Action Steps

1. SETTING THE FOUNDATION – The Highland Park World Geography teachers must have a clear, consistent, and shared understanding of the “WOW” framework, design and protocols to implement at the ninth grade level. Leading questions:

How can the “Working on the Work” framework be used to create engagement – centered classrooms?

What is the relationship between previous engagement and “WOW” engagement of staff and that of students?

Through collaboration during our weekly meetings with all geography teachers, the issue of student centered engagement can be reviewed, answered, and analyzed. We will collaborate with one another to encourage colleagues to use the “WOW” framework to examine and provide feedback on new engaging lessons to improve the learning environment.

2. ANALYZING DATA – The geography team will use a variety of data gathering (e.g., tests, benchmarks, quizzes, and performance charts) as well as weekly, monthly, and yearly surveys to the students and teachers. Weekly observation hours can see other teachers on what is working and not working on a certain protocol or design that they are using for that particular section. Afterwards in the collaborative meetings, colleagues can converse on what happened and how they can change the student work.

Why is collaboration with colleagues important in engagement – centered classrooms and student achievement?

3. DEVELOPING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING – Initial data gathering is likely to lead to additional questions and an effort to dig deeper in understanding how to measure engagement and possible consequences of creating such a student centered classroom or design from the teachers and students. When creating such a student – centered classroom, the student is more geared to ask more questions of connection of units from the past and future. Other questions may come from the other teachers. They may ask questions to engage or further role of the student which seeks the input from them.

Examples: How does technology enhance learning experiences for students and teachers through the protocols of “WOW?”

How can I design learning experiences that will cause more students to engage in their work and learn that which I want them to learn?

With the collaboration with the group in the protocols or designs, observations in the classroom, and data collection, analyzing and examining the class has deeper understanding comes from the engagement of the students and their input as opposed to strategically compliance in the class.

4. ENGAGE IN SELF-REFLECTION –
Reflective questions may arise that World Geography team must ask themselves to keep this program going?
A) Are the patterns of engagement consistent through the protocols?
B) Is student achievement increasing with deep understanding?
C) Is the content between our colleagues clear, consistent, and shared throughout?
D) Does the “WOW” design engage our students?
E) As a staff and individual, are we focused?
F) Does the design keep the class varied and understood?
G) Is the vision of “WOW” shared by me as an individual?
H) Is “WOW” to in depth and out of place at HPHS?

5. EXPLORING PROGRAMMATIC PATTERNS – With the change at the superintendent and principal position, sharing the same vision throughout the school might be a tougher than just the world geography team. Just between the five members of the team, I see that we are not going to be 100% on board because of change. We have some who don’t mind change and others who are stuck in their ways. Finding time is another programmatic pattern, especially on the observation of classes. I believe watching is the best way for me to learn and explore but it will be tough to find the time. On the student side, we are lucky enough where no matter what type of classroom environment we create; our students will score high on tests and other assessments. This will make it difficult to analyze quantitatively. I am bit worried about the surveys that I want from the students. Many of them won’t take it seriously and others are afraid to answer honestly.

6. DETERMINING DIRECTION –
A. Are you clear on what you are attempting to solve (your research questions)? Yes, the vision is clear and my supervisor is on board with the group implementation.
B. Have you adequately addressed the skills and resources questions? Yes
C. Have you established a collaborative approach to the issue? World Geo. Team of Five
D. Are your timelines realistic? Yes, they fit what we are working on.
E. Do you have a reasonable plan to monitor the project? Observations, surveys, etc.
F. Do you have a reasonable plan for determining the level of success – how do you evaluate if the plan is effective? Tests, assessments, engaging lesson.
G. How will you revise and improve the plan based on monitoring and evaluation? Through collaboration with group.

7. TAKING ACTION FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
See part 2 of assignment:

8. SUSTAIN IMPROVEMENT

We are at a time as a group where we can implement and maintain an idea of creating a more student-centered program like “WOW.” The question is about sustaining improvement with this program and how it may change our thoughts on the framework, design, and protocol of “WOW.” We must ensure that all new programs are consistent with and supportive of the beliefs and vision of the school and district to sustain the changes of the classroom and the program.

Week 2 Thoughts

As I read the Dana text and watched the videos, I am trying to figure out my own research topic, but I started to think about another off topic subject that was brought somewhere in the readings. Another part the readings told me the same stuff I heard for many years that we have to stay on same page with district, state, and campus curriculum and with doing that then we can teach our kids. We are supposed to implement all this and fit it in the 45 minutes I have each day with my students. There was a quote in the Dana text that what stays "constant are the teachers or people", but in my opinion, what regulates us is every one above us. It is still hard no matter how you put it to stay within the guidelines yet keep the scores up to the state par. Our classroom need to be enriched as long as enrichment passes the tests. Even though I am not going to research it, but my question should state, what is more important in the classroom; technology, scores, or actually getting kids ready for life outside school? We have to implement technology to bring the kids in, but does that correlate to student achievement?

Week 1 Part 3 Assignment

Action research is a collaborative activity among colleagues searching for solutions to everyday, real problems experienced in schools, or looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement. Through collaborative means, this type of research allows “practitioners” to handle everyday teaching and learning from inside means and not outside. In the traditional research where principals and teachers were “technicians” to action research that creates “knowledge generators,” the identity of school is changing. This type of research creates an environment for the 21st century learner, administrator, and teacher. It involves everyone invested in the vision of the school because everyone is heard and not held back. The everyday environment changes in educational administration, as “leadership teams may be used for consultative purposes, participative decision making, strategic planning, policy development, monitoring and coordinating programs, and maintaining a commitment to collaboration and shared leadership.” (Dana, pg. 21.) Ways to use action research are:

a. Teachers and principals can identify problems inside their own school
b. Encouraged to examine their own work to see what works and doesn’t
c. Work in a collaborative setting
d. Betters their professional development

Steps for action research that helped me understand how it would help me in school;

1. Gather/Organize
2. Identify
3. Generate
4. Decide
5. Implement
6. Evaluate
7. Communicate
8. Learn from experience

Educational Leaders using Blogs

This is an innovative way to let students comment and analyze other classmate’s ideas, suggestions, or products. It also provides a forum to let them speak their minds in teacher organized fashion. It creates an online discussion forum to let them see if they are following directions correctly. It can also be a resource center or to guide others on how to research online. It promotes reading and writing in an outside forum. Basically, it helps them to collaborate on information about school. Another advantage of blogging is to communicate with the parents and community on what your class is doing at any time. The connects the community and the school and keeps everyone on the same page.

Week 4 Assignment

Travis P. Yoder
PART I – Organization Chart for Technology


Superintendent: Uphold a clear cut vision of technology and its implementation throughout the district. He ensures a uniform, district wide approach to all technology execution and effectiveness. He is the leader of technology and puts together a technology team. The superintendent supports the teams and everyone included to provide for the 21st century learner.
District Technology Committee –
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Special Programs - advisor to superintendent
Administrator of Instructional Technology – develops, coordinates, implements technology plans
Administrator of Technical Services – installs, maintains all networks on all campuses
Web Services Coordinator – maintains school’s websites
Director of Communications – provides a communication outlet to community and school
Principals from all campuses – develops building level planning and supports the implementation
Campus Technology Staff – oversee on campus technology and its integration
Teachers – create an learning environment with technology
Library Media Specialists – create multimedia projects and have research options for students
Students – provide inside information and thought into technology
Parents and Community – provide support and finances to all institutions

Technology Action Plan Committee – See above job descriptions

Principals from all campuses
Administrator of Technical Services
Library Media Specialists
Campus Technology Staff

PART II – Professional Development Planning –

Our district has changed up our professional developments ideas and implemented a teacher’s oriented day where a guest speaker is coming. In the past few years, our district has overlooked what the teachers have been asking for, but this year we got to choose and create a day that would satisfy the teachers and technology. I believe this fits perfectly into this week’s Part II activity because it was created by teachers for teachers.

January 18, 2010 Professional Development DAY
7:00-8:00 Student Breakfast with Alan November
Student representatives Grades 5-12 (8-10 students) (HS Teacher Lunchroom)

7:30-8:30 Breakfast in the cafeteria for all staff (Sponsored by Praying Parent Organization)

8:30-10:00 Keynote with Alan November: “21st Century Leadership and Learning” (HS Auditorium)

10:00-10:15 BREAK

10:15-3:00 K-12 Counselors (HS Counseling Office)
10:15-3:00 Special Education- Diagnosticians, LSSP, PT, SLP, APE, Nurses (Dr. Mary Dell Donelson)
10:15-3:00 Special Education- Instructional Assistants (Kami Turner)

10:15-11:15 K- 4 Elementary (including ESL, Dyslexia, Sp. Ed. & OT)- Focus Session with Alan November
(HS Auditorium)

10:15-11:15 5-12 Breakout sessions

11:15-12:45 LUNCH (on your own)

12:45-1:45 5-12 Secondary Focus Session with Alan November (HS Auditorium)
Math, MIT (Journalism, Speech, Technology), Science, Health, PE, Sp. Ed., &
Paraprofessionals

12:45-1:45 Breakout sessions
K-4 and 5-12 ELA, Social Studies, LOTE, Fine Arts, Library Media Specialists, ESL, Dyslexia, Sp. Ed., &
Paraprofessionals

1:45- 2:00 BREAK

2:00-3:00 5-12- Secondary Focus Session with Alan November (HS Auditorium)
ELA, Social Studies, LOTE, Fine Arts, Library Media Specialists, ESL, Dyslexia, Sp. Ed., &
Paraprofessionals

2:00-3:00 Breakout sessions
K-4 and 5-12 Math, MIT (Journalism, Technology, Speech), Science, Health, PE, Sp. Ed., &
Paraprofessionals

3:15- 4:30 Debrief & future planning - Principals, Asst. Principals, C & I Staff, Technology Administrators, CIT
(HS Library)

7:00-8:30 PM HP Parent Forum- HS Auditorium


Part III – Evaluation Planning for Action Plan
A) Attendance and collaboration in meetings; teacher STaR Chart; SDAS Goals and Objectives; integration of technology into content
B) Teacher Evaluations; evidence of student and teacher products; teacher lesson plans;
C) Teacher attendance at conference; teachers share information; teachers utilized for District Staff Development opportunities
D) Evidence of teacher awareness of Technology Applications TEKS in lesson plans, student work, classroom observations
E) Integrated best practices in classrooms; potential pilots for campuses; increased availability of training sessions and online courses
F) Teacher transcripts; teacher STaR Chart; proficiency results

Reflection on Week 5

Reflection on Week 5

I envisioned a course that provided deep understanding of technology implementation into a school or district. My expectations were set low because after I took the pre-test assessment, I found that I was lacking in many areas. With that being said, I wanted to learn about the interworking with technology and what needs to be done to implement it into a school. I also found myself relating to my administrators currently on staff and why they want us to know and create different ideas in staff meetings. I had to dive deep into how our district’s infrastructure to see and understand how it is set up and created. I needed to see the alignment of our curriculum and how it relates to the 21st century learner and teacher. Reviewing and analyzing those plans helped me also to create meaningful professional developments that were engaging to the professional staff we have. Looking back, I believe I achieved most of what I envisioned for myself at the beginning of the course. As I stated before, I started to compare what I was learning with what our current administration was doing.

Through the course, I got the opportunity to interview a few professionals at my school to see if my thoughts and assumptions were correct about our District’s and schools plan for the 21st century learner and teacher. Talking with our school’s technical professional, she told me and helped me analyze our current Long – Range Plan for Technology for our District. We first took a look at the over Texas Long Range Plan and compared the two. Since she was on the board of technology, she gave me great insight on how they decided to put in and leave out of our districts’ plan. I initiated a conversation with her another day trying to find out where we stood today compared with other districts and schools. This is where I began my research with the STaR chart data and how it relates to school. It seems, from the data, that we are on track of a Target area, which tells me that we are accomplishing many technological goals, yet still have many to be reached for. She also explained that technology is a part of the curriculum and is used as a tool for research, information acquisition, problem solving, and communication. This ultimately led to another expectation I had before taking this course was to learn something to put into practice immediately.

The readings and discussions where well structured throughout the weeks where I found different ideas and tested them out during the semester. The articles opened up my eyes a little wider when they discussed how the new students learn and how we need to change what we are currently doing to broaden our students’ idea about school. The assignments pushed me to try new things, like blogging. I am a “digital native” in some areas, but this helped me break old habits and try new ones. One thing on my side is my attitude towards technology. It needs to be implemented because its capabilities are vast.

One of those capabilities is blogging. This is an innovative way to let students comment and analyze other classmate’s ideas, suggestions, or products. It also provides a forum to let them speak their minds in teacher organized fashion. It creates an online discussion forum to let them see if they are following directions correctly. It can also be a resource center or to guide others on how to research online. It promotes reading and writing in an outside forum. Basically, it helps them to collaborate on information about school. Another advantage of blogging is to communicate with the parents and community on what your class is doing at any time. The connects the community and the school and keeps everyone on the same page.

There are some concerns. Blogs may be viewed publicly, as any other Web site. Students must be trained on issues regarding access, privacy, security, and free expression. As blogs have no publisher, producer, or editor, students must carefully consider the content of postings to avoid anything defamatory, or infringing upon the rights of others. Another concern are that blogs are created by individuals for various and assorted purposes and sometimes content should can be misinterpreted and not recognized as the opinion of the blogger. This is where grading can be a bit tougher than usual.

Through this course, I have made the realization that technology makes learning an active process where students are engaged in meaningful learning opportunities. Implementing technology is a tool that allows students to access current information and creates a learning environment that is comparable to the real world. Through my interviews, assignments, videos, readings, the round table interviews, and my own personal experiences, I started to understand how to enhance and enrich campus curriculum, teaching, and learning. After reviewing and analyzing different areas of technology through the course, I came to the conclusion that our educators must learn to access and incorporate a wide variety of appropriate resources for instructional support, research and administrative tasks to better our educational system. By connecting students to an international learning community, we, as teachers, aim to develop life-long learners who are proficient, productive, and capable of successfully competing in our ever changing world. If that vision is shared and implemented, our future students and teachers will work seamlessly with technology in everyday use.

Final Texas S Ta R Chart

My complete summary of the TEXAS STaR Chart in power point presentation.

Final Texas S Ta R Chart

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