Iowa Principal Leadership Academy
Syllabus Standard II: Developing Educational Leaders Who Sustain a School Culture and Instructional Program That Supports Student Learning and Staff Development
Seminar 4: Instructional Technology: Supporting Teaching & Learning
Problem-Based Learning Theme 2: How do you design a system (building) around an instructional focus that is stable over time and maintains a high standard in most classrooms so as to teach people in the organization how to think and act around learning for continuous improvement?Purpose: The purpose of this seminar on the Instructional Technology is to prepare each principal candidate with the theory and best practice needed to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to be successful in developing the program content and problem-based learning theme in ISSL Standard II. This seminar will focus on current research into use of Instructional Technology to support the teaching and learning process. In addition, the seminar will focus on the highlighted knowledge, dispositions, and performances of ISSL Standard II.
ISLL Standard 2: A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development.
Knowledge: The administrator has the knowledge and understanding of:
Student growth and development for infants and toddlers through adolescence
Applied learning theories
Applied motivational theories
Curriculum design, implementation, evaluation, and refinement
Principles of effective instruction
Measurement, evaluation, and assessment strategies
Diversity and its meaning for educational programs
Adult learning and professional development models
The change process for systems, organizations, and individuals
The role of technology in promoting student learning and professional growth
School cultures
Historical, philosophical, and social foundations of early childhood through adolescence
Observation and application of developmentally appropriate assessments for toddlers through adolescence
Dispositions: The administrator believes in, values, and is committed to:
Student learning as the fundamental purpose of schooling of all ages
The proposition that all students can learn
The variety of ways in which students can learn
Life long learning for self and others
Professional development as an integral part of school improvement
The benefits that diversity brings to the school community
A safe and supportive learning environment
Preparing students to be contributing members of society
The partnership and collaboration with and among staff
Performances: The administrator facilitates processes and engages in activities ensuring that:
All individuals are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect
Professional development promotes a focus on student learning consistent with the school vision and goals
Students and staff feel valued and important
The responsibilities and contributions of each individual are acknowledged
Barriers to student learning are identified, clarified, and addressed
Diversity is considered in developing learning experiences
Life long learning is encouraged and modeled
There is a culture of high expectations for self, students, and staff performance
Technologies are used in teaching and learning
Student and staff accomplishments are recognized and celebrated
Multiple opportunities to learn are available to all students
The school is organized and aligned for success
Curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programs are designed, implemented, evaluated, and refined
Curriculum decisions are based on research, expertise of teachers, and the recommendations of learned societies
The school culture and climate are assessed on a regular basis
A variety of sources of information is used to make decisions
Student learning is assessed using a variety of techniques
Multiple sources of information regarding performance are used by staff and students
A variety of supervisory and evaluation models is employed
Pupil personnel programs are developed to meet the needs of students and their families
Staff have opportunities to work collaboratively with peers for improving student learning
The administrator maintains a direct connection to the learning environment
Analyzes, interprets, and uses educational research for improving student learning
Seeks feedback on their own performance
Guidance for toddlers through adolescence
Learning is in concert with Iowa standards and benchmarks and the Iowa Core
This seminar will also include theory that supports the understandings of Distributive Leadership Principles 2-4 and Design Principle 1.
Distributed Leadership Principle 2: Instructional improvement requires continuous learning.
Distributed Leadership Principle 3: Learning requires modeling.
Distributed Leadership Principle 4: The roles and activities of leadership flow from the expertise required for learning and improvement, not from the formal dictates of the institution.
Design Principle 1: Maintain a tight instructional focus over time.
Endorsement 189 Content and Competencies:
Content Standard 1: Knowledge of early childhood, elementary, early adolescent, and secondary level administration, supervision, and evaluation.
Content Standard 2: Knowledge and skill related to early childhood, elementary, early adolescent, and secondary level curriculum development.
Competency 2: Advocates, nurtures, and sustains a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
Tool Box Activities This Seminar Will Address:
Overview of Tool Box Activities:
Review Report Card. Journal Reflection on how the report card provides information on what the student has learned in on the content standards and benchmarks in the selected area: math, reading, or science. (Source: McREL, Building a Standards-based Curriculum, Marzano, 2000).
Develop a schedule where all teachers in the building have time to meet with other teachers and the building principal as a learning team at least once each week.
Review school board meeting agendas for the past six months. Attend at least two school board meetings. Journal: What time was spent on addressing the question: How does this impact student learning? What time was spent on discussion of the District Comprehensive School Improvement Plan and student learning goals? Needs of diverse learners? Journal.
______
BEFORE WEEKEND
Review the course syllabus
Visit the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) website and review the national technology standards for students as well as many specific units that support integration of technology in math, science, social studies, language arts, etc.
Take a quick survey of staff in your building: who is regularly using technology to support instruction or to support their professional development or to support tracking or monitoring student progress. What types of technologies are being used? How? How long?
______
Resources and Materials:
Course Syllabus
AASA Study (1999). Preparing Schools and School Systems for the 21st Century. “Characteristics of 21st Century Technology-Ready Schools”
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.(1995) “How Technology is Transforming Teaching(Special Issue). Educational Leadership, 53,(2).
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (1997) “Integrating technology into Teaching (Special Issue). Educational Leadership, 55.(3)
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (1998) “Integrating technology into Teaching (Special Issue). Educational Leadership, 56.(5)
Burke. J/ (2001) Illuminating texts: How to Teach Students to Read the World. Portsmouth: NH: Heinemann.
Costa,A.L. & Kallick, B. (2000). Discovering and Exploring Habits of Mind. Alexander, VA: ASCD.
Harper, D., Hardy J., & LeBlanc,P. (1999). “Generation Y Curriculum Kit.” Eugene,OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Harris, R.(1997). Evaluating Internet Research Sources (Online) Available:
Kahn, J. (1998).Ideas and Strategies for the One-computer Classroom. Eugene: OR: ISTE.
Marzano, R.J. et.al. (2000). A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria: VA: ASCD.
Marzano, (2002-03) What Works in Schools. Alexandria: VA: ASCD.
Moursund, D. (1999). Project-based Learning Using Information Technology. Eugene:OR: ISTE.
National Educational Technology Standards for Students, (2000), ISTE. Eugene: Oregon, ISTE.
On-line Websites that provide information and services for all school staff and whose licenses are purchased annually by the AEAs for all schools: EBSCO,
Online websites that evaluate Web sites, organize them by subject area, and provide information and links to positively evaluated sites. These provide valuable education Web sites or offer lessons and projects that make use of technology. These sites are: Busy Teacher’s Web site Education World, Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators Scholastic Network Teacher/Pathfinder The Educator’s Toolkit The Teacher Resource Page
Tomlinson, C. (2000). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria: VA: ASCD.
This is a problem-centered course:
A problem is a troubled perplexed, trying situation…not an assigned task…It is indispensable to distinguish between genuine and mock problems. Does a question naturally suggest itself with some situation? Or is it an aloof thing, only for the purposes of conveying information? Would it arouse observation and engage experimentation outside of school? Or is it the teacher’s or textbook’s, made a problem for the pupil only because he cannot get the required mark unless he deals with it? (John Dewey, Democracy and Education, 1916)Instructional Technology Overall Goal: The principal goal of instructional technology is to provide the principal candidate with the theory, research, and best practice needed to support the development
of the knowledge, performances, and dispositions of ISSL Standards II and to support the development of each Problem-based Theme.
Specific Seminar Goals:
To compare research and best practice in using instructional technologies to improve the teaching and learning of standards and benchmarks to traditional approaches.
To examine ways instructional technology can support teacher’s professional development.
To examine ways instructional technology can support teaching strategies.
To examine ways instructional technology can support student learning.
To examine the emerging theory that supports instructional technology as a means to improve at-risk and low achieving learners in the content areas.
To examine the research on the effect size of instructional technology when using simulations
To examine the candidate’s current assumptions, beliefs and practices in using technology to support teaching, student learning, and their own learning.
To refine personal research skills.
Specific Seminar Continuing Objectives:
To continue to dialogue with and receive technology support from the instructor as an expert mentor throughout Problem-based Learning Theme II in completing the action research, action plan, tool box activities, and reflective journaling.
To develop specific course tool box journaling and action requirements through consultation with other Cohort Group members and the instructor as an expert mentor.
Continue to critique the reference materials and sites and to share knowledge and understandings with cohort group, instructor, and other mentors.
Student Assignments and Expectations: Listed in Syllabus 2: Problem-Based Learning Theme 2.
Evaluation: Continuous Improve Continuum: Curriculum and Instruction Rubric
Level 5 on the rubric is assigned for work of the highest academic quality.
Level 4 on the rubric is assigned for professional quality work at the required quality level
Level 3 on the rubric is assigned for adequate work, but not distinguished as sound quality at the proficient level. Those with a Level 3 Rubric will have the opportunity to revise and complete quality work.
All work for the Iowa Principal Leadership Academy must be completed at Rubric Levels 4 or 5 to be considered proficient. All work must be completed at the proficient level.