Sunday, June 9, 2013
EDLD 5363- Personal digital story
I loved the first assignment for EDLD Multimedia Video Technology- to create a personal digital story. There are several free software programs to create digital videos online as well as tutorial videos on how to use them. You can see my video on youtube at the following URL: http://youtu.be/eL3YIhxO1BI. Enjoy!!
Saturday, May 11, 2013
EDLD 5398- The End of the EdTech Road
It has come to the end of my graduate studies with Lamar University in Educational Technology Leadership and I must say it's been a fast and exciting ride! I have learned so much and am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such inspiring instructors. The program was well designed and excellent for working moms. I already use so much of the knowledge gained in my everyday professional life and will continue to lean on it for a long time.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
EDLD 5326 Week 5- Action Research Plan Update
I have selected two case study schools in which I am testing my action research plan. They will remain anonymous so as to adhere to confidentiality. These two schools are clients of our E-Rate consulting service and have expressed interest in increasing the participation of their students in the NSLP application process. We have tried several methods to increase this participation: motivational incentives for the students, providing more education on the importance of the program to parents during registration, using the sibling match method whereby the PEIMS administrator can match siblings in their database and if one of the siblings qualifies, than the other one automatically qualifies, and finally helping students overcome the stigma associated with participating in the program.
We have worked closely with the schools to address these topics and give them thorough guidance on how to overcome obstacles they encounter along the way. We have held webinar trainings for the staff/personnel involved in the schools who play a role in this initiative and who can positively impact the outcome. These members consist of the PEIMS coordinator/administrator, Food Service Manager, Principals, Technology Director, Business Manager, and Superintendent. Each of these key members is able to lend a hand in this process and perform often menial techniques that can have large impacts on the school and they have all collaborated in identifying those techniques they are currently implementing. The PEIMS submission for 2012-2013 to the Texas Education Agency is right around the corner on October 26th. With the event of a new school year and being able to enact these techniques and see the fruits of their labor soon will help determine the success of this initiative. I expect to see some prodigious results!
We have worked closely with the schools to address these topics and give them thorough guidance on how to overcome obstacles they encounter along the way. We have held webinar trainings for the staff/personnel involved in the schools who play a role in this initiative and who can positively impact the outcome. These members consist of the PEIMS coordinator/administrator, Food Service Manager, Principals, Technology Director, Business Manager, and Superintendent. Each of these key members is able to lend a hand in this process and perform often menial techniques that can have large impacts on the school and they have all collaborated in identifying those techniques they are currently implementing. The PEIMS submission for 2012-2013 to the Texas Education Agency is right around the corner on October 26th. With the event of a new school year and being able to enact these techniques and see the fruits of their labor soon will help determine the success of this initiative. I expect to see some prodigious results!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
EDLD 5301 Course Reflection
In course 5301, I learned a great deal about how leaders solve problems and implement change. School leaders are looked at to be the experts in their school; therefore, it is critical they make quality decisions that enhance the entire district. Making quality decisions and developing expertise is a process that takes time to mature but never stops. Inquiry and reflection are measures that leaders can take to continually hone their skills and learn from experiences so they can adapt to change and grow as things evolve.
What is action research or administrative inquiry? It is an in-depth process of examining one’s own actions to identify and solve problems through inquiry. It is the main tool that is used with principals which allows them to “untangle the complexity of their work as administrators and bring the focus of their work back into their leadership in teaching and learning” (Dana, 2009). Traditionally, research was solely based on the findings of “outside” experts whereby practitioners lecture to students based on the external data and research of others, also known as “process-product research” (Dana, 2009). The traditional “process-product” research has evolved over time whereby data is pulled from systematic and qualitative studies that address current issues in the classroom and across the community but still by outside experts. Both of these paradigms have procured respected acumens in the educational world but still lack one important perspective; the perspective of the actual teachers and administrators. Action research is the most effective research strategy that encompasses the administrators and teachers as the data producers, instead of outside researchers. The concept is rooted in the fact that if the practitioners are doing the data analysis and inquiry, they are more prone to actively engage in improvements and changes based on this data.
After learning the grave importance of action research and inquiry, researching some impending issues that exist with regards to E-Rate, and through discussions with my site mentor, I drafted my action research plan. My action research question is this:
In what ways can ESC Region 12 develop methods for E-Rate applicants, namely school districts, to increase student and family participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) applications? Participation in NSLP applications is deficient in junior high and high school students and if we can increase the participation among these students, the data will prove more accurate and can potentially improve the discount the district receives from the federal E-Rate program.
In order to effectively implement change and sustain improvement, the action research plan must go through certain processes to verify effectiveness and determine if modifications are necessary. Force field analysis is a way of analyzing the driving forces for the change and the resisting forces against the change to make sure there is a viable solution for the change. The Delphi Method is another method used to sustain improvement in schools. It is done by way of a collective participation in questionnaires or surveys whereby the facilitator summarizes the results of the first round of questions to the participants and the reason those answers were given. The Nominal Group Technique is similar to the Delphi Method in that it generally leads a group to consensus through a series of activities. These processes help to identify any weaknesses in the plan, modifications necessary, the validity of the issue, the obstacles that may cause problems in the future, and many other insights into the outcome of the research plan.
I was not aware to the extent of these methods that existed for action research and I think they will all prove effective in different situations. I intend to utilize many of these methods that were studied in this course to allow me to continue to work through my action research plans and sustain improvement over time. Thank you for this valuable insight into action research and I look forward to making an impact.
Reference List
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Martin, G.E., Wright, W.F., Danzig, A.B., Flanary, R.A., & Brown, F. (2005). School Leader Internship (2nd Edition). Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
What is action research or administrative inquiry? It is an in-depth process of examining one’s own actions to identify and solve problems through inquiry. It is the main tool that is used with principals which allows them to “untangle the complexity of their work as administrators and bring the focus of their work back into their leadership in teaching and learning” (Dana, 2009). Traditionally, research was solely based on the findings of “outside” experts whereby practitioners lecture to students based on the external data and research of others, also known as “process-product research” (Dana, 2009). The traditional “process-product” research has evolved over time whereby data is pulled from systematic and qualitative studies that address current issues in the classroom and across the community but still by outside experts. Both of these paradigms have procured respected acumens in the educational world but still lack one important perspective; the perspective of the actual teachers and administrators. Action research is the most effective research strategy that encompasses the administrators and teachers as the data producers, instead of outside researchers. The concept is rooted in the fact that if the practitioners are doing the data analysis and inquiry, they are more prone to actively engage in improvements and changes based on this data.
After learning the grave importance of action research and inquiry, researching some impending issues that exist with regards to E-Rate, and through discussions with my site mentor, I drafted my action research plan. My action research question is this:
In what ways can ESC Region 12 develop methods for E-Rate applicants, namely school districts, to increase student and family participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) applications? Participation in NSLP applications is deficient in junior high and high school students and if we can increase the participation among these students, the data will prove more accurate and can potentially improve the discount the district receives from the federal E-Rate program.
In order to effectively implement change and sustain improvement, the action research plan must go through certain processes to verify effectiveness and determine if modifications are necessary. Force field analysis is a way of analyzing the driving forces for the change and the resisting forces against the change to make sure there is a viable solution for the change. The Delphi Method is another method used to sustain improvement in schools. It is done by way of a collective participation in questionnaires or surveys whereby the facilitator summarizes the results of the first round of questions to the participants and the reason those answers were given. The Nominal Group Technique is similar to the Delphi Method in that it generally leads a group to consensus through a series of activities. These processes help to identify any weaknesses in the plan, modifications necessary, the validity of the issue, the obstacles that may cause problems in the future, and many other insights into the outcome of the research plan.
I was not aware to the extent of these methods that existed for action research and I think they will all prove effective in different situations. I intend to utilize many of these methods that were studied in this course to allow me to continue to work through my action research plans and sustain improvement over time. Thank you for this valuable insight into action research and I look forward to making an impact.
Reference List
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Martin, G.E., Wright, W.F., Danzig, A.B., Flanary, R.A., & Brown, F. (2005). School Leader Internship (2nd Edition). Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Data Driven Decision Making
Dr. Kirk Lewis of Pasadena ISD speaks to the Gates Foundation grant his district received that is a research based grant to support richer curriculum and instruction delivery that enables students to graduate on time. An action plan from this interview would be to implement professional development classes that focus on research and how to disaggregate data in order to quantify effective processes and procedures. He mentions that some teachers in his district may not have strong research skills but they know how to analyze data because they train re-train on the usefulness of data and research. It is critical that teachers be able to quantify what issues they are having in their classroom with the use of data. There are a myriad of resources that can be helpful in identifying student behavior problems, for example, which can help a teacher overcome a classroom struggle. Dr. Lewis says it is particularly important for educators to analyze data from other scholars and “pull it apart” and translate it into their particular district needs and environment. Another aspect of data and research training is to impart the importance of making the research topic a practical, relative topic. By using practical action research, you increase your personal interest, you enhance your opportunity or success, and you impact the students more effectively because it is something chosen by you for your particular need and environment.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Blogging- A powerful educational tool- EDLD 5301
Some of you may be asking, what is the big deal about blogging? Blogging is a powerful tool that is used among educators and administrators to post professional thoughts, questions, and experiences for others to reflect on and respond. Educational leaders use blogs in many ways to share ideas and collaborate on subject. It is also a way to reflect on personal experiences and allow others to provide feedback on similar situations. It is a learning mechanism and has been referred to as a “professional learning hub” (Dana, 2009). Blogging can enhance action research and inquiry by challenging ideas from others to elicit multiple perspectives and provide insight.
Reference List
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Reference List
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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