Action Research Plan - I welcome your feedback

Tool 7.1 Action Planning Template
Goal: To ascertain technology resources that teachers can utilize to improve student engagement and increase performance in the classroom, especially as it pertains English language learners.
Action Step(s)	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1.  Conduct research to Identify suitable technology resources for English language learners	Connie Butcher- Content Coach Nikia Jones Andrea Dixon	January – March 2012	Access to computer with Internet connection Planning time Nikia Jones Julie Beardmore -District’s Social Studies tech liaison Emily Barerra - Truitt’s tech liaison Content Coach ESL Liaison Truitt’s tech Committee	Special program data Interview data (individual and group) Blog postings Literature review
2.  Meet with World Cultures team to discuss findings, conduct possible training, and develop lessons to incorporate the new information gathered	Connie Butcher Layne Dickens Lynda Gomez Christi Walker Andrea Dixon	March – Dec. 2012	Access to computer labs or carts with Internet connection Planning time Connie Butcher Content Coach	Meeting agendas Teacher feedback/survey Lesson plans
3.  Apply new technique(s) in the Social Studies classroom	Connie Butcher   Layne Dickens Christi Walker Linda Gomez Andrea Dixon	March – Dec. 2012	Access to computer labs or carts with Internet connection Planning time Nikia Jones Content Coach	Student data – work sample, test data, and survey Classroom observations notes, and data collection Teacher feedback
4. Monitor Progress	Andrea Dixon Layne Dickens Christi Walker Linda Gomez	March – Dec. 2012	Access to computer labs or carts with Internet connection World Cultures team	Teacher logs/feedback Classroom observations Student data – work sample and other data
5.  Continuous professional development and school improvement	Truitt administrators and staff	January 2012 and beyond	Principal   Director of Instruction Content Coach	Professional development data Teacher survey/feedback

Action Plan Design

I actually enjoyed putting the action plan together and anticipates getting started.  The templates provided really helped me put my thoughts together, so did the eight steps from the Harris text.  As I worked on my plan I realize how action inquiry forces one to think about all aspects of the teaching profession and how to make it better. I  am looking forward to the research and meeting with my team to discuss my inquiry and how it will benefit them.  I still have not figured out how to copy and past my action plan to the blog - I welcome any help/suggestions.

Reflective Practice for Educational Leaders

Action Research

Action research is the new approach to inquiry in education, teaching and learning. Also known as practioner research, classroom research and practioner inquiry (Dana, 2009), action research enables principals or aspiring principals to become collaborators in educational research. This is a significant transition from the traditional approach where principals were merely technicians carrying out curriculum and policies framed by outside experts.
A principal or aspiring principal who engages in action research is directly involved in the research process. He or she poses questions or wonderings, collects and analyzes data, and make changes to the school environment based on the new understanding developed during the inquiry (Dana, 2009). During action research the principal also engages with the staff, students and other principals, to gain knowledge and insights about the learning environment and instructional practices. Most importantly, the principal becomes the head learner in the building by taking charge of the research and directly influencing the implementation of best practices to improve teaching and learning.
Action research is not limited to only administrators. Rather, is a powerful reflective practice that all educators can utilize to generate knowledge about teaching and learning, or for raising their voice in policy making (Dana, 2009). As a teacher, I can use this practice to reflect and improve upon my teaching practices. Through reflection I can gain insights into my instructional practices, attitudes towards administrators, other staff members, students and parents, and make necessary adjustments. Reflection will enable me to set goals and seek out the best practices that will facilitate students’ success in the classroom and beyond.




The Power of Blogging: Why Administrators Should Blog

In today’s rapidly changing technology environment where educational institutions have to adopt and adapt, Blogging provides an easy alternative for educational leaders to capture and store their thoughts. Blogging is beneficial to administrators numerous ways: it provides an avenue for educators to reflect on their professional practices; Blogging facilitates collaboration with other educational leaders, as Blogs have links to other Blogs thus enabling its users to not only share their research and insights, but also receive and give feedback; Blog data can be archived for later access references; and most importantly, principals get the satisfaction of belonging to a larger network of principals where they can gain new insights and deeper insights with each visit (Dana, 2009)

Dana Fichman, Nancy (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Martin, Gary E. et al. (2009). School Leadership Internship: developing, mentoring and evaluating your leadership experience. Eye on Education, Larchmont, NY.

Course Reflections

Course Reflections


What outcomes did you envision for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those you envisioned?

I have been an educator for several years and I have realized that an increasing number of school districts are fully embracing technology in order to prepare students for the rapidly changing global economy. I have also realized that teachers, most of whom are “digital immigrants,” are being required to implement technology that they are not quite adept at using. To satisfy this need in the classroom, I have decided to pursue a degree in instructional technology to assist teachers with planning and implementing 21st Century lessons for the classroom. Prior to the commencement of this course, therefore, I envisioned gaining insights and hands-on experiences on technology implementation in education, as well as gaining knowledge about the roles and responsibilities of a technology leader. The course fulfilled my expectations. As a result of taking this course I am fully informed about the duties of a technology instructional leader, the federal and state requirements for technology implementation in schools, the various tools available to teachers for reaching and teaching “digital natives,” and for protecting them on the Internet.


To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?

At Truitt, one of the administration’s goals for education is more technology infusion in the classroom. During our team meetings, for instance, my content coach frequently communicates the principal’s desire for students to be actively involved with technology in the classroom. As a result, more effort is being invested into outfitting each classroom with Smartboard in order for teachers to actively engage students during instruction. This is barely enough though as teachers frequently face problems in other technology areas. The information that I have gathered from this class has only reinforced what I have always embraced: technology implementation will not be effective if it is being done with minimal support. Ihave gathered from this course that technology implementation requires adequate funding for equipment, training and support. It also requires buy-in from everyone, including the administration who must model technology. Most importantly though, teachers who are set in their ways must be willing to adopt a more democratic style of teaching that transfers control of learning from the teacher to the student, and technology integration facilitates such learning.


What outcomes did you not achieve?

Prior to starting this course I had minimal knowledge about some of the laws and principles pertaining to technology implementation in schools. I also was not fully aware of the many tools and options that are available to teachers and school districts for effective and efficient technology implementation. The course was very informative;it outlined the principles that entail technology implementation and the expected outcomes were achieved. I gained a great dealof experience using wiki, blogs, RSS feed and so on and have amassed a wealth of knowledge regarding the planning and implementation of technology in schools. The only shortcoming, I believe, is the inability to thoroughly apply some of the concepts and strategies learned throughout the course. I could have definitely benefited more from the course if I had more time to apply or even experiment with what I am being taught.

Were your successful in carrying out the course requirements? If not what prevented or discouraged you?

Pursuing a graduate degree is a major undertaking that requires an enormous amount of time and sacrifice and this only served to reinforced that belief. Before embarking on this journey at Lamar, I successfully completed an online course through educational institution, which I was able to complete with great success. My performance in that course conferred the confidence I needed to move forward with my graduate degree, and since I my previous experience was met with minimal challenge, I felt confident with pursuing a course with a condensed curriculum. The obligations of this course, however, require an enormous amount of time and energy that I was not prepared to invest. As a result, from early in the course I have had to rethink my strategies and reorganize priorities. My actions proved beneficial and with much discipline and sacrifice I was able to successfully carry out all the requirements outlined in the course. It has been a very demanding course, but I prevailed.


What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?

Hard worker, passion for learning, persistent, curious…these are some of the words that come to mind as I reflect on my performance in this course over the past few weeks. This course has demanded a vast amount of energy that I have never before exerted in a project, nonetheless I persisted. I attribute my motivation to the drive to discover more about content that I was learning, not to mention to gratification from completing the course. I have also discovered that I have many weaknesses in the areas of technology leadership and skills. The surveys that I took earlier in the course, as well as the completion of my curriculum vitae, was very insightful as they highlighted some areas of strengths but more importantly, they revealed those skills that are lacking or need improvement. My goal, therefore is that by end of this program I will ascertain as skills, knowledge and expertise in the areas that I am currently lacking.

Technology integration in the 21st century classroom

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National Educational Technology Plan

As technological advances make it easier for students gain access to resources, teachers no longer function as the gateway to information.  In response to this dramatic change in the way students learn, accompanied by the changing demands of the global economy, educational institutions face the need to revamp how students are being educated in the 21^st Century classrooms.  The Federal Government has also responded with the release of National Educational Technology Plan in 2010.

The Plan outlines five basic goals for schools:

• Goal One addresses the needs of the learner as well as expectations for states and local school districts.  States and school districts are required to adequately meet the needs of the learner by providing engaging and powerful learning experiences that will prepare them to be successful in our globally networked society.
• Goal Two addresses assessment methods and techniques.  According to this goal educational institutions will leverage the power of technology to measure what matters and use data for continuous improvement.
• Goal Three outlines expectations for educator training and support.  According to this goal the state and school districts should use technology to provide educators with individual and team support; technology that allows provides teachers with connection information and learning experiences that empower and inspire them.
• Goal Four details the accessibility and effectiveness of computer technology and Internet connectivity for students and educators.
• Goal Five describes the need for states and school districts to redesign and the educational processes and structures as it pertains to technology and student learning.

With regards to teaching and learning states and school districts are expected to implement standards and learning objectives that enable learners to use technology to improve assessments and performance on a regular basis anywhere and anytime.  An evaluation of the plan reveals many of the goals and objectives already outlined in the Texas Technology Plan, the Texas Technonolgy TEKs, as well as the school district’s plan that I have examined.  This should make ease for implementation of the National Educational Technology Plan into states’ and local school district’s plans.

Reference:   http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf

Cypress-Fairbanks Technology Plan

The Cyfair-Fairbanks school technology plan has four major goals: to improve students’ academic achievement through assessment opportunities outlined in the Target Tech Level of the Texas StaR Chart; to provide school staff with opportunities for professional development; to increase the level of administrative support and use of technology in all areas as represented in the Texas StaR Chart; and to provide infrastructure systems that allow users 24/7 access to all elearning opportunities, and to provide technical assistance and support.

The district’s technology plan is being implemented through a wide array of strategies, which include, but not limited to:

• Ongoing staff development and training to staff and campus leaders
• Use of trained curriculum writers to develop lessons that meet the Texas Technology Application Standards
• Providing teachers and students access and use of a variety of digital tools and resources
• Providing a Curriculum Management System that hosts lessons that integrate 21^st Century learning skills
• Increase technology use among students by encouraging staff to provide students with daily opportunities to use technology, through the CFISD Virtual School, and installation of computers, Internet services and software at all campuses

The implementation of the district’s Technology Plan is being carried out various levels throughout the district.  The responsibility is shared between the District’s Instructional Technology Department, District Support Team, Curriculum Instruction Department, School Administration, Campus Technology Teams, and classroom teachers.  Not only will these personnel be in charge of integrating technology in the curriculum, but also they will be responsible for evaluating teacher and students’ activities in the classroom as it pertains to technology.  They will also evaluate written records, purchasing and receiving orders, teacher lesson plans, professional development course offerings and so on to ensure effective technology implementation.  Teacher will also be required to complete the STaR Chart Self Assessment.  Technology funds have already been allocated up to the 2014 school year. 

Reference: 

http://www.cfisd.net/dept2/technology/Technology%20Plan.pdf

Technology Assessment

Assessment tools are useful techniques for gathering data about any given population.  In education there a number of assessment tools are available that both teachers and students can utilize to gather valuable information about their strengths, weaknesses and learning styles.  As the technology touches every facet of our lives, it is would be advisable to gather data on educators’ and students’ technological knowledge and skills so as to better serve the meet their needs.  For the educator, assessment can be used to identify strengths and areas that need additional training and practice.  It can also be a useful tool for identifying teachers’ preferred mode of learning to use technology, which can be critical when planning technology training and development.  The Leadership Skills and Assessment, for instance, is an assessment tool that assesses teachers’ knowledge and skills in a number of areas including technology.  Another useful survey is Technology Literacy Self Assessment that identifies teachers’ technology strengths and areas that need improvement.  Finally, educators can use the information gathered from surveys to set goals for themselves.  Likewise, students should also be assessed for their technology skills and readiness.  This information will not only allow students to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, but also the educators will have valuable information about students technology skills and experience which could be useful for planning instruction.

Technology assessment is essential to effective implementation of technology in schools only then will leaders aware of teachers needs or teachers aware of their students’ needs.  Without awareness there cannot be effective implementation.  Thus, as tedious and time consuming as it may be, technology assessment is necessary and should not be overlooked.

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