Reflection: Instructional Leadership-The Technology Link

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP REFLECTION
At the beginning of this course, I envisioned learning about methods of leadership in curriculum and instruction which would bring in some technology components. I envisioned learning motivational techniques and strategies for improving instruction. The outcomes which I envisioned were somewhat different from the actual course outcomes. This course provided more in-depth information than I expected about various technology applications which can be used to enhance content area instruction and teacher development. Earlier in this course, I would have said that I was not achieving the outcomes which I had envisioned. However, after completing this course and learning more about instructional leadership with a technology focus, I understand that by increasing the use of technology and fully integrating technology into our classrooms and schools, I will be able to more effectively serve as an instructional leader. By using technology tools to communicate with staff, provide professional development, and as a tool for teacher collaboration, I will be modeling effective use of technology. This will raise my credibility as a leader when I guide teachers and staff members in integrating technology into everyday instruction and student learning. So, now after completing the course and improving my knowledge of technology based instructional leadership, I do believe that I have achieved the learning outcomes which I envisioned at the beginning of this course.
I believe that my learning from this course is very relevant to my current position as an instructional leader, and this new learning will continue to be relevant throughout my career. I have always felt confident using technology. At my campus, we do not have a technology teacher or aide. There are a few of us on campus that are willing and able to help out with random technology needs. I am comfortable using word processors, spreadsheets, publishers, presentation software, and using the internet to locate information and resources. I am also able to help out with random technology issues. However, throughout this course, I have learned that although I may be one of the few at my campus capable of using various applications, somewhere along the way, I stopped growing in the area of technology. I had never used a blog before this course. In the past, as a classroom teacher, I always pushed technology to the back burner so that I could focus on Reading and Math. Now, as an instructional leader, I understand the importance of bringing technology to the forefront and fully integrating it into content area instruction and providing the opportunity for students to use it on a daily basis so that they stay abreast of changes in technology and continue to increase their knowledge and skills in technology applications. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and intend to apply this newly gained knowledge to my current position as an instructional leader. I have discussed with the Reading Coach, Technology Director, Assistant Principal, and Principal the need for a technology teacher or aide on our campus that can help the teachers to integrate technology into their curriculum and instruction. I have also discussed the need for technology oriented staff development for our staff. Our teachers, staff, and campus leaders need to come together to learn more about the Technology Applications TEKS and what we can do to prepare our students for their future in the 21st century. In order to stay current in technology and be able to effectively lead my campus, it is important that I continue to learn about the many technology applications and tools which are available to us to help our students to be successful. This course has taught me that I need to start using various technology tools, such as blogs, into my work as an instructional leader. I plan to meet with the technology director and discuss how I can setup a blog for teacher use and allow them to be able to access it at school, on the district network. My learning outcomes from this course are great. I have been encouraged to guide our teachers in the use of more technology in the professional growth, curriculum, and instruction. These outcomes will continue to be relevant throughout the years because the expectations for our students will continue to evolve, and as an instructional leader, I will need to continue to grow and learn so that I can better guide and assist staff in meeting the needs of our students.
This has been a very enlightening course. I honestly do not believe that there are any learning outcomes which I have failed to achieve. I do believe that this is an area in which I will never be able to say that I have mastered the content. Technology is an ever-changing field, and as with all aspects of education and leadership, I must be a life-long learner.
The assignments for this course were very time consuming, but they were beneficial in helping me to achieve the outcomes of this course. I have a more thorough understanding of how our schools and classrooms should be integrating technology. I also learned a great deal about the importance of teaching students to be safe on the internet and the responsibility of schools to teach students to navigate the internet safely, use technology tools without endangering themselves, and to provide a secure network and environment for students to apply technology skills. There were times throughout this course when I was discouraged as I worked on assignments. A couple of weeks seemed to be very heavy with assignments. However, I try to keep this in perspective. As a campus leader, there will be times when the workload is heavy. I am learning to view the more difficult or time-consuming tasks as preparation for the duties of serving as a campus leader.
I learned a great deal throughout the five weeks I have been involved in this course. I have learned that though I am adept with technology, I need to begin using blogs and other technology resources to be a positive model of technology use on our campus. I look forward to trying out blogs with the teachers on my campus. I believe that blogs would be a great tool to help us share ideas and plan for instruction. My attitude has definitely changed regarding technology implementation. I believe that part of that is due to being out of the classroom and seeing things from a different perspective. On the other hand, I have learned a great deal about the type of instruction we should be providing our students, the 21st century learners. The perspective I have as an instructional leader and my new learning from this course have made me have a very positive attitude about improving the technology use on my campus.
As I stated earlier, I believe blogs could be a great resource for schools to begin using as a tool for teachers to collaborate with one another and “meet” online. Blogs also have the potential for improving student learning in all content areas by giving students the opportunity to share their learning and ideas in a neutral setting. Students could use blogs to discuss learning from any content area or to collaborate with one another on a project or assignment. As we have been experiencing throughout this graduate program, the use of technology, collaboration, and the ability to work in various settings are important skills in the 21st century. We need to provide these type of learning opportunities for our students to prepare them for whatever job or educational path they pursue.
Although there are many positive aspects of using blogs with our students to improve their learning, there are also many concerns about allowing and encouraging students to use blogs. Anytime a student uses the internet, they are at risk of being the target of a cyber-bully or predator. It can be very scary to think about the many dangers lurking in all the dark corners and alleys of the internet. If we do not teach our students to be cautious and to protect themselves as they use the internet, it would not be a good choice to provide the opportunity for our students to use blogs, or even access the internet. However, I do believe that it important for us to provide the opportunity for our students to access the internet and use the various resources which are available, such as blogs and wikis. We must first make it a priority to teach our students how to protect themselves. This may seem like a very daunting task, but it is doable. During this course, I read about the importance of teaching students to be wary and methods of protecting themselves online. Many people believe that this is something that should start in middle school and the upper grades. However, I was very pleased a couple of weeks ago when my 6 year old son started a conversation with me about being safe on email and the internet. He had watched a video in class the day before about how not everyone on the internet is who they really say they are. I was impressed that is teacher had taken the initiative to start teaching our young children to be cautious and protect themselves. We do need to provide opportunities for our students to use blogs and other internet resources, but it is crucial that we start teaching them early on to protect themselves as they do so.
Just as blogging can be beneficial for students and staff to collaborate and share learning, blogs could also be beneficial in improving school-community relations. Each teacher could have a blog set-up for his/her classroom and post updates about projects, events, and weekly highlights. This would be much easier for a teacher to do than creating a paper newsletter to send home with students on a weekly basis. As a parent, I would also enjoy one less paper coming home. Other school stakeholders would be better able to know what is going on within each campus and classroom if teachers and administrators used blogs to share news and communicate.
There are many opportunities for us to improve student learning through the use of technology. We must constantly monitor the integration of technology into curriculum and instruction. As an instructional leader, it is necessary to share the importance of integrating technology and providing opportunities for students to apply technology skills. It is also crucial that staff development be provided to meet the needs of staff in integrating technology. Data must be used to drive the planning of staff development opportunities, and instructional leaders must follow through after staff development and encourage and monitor the implementation of new skills and instructional methods. As the expectations for the 21st century learner change, today’s educators must take every step to provide prime instruction and improve student learning.

Technology Action Plan

Please review my Technology Action Plan.

Technology Action Plan

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Texas S Ta R Chart

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Texas S Ta R Chart

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Week 2-Educator Preparation & Development

According to the data from the Texas STaR Chart, the area in need of most improvement for my campus is Educator Preparation and Development. The totals for my campus over the past three years went from 11 to 10 to 11. The needs of today’s students are much different from the needs of students in previous decades. All educators must recognize that it is essential to continue learning, especially in the area of technology. Texas students need to be prepared for their futures which will be fully intertwined with technology. If Texas teachers continue to provide instruction and student practice in the traditional manner, our students will not be receiving an optimal education. Educators must receive on-going professional development in technology and classroom instruction strategies which will improve student learning. Research has shown that increased use of technology in the classroom improves student motivation and interest in learning within the content areas. However, for this to happen, teachers must first begin using technology more frequently and integrating it into the content areas. Many teachers are unwilling to use technology beyond the basic everyday tasks of teaching-attendance, grades, and lesson plans. It is critical that school districts and administrators provide opportunities for teachers to acquire and practice new skills in technology, time to collaborate with staff members, and most importantly, support and encouragement. The support and professional development provided to teachers should be based on the needs of the teachers in order to provide strategies for integration into content areas and instructional strategies. Training, support, and professional development can permit teachers to provide exceptional instruction which will prepare students at Liberty-Eylau and all Texas students for life and work in the 21st Century.

Week 1, Part 4-Technology Applications TEKS

Pre-K Technology Applications-

• In Pre-K, young children are exposed to technology with regular access and exposure to computers and age-appropriate software.


• Technologies are integrated throughout the Pre-K curriculum and provide opportunities for young children to learn, express ideas, and access information.


• Pre-K students learn to use basic software, mouse, and voice/sound recordings.

The Pre-K Technology Guidelines lay a foundation for student performance in future grades by exposing young children to technology on a daily basis while integrating technology throughout the curriculum. Pre-K Students learn to perform basic tasks such as using a mouse and playing a CD. Pre-K students use age-appropriate software to create and share ideas. By being exposed to engaging, age-appropriate, and challenging software in Pre-K, students will have a good start to mastering Technology TEKS in future grades and becoming proficient with them.

A Spiraling Curriculum is one in which objectives are introduced in one grade-level and touched on again in subsequent years. Objectives are often introduced on a very basic level and built upon until students have mastered the objective at a higher level. Within the Foundations strand of the Technology TEKS and the Pre-K guidelines, using technology terminology appropriate to the task is repeated from Pre-K all the way up through high school. This is an example of a skill which is introduced and built upon every year. In Pre-K, students are also introduced to using a variety of software with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning. This is continued through Elementary as students use age-appropriate, challenging software to create and modify solutions to problems. In Middle School, students continue to use software to enhance learning with spreadsheets, databases, word processors, desktop publishers, and various digital and graphic tools. In High School, students begin to take courses specific to types of software and applications.

Long-Range Plan for Technology-Week 1, Part 3

After reading the extensive Long-Range Plan for Technology, I have a great deal more insight into the direction our schools should be taking in order to prepare Texas students for life and work in the 21st Century. There is a definite need for schools to change the level of technology being used and taught to students. Our students need to be able to communicate with technology and be able to use various types of software and digital products. 21st Century learners need to be problem solvers and sound decision-makers. It is very important that school and state leaders plan for technology funding which will prepare our students for their futures. Within the Long-Range Plan, it is recommended that mastery of Technology TEKS be measured and reported to TEA. Professional development must be consistent and easily accessible to teachers in order for them to be able to begin changing their instruction to better meet the needs of students. State and local education agencies must work together with regional ESCs and higher education to ensure that Texas teachers and students are equipped with 21st Century skills.

As an instructional leader who is guiding technology use and integration at the campus level, I now have more knowledge as to the direction our campus should be taking in preparing students for future educational experiences and work in the 21st Century. Our students today require instruction which is integrated with technology and easily accessible. As an instructional leader, it is very important that I model effective use of technology and encourage and support teachers and staff members in their efforts to integrate technology into their instruction. Also, as an instructional leader, I recognize the significance of planning and supporting professional development which will provide teachers with more opportunities to learn new technology skills and apply these skills in the classroom.

Technology Assessments-Week 1, Part 2

By taking the Technology Applications Inventory and the State Educational Technology Directors Association Building assessment, I have learned a little bit more about my abilities in the area of technology and the technology level of my campus.
I have always felt confident in the area of technology. I am capable of using various productivity tools and willing to learn how to use other software that I currently do not know how to use. My strengths as a campus leader are:
· The use of technology for communication,
· The ability to plan, create, and edit spreadsheet documents, publications, word documents, and presentations,
· The ability to integrate technology into curriculum, and
· The ability to locate and acquire information on the internet.
I feel confident in my ability to use technology as a campus leader. I currently use technology to acquire lesson ideas and order resources for the Elementary Math teachers. I also use technology to analyze student data, review lesson plans, study curriculum, and align curriculum for K-4 Mathematics. My weaknesses in technology are in the more complex areas of technology such as programming, network maintenance, and software/hardware repair. It would probably be helpful for me to learn more about these areas of technology, but I do believe that I would be able to be an effective campus leader and model use of technology which will encourage the teachers and staff to use technology without being able to maintain the network or repair hardware and software.
From the survey and assessments, I have learned that as a campus, we are weak in technology. Our school district is very fortunate to have knowledgeable and efficient technology staff. However, we do not have technology staff assigned to our campus. Our campus, both staff and students, would benefit from having a technology instructor/resource person on campus. Our teachers work hard to provide optimal instruction in content areas, but it is difficult for them to integrate technology into content areas and provide technology instruction due to time constraints and the availability of technology.
I am sure that the assessments are somewhat helpful in determining an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in the area of technology, but I believe that some of the technology skills assessed on the Technology Applications Inventory are not necessary for a campus leader to be an effective model of technology use. It is important for the campus leader to effectively use technology; however, some of the technology skills assessed are better served by a campus or district level technology resource.