Beginning of New Era

Teresa Cooley
EDLD 5352 Section 1138

December 16, 2009

Instructional Leadership has been one of the most informative classes I have taken at Lamar. When beginning the class, I wanted to learn what an administrators responsibility involved when it came to technology, and how to turn the educators on a campus into a world of technology. It entailed a considerable amount of work, but the amount I learned far exceeded my expectations. When I began the course, I felt that I was already fairly knowledgeable on technology. This course proved me wrong! It opened up a whole new world of technology that will help me to become a better educator. After taking the course, I feel as though I can share a wide span of technology information to guide the staff from being digital immigrants to becoming digital natives.

My campus is currently working on a plan that would change the leadership and curriculum to more integration of technology. Before the course, I wasn't familiar with the Technology Applications TEK strands or the Texas Long-Range Plan. Now, I understand what the requirements from each campus are, and I can locate helpful resources, and use them in a correct and ethical manner. I have learned about valuable tools such as blogs, Wikis, RSS feeds, and Podcasts. On my campus, I feel that blogging and RSS feeds will be the most beneficial at this time; however, I have gained enough knowledge about the other tools that when the time is right, I will be able to guide the staff through the learning process. Instructional Leadership has provided me the guidance that I needed to make my teaching style change and help others to change to prepare ALL students for the 21st century.


Working through the course of Instructional Leadership has been very informative, shocking, tiresome, and stressful at times. The information I have learned has already started benefiting my students and myself. It has shown me what my responsibilities are required by the state with the Texas Long-Range Technology Plan. I had never thought of technology being a vital part of a student's future, so with knowing this, I have rewritten lesson plans to make certain that technology is being used each day. I was totally shocked to find out what some of the laws were regarding technology usage. It seems as though, informing the staff of these laws is critical in keeping a district and individual campus safe and law-abiding. To me, the most shocking law was regarding Disney movies. This appealed to me because it applies to the grade level that I teach. I had no idea that we were required to pay Disney $25.00 every time that we showed one of their movies. It is critical that as an administrator, that I teach the entire staff the laws of technology. Rather than overwhelming the staff, with all of the laws involving technology, I will gradually integrate them at the different technology faculty meetings that I hold. This would allow staff members to learn the laws and discuss any issues or concerns that they may have. One of the most valuable aspects of the course was the discussion board. It made clear to me other views, and it was beneficial as they commented on our chosen quotes. This type of collaboration was effective as we worked through this course, and I hope to use technology for collaboration amongst my grade level teachers. Even though this course has exceeded my expectations, it was hard work and time consuming. Trying to teach school and do the coursework effectively was stressful, and at times I questioned myself whether I was crazy for going back to school. The time it required each week discouraged me, but as I continued and learned more and more each week, I knew that it was all worth it. It is imperative that teachers are provided with enough professional development that they will feel comfortable integrating technology into their classrooms.

As an educator, I have always used some form of technology in my classroom. After reading the assigned readings, viewing the videos, and table interviews, I came to the realization that my students are not meeting expectations stated by the District Improvement Plan, the Campus Improvement plan, and the Texas Long-Range Plan, and because of my lack of knowledge, I have hindered my students from learning and being successful. I am now integrating technology more, and I have seen the change in my students. There is more collaboration, enthusiasm, and active learning going on. This encourages me to integrate more and more technology as I continue with my curriculum. As an administrator, I know that it is going to be up to me to motivate my staff and provide them with the needed resources in order that the entire campus is aboard on the path of technology.

I had always heard the word "blog", but I had no idea what it was nor did I think that I would ever create one. On my campus, there isn't anyone that has created a blog, and as an administrator, I hope to introduce the teachers to the benefits of a blog. With my elementary students, I plan to use their journal writing as a blog. This would be an opportunity for students to share their opinions and feelings, and parents would be able to see their work if it was posted to a blog. Blogs are updated regularly and provide a sharing of knowledge that we wouldn't have experienced without the use of blogs. We must continue remembering that if we expect students to be successful in the 21st century, we have to teach them the way they learn, and it is through the use of technology. Even though blogs are a valuable tool, there can be some dangers. We have to be careful what we post on our blog. Reviewing the technology laws before posting a blog would keep one ethical safe and secure. Copyright laws are a big concern with posted blogs. If we are going to use someone else's work, whether it be quotes or media, we must make sure and get permission before posting it. A concern for students with blogs is the fear of cyber stalkers or predators, the posting of inappropriate content, intellectual property issues, and inappropriate sharing. Educators must train their students how to stay safe when using technology.

Blogs can be a very effective communication tool with school stakeholders. They can be used to voice and respond concerns, update school news, and facilitate community building. It is difficult to always find a scheduled time to meet and plan with your co-workers. Blogging could be the answer to more collaboration, not just within a school district, but worldwide. It is a communication tool that provides feedback to anyone interested in the world of education, and with all of us working together as a team, we can prepare our students to become successful in the 21st century.