EDLD+5333+Leadership+for+Accountability

EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability IV. Communicate research on the use of technology to implement effective assessment and evaluation strategies. V. Design, develop, evaluate, and model products created using technology resources to improve and enhance their productivity and professional practice. VI. Understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in P-12 schools and develop programs facilitating application of that understanding in practice throughout their district/region/state. VIII. Facilitate development of a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology and foster an environment and culture to conducive to the realization of the vision. || 1 –Knows technology terminology and concepts; the appropriate use of hardware, software, and digital files; and how to acquire, analyze, and evaluate digital information || ** Course EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability: ** **A.** Create an action plan for the campus. Develop an agenda for a professional development day that addresses the targeted campus needs and include a timeline for follow-up professional development. || ** A. – 10 hrs. ** Reflection:
 * **ISTE/NCATE Performance Standards** || **Outcomes/Proficiencies (TExES Framework)** || **Performance Tasks** || **Course-Based Embedded Hours** ||
 * I. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of technology operations and concepts.
 * Total: 10 hrs. ** ||

In EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability, one of our assignments was to determine an area of need for our campus based on current AEIS data. After targeting a specific area in need of improvement, we developed a professional development plan to address that need, being sure to include a follow-up plan for continued support.

One of the most important things I have learned from my master’s courses is undoubtedly the need for teachers to be properly trained and supported in their transition into a 21st Century Educator. The first thing I learned from this assignment is that you have to know where you are and where you have been in order to know where you are going or want to go. All schools do not have the same needs, so actually looking at the data that supports why a certain area is being addressed is important. Using actual data also provides a rationale to educators for “why” they are needed to make this change happen.

In addition to being supported by data, professional development training must be engaging, interactive, learner-centered, and allow time for teachers to absorb, reflect, and provide feedback on the information they are given. This has not always been the type of professional development I have experienced. Professional development must model the way we expect teachers to teach their own students. If you are going to have teachers do team-building exercises with their students, then you must engage them in team-building activities in the training. Not only does this provide a model for teachers to use, but it helps them understand why a particular activity is important to their own students’ learning and success.

I also learned that teacher feedback must also be encouraged and used. Most teachers feel that if their feedback and opinions are used during and after a training session, the session is more impactful. No process or product is perfect in design until it is tested in the field and actually works. As teachers are learning new materials and strategies to reach the needs of their students, their feedback is imperative to refine and fine-tune the process. Using and responding to their feedback also gives teachers a sense of buy-in into the process or product that is being developed.

Finally, an effective professional development session must be supported and followed-up to ensure the areas of need are still being addressed and to secure accountability. Many times, teachers leave a training session and throw the handouts away on their way out or put them in a drawer at school never to be referenced again. I have done this many times in my own professional development experiences. If a change is going to be made, then teachers must be held accountable for the changes they are expected to make. Teachers feel they need to be supported, connected, and also held responsible for implementing those changes. Why, then, does not all professional development in my district follow this blueprint?

Well-designed professional development for educators is essential for any real change to occur in teaching ideology and strategies to meet today’s learners. What puzzles me is why school districts wanting to make real advancements don’t always realize how important it is to have effective training and provide follow-up to that training.