Course Reflection Post

What have you learned with regards to critical issues in Tech and Communications

As we have talked about before, I have been pretty heavily involved with technology from a classroom perspective and, as much of the reading has shown, the major issue there is the use of technology in support of learning. While I was on some technology committees, involved with tech from a staff development perspective, and have been part of the teams of staff leading change initiatives, I really had my eyes opened to TWO major issues: money and time.

In terms of time there were many areas that jumped up, but how quickly technology changes and how long it takes (and how difficult it is) to get folks to make a pretty big philosophical shift are a few that really jumped out. Just as it’s tough for teachers to make the shift from teacher centered to student centered classrooms, which can help effectively integrate technology, there are also ‘district wide’ shifts that need to be made to effectively systematically integrate technology into their systems.  This could be at the classroom level as well as the administrative level (secretaries, directors, principals, etc.).  There is a flexibility and adaptability that all levels, ie- curriculum, need to subscribe to for effective integration of technology.  Whether changing platforms or systems, it could take some folks a while to get on board and make the shift, and some may not even get fully on board.  I do believe that while some of this is a 'technology use' issue, most of it is more a resistance to change.

One of the more eye opening parts to class was the conversation with our tech director on what he did to make his decisions on why we are making a big change in our technology next year.  It was nice to hear about how much background research and thought went into his decision, but also interesting to hear how much money played into the decision.  No surprise because of the current state of things, but still worthy of note.   The key in both these cases is to not let challenges like time and money become barriers; these will always be challenges, so I need to figure out a way around them!

How have your perspectives evolved or changed over the last several months (if they have)?

I’m not sure they have changed a ton (I’m still in favor of purposeful, effective use and purposeful, well thought out systematic change), but my understanding of the larger issues involved around and how important a school leader’s role is in the success of technology integration has grown.  The ISTE standards for school leaders was really good information as they touched on a variety of areas from being an instructional technology leader as well as creating a digital friendly environment.  This is so important to the success of any change initiative, but even more so with technology.

What tools or technologies do you want to get better at using or learn how to use? 

One challenge this summer will be adapting to our new Dells (we are making the move from Macs) and using Microsoft’s ONE note.  It sounds/looks awesome from what I’ve seen/played with so far. I like the idea of making a virtual binder of the course I am teaching and then sharing it, in pieces, with the students.  I think for them it will be great to be able to grab the whole year if they want from the 'cloud' ahead of time then work on some aspects of the course at their own pace. Figuring out the best ways to use it to support my students and curriculum will be key.

Where I am with the PC right now:

What areas interest you most at this point and how do you expect to learn more about them?

I do not know too much about PLN’s, and after a few folks in class discussing them and some of the articles posted in our Diigo group I am definitely interested in pursuing more info and getting myself wired into a few; I am going to start with some of the blogs and articles that were posted in Diigo and on some of the principal blogs that are listed in Google Reader.  Along with this, my larger interest lies in studying and further working with changing ‘old school’ curriculums to reflect a more 21^st century environment.  After writing several grad courses that use tech in support of standard curriculum, use it in a hybrid format, and now getting ready to work on a full online course, I am fascinated by the possibilities and challenges that creating meaningful, useful, and challenging 21^st century curriculum poses. 

TED Talks: Kim Cofino: Mobile, Connected, Collaborative

Kim Cofino: Mobile, Connected, Collaborative
TEDx Talks
March 21, 2012

In her TEDx talk, Kim Cofino discusses a 'vision' for what our schools can, and hopefully one day, will look like in the future.  She discusses her experiences living in Southeast Asia and how these experiences directly relate to a mobile, connected, and collaborative educational learning environment.

She does a nice job describing the following descriptors of life in SE Asia in the comparison to education: mobility, timing, adaptability and flexibility, customization, valuation, collaboration, and globalization.  While the the message is clear, well spoken, exciting, and I agree with it wholeheartedly, it is, much like a lot of the research and discussions we have been having in class, an idealistic vision without much practical application.


One of the big challenges that I have and continue to battle as someone who tries to effectively incorporate technology into my learning space to support student learning is answering the question, "In reality, in practicality, what does this 'look' like?" 

Here is a quick example, from my own classroom, of what I am talking about:  our sophomores read 'Like Water for Chocolate'. It is a novel full of magical realism, symbolism, great characters and food as a metaphor. Before we began using technology, we developed a student centered project to synthesize the novel. The students created (using markers and paper or word for those who had access) 'Restaurant Menus' that touched on the characters, symbolism in the novels, food as a metaphor, had the magical realism tint to them, etc. The students created restaurant names, food/menu items, graphics, etc...that all were representative (based off our work with the novel) their understanding of the themes and issues tackled in the book. They worked in groups and had to write up an essay that explained their choices and decision making. We had to give them time in class to collaborate and most all were done hard copy using colored pencils, markers, glue, etc, while a few were done in Microsoft word or Publisher then printed out. Enter the 21st Century classroom and Web 2.0 tools. The question we asked was, "how do we keep the project student centered and focused on the outcomes of the learning while not getting lost in technology?" The answer was simple, what do restaurants use now? Websites-the students used generators such as Wix.com, Weebly.com, and Google sites. We kept the core learning and outcomes of the project the same, but just changed the format, the students now created websites for the restaurants.  Some of the big bonuses were that the collaboration could happen outside of school once they started (it took less class time so we could supplement with short stories and some more writing workshop time), and the students were experimenting with a media that was more multi-layered and dynamic than a word document. They also were able to build depth into the site by linking to other authors who dealt with Magical Realism (GG Marquez and Chris Van Allsburg), to background on the Mexican Civil war, and to more current films that dealt with food as a metaphor (Simply Irresistible). The 'sharing' of these projects became less a group in front of class presenting and more them giving the overview and then the students surfing them on their own and leaving comments and feedback on a discussion board on Moodle.  What we, my colleagues and I found, as that the more we kept the use of web 2.0 tools focused on student learning outcomes, the more that we could realistically and practically incorporate some the the pieces of a 21st Century 'School' into our 'old school' classroom and school structures.

As a future school leader, I am very interested in hearing about, reading about, and seeing (as well as having the chance to apply this theory to) a 'school' that is moving towards this type of mobile, connected and collaborative environment;  I would love to discuss or experience the 'day to day reality' of this type of learning structure/space.  I get that this is where we need to go, so let's start to take real, practical steps to get to a 21st century environment like the one pictured here:

Then I think that maybe schools that are embracing one to one environments and introducing different online systems are these schools?  Maybe schools like the one in Mooresvill, NC that has embraced a one-to-one environment is exactly what this looks like at this stage of the game.  Maybe this is step 1 towards the 'future' that Cofino discusses.  One of the topics a classmate and I covered for a project was online course management systems.  We read about traditional classroom structures supported with CMS's, to blended environments to full online schools.  Looking at the school I am in, I would say we are currently the first of these, still a traditional school structure (although we are moving towards a modified block schedule in which the students won't be in the same classes everyday so it's kind of an altered time sequence, however the students are still locked into a 7:35-2:35 school day) supported by CMS's.  While we are taking steps towards new, virtual learning spaces and time structures we're still working within the old systems, which allow for many to not take steps towards change. 

I have had the opportunity to teach graduate classes that are the second of these types, a blended learning environment in which 6 out of the 10 classes were face to face, while 4 were virtual; and this Fall I will be teaching my very first full online course.  But again, these are courses, not full on public schools.  These are learning 'spaces' that we have created that still, at some levels, follow more traditional timing patterns and work load expectations (on both sides- instructor and student).  The fact that some of these are still under the 'old systems' umbrella, there can be a slow process for change.  Maybe this type of 1 step at a time into the ocean is what we need right now?

The challenge now that we have the blended or full online formats is to create not just a single course but an entire school atmosphere that caters to all those involved; one that helps support those that are not 'there' yet, while at the same time those who are already on their way to an individualized, mobile, connected, and collaborative learning environment.  Again, I am absolutely IN with moving towards making these changes, the question that remains is 'how?'

Course Mangament Systems & Pedagogy

"Toolbox or Trap? Course Management Systems and Pedagogy:

Educase Quarterly
November 2, 2008
Lisa M. Lane

I chose this article because the focus of the project I am working on is course management systems (CMS). I found this to be an incredibly interesting take on, as the author states: The default design of commercial course management systems limits instructional creativity and pedagogical approaches, particularly for novice users. While the article is roughly 4 years old, I do believe that some of the challenges the author speaks to are still present in the implementation of CMS's in today's schools.

The article opens with the following statement, "Creating an online class is a task of construction...We want to construct classes according to our own pedagogy--what we know works with our learners and our teaching style." I believe this statement is the crux of what we have been reading about and discussing in terms of effectively and purposefully incorporating technology into our classrooms and schools. The initial thought for the teacher planning the lesson/course, or the administrator planning the building staff development, should be based in pedagogy and adragogy, with the focus on learning outcomes. The second though should then be on what technology is available to support this process. What Lisa Lane discusses in her article is that with certain CMS's, this is not necessarily the the case.

The article starts with mentioning the limitations systems such as Blackboard and WebCT place on the instructors using good pedagogy when planning an online course. Part of the issue is in the design of these larger commercial systems-they are built for effective management of resources and tasks focused on efficiency: grade books, test creation, threaded discussions, etc. There are default sections to these systems that encourage the instructor to 'plug in' their content to predetermined sections: Announcements, Course Content, Discussions, etc. What this leads to is teachers thinking in terms of the semester and how their pedagogical goals can be achieved within a time frame rather than a virtual space (a concept mentioned in a previous post that discussed Heidi Hayes Jacob's book Curriculum 21). The author goes on to state that the most accessible and easiest to use features are the presentation of static documents and basic discussion input from students, which engage students in activities that mimic the traditional lecture, review, and test pedagogy. There are features for some of these CMS's that go beyond this, but the challenge is that they are either difficult to use (most novices especially spend time learning to use the technology and what it can do rather than how their learning goals can be achieved) or cost lots of money to add on. An example of this is our own class BBVista menu:



So what are we expecting CMS's to 'do' to help facilitate the pedagogy of 21st Century, constructivist, learner centered, inquiry based learning? When we begin to discuss these topics as the focus of a 21st Century Classroom, what must enter the conversation is the collaborative, social, self-reflective and independent project driven nature of many Web 2.o tools. Today's wikis and blogs have developed into more of a social learning platform, and CMS's such as Moodle have added these components to their basic design, as well as have left the course topics 'open' for the instructor to build some of their design around Units and content rather then just 'time'. Tools such as Ning have evolved into more of a social networking type of platform, and recently Schoology has come onto the scene as a good mix between many of the course management perks of Moodle with the social networking capabilities of Facebook (the creation of groups) and the live feeds of Twitter. Below are some screen shots of 2 of my courses using both Moodle and Schoology; these do provide more creativity and freedom in designing my courses.

As I previously mentioned, while this article was written in 2008, and while CMS's and web 2.0 tools have evolved, I do believe many of the challenges that are presented still exist. When we discuss the shift towards a 21st century learning environment/space, we are essentially talking about a philosophical shift in pedagogy. For many, this is not an easy task and the introduction, staff development, and continued support for this shift must be done systematically and in an ongoing, differentiated manner. If we leave staff to 'fend for themselves' with incorporating these systems, much like Lane's article discusses, it is easy for teachers and administrators to get caught in the management of the technology and lose the learning focus. On the same token, much like any teaching strategy or tool, the open mindedness and creativity of the instructor in figuring out ways to use the strategy or tool will ultimately dictate success. As an administrator, providing visionary leadership, helping to create a digital age learning culture and excellence in professional practice and leading systematic improvement is paramount. As CMS's, and technology continues to change and improve to meet the true nature of a 21st century learner, so must teacher practice and school leadership.

Manifesto for Teaching Online

A great article on the shift towards online teaching: http://educationismylife.com/the-manifesto-for-teaching-online/

Digital Culture Change

An interesting article on leadership, change, technology and journalism- http://www.niemanlab.org/2012/03/a-call-for-leadership-newspaper-execs-deserve-the-blame-for-not-changing-the-culture/

Leadership for the 21st Century ‘School’

“The United States has seen reform movements in education since the inception of formal education. The intentions behind reform have varied, but it could be argued that many of these reforms have merely taken an existing practice, bent it a bit, and tinkered with it, thus ending up with the same basic form. The proof is the fact that the overwhelming majority of our schools run on the same length of school year and the same daily schedule, wit the same rigid grouping of students and the same faculty organization, and fundamentally in the same type of buildings in as in the late 1890s.” (Jacobs, 60)

In her book Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World, Heidi Hayes Jacobs opens “Chapter 4- New School Versions: Reinventing and Reuniting School Program Structures” with the above view of our current educational systems. This chapter, as well as the other essays in the book, goes on to discuss the current ‘what is’ and the future ‘what can, may, and will be’ of technology’s impact on our educational systems- from overall structure, to the make up and use of our schools, to daily classroom instruction (to name a few areas). When I first read this book I was enthralled. I was in my third year of working with a cart full of wireless Macbooks, and I had been figuring out ways to effectively incorporate technology (by effectively I mean as an enhancement tool, not a as a crutch or pacifier) into our curriculum and my daily instruction. The ‘big picture’ sections were further driving home the changing nature of the ‘classroom’, see Chapter 5 for Steven Wilmarth’s essay on “Five Socio-Technology Trends” as he discusses the change in the process of learning that is taking place, and I realized I needed to once again change what I was used to in terms of how I learned in comparison to how my students learned. At the same time the sections that were more classroom based, see Chapter 9 for David Niguidula’s chapter on “Digital Portfolios and Curriculum Maps”, helped me take the plunge and engage my students in building virtual Portfolios using a combination of tools such as Google Docs and Schoology, as well as develop a staff development session on web 2.0 tools and digital portfolios for some of my adjunct work. Most all of what I pulled from this has been, understandably, from the lens of a classroom teacher.

As I am nearing the end of the Educational Leadership/Principal Certification program I have been in for the past 6 months, I have had the chance to revisit different sections of Jacobs’ book, but this time from the lens of a school administrator/instructional leader. This shift in viewpoint has evolved throughout a number of courses I have taken, but really was solidified with the work we did with ISTE’s NETS for Administrators which, are, in a nutshell, the standards for school administrators and leaders must meet to support the 21^st Century shift in learning and schools. (see below)

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-administrators.aspx

Jacobs’ Chapter on “New School Versions” takes a radical and progressive look at the impact the Web can have on school curriculum, schedules, grouping of both learners and teachers, and space—physical and virtual. In many school districts (not to mention colleges and universities) around the country and the globe we are already starting to see these changes come to fruition. Many districts are beginning to offer online courses to students (usually during some structured time within the school day to complete the work), to allow students who don’t fit the standard high school ‘mold’ that Jacobs’ discusses to complete their high school graduation requirements through a Virtual High School program, and to move their summer school programs to an online format. These changes, along with asking teachers to use course management systems, like Moodle or Schoology, wikis or websites to support and complement their face to face classrooms, and the increased presence of computers in the schools, whether it be a cart of laptops, an increase in the number of computer labs, or a one to one environment, are forcing school administrators to wear another hat- instructional technology leader.

The ISTE NETS-A standards speak to the need for Visionary Leadership, Systemic Improvement, and Excellence in Professional Practice as keys to a successful leader/administrator in a technology rich environment. Looking at leadership over time, these descriptors are nothing we have not seen before or admired in past principals, directors, etc. As early at 1995, Kouzes and Posner, in The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Thinks Done in Organizations, wrote about exemplary leaders challenging the process, inspiring a share vision, and acting as role models. The big shift today is in the ‘context’ in which these same general principles apply. In today’s schools, inspiring a shared vision must take into account how technology and Digital Citizenship fits into a school’s mission and culture. School leadership must consider if and how they are building a Digital Age Learning Culture that supports teachers and students as they take on the challenges of adjusting to a virtual learning environment, either full time or a hybrid version. It’s not just the school administrator as an instructional leader only anymore, but he/she must become well versed in Best Practices in technology in education as well. For some, these adjustments are huge. They can challenge a person’s level of comfort, confidence, and overall willingness to take risks. Implementing technology and moving towards a 21^st Century Learning Environment shifts the focus of the classroom from the teacher as the knowledge base to the students as knowledge seekers. It empowers the students to take control of their learning and forces a philosophical shift to a more authentic, students centered environment. The emotional and personal side of this shift has to be addressed carefully and effectively.

This is why a Systemic approach is so crucial. School administrators must look to develop a big picture and small picture plan on how they will communicate and support the integration of technology into the school’s systems, curriculum, etc. It is not so much that the leader must be seen as an ‘expert’ (with the variety of different roles a leader must fulfill it is impossible to assume he/she can be an expert in all-plus districts have instructional technology coaches and staff developers to fulfill this need), it is more that the staff must be encouraged to take risks, feel supported in their implementation, and be given a chance to share their successes and challenges throughout the entire process. Establishing a shared vision on why and how the building is going a certain direction and then working out a specific, clear plan for implementation (complete with check points, clear measures, etc.) can help tackle many of the fears and the ‘unknowns’ that accompany this type of change.

On the back cover of Jacobs’ book, she asks the question “What year are you preparing your students for? 1973? 1995?” Thinking about this through a school leader/administrator’s lens, I would have to ask “What year am I preparing my staff for?” What will I do to set a Digital Age Learning Culture that rethinks our school’s use of space and grouping? How will I, on a practical level, model Digital citizenship? In the end, I do believe it is the pursuit of answers to questions like these that will ultimately help any leader move his/her district, building, staff, and/or students into the 21^st Century.

Test Post #1

A great resource for Educational Leaders who are interested in incorporating technology into their schools is Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World, Edited by Heidi Hayes Jacobs