieved September 23, 2007, from EASI:Equal
Access to Software and Information Web site: http://easi.cc/podcasts/bfit/bfit32906/bfit32906.mp3
In this podcast, the EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) group interviewed James Bailey, an adaptive technology coordinator for the University of Oregon who is currently doing graduate work in special education technology. He spoke about defining a tech support plan, integrating the plan with the school office and institution and then making it operational. James began explaining how in the past schools lacked programmatic design and resorted to reactive growth. Today we have diverse and sophisticated technological supports for students that have disabilities. The current issue is accessibility. We weren’t even addressing that 10 years ago because we didn’t have the options. Now we need to be thinking about distance learning. One major point that needs to be made is that assistive technology in higher education is directly linked to the importance of instructional technology in higher education. Computers have become important to all students in how they conduct research because text barriers have been eliminated
Assistive technology has grown into an academic support program. Schools should create a public version that is open for review, one that students can take a look at for a picture of what your district has to offer and how they access those things.
We should be conducting this as an articulated business and having a plan from which to operate. The fact is that the school must have a plan in place so that you can match a student’s particular disability with a set of services that is appropriate.
Concise and timeless policies should be in place. We are all going to have different student populations so how the policy reads will be individualized. There isn’t a place that you can go grab an AT policy. You need the tools so you can assess your institution and your students.
The components of a plan should detail what assistive technology is available at your district right now. Then provide a rationale for the plan that will encourage student cooperation in terms of working within the program. The AT plan should address how you should deal with a student who is not covered in your AT plan. Services should be consistent and it will help to forecast needs. Be sure to reflect your institution's mission, and clearly define your services and accommodations. So in other words, really have a sense of what it is you are offering the student and how you plan to provide it.
After reflecting on this podcast, I started thinking about the situation at North High School. The make-up of our special education department has been changing dramatically due to new students enrolling with intensive specialized needs. In one of my classes I have a nonverbal student, a student that has limited use of his hands, a student with autism and a student that needs one-on-one supervision so that he does not harm himself. After listening to this podcast, I realize that the "higher-ups" that coordinate the services, find the financial resources, and train the staff to accommodate these students need a pat on the back. So far, (knock on wood) things have been going smoothly and the feedback that we have been getting from parents has been positive. I can see how having a specific plan in place instead of reacting to each case as it presents itself helps not only the one who implements the plan but the coordinator, the guidance counselor, the parents and student feel much more confident with the integrity of the program.
Chapter Three Summary
Chapter three focuses on various issues involved with educational technology such as the debate of replacing teachers with computerized instruction and the most appropriate age level in which to introduce computer use. How to alleviate learning hindrances for students with special needs, equity, gender, race, and socioeconomic circumstances are factors that must be addressed to even out the playing field in technology use.
Most people are enthusiastic about using technology to solve problems with educating students, however, some believe that traditional teachers are obsolete and the school environment should be turned into a machine activity. Others promote integrated learning systems in which technology is used to customize material for individuals and used a limited amount of time. Overall, these systems should be viewed as tools to be integrated into curriculum more so than used as the sole source of instruction.
At what age should one start using technology? Some theorists claim that students have to be ready as it relates to cognitive development, eye-hand coordination, dexterity, and comprehension of instructions. Others hold to the idea that technology is good, therefore, the more and earlier that students use it, the more they will benefit and in recent years, the addition of alternate input devices has made it more sensible for younger children to use the computer.
For students with special needs, assistive devices offer the links to learning that were previously unavailable. Many of these devices are more expensive than other forms of technology and it is difficult to determine which tools are appropriate. Reimbursement opportunities are available from agencies and advice can be obtained from support groups or rehabilitation agencies.
Another issue that must be considered when using technology in learning is gender. Two categories, performance and attitude dominate. Research has been inconsistent on performance, however, with attitudes, males tend to favor computer activities where women tend to avoid them. Women view the Internet more as a productivity tool and men view it as a place to play. In order to overcome these differences, schools should require all students to take computer courses, expand computer use and integrate it into other programs, educate staff on the issue, establish positive role models and eliminate stereotypical material.
Likewise, race is an issue but research is limited. Obvious factors, such as access, student performance and levels of software used have an impact on learning. And socioeconomic factors: years of education, career, race and income all influence whether or not a family owns a computer. Therefore, schools should consider providing access to computer equipment after school hours to afford equal opportunities to all students.
Good summary - Louis
Summary of Chapters One and Two
As an introduction in "Educational Leadership and Planning for Technology", chapter one gave a short history of the computer revolution, how it all began with data-processing applications and then gradually moved to microcomputers in the late 1970's and 1980's. At approximately that time, computer manufacturers began marketing products to schools. The book's author, Picciano, points out that educational technology must be integrated into the main functions of schools in order to be successful. Organizations in the public sector have been able to accomplish this, however primary and secondary schools lag behind due to reservations in the implementation and expense of technology.
There are essentially two categories of computer applications in education: that of instructional and administrative. The administrative applications were similar to those that private industry and public agencies already used, therefore schools were able to draw on the expertise and existing software to do data collection activities. Conversely, schools are still struggling with technology in education because of differing teaching philosophies (i.e. impersonal approach), the unknown benefits and problems in implementation.
In order to resolve this problem, the need for planning is critical as most teachers are not well-prepared to integrate technology into the classroom. Questions will have to be answered regarding not only hardware and software issues, but staff development, curricular integration and ongoing maintenance issues as well. Early successes with technology integration are attributed to involved teachers and administrators that were interested and enthusiastic about using technology. If this component is found missing, applications are doomed to fail.
Schools are social systems. Input, process, and output are fundamental to computer technology and fundamental concepts to students, teaching, curriculum and outcomes when used in the context of describing a school. The systems theory is an integrated approach for presenting the technical aspects of technology and it will be the basic framework used to present material found in this book.
Chapter two dealt with the concept of planning and provided a framework for educational planning. It defined planning as individuals thinking about and developing strategies to have their organization or school ready for the demands of the future. Characteristics could be structured, unstructured, formal, informal, etc. and may involve various personalities and needs. Schools are social systems and must consider the social needs of all members within the context of the school. This type of social system model is not the most efficient because it involves many people, however, it provides direction when focused on the overall picture.
Evaluating the outcomes in a school environment the same way that private businesses evaluate bottom-line profits is almost impossible because of the existing achievement measures and assessment techniques. Many school districts have different ideas on spending when it comes to children's education which makes it complicated to establish an evaluation measure according to the economic model. The organizational theory poses that organizations operate on a continuum of rational and social behaviors because the knowledge is not available to operate by a rational model alone. Computer technology can play an increasingly important role in expanding the knowledge needed for school leaders to become more effective decision makers and planners.
The four major elements of planning are comprehensiveness, collaboration, commitment and continuity. Comprehensiveness includes a total view of a school and links individual needs and objectives into group goals. Collaboration relies on others to help improve one's understanding through the exchange of knowledge. It also allows for an appreciation of other perspectives on an issue, goal or need. Commitment occurs when people are involved with forming goals and objectives and developing a plan of action. When people understand what is going on, they generally become more committed. Continuity is the process of ongoing change and is never-ending as new tools and technologies become available.
Planning for technology comes from values defined by the environment toward goals initiated at the school district level and computer applications are identified as the main course of action. In turn, they require hardware, software, staff needs, and funding in order to be delivered at the school level. After that, they must be evaluated and feedback must be provided in order to establish new goals or to make revisions. Information is able to flow both ways in this process. This model engages in environmental scanning, engagement in activities that provide information on the community, state and society for planning purposes, which is critical for understanding changes and trends in technology. Usually, a district administrator is the one to provide leadership in reading environmental values and translating them into district-wide goals.
A pivotal step in planning is the development of a written plan that all parties understand and will usually cover a time span of three to seven years. The planning team should include a district officer that is knowledgeable about available financial resources.
When deciding on evaluation criteria, it is important for the measures to be appropriate to the goals. Summative criteria may be appropriate for administrative applications, but instructional applications may or may not require standardized measures. These criteria should be established early on in the planning process. In addition, it is recommended that the development, implementation and evaluation of technology be done in moderate stages to ensure that it is successful prior to implementing it district-wide.
Applications or solutions can be provided to meet specific goals and objectives. Most administrative applications are related to information resources, administrative services or administrative productivity and efficiency. Instructional applications prepare students for jobs in the future that will involve technology, improve learning and teaching with technological tools, and provide curricula that is technology-based for those students that have an interest in technology. Regardless of the goal or objective, applications are the basic building block that all other components rely on.
The National Center for Technology Planning has a few links that offer technology based needs assessments. The one that Ted Wesley did requires that teachers keep a survey close at hand for a period of five days. The survey asks open ended questions such as "Do you ever, or often, think . . . . one example is "I could do this faster if . . . " The teacher is asked to list and describe things or situations that would be helpful. A survey of this nature opens up the possibility for new ideas that have not been considered. The participant is able to express their opinion.
Wesley, T. (2007). Perceived Educational Technology Needs Survey. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from National Center for Technology Planning Web site:
http://www.nctp.com/downloads/assess.pdf
The North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium offers a learning with technology profile tool. It surveys the current vision of learning, tasks, assessments, instructional model, learning context, student grouping, teacher roles and student roles. It also surveys indicators of high performance technology by asking questions on access, operability, organization, engagability, ease of use and functionality. It allows one to graph the responses. I found this survey to be quite comprehensive and user friendly. It would only take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
(1997). Learning with Technology Profile Tool. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium Web site:
http://www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm
The U.S. Department of Education offers an Educator's guide to evaluating the use of technology in schools and classrooms. They also have links to examples of surveys for district administrators, teachers and students. The one I chose used boxes A=yes, B=yes, somewhat, C=No, D=Don't know and E=N/A. It had a wide range of surveys to choose from.
(1998, December). An Educator's Guide to Evaluating the Use of Technology in Schools and Classrooms. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from U.S. Department of Education Web site:
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdTechGuide/index.html
Article Review 1
CEDU527
September 16, 2007
Janet Yunker
Staff Development and Change Process: Cut from the Same Cloth
Hord, S. (1994). Staff Development and Change Process: Cut from the Same Cloth. Retrieved September 16, 2007, from http://sedl.org/ Web site: http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues42.html
This article, written by Shirley M. Hord of the Services for School Improvement (SEDL), appeared in a quarterly publication funded through the Department of Education. Ms. Hord describes a model of staff development and explores the effectiveness of its components. She examines a change model from a school improvement plan and suggests that staff development is synonymous with the process of change. She then matches up the strategies that appear to ensure the success of a staff development/change process plan.
There are five components necessary for staff development to be successful. First, the theory, skill or behavior must be introduced to the audience. The second component is modeling the new theory, skill or behavior. The third component involves audience practice in a simulated setting and then open-ended feedback comprises component four. And finally, the fifth component gives follow up coaching in the classroom setting. Unfortunately, most staff development plans focus on the first component and ignore the other four. In those cases, only about 10% of people actually transfer the new skill to use in the classroom. If all five components are included in the plan, almost 95% of participants transfer its use to the classroom.
Likewise, the change process has five components that are integral for enacting school change. Ms. Hord refers to them as categories of interventions. The first is to have a vision complete with goals and expectations. Secondly, the school must have a plan that creates a supportive environment for participants. The third category includes training and skill development necessary to conduct change. After that the fourth category, monitoring and evaluating determine the fifth category of consultation, reinforcement and data-based interventions.
The Leadership for Change Project of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory in Austin Texas identified top strategies used to enact the change process successfully. These strategies include those listed above with the addition of creating a context conducive to change. This means that the environment must be conducive to change so that participants will take risks to change behaviors.
In this article, the components deemed necessary to achieve success in staff development or change process echo the same strategies that were used in the simulation game that our class participated in last Monday night. Each component must be included and revisited throughout the process in order to experience success. It is not enough to know how to conduct staff development and change process, we must employ it in order to see results. This article would be helpful reading for any school district that has a new vision for their system.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.