Jennifer Steadham
EDLD 5352
Week 5
Reflective Paper
Until I received the syllabus and loaded the courseware for this class, I did not realize that Instructional Leadership would be the technology link. I am not sure what I thought the content focus would be, but I was surprised to learn that it would be about technology. Initially, I was unsure of how the course would go as I have always known that I was not a digital native, but I have always thought that I have kept up with the times and learned new skills. As the course progressed, I realized that the mathematics collaborative with which I am working is right on track. Each session is focused on technology integration in mathematics classrooms. As the assistant administrator at my school, I just attended, with our superintendent, a session at our regional service center about Project Share and the direction that professional development across the state in headed. I share with my superintendent what I am learning in my courses on a regular basis; she insists that I must be enrolled in a leading edge program.

After reading the assignment list for this course and taking the pre-course evaluation, I hoped that I would learn a great deal as my score on the pre-course evaluation was miserable. I was disappointed in my score as I did not even understand some of the terminology in the evaluation. My post-course evaluation was much better. I feel that I have learned a great deal from this course and the assignments I completed for this class. My principal, technology coordinator, and I just finished writing our technology plan for the next three years. It was a new experience for all three of us. In the midst of completing this task, I was taking this course. I feel that everything I learned in this course is directly applicable to my current position and future in administration. I had never considered the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology until this course. I knew the TEKS and what I should do in my classroom, but I had not considered my scheduling for the entire school with the plan in mind. I have revised my departmentalization plan for grades four through eight for the next school year. While I was satisfied with my plan, I have now “tweaked” the schedule and professional development plans with student needs and technology resources in mind.

The course assignments were lengthy with the readings and the work, but I cannot say what could be left undone. I gained some insight from most articles and felt successful in completing the assignments. I had never read a blog or even could say I knew very much about blogging until this course. Creating my blog was not a difficult task, but I do not think that I would have ever created a blog without this course assignment. I understand the issues of student blogging and internet predators, but I also know that with the teaching of cyber ethics and responsible behavior on the part of the educators and students, blogging can have educational merit. Just as we must supervise students at school, we must supervise their internet activity. Administrators must have policies for educators and students address security and ethical use of technology.

By blogging, students and educators can learn new information rapidly. New information can be found from around the world; students have the potential to tap into expert knowledge in many forms using the internet and blogging. Students also feel more freedom in expressing their needs and frustrations when texting or blogging. This enables teachers to identify needs more rapidly in those students who might not admit in class that they are struggling.

Prensky (2008) wrote that students have to power down to come to school. Learning should not stop or be boring, and schools should not ban technology just because it is not the way we have always done things. I have learned from this course and in my own experience in education that we must move forward and embrace new ideas. Just because kids are crazy about technology doesn’t mean that teachers should try to fight it. Working with technology and integrating technology into our classrooms can make our classrooms more engaging and productive. As educators, we can communicate with one another and with other stakeholders by blogging and wikis to collaborate and work in the best interest of students.

While taking this course, I feel that I have improved my technology vocabulary and skills. I am able to talk about blogging, wikis, and technology integration with more ease. I feel a great deal more comfortable in the administration realm as a result of the work done in this course. As with any new skill learned, I must practice, but I have impressed some of my students with the fact that I have a blog. They groaned when I told them it was about education; I informed my students that I might need some technology assistance, and every kid wanted to help. Imagine if I could get them to share math skills and knowledge with each other using technology. I would be one happy math teacher. Imagine if I could get my staff to collaborate on lesson plans using technology, I would be one happy administrator.


Works Cited
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40-45.