marthasells.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewFollowing completion of my Bachelor’s Degree in December 2000, it was my desire to immediately move forward to earn a Master’s

Running head: REFLECTIONS OF A MASTER’S DEGREE CANDIDATE1

Reflections of a Master’s Degree Candidate

Martha E. Sells

Lamar University

REFLECTIONS OF A MASTER’S DEGREE CANDIDATE2

Reflections of a Master’s Degree Candidate

Following completion of my Bachelor’s Degree in December 2000, it was my desire to

immediately move forward to earn a Master’s Degree as well. I had even registered for classes

in the upcoming spring semester. Fate, however, did not see it this way and I was unable to

begin my graduate studies at that time. Then along came a job opportunity and time passed

quickly. I found myself getting older, and that, along with the cost of most Master’s programs

were very discouraging. I wanted so badly to further my education, but had all but given up on

that dream. As luck would have it, my supervisor was surfing the web one evening and

happened upon the stateu website, and the rest is history. Affordable, online, and concerning the

very venue in which I was working – what more could a girl ask for? I am now about to

complete that elusive goal, and have gained a great deal of knowledge along the way. In May

my husband, children, and grandchildren will watch me walk across the platform to receive my

diploma!

In the following pages I will reflect on what I have learned throughout the past eighteen

months during my experiences at Lamar University. I will discuss how my views have changed

on some topics, some of the goals for which I now want to strive, and an overall feel for what

educational technology leadership really is and means to me. I will talk about technologies,

leadership qualities, educational procedures and other relevant topics, some of which I had never

known of in the past.

I will talk about the many difficulties faced by today’s educational leaders, and ways to

make their jobs easier. I will talk about how this program has enhanced my abilities to do my

job, how it can advance me in that job, and what I would like to continue doing in order to make


myself a more valuable employee, educator and leader. This experience has been wonderful, and

I want to share the road I have traveled.

Goals

Position Goal

The Educational Technology Leadership program has been designed to prepare its

students for leadership roles in which they will be equipped to guide their colleagues in the use

of technologies in the classroom. Although emphasis is placed upon the K-12 realm of

education, those in higher education will benefit as well.

As I am currently responsible for the learning management system at a community

college, my goal is to improve my understanding of technologies and to become a more efficient

and effective leader to the team of support specialists I supervise. I have learned a great deal of

new information toward that goal. Some of the tasks have been more difficult than others; some

have been more enjoyable than others. But they have all made me a better educator and leader.

As I reflect back to my abilities and confidence in entering this program in October of

2009 I can see how much greater they are now. I have learned new leadership skills, new

technologies, and new strategies that can be used to implement my newfound capabilities. And

with ability and confidence comes happiness in one’s work. That is exactly where I am.

Eventually, I would like to advance in my role at San Jacinto College and have more

responsibilities, leverage, and authority in decisions made concerning the system. I have already

asked for more responsibilities, and have begun getting involved in more college and community

activities to expand my experiences. I would also like to begin applying some of the classroom

strategies I have learned by becoming an online instructor. I have already approached our

department chairman about being assigned a course or two in the upcoming fall semester.


Leadership Goals

As an innovative technology leader in the college my ultimate goal is to promote student

success. I feel this should be the goal of any educator. When integrating technology, the trick is

to find the delicate balance of using the technology because it will help the students, and not

using it simply because it is there.

I enjoy learning about new software and new gadgets a great deal. Now that I am in a

position to weigh in on decisions concerning using those new “toys” for the education of our

students, I have to ask myself “Will this truly bring value to the education of our students?” The

first thought should not be “Wow, this is cool…our students would love this!” That is where the

balance comes in.

As stated in Web 2.0 new tools, new schools, “there are visual learners, auditory learners,

and tactile/kinesthetic learners. Technology makes it possible to target the right approaches for

each student in order to provide individualized and differentiated instruction” (Solomon &

Schrum, 2007). Throughout the Educational Technology Leadership program I have become

more aware of identifying these differences and discerning whether the tool will be beneficial.

Considerations include value to the students, value to the instructors, value to the overall learning

environment, and budgetary implications. We must realize the true value in a technology, not

just the wiz-bang we get from using it.

Studying the state mandates, policies and procedures has given me a new perspective on

decision making, evaluating new tools and implementing new technologies. Through my

internship project I have learned it is not feasible to simply decide a tool might help, and install it

immediately. Procedures must be followed through the governance of the college. The true

value of the tool must be determined and shared with stakeholders. Committees must weigh in


on the adoption of the tool, and it must then be tested before a full rollout can commence. I have

learned patience along the way as well as the process that must be followed.

I feel I am now in a better position to lead the way in bringing forth new ideas and new

ways to assist our students in learning. I have learned the “right” way to carry out the duties of

my job and feel equipped to advance as the opportunities arise. Technology is a wonderful thing

when used appropriately. This program has taught me how to identify those appropriate

opportunities.

Vision

As an educator in the technology field, I feel I must continually research emerging

technologies and study other schools to find out what is out there and how the new tools are

being utilized. I see technology as a portal to education, a way to access, create and utilize

electronic based assistance in every aspect of our teaching and learning.

According to the 2011 Horizon Report, we have six emerging technologies to watch for

within the next 5 years. These include electronic books, mobile computing, augmented reality,

game-based learning, gesture-based computing and learning analytics. I have already been

researching some of these topics through my role at the college, and look forward to what they

will bring us as educators.

Electronic books have become very popular with individuals using devices such as the

Kindle and iPad. However in the past year I have seen a much more integrated use for education

through such companies as McGraw-Hill and Pearson. I have, in fact, been visited by a

representative from McGraw-Hill promoting their new Blackboard integration. This product is

very slick, allowing students and instructors to use an eBook in which they can annotate,

compare, bookmark, etc.


Another product I have looked at is the NookBook. It is less limited, in that it can access

books from any publisher. This tool is also very useful for instructors and students alike, and I

feel would be a great addition to an online course. I am very excited to have learned just

yesterday that this will soon be integrated with Blackboard, therefore making its use even easier

for all involved.

Having an iPad to use has been very helpful in researching such tools, as it provides me

with the capability of using them in my work and private life to become familiar with them

before we ask others to use them as part of their classroom instructional repertoire.

Mobile learning has been around for a while in the form of tools such as electronic books

and the mobile app from Blackboard. We have made this app available to our users, and the

ones that make use of it really like it. Although it does not possess all the functionality of the

entire package, it does give them some capabilities on the go. And electronic books have given

students an alternative to lugging thick, heavy backpacks around for some time now. I look for

these tools to move forward and become the norm rather than the future for our users.

Augmented reality is a term I had not heard of until I read the Horizon Report, so I did a

little surfing to find out what it is. It seems to be technology that will allow users to do things

such as go through a city, point their camera to a certain spot, and then see that spot on their

device as it may have appeared in a different time. This seems like it could open up so many

opportunities in the educational field. We could make use of it for such things as conduct virtual

science experiments, virtual surgery, or virtual tours of museums. The possibilities will be

endless as this technology grows. I will surely keep my eye on this one.

Game-based learning, I believe, will soon become prevalent in education from

kindergarten through the college years. For the last 18 months we have been discussing the need


to create engaging activities for our students. I feel this is one of the best ways to do that as long

as the content remains strong. According to Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levine, and Haywood

(2011), “gaming related specifically to course content helps student gain a fresh perspective on

material and can potentially engage them in that content in more complex and nuanced ways.”

(p.21) This is a trend I see as already beginning and one that will grow quickly.

Another new emerging technology to watch out for is gesture-based computing and

learning analytics. This is already in the lives of students, their parents, even their grandparents

in the form of video games such as the Nintendo Wii. I believe there is already a market for

developing the use of this technology for online Physical Education courses. And of course

many other possibilities exist as well. This technology definitely has potential in the world of

education.

Technology affects how students live and communicate and when, where, and how they

learn (Solomon & Schrum, 2007). We have the opportunity to grab onto the tools they are

familiar with and use it to transfer knowledge in engaging and innovative ways. We are in

exciting times, and I envision the world in which I work on a daily basis to become more and

more intriguing and advance at a faster pace than ever before. We are merely pioneers. The best

is yet to come.

What I Have Learned

About Myself

In the past 18 months I have learned a great deal about myself. Charting new territory

can be exciting but also quite frightening when beginning a journey in which you are unfamiliar

(Dana, 2009). I had no idea what to expect when I embarked on this journey, but found out very

quickly I was going to enjoy it.


I found that I have the capabilities to manage my time more efficiently. Shuffling school,

work, marriage, and grandchildren’s ball schedules can be daunting at times. But I have

managed to get it all done. It has meant for some late nights meeting early mornings a little more

frequently than I would have liked, but worth every sleepy minute.

I found that I have the capabilities to be resourceful. There were times when I had no

clue what I was doing, but if you ask for help, all will be fine. A perfect example would be the

assignment in which we had to evaluate a textbook. As I am not a teacher, and do not have any

friends or acquaintances who are, I simply called a local elementary school, told them my

situation, and they did not even hesitate to allow me to come by and take a look at one of their

books.

I found that I am not afraid of new concepts. Many of the courses’ topics were very

foreign to me. TAKS, TEKS, STaR, ISTE, and all the other acronyms presented new

adventures. I learned how they all worked together for the greater good, and how I can use them

to become better informed of the students entering our college environment.

All these new discoveries about myself have given me confidence and assurance that I

can move forward and do my job well.

About My Technology and Leadership Skills

As the months have gone by I have been able to add many new technologies to my

toolbox. The courses dealing with these new tools were the ones I enjoyed the most. It has been

said most people prefer exploring the instructional strategies first and the technologies that

support them second (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I, however, feel just the

opposite. I love playing with new toys and determining how they can be used in the education of

our students.


In addition to the technology I feel I have become a better supervisor and leader. The

readings and assignments have taught me the importance of data, how faculty buy-in can

influence the results of a project, and why an emphasis should be placed on planning. I have

known these things, but the reinforcement of our lessons has increased my awareness of the need

to make sure they are always considered.

As data is becoming a more integral part of our college, I am responsible for gathering

the statistics of our Blackboard system and all its components. These tasks may not be

glamorous, but they are necessary to assure we are doing all we can to make our students

successful. The needed data is also the reason for reports such as AYP and NCLB. Without this

data our schools would not have adequate data to allow for justification in continuing their

current practices, or tell them where adjustments need to be made.

Faculty must be made aware of new technologies being brought into the schools, and

given ample time and opportunities to not only learn how to use them, but how to integrate them

for the benefit of their students. Without the blessing of the faculty, one will find there is often

resentment and resistance. When implementing a new version of Blackboard we begin

communication to the end users well in advance of the upgrade. Training is offered and our plan

is kept very transparent. This was not always the case. But since this policy has been put into

place, upgrades, updates, and new tools are welcomed with more enthusiasm. And this makes

my team’s job much more enjoyable.

Campus improvement is often planned and carried out collaboratively; however without a

good leader can go awry quickly (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010). I am responsible for the

planning and implementation of many projects. I have now learned I do not, and should not have

to do it alone. It is often better to seek input from others before finalizing a plan, as two heads


are better than one. In addition, I am already taking steps to have one of my team members to

learn Microsoft Project in order to assist me with the tracking of projects, and to help me stay on

pace.

About My Attitudes

Although I have been in leadership positions for some time now, I have never really

considered myself to be a leader. I have been told this is one of my flaws, that if I wasn’t

capable and my supervisor didn’t believe I could do the job, I wouldn’t be in the position. For

technology leaders, many performance tasks focus on using and communicating research related

to social, ethical, legal, and human issues (Williamson & Redish, 2010). I have learned over the

past months that many of these tasks fall on my shoulders, and I am a stronger leader because of

this program.

I have become more patient in my projects and in dealing with personnel issues. I have

learned how to thoroughly think through a situation before making a decision. I have learned to

communicate better with my team and with the other teams in my division, as harmony and

cohesiveness in a team brings forth positive product. I have learned to appreciate the reasoning

for the tedious, how to bask in the successes, and to quickly move on to the next project.

Yes, the Educational Technology Leadership Program has made me a better employee, a

better technologist, and a better leader. Even when I was unable to understand just why we were

reading a particular article, I now see the reason for them.

Six Most Helpful Courses

I have given a great deal of thought to this section of my comprehensive exam. I have

known for quite some time now that I would have to choose six courses to reflect upon and to

provide rationale for choosing those six. As I thought about it I reasoned I should probably list


the ones from which I gained the most knowledge. This would mean the ones I began with the

least background, and came out with a better understanding. This made my decision a little

easier.

As my first two degrees are in technology, the ones dealing with the tools themselves

were ruled out. That left the ones I enjoyed the least, but from which I probably gained the most.

The six I chose are EDLD 5333 – Leadership for Accountability, EDLD 5301 – Research,

EDLD 5344 – School Law, EDLD 5335 – Curriculum Management, EDLD 5362 – Information

Systems Management, and EDLD 5368 – Instructional Design.

EDLD 5333 – Leadership for Accountability

Although I understand the reason and need for the topics in this course, this was the first

class I can say I did not enjoyed immensely. I learned a lot, but it was definitely not the most

interesting readings and assignments we performed. So I will try to reflect what I learned, and

how I plan to use that knowledge in my job duties.

The main thing I came away with during the these five weeks was that we must have a

purpose for everything, else we are simply spinning our wheels, and wasting the time of

ourselves and those around us. As we were given the task of composing a vision, I thought – oh,

this will be easy. Not so. Much thought goes into creating a true vision. One must seek input

for others, brainstorm, collaborate, and be sure to include the needs of the entity as well as one’s

personal beliefs. This is necessary to reach a common goal.

I learned an effective leader cannot spend all their time behind closed doors. They must

assure their constituents they are available, accessible – human. They must be supportive, caring

and involved. This is evidenced in our college’s Chancellor. She is visible, transparent, and her

door is always open. I personally do not see how she has the time to do all she does, attend all


the functions she attends, and still have time for her family and a personal life. Time

management is an important element of the leader’s life. Time is a factor that must be dealt with

rather than pretending that issues of time management don’t exist (Dana, 2009). Leaders must

be consistently aware of this in order to be affective.

After studying the readings in this course, my personal vision resulted in…

It is my vision to inspire others while exhibiting compassion, strength, authority,

flexibility, fairness, competency, and a collaborative spirit.

As we delved into the data and statistics I acquired a new appreciation and respect for

principals everywhere. I had no idea there was so much involved in making sure a campus is

meeting state and national requirements. In addition to dealing with discipline, faculty, parents,

etc. they must keep track of all the numbers. I am sure they spend a great deal of time working

late, or in their own homes under a lamp, blurry-eyed, to take care of the many students in their

charge. Our college is becoming very data driven. I only have to deal with the data from

Blackboard related issues. Our chancellor must deal with it from all aspects of the college. That

task alone could overwhelm anyone.

Leadership is more than just a title – it is a responsibility and an honor. It should not be

taken lightly, and those that are privileged to have this be a part of their lives are indeed a unique

group. It cannot be accomplished alone, and leaders must realize that. An effective leader has to

be willing to listen and guide. I can only hope I possess these qualities.

EDLD 5301 – Research

Well, what a great five weeks this turned out to be. It always amazes me when I think I

know what something is, and then in one short week, bam – I see it as totally different. That is

what happened in the first week. Growing up I knew what research was. It was boring reading,


numbers, graphs, reports, more boring reading. Then more boring writing that no one would ever

want to read. Not so! Put the word “action” in front of it, and research is a whole new ball game!

In Leading with Passion and Knowledge: the Principal as Action Researcher, one of the

first things I read was that action research refers to research intended to bring about change of

some kind (Dana, 2009). This statement did not mean a great deal to me at first reading.

However, I understand it so much better now. This will be extremely helpful in making

decisions on new technologies to possibly be implemented. I must consider the changes that will

come about as a result of my recommendation. These changes may impact learners, instructors,

or the budget. My research must be active, action research that is thorough and concise.

I have learned that when approaching an issue in which important decisions must be

made, one must enter that decision making process with the necessary tools. Action research is

one of these tools. It will methodically provide all the necessary information with which to make

an informed and educated decision, as well as measurable justification for that decision. In this

way, if ever questioned, the data is there to support that decision.

I have learned that there is no single way to gain consensus to gain buy-in when

approaching a problem. There are various ways to work with others to choose which projects to

implement. Force field analysis, the Delphi method and the nominal group technique are all

strategies for sustaining improvement while at the same time looking futuristically to prepare for

the future (Harris, Edmonson, Combs, 2010). Although I have used various versions of these

methods, I have never seen them as methods for this purpose.

In addition, I have learned we must use qualitative and quantitative measurements to

arrive at a final result of any research project. This course has taught me various methods to use

in order to do this, and there is a process for conducting the research. The steps are laid out for us


in Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action. They

include setting the foundation, analyzing the data, developing deeper understanding, engaging in

self-reflection, exploring programmatic patterns, determining direction, taking action and

sustaining improvement (Harris, Edmonson, Combs, 2010).

If this process is followed each time such research is needed, it will assure there are no

areas left underutilized, and a true reading will be found on the research gathered. I plan to keep

these methods as part of my tool kit in conducting business. There are many opportunities in my

work to put this knowledge to good use. Now I feel confident that I will have a systematic

approach to making smart, effective, knowledgeable decisions.

EDLD 5344 – School Law

Wow, this one was rough! I had absolutely no idea there was so much to consider when

making decisions! I knew it was no cake walk, but my goodness…

This course has made me realize just how complicated the life of a school administrator

can be. Many of the issues discussed do affect my job as Blackboard Administrator and

Supervisor of Blackboard Support, however there are a great deal of federal, state and local laws

and policies that I didn’t even realize existed until this course. I can’t imagine having to keep

myself up to date on all of them.

I think the most prominent of the issues discussed that is involved in my job is the Family

Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. In dealing with the thousands of course

sites and users I handle on a daily basis, privacy is a major concern. We must assure only

authorized employees are able to view grades and personal information. This is no small feat.

I work very closely with the data management team for the college, which also handles

Banner, our Student Information System. The integration of the two systems, if not handled


properly, could result in major violations of FERPA. I and my team are very aware of all aspects

of this act, and are very careful when dealing with student records. In fact, I am working now on

a project that will result in the purchase of a verification product. This product will verify that a

student taking an online exam is indeed the student enrolled in the course. All of this is a result

of FERPA regulations.

FERPA also affects a school’s storage and retention of students records (Bissonnette,

2009). Because of this, we archive and store all course sites of our Blackboard system, and keep

them on a secure server for up to 5 years. This will assure easy access to grades should anyone

choose to protest their GPA. The security of the server will also protect the private information

included in these records.

In addition to protecting the electronic records, we are very careful to speak only with a

student when we are called. Parents, spouses, significant others, children, etc. are not permitted

to obtain information about a college student’s grades. It sometimes causes a bit of anger on

their part. But we simply explain the laws and refuse to speak with anyone but the student. All

of these precautions take time, effort and money; but it is well worth it to protect the privacy of

our students.

I also have to consider laws considering Internet and network usage. As the

administrator of our online course management system, I feel it is part of my job to make sure all

our students and instructors are aware of the dangers of inappropriate material being posted to

the system.

One of the steps I have taken to prevent this is to include notes on training materials,

brochures, etc. that indicate any violation of this policy will immediately be removed. In

addition, it could result in the discontinuation of their email and network accounts. This is stated


in our AUP, which is posted on the college website. I don’t know that it could also lead to

criminal charges, as we are a higher learning institution vs. K-12; however, I do what I can in

trainings and the production of instructional materials to get the message across to all involved.

Another way in which I am able to inform those who need to hear this message is through

new staff/faculty workshops. My department is responsible for informing these new employees

of the services offered by our Educational Technology Division. In communicating this

information, we are able to inform these people verbally as well as through documentation we

have collaboratively prepared for their use of the policies involving the use of the college’s

network and the Internet.

In teaching various computer classes, I have always pointed out to students that emails

should be composed very carefully. One never knows who is actually reading their words; and

they should be very careful if they are writing something in anger or haste. And if they receive

an email with inappropriate or unprofessional content it should be deleted. I have actually

known employees to lose their job over a “joke”. And that is no laughing matter.

Again, we must keep ourselves up to date on the current laws and the policies of our

workplace to assure we are not violating either. A very important course to be part of this

program, and a good wake-up call to those vying to become a school administrator!

EDLD 5335 – Curriculum Management

This course was another tough one. I don’t know if it is that I could see the light at the

end of the tunnel, that I am really tired, or that it is not one exactly the most interesting of

courses we have had in the program. No matter the cause, and no matter how difficult it was to

trudge through the readings, I still learned a great deal.


I learned that one of the most important aspects of being an effective leader of a campus

is to know the standards, policies, and expectations of the campus. You must be aware of state

requirements, and have an open and innovative mind when attempting to accomplish these

goals. It is often said that to be successful one must surround themselves with successful

people. I believe this to be true in education as well as business and industry.

Once a school leader is versed on the expectations and goals, he/she must then discern

how to reach those goals. One way is to build trust among the teachers and staff of the campus.

This can be obtained in many ways, including making suggestions, giving feedback, modeling,

using inquiry and soliciting advice and opinions, and giving praise. (Blasé & Blasé, 2000). This

helps to build trust and confidence, therefore breeds success.

Another way to build success is to use data effectively. I use data quite a bit in my job,

and find myself looking for additional ways to utilize the data to improve student success. After

this course I have learned the value to examine a wide range of data, not just results from

standardized tests. (Boudett, City, Murnane, 2006)

All of these methods will help me to become a more effective leader, by building better

relationships, understanding my goals, and improving student success by implementing the two.

Collaboration and trust have been an ongoing theme throughout this entire program. It is

also a continuous aspect in my job. Many techniques were pointed out in this particular course.

One of my favorites was the need for professional development. I believe it is very important to

assure all faculty and staff have the opportunity to participate in ongoing activities to promote

their growth. This not only helps them to learn innovative teaching methods, but it gives them

empowerment, confidence, and self-value.


According to Teacher-principal relationships: Exploring linkages between empowerment

and interpersonal trust (2005), “Trust contributes to a positive working environment

characterized by honest, supportive relationships” (p. 261). Through collaborative meetings,

workshops and just plain listening, a supportive relationship can be built with the campus leader

and their staff, resulting in a positive atmosphere. This can only help in building student success.

As a leader, it will be up to me to assure every employee is treated equally and

impartially. Strong worth ethic should be demonstrated by the leader to assure integrity,

transparency, and honesty throughout the campus. Consistent performance evaluation standards

should be established, equal expectations should be distributed, and a standardized

rewards/disciplinary system must be built. Everyone should know what to expect from the

leader at all times.

Everyone has a boss. Although the principal is the campus leader, he/she is still

accountable to the superintendent, the school board, parents, the community and the state.

Curriculum management is the heart of a principal’s performance measurement. This is what

drives all aspects of the job. Every decision a principal makes eventually goes back to

curriculum management. It drives teacher recruitment/retention, the budget, professional

development, and day-to-day activities.

Leadership comes with many responsibilities, and if successful, a principal can make

his/her campus become a model to other schools across the state. Other schools will come to

them for ideas and best practices. District leaders seek innovative, forward thinking individuals

to help them assure their students are successful, and their campuses are respected across the

state. When implementing the practices discussed in this course, a campus leader will do just

that.


Success is in our hands. We must be sure as leaders to instill trust in our staff, implement

innovative practices throughout the campus, and analyze data to support our decisions. With

that, our schools will improve exponentially, molding our future leaders as they sit in our

classrooms.

EDLD 5362 – Information Systems Management

This course allowed me to take a closer look at the current and future plan for San Jacinto

College. I had never before been aware of any type of plan that was in place, or our philosophy

in making the decisions that are made. Due to this class I was able to get a behind the scenes

look at this via our campus plan.

Since taking this course, I have been asked to serve on our Distance Learning Task Force.

This committee is compiled of stakeholders holding many different roles in the college. We are

interviewing individuals who have led both successful and unsuccessful distance learning

projects so that we may derive a better plan for our own institution. Distance Learning is

growing, and in my opinion will continue to do so. We must be prepared to handle what is

coming our way.

The Internet has increased our reach throughout, and decreased the size of, our world as

we once knew it. Therefore, teaching methods have drastically changed in the last 30-plus

years. Our teachers are better able to communicate with their students, colleagues, and parents;

and to offer expansive options to those wishing to explore additional information about the topic

at hand. In comparing and contrasting the methods of teaching before and after the creation of

the Internet, we must look at many aspects to see the changes, advantages and hindrances.

If you speak with teachers of today who have been teaching for many years, they will

attest to the fact that teaching methods have indeed changed drastically. They will also tell you


some of the changes have been positive, and some have been negative. One of the positive

changes, and perhaps the most important is that the Internet can bring collaboration to many who

are separated geographically. Without the Internet, we could never have joined students together

from all parts of the state to discuss, collaborate, and work on a topic all at once. It also presents

a platform for those timid and inhibited students to participate more freely.

As these and many other advantages exist, the Internet can also offer much incorrect

information. Therefore we must teach our students to discern the right from the wrong. Because

of this, added instruction and grading is required. However, I do feel the positives do outweigh

the negatives.

What we can do via the Internet is only the beginning. The possibilities are endless. We

will only be restricted by what our minds will not allow us to imagine. And who knows, maybe

one of the students we are teaching today will be the one to make a major breakthrough!

EDLD 5368 – Instructional Design

Since becoming the Blackboard Administrator/Support Coordinator of San Jacinto

College in August 2008, I have seen a consistent growth of online student enrollments from 18 –

25% from one year to the next. I and my team work daily to improve the online experience for

our students. We are constantly looking for new technologies to incorporate into our course sites

to make them more interactive and collaborative. Our goal is to teach instructors to make their

courses Active, Collaborative, and Authentic – ACAdemic.

When an educator possesses the skills to present an interactive, quality course to their

students, it will improve their technical skills and those of their students. It will also provide a

way for them to stay in touch with their students more consistently. Their students will be more


likely to return to class after being forced to miss due to illness or work; therefore attendance

may improve.

Another advantage is that in the event of a school closing, online access will provide a

format for a seamless continuation of the course. This is one of the reasons our college has

issued a mandate that ALL class sections must have a Blackboard presence. Following

Hurricane Ike, we were forced to close our doors for two weeks. Instructors already having an

online presence did not suffer from that time lost, whereas those without the Blackboard shell

had to scramble to communicate with their students, thus losing valuable instruction time. The

course I created in this course will reinforce these beliefs.

I see online learning as a wave of the future. Although it has been around for a while, I

don’t believe it will reach its peak for quite some time. New technologies will continue to

improve its effectiveness, and more and more students will opt to take advantage. I want to

know what is in store for the future. I want to know how I can continue to improve on the

development of my online courses. I want to know more about the pedagogical aspect of online

teaching. There is still so much to know in order to develop the best site possible. My course

sites should be as effective as one that might be used, for example, in an English course. In

addition, if I am going to teach how to create an exemplary course, should I not do it with an

exemplary course? As stated in Questions andAnswers for Policy-Makers about Virtual Public

Schools, a fairly common misperception about online learning is that in the online environment

the teacher is less important than in the classroom (Watson, 2007). This is simply not true. In

some cases, online teachers actually spend more time teaching than those in a brick and mortar

classroom.


I have learned even more about design and functionality throughout this course, and look

forward to learning more from new tools and other online instructors. One of the most important

lessons I learned was the backward design method of design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2000) I had

never thought about designing a course this way, but it makes perfect sense. It has also been

very advantageous to work within a different product than one with which I was already

comfortable. I feel it gives one another perspective, and causes one to look more closely at their

work. This course was a great help in realizing how much I need to learn about designing a

quality course.

These six courses may have not been the most enjoyable of the eleven I have taken, but

have certainly given me the greatest amount of new knowledge. I feel I now have a better

perspective of where our students are coming from, how our leaders make their decisions, and

how my job duties can affect both.


References

Bissonette, A. (2009). Cyber law: maximizing safety and minimizing risk in classrooms.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Blasé, J., & Blasé, J. (2000). Effective instructional leadership: Teachers’ perspectives on how

principals promote teaching and learning in schools. Journal of Educational

Administration, 38,(2), 130-141.

Boudett, K., City, E, & Murnane, R. (2006). The “data-wise” improvement process. Principal

Leadership, 7(2), 53-56.

Dana, N. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: the principal as action researcher.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, a Joint Publication with the American Association of

School Administrators.

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8

steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., & Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon

Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

Moye, M., Henkin, A., & Egley, R. (2005). Teacher-principal relationships: Exploring linkages

between empowerment and interpersonal trust. Journal of Educational Administration,

43(2/3), 260-277.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: new tools, new schools. Eugene, Or.: International

Society for Technology in Education.


Watson, J. (2007). A national primer on k-12 online learning. North American Council for

Online Learning. Retrieved from

http://www.inacol.org/research/docs/national_report.pdfll.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2000). Understanding by design study guide. Alexandria, VA:

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2010). ISTE's technology facilitation and leadership standards:

what every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Moorabbin, Vic.: Hawker

Brownlow Education.

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marthasells.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewFollowing completion of my Bachelor’s Degree in December 2000, it was my desire to immediately move forward to earn a Master’s