Educational Leaders and Blogs

Blogs are a great new tool that will allow educators the opportunity to post thoughts and ideas about issues and information that they feel are relevant to other educators and stakeholders in and out of their community. Blogs allow professionals to connect and follow other professionals that have some of the same interests and issues. Blogs are simple to use but what they offer can be as complex as needed in passing along valuable information at a moment's notice.

Action Research

What is action research you might ask? Well according to Dana (2009)

it is when an administrator or teacher studies his own practices and determines if what he is doing is effective or needs change. This evaluation is analyzed by using self questioning in order to analyze, develop, and share and becomes a tool for learning and school improvement.

This was a new term for me and at first did not seem to be a big deal. However, as I read more and more about it, it made much more sense. Traditional methods of research uses outsiders to collect and analyze data and predict what they think might happen. With action research, all inquiries are done by people with personal interest or involvement in the situation or issue so therefore the outcome means so much more. When the outcome of an issue determines the success of a teacher, administrator, or students the people involved tend to want what will work best for them.

By using things like PLC's and Site Based Committees collaboration with peers becomes much more effective in producing the best school district possible that will meet the needs of the people who care about it.

As a teacher, action research will allow me to identify my weak areas and implement a plan for improvement that will make me a better instructor. It will encourage me to question myself when the outcome of certain situations did not have the end result I had in mind. Change is good and with action research, the ability to change with the times in order to address the needs of my students over time will be a much easier and ongoing process.

EDLD 5306 Course Reflections

Well, where do I begin? With this being my first online course I didn't have too many preconceived ideas about how this course would work. I did wonder about my timing on enrolling in this course. After paying my first tuition bill, my husband and I decided to make a move this summer and work in another district. My daughter had to undergo knee surgery which took a lot of time away from my so called "free time". I had a full time job teaching, had a husband and two daughters at home... what was I thinking? The answer was simple. I enjoy learning and I love technology. This course was the obvious answer.

I thought I knew a lot about technology already. In the first few weeks , however, I had set up my first wiki, my first blog and attended my first web conference. Wow! I immediately began envisioning how to use these tools in my classroom. I had already learned valuable information and was only in the first course!

Navigation through the course software was another first for me. Anyone who has not gone through an online environment should do so. I did find during the first week that I felt a little overwhelmed with it all. I thought to myself "what have I gotten into" but didn't want to accept defeat. I buckled down and realized after the first week that this was doable. I learned how to navigate more easily, found the cohort page more easily and even enjoyed most of the work.

It was very interesting to meet through the web conferences the other educators in the course. What a tool that will allow you to put names with faces in an online environment. This added a personal touch that could be lost without this option.

I felt a personal satisfaction of knowing that I had achieved something that will help me grown intellectually, professionally and personally. I realized that I have alot of determination to persevere when time or situations tell you to give up. Technology and understanding how it works is truly a gift that has been given to me. I want to continue to learn more and more in this ever changing, fast moving world that we live in. Change is important to me. I would rather step off and take a risk than sit in the same rut day after day. I found that my attitude towards others is usually positive but there is always room for improvement. I also found that I don't know if I am ever truly satisfied with my own work. I always want to do more. Maybe that is why I have high expectations of my own students as well.

This course made me envision what tomorrow's education could look like. It is up to educators to foster the love of change and technology into our school systems and bring a brighter future to our students.