Week 2 Post 4 Book Leadership

Chapter 5 of the the Art of Possibility discusses leadership. One passage that I found to be very interesting was the following:

"One time, as we were rehearsing Mahler's Sixth Symphony, I made a seemingly routine apology to the players of the Philharmonic Orchestra of London. You see, I had should out after one passage, 'Cowbells, you didn't come in!' A few minutes later I realized that the cowbells weren't supposed to play at that moment so I called out to the percussion section, 'I'm so sorry, I was wrong about that entrance. I see you don't play there.' After the rehearsal, I was amazed that no less than three musicians came to me separately and privately to say that they couldn't remember the last time they had heard a conductor admit his own mistake" (Zander, 2000, p.69)

This passage really got me thinking about the concept of leadership and how a good leader cannot be afraid to admit their own mistakes. If we as leaders are afraid to own up to a mistake, than we make ourselves appear to be some super human. Everyone makes mistakes and we, as leaders, need to demonstrate that the important thing about mistakes is recognizing them and learning from them. If we hide our mistakes under the rug we are not learning anything.

Below is an excellent video on leadership.



References:
cmoeinc. (2008, September 22). Qualities of Leadership [Video File]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhxINyIZ454

Week 2 Blog 3 Podcasting

The extended discussion board assignment inspired me to further research podcasting. In conducting my research I came across the follow articles that not only better explained podcasting, but how it can be used in the classroom:

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/sites/sites074.shtml
In the article “Sites to See: Podcasting”, author Lorrie Jackson, provides readers with a great set of links to help bring podcasting in their classroom. What is so great about Jackson’s article is the tools she provides to help get people started. Her article is set up in a way to easily help educators create and incorporate podcasts into their classroom. The article includes links to great sites, such as Apple and Podomatic, both of which provide amazing tools for guiding the reader in not only becoming comfortable with what podcasting is, but also the ability to actually create a podcast of their own. Jackson places emphasis on the fact that, “knowing just what you need to podcast and how to create a podcast can be challenging” (2006). The tools Jacksons provides in this article would be excellent for any teacher new to podcasting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/25/technology/techspecial2/25podcast.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1248375694-YZ0FspNglR7U4BNxRR5kuw
In the article, “Students and Teachers, From K to 12, Hit the Podcasts,” author Jeffery Selingo discusses how the students at Longfellow Middle School in La Crosse, Wis., are producing Podcasts and sharing them on iTunes (2006). In the article Selingo touches on the fact that although there is still some hesitation by teachers out there to begin using podcasts in the classroom, students love them and they have been proven effective. Instructional technology specialist Daniel J. Schmit, points out that Podcasting, “teaches them to do research, to communicate in print, to speak effectively and grab attention with sound" (qtd in Selingo, 2006). Aside from appealing to their senses using podcasts gives students a sense of accomplishment. Seventh grader, Megan Wichelt, pointed out that "It's better than learning out of a textbook because you're actually doing something with what you learn and I know other people are listening, so it's very fun to do" (qtd. In Selingo 2006). Selingo’s article provides great insight into why podcasts are so successful.

http://engage.doit.wisc.edu/podcasting/whatIsIt/index.html
This is a great website created by the University of Wisconsin. The website contains information regarding not only what podcasting is, but how to create a podcast, provides some examples of podcasts, and some additional resources that might be beneficial in using podcasts in the classroom. The University of Wisconsin recommends using Podcasts in the classroom for, “course audio files, mini audio presentations, audio case studies, and student presentations” (2007). What I really think would be of benefit to any user, no matter what the skill level is the copyrighted material section in the additional sources tab. This provides great information and helps you ensure that your podcasts avoid copyright violation. Definitely a source that could be shared with your students!

http://recap.ltd.uk/articles/podguide.html
Dave Jobbings created this website specifically to share with teachers and team leaders information about what podcasting is and how to make use of it in the classroom. The article is broken down into five sections: overview of podcasting, creating and listening to podcasts, podcasts in school, copyright issues, and further resources (2005). As an educator what I really found to be of key importance was the fact that Jobbings took adequate time to pinpoint ways in which podcasts can be used in the classroom. Jobbings points out that in order to better our classrooms we can use podcasts in the following ways, “Devising a cross-curricular activity, providing alternate teaching approaches, and promoting/using personalized learning” (2005). I would highly recommend this article to any educator, as well any trainer to find new and exciting ways to incorporate podcasting, as well as to gain better insight on what exactly podcasting is.

http://www.academiccommons.org/commons/essay/blankenship-podcasting
The article “Podcasting in Education: A Perspective from Bryn Mawr College” by author Laura Blakenship focuses on how three professors at Bryn Mawr College have incorporated podcasting into the classroom. Michelle Francl, chemistry professor, used podcasting as a way to record her lectures but removed any announcements and homework reminders, as a means to keep her attendance up. (2007). One of the ideas Francl had that I found to be quite intriguing was to record lectures and to assign them as homework instead of readings for her students. The other professors at the university hope to in the future use podcasts in the following ways, “pre-lab demonstrations and student demonstrations” (2007). This article is a great look at first hand experience of someone who has been there and done that in the world of podcasting.

Currently I do not use many podcasts in my classroom, but it is definitely something I hope to have more time to research and bring into the classroom. The few podcasts I found for the extended discussion will be a great resource for my classroom. Below is an excellent video on how a podcast works:




References:
neovita. (2007, September 27). Podgrunt: What a Podcast is and How it Works [Video File]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPyoJisyO2o4

Week 2 Blog Post 2 Peer Response

Friday, March 12, 2010

wk 2 Florida Certifications

Last night at Dr. Ludgate's monthly wimba, we has a conversation spark that made me think about certifications. It was based on a term I came across this week in research called "Cybrarians", which you may already surmise is a term for media specialist of digital content... like us.

I found it in a Google Scholar doc, but then just searched "cybrarians" within and found this:

choose your own research for more info.

But it led me to another practical consideration, that of Florida Teaching Certifications. According to their definitions, EMDTMS grads are eligible for:

*Certification in Computer Science (Grades K-12)
*Certification in Educational Media Specialist (Grades PK-12)
*Certification in Technology Education (Grades 6-12)http

ROI? Not bad.

While I started out in high school as a "librarian assistant", I think I rather like having evolved into a Cybrarian. It sounds very intimidating. Well, knowledge is power. Mrs. Conant would be proud.

2 comments:

Donna Tracy said...

Who knew??? As I haven't been an educator except within my role as a trainer at work, I have to admit figuring out what I will be qualified to teach is a little intimidating. Thank you for the information - it gives me a direction to explore in my own state!!

March 12, 2010 9:17 AM

Athurzo said...

Laurie,

Thank you for a very interesting post. I was wondering about the relationship of our degree with the of a Media Specialist. I definitely plan on researching this further and as I need to look for a new job for next semester that information comes in handy. I will not be returning to OLCHS next year and I think this degree opens more fields than I ever thought it would. Thank you again and best of luck to you as well!

Wk 2 Content Proposal

Thesis Abstract

This non-empirical thesis takes a look at the reduction of waste and costs in K-12 schools across the globe. The research collected and described in this thesis brings to light the importance of reducing waste in schools as a means to save not only the environment, but money. Schools across the globe have found much success by making the effort to reduce waste, but these efforts can be costly. As a means to reduce waste, without needing to produce start-up costs, it is important that schools make use of Web 2.0 technologies and remember to power down computers. Introducing Udutu and a classroom Ning into the learning environment will allow educators to create a nearly paperless environment.

Introduction

Problem Addressed
Over the past few years there has been an increase in concern as to how the choices society is making will affect the environment. Currently, with only “five percent of the world’s population, the United States consumes an estimated twenty-five percent of the world’s energy” (Kaestner, 2009, p. 1). With the vast amount of energy being wasted in the United States alone, society has begun expressing concern on what role the over use of energy will have on the environment. “Growing concerns over the effects of greenhouse gases, the safe disposal of electronic waste, and the need to conserve funding are forcing schools to address green computing” (Stansbury, 2009, p. 1). The hope is that schools who make the initiative to reduce waste as means to help the environment, will positively influence the surrounding community. Rich Kaestner, project director for CoSN’s Green Computing Initiative states that, “schools play an important role in helping set an example for students and the community at large. On the issue of environmental sustainability and reducing human impact, schools have a political, ethical, and social responsibility to effect change” (Stansbury, 2009, p. 1). It is important that schools are setting a positive example for their community and encourage the community to follow suit.

Schools need to reduce costs and assist the health of the environment by going green. A simple solution for schools to accomplish both of these tasks is to implement the use of Udutu, combined with Ning to create virtual learning environments for their students. Not only is the combination of these resources low cost, it is also appealing to the technological savvy nature of students in today’s society. By making use of Udutu teachers will be able to cut back on paper use. This media project will serve as example for future classrooms and demonstrates that going green will have a positive impact on the learning environment.

Target Audience
This project is being created for instructors and administrators in K-12 school districts. While the sample lesson being shared is geared towards high school students, the concepts and research can easily be applied to any level of education. It is important that both administration and instructors are a part of the target audience as both parties need to recognize the time involved in creating a paper-less classroom.

Sharing the project
As an instructor, it is my hope to be able to share this media presentation with other instructors and their administration. The project will be created with the use of I-Web and Udutu to create a collaborative platform which will allow educators to share ideas and move forward a future where paper is not wasted in the classroom. Ideally, the presentation will be shared at conferences such as IBEA, NBEA, or Connections.

Goals and Objectives

Instructional Goal
The main goal of this media project is to show educators and administrators how Web 2.0 technology can be used for curriculum hosting and course submissions as a means to reduce the amount paper waste. This goal will be achieved through the sharing of a Microsoft Word Udutu lesson that has been implemented into the classroom at Oak Lawn Community High School. A study done by Software Shelf International Inc., found that “the average cost of producing documents (paper, hardware, and ink) is equivalent to 40 percent of an organization’s labor cost” (“Print,” 2005, p. 1). By sharing a sample lesson and success story with administration and instructors, it is the hope that costs will decrease.

Learning Domain
The lesson fits into all aspect of Bloom’s Learning Domains. According to Benjamin Bloom, “the cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills” (as cited in Clark, 1999). Educators and Administrators will be able to comprehend the importance of Green Computing. The media project will challenge educators to synthesize and evaluate. Clear, tangible skills will be obtained during this lesson.

The lesson also fits into the affective domain. This domain “includes the manner in which we deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes” (Krathwohl, Bloom, Masia as cited in Clark, 1999). In this lesson the learner will be challenged to look at their own educational beliefs and practices in regards to technology.

Finally the lesson fits into the kinesthetic domain as well. This domain includes “physical movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas” (Simpson as cited in Clark, 1999). The administrator and educator will be challenged to use their own creativity and technical skill to create their own Udutu lesson.

Learning Objectives
The objectives of the Udutu course given to administrators and instructors in K-12 school districts include:
· Participants will be able to explain the purpose and importance of Green Computing.
· Participants will be able to justify the importance of technology and Web 2.0 tools to cut costs.
· Participants will be able to design a revision for their current curriculum that allows for a paperless classroom.
· Participants will adapt their current curriculum and create their own Udutu course.

Presentation

Instructional Approach

The learning theory applied in the media project is that of the constructivist theory. The reason for this is that the focus will be on the learner, not the teacher. “By creating a personal interpretation of external ideas and experiences, constructivism allows students the ability to understand how ideas can relate to each other and pre-existing knowledge” (Drapikowskias cited in Thanasoulas, n.d.). The media presentation will be a self guided journey in which the audience makes adjustments to their classroom curriculum by combining their new knowledge with the previous knowledge.

The constructivist approach is very appropriate, as teachers who implement paperless classrooms are focusing their classroom learning on the student. As far back as 2004, superintendants were making the move to go digital and reduce waste. Superintendent Mike Smith of Johnson Elementary School in Fort, Texas implemented the use of IBM’s Think Pad Notebook Computer (Ezarik, 2004). According to Smith (2004) the implementation of these laptops, “opened the doors to be a child discovery learner” (as cited in Ezarik, 2004, p. 57). Learning became student centered and the students had the world at their fingertips.

In 2007, college professor Allen H Kupetz (2008) from the School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, implemented a paperless classroom in his Managing Technology course at the college. The main idea behind Kupetz implementation of paperless classroom was not to remove all paper from the classroom, but to reduce the amount of waste and to take advantage of the resources readily available. Implementation of a paperless classroom was quite easy for Kupetz, as his students already had access to laptops and the school had Blackboard readily available. By making the attempt to go paperless, Kupetz took advantage of not only the resources readily available, but also implemented digital textbooks and various Web 2.0 tools. Kupetz felt that it was important “to take advantage of the technologies that truly help faculty cut print costs” (p. 36). The case study completed on Kupetz’ Spring semester of students concluded the following benefits:
1. Business students learn to appreciate what ‘going paperless’ has to offer
2. When students and faculty depend less on printing, mailing, shipping, buying and storing paper, they use few resources.
3. A paperless classroom allows professors greater flexibility. (Kupetz, 2008, p. 36).

Illinois State University Professor Barbara Meyer (2008), found similar success in her constructivist approach of implementing an Electronic Portfolio System. Meyer took an analytical look at the implementation of the e-portfolio system in the college classroom at Illinois State University and shared first-hand experience from the implementation of the system. In implementing the paperless system Meyer found that the majority of the students enjoyed the paperless system and that creating a paperless classroom, not only saved money but “improved classroom organization and time management” (Meyer, p. 8).

Lesson Structure
The content will begin with an introductory video on the detriments of paper waste in the classroom. From there the audience will be directed to a sample Udutu lesson that demonstrates how easy it is to host curriculum online and incorporate technology into the classroom as a means to reduce paper waste. The next step of the media project will be a list of success stories of teachers who have successfully implemented green technologies into their classrooms and the impact it has had. To close the media project will have a video that challenges teachers to take the initiative to reduce paper waste.

The order of the presentation as described above is very important, as it slowly introduces the audience to the problem and how to overcome it. A video is a great way to begin as I can combine audio, images, and music to create an emotional appeal that will make the audience aware of how drastic the problem is. The Udutu lesson is a great place to go to next as it shows the audience that this problem can be overcome. From there the success stories are extremely important to make people believe in Green Computing, and finally the best way to end is to motivate and challenge the audience to fix the problem.

Evaluation

As a means to immediately evaluate if learning took place, I plan on creating a survey through Survey Monkey. On the page with the final video I will have a link to a quick survey that will allow me to determine if in fact learning has taken place. The survey results are a great way to get anonymous and honest feedback about the effectiveness of the presentation. By using a survey the presenter can they take the feedback provided to assess that learning has taken place, as well as to modify the lesson.

In terms of long term, there will be a blog portion of the website that allows people to come back and share their own success stories. Teachers/Administrators will be able to post not only what resources they have used and how it has benefited their classroom, but also share the link to what it is they are using in their classroom. In providing this place for sharing, not only will the presenter be able to see the final result, but will also create for collaboration and continued learning among trainees.

References

Butler, K. (2007, May). Going paperless. District Administration, 43(5), 76. Retrieved September 27, 2009, from Academic Search Premier Database.

Casey, J. (2008). Students "power down" for school: technology left behind. Reading Today, 25(6), 40. Retrieved January 29, 2010, from Humanities International Complete Database.

Clark, D. (1999). Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains.Retrieved March 9, 2010 from http://www.nwlink.com/~Donclark/hrd/bloom.html

CoSN and EPEAT urge school leaders to gain green computing certification. (2009, December 11). ESchool News. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2009/12/11/cosn-and-epeat-urge-school-leaders-to-gain-green-computing-certification/

Ezarik, M. (2004, July). Piloting a paperless curriculum. District Administration, 40(7), 52. Retrieved September 29, 2009, from Academic Search Premier Database.

Facts for features: Back to school 2006-2007. (2006, August 16). US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/007108.html

Jadali, F. (1999). Paperless classrooms. Tech Directions, 59(3), 40. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from Education Research Complete Database.

Kaestner, R. (2009, December 8). Think green: K-12 green computing leadership initiative. CoSN. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from http://www.cosn.org/Default.aspx?id=32&tabid=4677

Kupetz, A. (2008). Is the paperless classroom possible. Biz Ed, 7(1), 36-40. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from Academic Search Premier Database.

Meyer, B. (2008). The process of implementing a paperless classroom in teacher education using an electronic portfolio system. MountainRise, 5(11), 1-10. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from Business Education Research Complete Database.

Mott, A., & Son, J. D. (2009, December). Go paperless. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(4), 40. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Education Research Complete Database.

Nance, G. (2009). Case study briefs. CoSN. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from http://www.cosn.org/Initiatives/GreenComputing/OtherResources/GreenCaseStudies/GreenCaseStudyBrief/tabid/4960/Default.aspx

Print management software gives schools another cost-cutting tool. (2005, June 01). eSchool News. Retrieved December 25, 2009, from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2005/06/01/print-management-software-gives-schools-another-cost-cutting-tool/

Stansbury, M. (2009). Going “green” to stay out of the red. Money Matters, 9. Retrieved January 23, 2010, from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2009/11/25/moneyt-matters/

Thanasoulas, D. (nd). Constructivist Learning, Retrieved March 09, 2010, from http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Teachers_Page/Language_Learning_Articles/constructivist_learning.htm