EDLD 5352 - Web Conference Reflection

I participated in a web conference on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012 @ 7:30pm. There were only about 17 participants. I have to first emphasize that I think web conferencing is a valuable online tool that when used effectively, has positive effects on learning. This course has been very straight forward and quite clear on what to do on the assignments. However; since we were required to attend a web conference, I chose this particular day. I figured I may gain same knowledge or insight about why we were doing the assignments, etc. The web conference was a question and answer session. Since I had no questions, it was not valuable to me. I did stay on conference and listen to the questions asked. Most of them pertained to Tk20, graduation, or their internship. All these questions for redirected to other school staff and not answered on the conference. Dr. Abernathy stated it was for questions about assignments only. Although I like have her available to answer questions, it would beneficial to have someone go into depth on the purpose of our assignments, etc.

Campus Technology Action Plan

CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY ACTION PLAN

Area of Need: Electronic access to online learning.

Category: Teaching and Learning

Based on the campus STaR chart, electronic access to online learning was an area that is stagnant. Our campus needs to provide learning opportunities by utilizing teleconferencing, internet, video, distant learning, cable TV, and other electronic media.

Timeline:

Conduct Professional Development Sessions (listed below).

In order to achieve success in this area, every classroom must have a cable network. There are still classrooms at our school that are not ready for any type of video streaming. During our next SBDM team meeting, this area of need should be addressed. Appropriate funds should be allocated for the deployment of cable network in every classroom.

Once classrooms are equipped with cable network, rollout of Safari Montage and Live Video Conferencing should begin.

Person(s) Responsible:

SBDM, Principal, Communications and Technology Department

Professional Development:

Teachers and staff need to first understand the drive behind implementing any new project or technology planning to the campus. In order to achieve a smooth rollout of cable networking, our campus will hold the following sessions:
• STaR Chart Training. During this training, I will use the power point created at the beginning of this course and present to staff. Teachers fill out surveys rating our campus, but really do not have the rationale behind what it is used for. Teaching them how to read and understand a STaR chart will help drive and focus our efforts on the stagnant areas.
• In addition to Safari Montage and Live Video Conferencing, have PLCs list areas they would like based on disaggregated TAKS data from the previous year. The PLCs would have the opportunities to incorporate technology specific to the needs of the students at that particular grade level.

Evaluation:

Evidence that video conferencing is being utilized for classroom instruction and staff development will be monitored. Student/teacher management reports will be reviewed from online courseware indicating the extent of usage and the impact of courseware on assessment scores. The 2011 – 2012 STaR chart will also be reviewed once completed.

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020

In order to bring our children into the 21st century technology world, there has been a push in Texas to make this happen. The Texas Long Rang Plan for technology, 2006-2020 is the plan that includes all the requirements that should be taught and learned to and by our children. The plan is made up of four key areas. I’m going to focus on area number four, Infrastructure for Technology. I chose this area because without the foundation of a solid infrastructure, your technology program is not going to be successful. The infrastructure of a district is more than having a reliable network. It is having computers for every student on a campus. It is providing on-line learning for students AND teachers. It is incorporating other types of technology into the classroom other than the web (IE: flash drives, digital devices, probes, etc). It is having the technical support available on campus. Having a solid infrastructure also provides teachers and students with access to share resources.
Most campuses in our state are still in the Developing Tech area. This is primarily due to funding. With looming budget cuts in the future, it does not look positive that our campuses will move forward in this area. However, there are funds at each campus that can be used according to the administrator’s discretion. If administrators are using more of their allocated funds on increasing the infrastructure of their school, we can see improvement. Our campus has sown its greatest improvement in this area. Our PTA has rallied our community and had several technology devices donated to the school. Many community members have also volunteered their technology savvy skills to making sure the infrastructure of the school is solid. Growth is slow, but the growth is there.

Texas STaR Chart

School Technology and Readine...

More PowerPoint presentations from Amy Clark

GETTING RESPONSES!!!!

My teacher survey was re-sent and I am on my way to getting the feedback needed for my action research plan! I just checked my Survey Monkey account and have received 19 thus far! FAR BETTER than ZERO! I also met with my site supervisor on Thursday just to touch base with her about my project. We talked about how to distribute my parent survey. Some options were to send on color coded paper, so when they came in, I could just log the responses for my sample group. We haven't decided the best way - however; I am hoping to get my parent survey out within the next two weeks. It would be a lot easier for me if I could send a link to the parents of my sample group, but not sure if we could that since it is a race specific population.

WEEKLY UPDATE

Not much to report this week. I sent a link to the teacher survey I created in Survey Monkey to all staff at my site-supervisor's school last week. With it being mid-TAKS, I didn't expect a quick response to the teacher surveys. However; I didn't expect NO response! That is where I am. ZERO responses received as of today. I plan to contact my site supervisor principal tomorrow and ask for suggestions on getting these. Until next week....

Survey Time!

Step one of two has been completed dealing with my surveys. I created a short, ten question survey utilizing Survey Monkey and have sent the link to all staff at my site school. I will be following up with the staff in about two weeks, due to it being TAKS time and my survey is not top priority. However; I very excited and anxious to get their results and feedback. I am in the process of compiling a parent survey that will be sent to the site principal and PRE for approval. I need to touch base with my site principal to get her feed back on whether to sent it to ALL students, or just my sample group. Speaking of sample groups, I will be choosing them within the next two weeks.

Overall, my action research plan is coming along great!