REFLECTIONS


When I first enrolled in this Instructional Leadership class, I thought it, based on the title, would be about leading instruction through the traditional methodologies that are utilized today. It did not occur to me that the emphasis would be on technology itself. Once the true essence of the class was realized, I envisioned learning methods to facilitate the use of technology on a campus in ways that would improve student success. Knowing that students today are technological gurus, I also envisioned how this class would promote life-long learning for educators. Teachers, in an effort to remain current with their students learning style, must become technologically proficient and willing to make technology a major component of the curriculum. As a result of this class, I have made strides in the aforementioned outcomes; however, it is incumbent upon me to continue to pursue avenues that will advance my skills in technology.

The outcomes I have achieved thus far are relevant to my current teaching assignment as well as to the position I aspire to hold in the future through the attainment of this Masters Degree. Currently, my class consists of grades 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th. I am responsible for teaching the four core classes, providing TAKS enrichment, and P.E. on all five levels. In addition, I have three local students who receive assignments from their original teachers and are also enrolled in credit recovery classes for which I am responsible. It is not humanly possible to traditionally teach all of those subjects to 17 students on a daily basis. As a result, it is imperative that I rely heavily on technology to ensure that the students are successful.

In the future, the mastery of these outcomes will enable me, as an administrator, to successfully lead a campus toward 21st century learning. I will encourage the use of varied technology and seek recommendations from students as they are the ones whose learning style is based on technological application.

In varying degrees, I believe I achieved the learning and performance outcomes that were presented in this class. The outcome I would deem wanting is Learning Outcome 10—Identify social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology, teaching, and learning. When I read the article, “Copyright Primer for Administrators,” I realized how easy it is to infringe a copyright. I also became aware of the innumerable amount of times other colleagues and I have committed copyright infringement in the name of educating our students. The reason I have not mastered this learning outcome is reflected in the vast number of copyright laws that exist especially when it comes to software. That which I believed was legal was illegal and vice versa. As an administrator, strict adherence to copyright laws is essential to the integrity of the school and is a reflection of the administrator; therefore, I must continue to pursue mastery in this area.

The course assignments themselves were not difficult to carry out. The discouraging aspect of the course assignments was the amount of time available to complete them. In my opinion, ample time was not allotted to allow us to thoroughly assimilate the vast amount of information presented through the videos and articles. Nor was adequate time granted to devote to producing a quality project which would reflect the material in the readings. As a result, I have a working knowledge of the learning objectives, but will need to revisit the information further to gain mastery of the concepts. On the other hand, rather than viewing the time constraints as a hindrance, I was challenged to absorb as much information as I could in the allocated time. Incorporating a strong presence of technology into the curriculum is critical to student success now and in the future; therefore, I will do whatever it takes to ensure I grasp all of the objectives.

As a result of taking this Instructional Leadership course, I discovered an appreciation for technology that I did not realize I had. I was not aware of the simplicity technology contributed to education. Prior to this course, I was one of those teachers who believed that the cell phone, IPod, and other advances in technology did not have a place in the classroom setting. I viewed each item as an encumbrance because students were more interested in their “gadget” than the curriculum. I now understand that technology is paramount to the education of today’s generation. As “digital natives” this is the way they learn; therefore, educators must teach that way. In reference to my leadership skills, I believe this course strongly enhanced them. As an administrator, it is my responsibility to guarantee that the needs of the 21st century learner are reflected in all aspects of the curriculum. I will lead by example in this area.

Blogs have great educational value when it comes to the 21st century learner. Students can post multiple assignments on blogs and, subsequently, maintain a journal of their finished work. This would allow students and teachers to accurately capture the progress or improvement a student makes from the beginning of the year. Blogging also would allow students to read and follow the finished products of other students in the class and in other schools across the world. Blogging removes the physical walls of the classroom and gives students access to a diversity of students and their culture in various parts of the world. As a result, students can gain input from students of differing views. This would help promote cultural diversity. Last, blogging would provide teachers with another method of communicating with the students in their classes and give students another opportunity to use technology and learn in their “native language.”

As with any technology, many concerns exist in the implementation of blogging in education. When students use the World Wide Web, they are at risk of being stalked by cyber bullies or online predators. It is imperative that educators teach students about online safety, and it is unwise to assume that the students, regardless of age, are aware of precautionary measures. Students should be made aware of how to handle instances of cyber bullying or cyber stalking. When this occurs, the school should have measures in place for the student to report the abuse. Students also should be taught how to choose a valid password and the importance of maintaining the secrecy of personal information and that password while blogging.

Blogging can be used to communicate with school stakeholders in many ways. Administrators could use blogs to communicate school information or news to parents and people in the community. In lieu of email, administrators could utilize blogs to communicate vital information to everyone on the campus as well. Teachers could use blogs to communicate with parents to provide them with information about the class. By incorporating an RSS feed, stakeholders would not have to search for the blog site. As the blog is updated, the feed would automatically be sent to the stakeholder making it easy to remain current.