Assignment+Reflections+Week+1

=**Week 1** = = =

 EDLD 5306: Fundamentals of Educational Technology was the starting point in this long journey to a Master's degree in Education Technology Leadership. This course was a fitting place to begin. Laying the foundation and creating the shared vision of teaching and learning as it pertains to educational technology is crucial to creating the right mindset at the beginning of the coursework. Self-evaluation was also a critical aspect of this foundation work. Using the STAR Chart and understanding the strands of learning involved is critical to assessing one's own strengths and weaknesses. It provides a framework for understanding where we are at that particular point in time, and also provides a vision of the future as our competencies grow. Having a deep understanding of the Tech Application TEKS is essential, as it is essential to be knowledgeable of the TEKS in any subject we teach, to creating an understanding of where we need to be before we embark on our journey to get there.
 * **Reflection on EDLD 5306 Assignment: Texas Long-Range Plan, Tech Application TEKS, STAR Chart, Reference WIKI, Tech Survey) **

Beyond self-assessment, in our assignment we were asked to evaluate STAR Chart data for our campus as a whole and identify trends and areas of relative strength and weakness. From reviewing STAR Chart data at the campus level, the information I learned from the review as that much technology is available at our campus and our teachers are fairly comfortable using technology. However, using technology to support learning and support the TEKS is an area upon which we can improve.

Creating a WIKI was the best part of this assignment. I "endearingly" became known as "wiki girl" because at every collaborative meeting where we huddled around a single computer or emailed iteration after iteration of a document until it was unrecognizable, I suggested WIKIs. Finally, last month, my principal came to me and asked if I could assemble a wiki for the homework committee to more easily create a document for the Strategic Planning Committee. The group dynamics involved in using a wiki is interesting as many levels of technology proficiency are evident and the ease in which some use the tool is clear. Victory! Albeit a small victory, a victory nonetheless!

My own professional development from the inception of this course to the recording of this ending entry has led me through a journey of collaboration, elation, frustration, wonder, awe, and perplexity. My most endearing tasks in this online journey were the discussion entries on the discussion board. I enjoyed the videos by the professors ( I still like to see face to face) and the rhetoric on the discussion board. I encourage my coworkers to participate in blogs and wikis to continue to self-reflect, share strategies and ideas, pose questions, make comments, and simply vent in a collaborative and professional venue. Thank you for introducing me to this approach.

 EDLD 5333: Leadership for Accountability was probably one of the most generally relevant courses from the curriculum. I needed a good deal of assistance from our principal, Cordell Jones, to really analyze TEA's documents AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) Reports and AEIS (Academic Excellence Indicator System) Reports as required by the assignment. Some of the questions I posed were not readily answered and Dr. Jones was very willing to sit down with me and work through the data to present a clearer understanding of the meaning.What new knowledge I learned, with his help, was that our school, although very good at most subject areas, was falling behind in 5th grade Science TAKS scores in the low socioeconomic subpopulation. This was a problem that had been persistent for several years. Given that Science instruction poses a systemic approach (a 5th grade teacher is not responsible for teaching all the content on the 5th grade Science TAKS), we decided to have a vertical meeting with grade level chairs and discuss a plan for how to improve scores longitudinally. We worked together on the assignment to host a one-day professional development activity and decided upon the creation of professional learning communities for those teachers interested in spear-heading a change effort and push for better and more consistent science instruction. In the wake of changing Science TEKS, this effort is timely and relevant.
 * **Reflection on EDLD 5333 Assignment: Weaknesses/Strengths from State data, Campus Action Plan, Professional Development for plan **

Below are some reflections and summaries from the reports studied.

AEIS 2008-09 Campus Report for Woodridge Elementary indicates a 2009 Accountability Rating of Recognized status. Gold Performance acknowledgements include Commended status on Reading/ELA, Writing, and Science subject areas. The following paragraphs offer an in-depth explanation of the scores, their comparative values to indicator standards, and variances within various subgroups of students. Reading for Grade 3 (English) scores of 94% and 95% for 2008 and 2009 respectively, surpass minimum requirements of 80% for Recognized status. However, in 2009, 79% in the Economically Disadvantaged subgroup falls short of the required 90% rate for each subject in all subgroups. This same subgroup posts a decrease in percentage of 16% in performance in Reading/ELA. Mathematics in Grade 3 (English) indicate a 7% increase from 2008-2009, with a notable increase of 20% from 2008-09 in the subgroup of Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Reading Grade 3 (Spanish) scores boast a 6% increase from 2008 to 2009. Both of these years exceed the 80% requirement for Recognized status, as indicated in Table 23: Standards for 2101 Ratings –Standard Procedures in the 2009 Accountability Manual. Mathematics, Grade 3 (Spanish) however, indicated a percentage decrease from 92% in 2008 to 72% in 2009. Both the subgroups of Economically Disadvantaged and LEP mirror this decrease. All Tests in Grade 4 (English) indicate meeting the performance indicators for recognized status with percentages of 84% in 2008 and 92% in 2009. Significant percentage increases from 2008-09 were present in the subgroups of Economically Disadvantaged and LEP. All Tests in Grade 4 (Spanish) increased 24% from 2008 to 2009. Most notably, Mathematics scores in the Economically Disadvantaged subgroup increased from 43% to 89% and from 50% to 90% in the LEP subgroup. Campus percentages in Grade 5 English administration exceed the 90% threshold, but fall short in the subgroups Economically Disadvantaged and LEP, with percentage drops between 2008 and 2009 of 16% and 23% in All Tests categories of the subgroups. Grade 5 Spanish comparisons are not reported, as given the number of students in each subgroup, student confidentiality would not be maintained. TAKS Met 2009 Standard including TAKS Accommodated show a 3% increase from 87% in 2008 to 90% in 2009. Percentages in each subgroup did not necessarily exceed 90%. The TAKS-M indicator reports 43% at the campus level versus 75% in the comparable campus group and 57% State percentage. The AEIS report also reports information on students who qualify for the Student Success Initiative (SSI). At the campus level, 8% of students required Accelerated Instruction in 2008, while only 5% of students required such intervention in 2009 for Grade 3 Reading. Grade 5 Reading reports an increase of 1% in the number of students requiring Accelerated Instruction and an increase of 3% of students requiring Accelerated Instruction in Mathematics from 2008 to 2009. Campus attendance rates remained relatively static between 2008 and 2009, with only a 1% decrease from 97.6% to 96.6%.  Discussion at the District level is also consistent with the District's Strategic Planning efforts to improve scores within the low socioeconomic subpopulations of students. Vertical teaming and alignment is also at the forefront of strategic efforts as is creating KUDs (Know, Understand,Do) to bring backwards design efforts into our curriculum planning attempts. A closer look at grade level Science assessments will help us evaluate benchmarks and provide Tier 1 interventions in a timely manner for students needing additional instruction in specific scientific concepts.