Reflexive Paper

EDLD 5352 Instructional Leadership: The Technology Link
WEEK FIVE: REFLEXIVE PAPER
JOHN HOHNSTREITER

• What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
As I entered this course, I was prepared to study how instruction is demonstrated by the campus leadership in signs of example behavior, delivery, communication, and documentation. I was pleasantly surprised by the technological feel of the course because I am one of those guys that are resistant to change and technology is something that I needed to learn. I would be one of those who would try something new on the computer, but would resort back to my old, proven ways after the newness wore off. This class made, and I am glad of it, me get off of my perch and do something new. I believe my learning in this course is measurably higher than any of my other six courses in this program.
• 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?
It is pretty clear that the technological advances that have been made in the past 10 years are not something that will pass, rather something that everything is encompassing. And isn’t about time that the educational field get on board? As an administrator, I would expect to be able to look my learning community in the face and tell them that I want to prepare the students of this district for the times now, not preparing them for 1980. To do that preparation, I must lead by example by learning to effectively communicate electronically, to blog, work with webcasts, and use all types of audio philes in order to enhance education. In turn, my staff will see that I am bought in to the latest technology and its placement as a productive tool in curriculum.
• What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
Even though we spent time blogging, as an administrator, I would have liked to have had more experience in blogging. I know that in my group, there was only two others who had posted blogs that I was able to read and comment on as well as I did not have any comments on my own blog. Then the assignment was over and on to the next. I was craving some feedback on what I did, how I did it, and how it could be better. I can see how setting up an educational blog site where students, teachers, and administrators can post information, opinions, reflections and get some positive feedback. As a teacher, I would like for students to post an assignment and get back some positive as well as constructive feedback that the author can use to finalize an assignment. As an administrator, I could post a proposal of IPOD usage in the school day and request feedback from teachers, parents, and students in order to get a pulse of the learning community where the school resides.
• Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
I learned so much from having the two weeks to work on the rather large assignment incorporating so much technology. I, along with many students, are visual learners and I would have been successful quicker if there was some type of a tutorial on how to set up and post a blog in the format of this class. But that is what we were to learn. There does not have to be any type of parameters and what I actually learned was the examination, experimentation, and discovery that was accomplished made my learning that much more effective. I can see that as an administrator, I would need my staff to discover some solutions rather me just giving them a template and expect clones. After that two week assignment, I felt satisfied and confident in the workings of blogging. I am still in need of learning webcasts and audio-philes in education. Our assignments talked and discussed that, but we did not have to work with them.
• What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
I am a stubborn teacher who got complacent over his own successes and did not feel that technology, of all things, would make me a better, more efficient, teacher. I was so focused on my students passing the TAKS test by studying the objectives, student expectations, and test taking strategies that I missed the drive of education in teaching students to be prepared for the world they live in. I was so put off to technology simply because I did not know. I now know how my own students feel when I try to use a 1970 style of presentation. Why would I expect one way at school, but when I went home I would expect the latest technology at my fingertips. This course made me take a good look at myself and examine what I can do to improve. I learned that I had a lot to learn and once I did, I was able to have meaningful discussions with my students as well as some productive dialog with my colleagues about technology in the classroom.

• What is the educational value of blogs and blogging to the 21st century learner?
An administrator can reach so many more people to communicate with in their community; to collaborate with other educators by posting lessons, strategies, and policy ideas; and to receive constructive and productive feedback on proposals. As a teacher, blogging is a way for students to receive the much needed editorial comments, criticism, and critiques that are wanted before a final submittal. For example, a calculus student could post a solution to a problem and receive feedback from across the globe on any mistakes or solutions that were displayed before that student would submit their assignment. A teacher can post their lesson/notes/presentation in order to reach those away from school that day as well as those students who needs that extra (second) look. How can that be bad? As citizens in the community we live, we want to be double-checked before finalized. And these clients we spend time with everyday are already doing this. Our institution should not be a place that alienates their thinking process, rather enhance and expand.

• What are the concerns of blogs and blogging in education?
I would think that copyright, plagiarism, and blatant stealing or sabotaging is a fear that is out there as well as the threat of cyber violence through predatory actions and bullying. But that is where educators can do some basic teaching in these areas. I would guess the biggest fear keeping schools from unblocking as well as teachers from utilizing is access. By allowing blog sites opens up areas where students, not properly supervised or taught, can go into locations that are prohibited. But that fear is in each and every classroom when a math teacher pulls out compasses (someone will get poked), science teachers run a lab (someone will get hurt), and English teachers read in class (someone will go to sleep). We, as teachers, tell ourselves to not “let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch.” But isn’t that what we already do when we choose not to allow computer use in our classrooms. It is time for us all to step up and do our part incorporating computer usage in our lesson plans. Reach all of our students minds, not just the ones not plugged in.
• How can you use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders?
An administrator can post their proposal for policy change; for example, tardies, absenteeism, discipline, graduation requirements, school calendar, daily time schedule, and other items that warrant comments and critiques from the learning community. Teachers can post their syllabus, calendar, assignment expectations, fieldtrip release forms, schedule of semester/school year, and other important communications that are not always made available on the district’s webpage. Those web-pages are subject to the connectivity of the district technology department while blogging is existent on the World Wide Web. There is many times where parents talk to teachers about not being able help their children with a certain assignment because they have been out of school for a while and they are rusty. What if that teacher would blog their lesson/delivery or audio-cast their class experience. I know that time is of the essence, but if that allows for extra students to better their learning, then where is the risk. The learning community, stakeholders, would have a chance to have their voice heard and given that sense of value.