EDLD 5363 Course/Project Reflection

I highly anticipated taking this course because a pre-assessment showed that my web 2.0 knowledge was very minimal. I enjoyed the personal digital story assignment because it helped me express my feelings about  a transition in my life. I have since used the Windows Photo Story for relatives eager to see my son grow. I was amazed at how easily Windows Movie Maker functions and as I developed the tutorial, I immediately brainstormed and recorded ways I could use the software to instruct and assess.

I couldn't have asked for another group to create our "Checklist" public service announcement. We color coded our google document to determine our roles in the production. Once we decided on our topic by a vote, our scriptwriter posted the script for us with optional endings to select. Before our first video clip was uploaded, I suggested the clip be initially edited from the camera operator before I recorded voice because I thought I could synchronize voice to video. I struggled a bit synchronizing but I snipped the script a bit once the director gave me a time limit. The director did a great job keeping us on track and providing us with various final takes to choose for submission. The group did suggest minor tweaks to the production concerning fading of music and certain transitions but once we were advised not to focus on minor details we selected the best final product from the director.

We attributed copyright to the track “Are you ready” by Three Days Grace. I appreciate my group opening up to me at the last minute. We all promptly selected our color for google document and posted and voted on our ideas. If we were not on schedule, we notified the group of our setbacks. Positive feedback and constructive criticism were always given. I started to rely less on the web conferences and more on the group for clarification of assignment tasks because our electronic dialogue was consistently updated. Our final product makes me feel accomplished and motivated to implement this type of project into my lesson plans.

EDLD 5363 Group PSA

Week 5 Web Conference Summary

I logged on casually without my webcam. I screened the chat for any assignment changes. I learned of changes in the discussion and blog post assignments. I didn't have any specific questions like I did in the last conference but I admired the comradery among my course mates. Some were on first name basis with each other, sharing lesson plans that implemented the web tools that we learned. I could tell there was a community that logged on weekly beyond academic expectations just so they could share among their peers. I somewhat felt guilty about not fully exploiting this learning community.

Week 4 Web Conference Summary

I wasn't the most enthused about this conference because it was on a Saturday morning and I am far from a morning person. After I washed my face and brushed my teeth, I logged in to find that many of my classmates publicly admitted they literally rolled out of bed and refused to use webcam. I thought that was pretty cool that we could just chat with no camera and that is something I definitely took note of for the next conference. Dr. Abernathy clarified a lot of misunderstandings about what we were supposed to do in week 4 since we did not have to submit any work. She also spoke of the graduation ceremonies and holiday parties happening in Beaumont and it briefly excited me of what lies ahead. What I continue to promote about the web conference is the chat feature. Many times classmates or Ms. Kirkland answered questions before Dr. Abernathy would. I plan to download the Adobe software to have this conference feature for future projects that require group collaboration. The conference was very valuable to me; I chose not to do the discussion for that week when I discovered at the conference it was optional. It was still nice though to see some of my classmates still do the discussion voluntarily just to build from each other. I can really see the passion in my learning community.

Windows Movie Maker Tutorial

Windows Movie Maker

According to Desktop-Video-Guide (n.d.), Microsoft Movie Maker has drag and drop features to make creating and editing your movie clip much easier. After you’ve imported your video clip to software, you drag and drop it to storyboard. The program will divide longer videos into segments but you can drag as many clips to the storyboard as you’d like. Once you’ve arranged your clips, you can shorten them by using the "start/end trim point" feature. After creating your title page, you can drag and drop it in the desired location on storyboard. You drag and drop audio clips to the space on storyboard where it says "audio/music".  

  

I think this is appropriate for K-12 schools because of the software's compatibility to Windows XP desktops (a popular brand of public school desktops), it's easy access to upgrades, and it's easy maneuvering. In the past, I've always ran to YouTube for "how-to" tips not knowing I was viewing a tutorial podcast. it was so much fun learning the Windows Movie Maker software because I was envisioning my future podcast projects. I will definitely use this software in my future lesson planning to keep my students engaged.

Desktop-Video-Guide (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.desktop-video-guide.com/top-5-free-video-editing-software-review.html

Personal Digital Story

EDLD 5301 Final Reflection

According to Dana (2009), administrative inquiry is the “process of a principal engaging in the systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry” (p. 2). This quote set the tone for me for the remainder of the course because Dana’s readings established for me that I am not alien to my own research. I am fortunate to bypass previous research paradigms where practitioners applied findings of others. I must always inquire with open ended questions that could possibly lead me to come up with another wondering at the conclusion of one study. This research paradigm encourages self-reflection that will sharpen my leadership skills to be a visionary educational leader.

The interviews that I viewed of educational leaders gave personal insight to the importance of self -reflection in the inquiry process. It is very important that the purpose of my action research be a topic of my passion. Therefore, it will encourage my daily readings on the topic. I was thoroughly guided by this course to develop the purpose of my action plan, identify its stakeholders, and draft the plan. Drafting my plan with my site mentor allowed to me to see the advantages of open-ended questions for my inquiry process because it leaves room for growth.

Not only did I learn how to draft an action research plan, I learned strategies to support and sustain the plan like Force Field Analysis and Nominal Group Technique. This is another highlight because it’s a wonderful professional activity that breaks the ice and results in resolution.  

Revised Action Research Plan

A classmate suggested that I gradually transition the students to the writing prompt assignments. I should allow them to personalize their blogs and use visual elements to evoke emotions for them to describe. I really appreciate the advice because I do believe it will ease my challenge a bit to keep the students engaged. We will probably plan the first few blogging sessions around the students themselves and incorporate photos (as suggested) to keep them interested. The trick will be to lengthen their responses, which we are still working on. I will revise my action plan with regards to my initial timelines. I will allot more time for preparation of project, development of deeper understanding, and self-reflection since my lesson planning approach has changed. In addition to the shifted timelines of my action plan, I replaced step 10 with the activity to chart benchmark scores due to the conference that I had with my site mentor. 

Action Step(s)	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Setting the Foundation – Establish 9th grade English as target population of action research.	Safirah Ibenana, site administrators and faculty	10/11	Surveys, discussions	During meetings with administrators and teachers, the issue of student writing has been identified as a major weakness on state standardized exams. STAAR test takers (9th grade) will be the focus since TAKS is phasing out.
2. Analyze previous standardized scores, benchmark scores, and various student writing samples.	Safirah Ibenana	10/11-11/11	Previous test scores and writing samples	I will look at areas of weaknesses identified by the exam. I will address those weaknesses with various writing exercises.
3. Developing deeper understanding – Interview teachers and students about the disinterest in writing.	Safirah Ibenana	10/11-5/12	Surveys, classroom time	I will poll students after research to see if they felt the curriculum addressed their concerns.
4. Ask self-reflective questions	Safirah Ibenana	10/11-5/12	Students’ reasons explaining disinterest	How will I be able to help captivate the attention of students who have been disinterested thus far?
5. Integrate blogging into the journaling and peer revision exercises of curriculum.	Safirah Ibenana, Ivy Perkins	10/11-2/12	Curriculum guidelines, previous lesson plans	Integration will be evaluated by how well the model is received by students and their responsiveness (successful completion of each weblog activity)
6. Activate weblogs for students.	Safirah Ibenana	12/11	Computer lab	Ensure that all weblogs are active through monitoring.
7. Activate RSS feeder for instructor.	Safirah Ibenana	12/11	Instuctor’s desktop	Ensure that we’re continually subscribed to weblogs.
8. Compare/contrast essays from students who blog and students who do not blog.	Safirah Ibenana, Ivy Perkins	12/11-3/12	Students’ work, assessment chart	Using assessment rubric, note growth in writers and determine if blogging was a factor.
9. Exploring Programmatic Patterns – Talk with students’ homeroom teachers and counselors to gather any pertinent information on their backgrounds.	Safirah Ibenana	10/11-2/12	Discussion points	I will monitor writing samples according to writing prompts. Especially the prompts relevant to their lives in order to identify increased engagement.
10. Chart benchmark scores	Safirah Ibenana	1/12 & 3/12	Schoolwide benchmark scores	I will post chart on main hallway for all students to see their benchmark results. Hopefully, target groups will have performed higher on English benchmarks.
11. Write formative and summative evaluations on the impact of blogging on student’s writing samples.	Safirah Ibenana	3/12-4/12	Data and comments from research, writing samples	In order to take action for school improvement, I will share evaluations with administration.
12. Share research’s impact with rest of the grade levels.	Safirah Ibenana	5/12	Data and comments from research, writing samples, and Microsoft Powerpoint	In order to sustain improvement, I can survey faculty on their thoughts of presentation. I can follow up the following school year to see if the model is adopted.

EDLD 5301 Action Research Plan

School Vision: To provide educational programs that will help each child develop academically, socially, politically, economically, and psychologically, thus educating the whole child. Furthermore, the educational experience should provide a curriculum designed to meet each student’s needs while encouraging enjoyment of learning. We believe individuals must be active participants in their learning.


Goal: To establish a recognizable percentage of passing scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) End of Course (EOC) test for the 9^th grade English students who participate in an English curriculum integrated with technology.

Action Step(s)	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Setting the Foundation – Establish 9th grade English as target population of action research.	Safirah Ibenana, site administrators and faculty	10/11	Surveys, discussions	During meetings with administrators and teachers, the issue of student writing has been identified as a major weakness on state standardized exams. STAAR test takers (9th grade) will be the focus since TAKS is phasing out.
2. Analyze previous standardized scores, benchmark scores, and various student writing samples.	Safirah Ibenana	10/11	Previous test scores and writing samples	I will look at areas of weaknesses identified by the exam. I will address those weaknesses with various writing exercises.
3. Developing deeper understanding – Interview teachers and students about the disinterest in writing.	Safirah Ibenana	End 11/15/11	Surveys, classroom time	I will poll students after research to see if they felt the curriculum addressed their concerns.
4. Ask self-reflective questions	Safirah Ibenana	End 11/15/11	Students’ reasons explaining disinterest	How will I be able to help captivate the attention of students who have been disinterested thus far?
5. Integrate blogging into the journaling and peer revision exercises of curriculum.	Safirah Ibenana, Ivy Perkins	10/11-2/12	Curriculum guidelines, previous lesson plans	Integration will be evaluated by how well the model is received by students and their responsiveness (successful completion of each weblog activity)
6. Activate weblogs for students.	Safirah Ibenana	End 11/15/11	Computer lab	Ensure that all weblogs are active through monitoring.
7. Activate RSS feeder for instructor.	Safirah Ibenana	End 11/15/11	Instuctor’s desktop	Ensure that we’re continually subscribed to weblogs.
8. Compare/contrast essays from students who blog and students who do not blog.	Safirah Ibenana, Ivy Perkins	11/11-3/12	Students’ work, assessment chart	Using assessment rubric, note growth in writers and determine if blogging was a factor.
9. Exploring Programmatic Patterns – Talk with students’ homeroom teachers and counselors to gather any pertinent information on their backgrounds.	Safirah Ibenana	10/11-2/12	Discussion points	I will monitor writing samples according to writing prompts. Especially the prompts relevant to their lives in order to identify increased engagement.
10. Determining direction – I will specifically work with two 9th grade English sections (1 pre-AP and 1 regular).	Safirah Ibenana	10/11	9th grade English teachers.	Not only will I compare scores of target group with rest of 9th grade, I will also compare scores between the pre-AP target and regular target.
11. Write formative and summative evaluations on the impact of blogging on student’s writing samples.	Safirah Ibenana	3/12-4/12	Data and comments from research, writing samples	In order to take action for school improvement, I will share evaluations with administration.
12. Share research’s impact with rest of the grade levels.	Safirah Ibenana	5/12	Data and comments from research, writing samples, and Microsoft Powerpoint	In order to sustain improvement, I can survey faculty on their thoughts of presentation. I can follow up the following school year to see if the model is adopted.

Process Overview:

1.    Examining the work: Setting the Foundation – During meetings with administrators and teachers, the issue of student writing has been identified as a major weakness on state standardized exams.

2.    Analyzing data – I use previous standardized and benchmark scores. I also use various student writing samples. Findings from electronic searches have shown that I can use technology to encourage disinterested students to write more coherently.

3.    Developing deeper understanding – I plan to interview teachers further as to WHY their students are disinterested in writing. I will poll students on their side of this concern as well.

4.    Engaging in Self-Reflection – I ask myself the question: How will I be able to help captivate the attention of students who have been disinterested thus far?  

9.    Exploring Programmatic Patterns – I will talk with students’ homeroom teachers and counselors to gather any pertinent information on their backgrounds. I will use the information to formulate writing topics relevant to their lives.

10.    Determining direction – I am clear that I specifically want to work with 9^th grade English at this time. I will research how blogging can improve their writing skills. To ensure that the computer lab will consistently be available for the targeted students, I am working with few number of classes. The only collaborative approach established in the curriculum thus far is the peer revision component. I am unsure about the timeline because I have 3 months to note progress. The instructor and I will subscribe to students’ blogs using RSS feeders to monitor their progress. Instructor and I are still determining assessment rubrics for essays. We will customize writing prompts according to students’ progress.

11.    Taking action for school improvement – I will write formative and summative evaluations on the impact of blogging on student’s writing samples.

12.    Sustaining improvement – Proposed positive impact would be shared with rest of the grade levels to assist them with improving writing scores for STAAR exam the following year.

Reflection upon Action Research

My previous entry explained why action research has emerged as a favorable paradigm of research studies and why reflection for an administrator is vital in professional development. As I continually reflect upon the benefits of action research, I'm trying to establish a routine I could exercise in action research once I become an educational technology leader. According to Dana (2009), there are nine different "areas of passion" from where you can construct your action research topic: staff development, curriculum development, individual teacher(s), individual student(s), school culture/community, leadership, management, school performance, and social justice or equity issues (p.30). These areas help me categorize my topics. 


I watched an interview with an elementary school principal on action research. What I learned from his interview was the necessity to research a topic of interest so that you can actively read on the topic daily. That way the readings can be applied and the wheel not invented.  I also watched an interview with a director of research of an independent school district. What I learned from his interview is that all faculty, not just administrators, should be capable of conducting their own action research to obtain the data that they seek instead of waiting for that data. Both interviews clearly distinguished for me action research using qualitative data and quantitative data. Neither research topic was more significant than the other, therefore, I am encouraged to develop topics using both types of data.


Ideally, I would use my faculty to help me address the nine areas. We would regularly confer for reflection purposes and I would ensure a balance of topics using qualitative and quantitative data. 

    

Benefits of Action Research

Before action research, there were two paradigms that dominated educational research for decades. Process-product research requires that teachers and administrators implement curriculums from findings of outside experts like university researchers. Qualitative or interpretative studies requires that the university researcher, himself, gather and evaluate data from the chosen academic setting. These two paradigms are similar in that the practitioner of the research is limited in some capacity. Either the administrator is limited on his own campus because he is using the findings of another or the university researcher is limited because they are not familiar with the environment in which he observes. This similarity in paradigms is what sets them apart from action research. In action research, the practitioner will not be an alien to his findings nor his environment. Action research engages practitioners in an inquiry process in a familiar environment that concerns their own questions, which is an ideal setting for professional development.    


Action research is a systematic approach to inquiry much like a doctor who diagnoses his patient. As you gather and evaluate data from research, each step of the process brings you closer to a conclusion just like a doctor systematically finds a prescription. It is strongly urged that campus leaders find time to reflect upon their findings because the reflection helps with the professional health of the administrator. It builds his expertise by utilizing his experience; and through that experience the administrator acquires and improves several skills to make him a better leader. Blogging would be an excellent professional development tool for administrators. Weblogs can help with time management of reflection of the action research. Their entries can keep them on task with desired results of the inquiry and can be reviewed by other colleaugues who coulld provide an extrospective view of their scenarios. Reflection and peer review will gain further insight into a practical solution to the plight at hand.

Course Reflection (EDLD 5306)

From the pre-assessment, I envisioned that I would learn several technology tools to promote in an academic setting. I hoped to become more technologically literate. I wanted to apply these tools in the most innovative and current way possible. I learned how to create a weblog, wiki, RSS feeder, word cloud (wordle), and movie trailer (animoto). I read several provocative articles that guided me to apply these tools in ways to engage learning. I am so pleased with how this course elevated my technological proficiency and opened my eyes to the digital gap between a generation of teachers and a generation of students. I plan to use blogs to improve literary skills and a wiki to engage students in group/club projects. Teachers can monitor blogs with RSS feeders. Word clouds can decorate classrooms and animoto can be the new choice of presentation tools.   

As an educator, all the tools that I learned and all the articles that I read were very relevant to my line of work. This course introduced me to Marc Prensky who revealed to me the digital demands of the 21^st century classroom and students.  One of the greatest challenges of my profession is making learning fun for the students. Blogs can encourage students to read summaries that they would not normally read because it is of their peers and their comments may influence the works that they read. Teachers can subscribe to their students’ blogs to effortlessly keep tabs on their progress. Group projects are an excellent example of collaborative learning that engages student learners. Wikis can encourage more group projects because the group members do not have to meet in person to organize their project. A teacher can see on the wiki who was responsible for what page.

I think the pre-assessment highlighted my lack of knowledge of web tools. At that time, I was really motivated to self teach myself some technology tools to build my resume. Unfortunately, I was a bit overwhelmed with the assignments that I already had for the course. I was able to carry out the course assignments but it was a bit of a struggle for me. This course was very humbling for me because I could relate more to my students when I was learning technology tools. The topic was foreign and intimidating to me. YouTube was very helpful that further demonstrated the importance of acknowledging visual learners. I understand on even a greater scale why students shut down when we try to teach foreign concepts with chalk and a chalkboard. Research and summarizing was a breeze, when it came to technological applications it took more time. I guess this was because I really wanted to understand the concepts since I will have to teach them to others. Even though my projects were for a grade, I did not rush the assignments because I want to effectively teach the tools. The time I took to really grasp these technological concepts is what I struggled over during the course and is what held me back from learning additional web tools.

I rejected technology years ago when there was the Y2K scare and a computer crashed on me while I was typing a 15 page paper (I lost everything!!!). I argued that we were losing one-on-one personal interaction with smart phones at dinner tables and video games raising children. What I learned from the course is that technology, when used in moderation, is a very beneficial thing. I am from the analog world and I had to understand that the mind of the digital world does not function like mine. Throughout the course, I decided to look at my lack of knowledge of technology tools as a potential motivator for the educators that I will assist. I think the empathy that I would have for the analog educators will make me a good leader. I have learned that a good technology leader supports and develops his/her staff. My attitude towards reaching American youth has become more optimistic because I now know how to speak their language.

What is NETP?

On November 9, 2010 the U.S. Department of Education released a finalized National Educational Technology Plan (NETP). NETP 2010 urges the U.S. education system to seek clear outcomes, collaborate to redesign processes for effectiveness, monitor and measure performance, and establish accountability for progress. The plan describes learning as engaging and empowering learning experiences for all learners. The plan indicates that the content of instruction should match: who needs to learn, what needs to be learned, when, where, and how will students learn. A technology-integrated curriculum enables, motivates, and inspires all students, regardless of background, languages, or disabilities, to achieve. The plan describes teaching as fully integrated with technology or “connected”. Teams of “connected” educators have a plethora of resources at their fingertips to help reach the digital learner. The plan encouraged social networks be used as professional development tools for educators. It stated online communities should enable educators to take online courses to learn technology integration.

Although local, state, and  national technology plans have aligned goals of integrating technology into the classroom, neither of the plans have addressed the compensation of time it will take for educators to learn integration models. Teachers are already bombarded with the pressure of state examinations, I don’t see how administrators can additionally fit in the school year 50, possibly 100 hours of ample professional development for technology integration. Even if a technology integration certificate were mandated for future educators and a technology integration program were offered online for present teachers, where is the incentive for present veteran teachers to sacrifice an additional 100 hours of professional development in their crazy schedules. We all know that teaching is the most underrated profession in the country and to ask for teachers to become technologically literate with no compensation is a bit inhumane. I will start to take technology plans a bit more seriously when they detail how they will educate their teachers technology integration with compensation.


Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010

What is HISDs technology plan?

    I just discovered that The Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, commonly known as "E-Rate", provide discounts to the Houston Independent School District (HISD) to afford telecommunications and Internet access. HISD had to provide a technology plan to qualify for the discount. Below I’ve provided a very brief synopsis of HISD’s technology plan.
    HISD’s technology plan is titled District Long Range Strategic Plan for Technology (LRSPT) and was created to meet all filing requirements of the Texas E-Plan and to provide the District with a strategic road map for technology. The HISD LRSPT was developed to address the four key areas of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology: Teaching and Learning; Educator Preparation; Leadership, Administration, and Support; and Infrastructure for Technology.
    A goal designed to address the first key area was the assurance of equitable access to a technology-enhanced curriculum. This can be done by the increase of technology integration into everyday classroom practice. The budget for this strategy is $3,060,000. Individual campus personnel is responsible for the alignment of the integrated lessons with the “School Technology Roadmap”. Evaluations are based on lesson plans and teacher observations.
    A goal designed to address the second key area was the increase in teacher and administrator participation in instructional technology training. This can be done by the increased participation of teachers and administrators in instructional technology training. The budget for this strategy is $150,000. Individual campus personnel is responsible for the increased awareness of opportunities for staff to participate in activities sponsored by technology professional education organizations. Evaluations are based on an increase in representation from the district by 10% in professional groups.
    A goal designed to address the third key area was the implementation of instructional programs that extend instruction beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom. This can be done by the continuation of the district virtual school. The budget for this strategy is $800,000. Virtual school department manager is responsible for the continued development of virtual school online. Evaluations are based on the virtual school’s continued development.
    A goal designed to address the fourth key area was the expansion and capacity of HISD’s network to provide an infrastructure that supports teaching and learning with technology. The budget for this strategy is $2,000,000. Networking personnel is responsible for upgrading internal network connections, hardware and software for HISD sites to provide high speed Internet access to students. Evaluations are based on updated equipment reporting via surveys.
    Although the district has budgeted finances to implement this plan, it will take the sufficient TIME of the teachers to learn these strategies. This was not mentioned in the plan and I hope this issue is not overlooked.

http://www.slideshare.net/safirah1/hisd-tech-plan

Houston ISD Technology Plan 2009 - 2012. Retrieved from http://www.houstonisd.org/Technology/Home/Forms%20&%20Documents/2009-2012%20HISD%20TECH%20PLAN.pdf

Why access technology skills?

At the former campus where I instructed, it was very possible that you’d walk into a classroom where an expensive Smartboard (digital chalkboard) was pushed into the corner of the classroom or collected dust right in the middle of the classroom. Some teachers would tape paper over their Smartboard because it was pegged to their chalkboard that they frequently used. From an outsider’s perspective, this may seem like madness but if the administration had assessed which faculty members were technologically literate, that would not have happened.

It is very important campus leaders understand the technological literacy of their campus. Consequently, a campus where teachers are proficient in technology integration and students are technologically literate, the administrator could then comfortably adopt virtual educational tools that allow students to create their own environments. Such engagement will allow students to arrive at their own conclusions, a true example of learning. Also, at a campus that has older veteran teachers who are not technologically literate, the administrator could budget professional development workshops in technology integration instead of digital tools that would be unused.  

How the technological assessments are used can either benefit or harm a campus. Each campus should be treated by the district on a campus by campus basis to eradicate any unhealthy competition placed on administrators. However, campuses that scored rather highly on the technology pre-assessments should not be placed on a pedestal that requires more district funds than other schools. The high school where I taught did not have a wireless network but I was able to browse with my personal laptop when I did a departmental professional development workshop at a MIDDLE school. Texas school districts should remember that the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology assures equitable access to a technology-enhanced curriculum. Technological assessments are very valuable if the close educational gaps instead of widening them.