Action Research Project

1) Setting the Foundation
This was done with my principal over the phone. We discussed three potential topics for the research and settled on the topic indicated. With the changes being made by the state to the high school graduation plan it is becoming more difficult for students to have time in the schedule to take elective courses. The expectation from the state, that high schools be training students with skills for the 21st century, the lack of opportunity for students to take CTE courses whose main focus is the development of those skills may have an impact on graduation rates.
2) Analyzing Data
Data will be gathered from the campus data specialist to determine the number of students who participated in a sequence of CTE courses over their high school year for the graduating classes of 2009 & 2010. Those classes graduation rates will be reviewed to determine if participation in CTE courses were an indicating factor for graduation success.
3) Developing a Deeper Understanding
A review of data and literature from the Center for Career & Technology Education (a national organization), Texas State Board of Education Career & Technology Education department will be conducted. Interviewing local school district Career & Technology Education Directors will give an overview of the changes experienced in the area over the last few years.
4) Engage in Self Reflection
I have been teaching in the area of CTE for 10 years at the high school level. Prior to that I taught for 10 years at the community college level. Before entering the classroom I was the Training and Staff Development Manager for a major corporation. My background allows me a unique view of what has been and is currently being taught in classrooms today and what skills need to be developed for students to find success in career fields such as business and marketing. Questions for reflection might include:
How is CTE curriculum aligned with “real” skills used in the work place?
How does CTE curriculum support traditional academic skills?
What skills are “new” in the work place that need to be incorporated into the classroom?
5) Exploring Programmatic Patterns
In today’s world of tight budgets and teacher layoffs, schools are struggling with maintaining the status quo and continuing or improving their current accountability ratings. With changes on the horizon, such as end of course exams, schools may not have the resources or desire to take on changes in CTE courses. Potential recommendations in this research may require schools to increase spending in the area of technology and training for teachers and counselors.
6) Determining Direction
The research question is taking a look at students who have previously participated in a sequence of CTE courses and how that may or may not have impacted graduation rates. The second direction is, assuming the research does show an impact, how to educate and encourage counselors, parents and students into the courses.
7) Taking Action for School Improvement
The major goal for any high school is to graduate students who are prepared to meet the challenges of the future; whether that be college or the work place. The goal of this research is to create change which can have a bottom line impact on graduation rates.
8) Sustain Improvement
As the state continues to implement changes in the requirements for graduation, it will become imperative that schools find ways to meet those demands and maintain the established standards. As additional requirements for demonstrated skill development are added, CTE courses can become an integral part to help schools meet those standards.
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Week 2 Research Reflections

This week I was able to do some initial research on the topic I was interested in using for the action inquiry. I was surprised at the available information and the fact that there is a lot of information already out there. I have been teaching in career and technology for 10 plus years in public schools and have seen very little support, at least in the state of Texas, for the academic value of career and technology classes. I am planning on using the available information that is from lots of different geographical areas but plan to set up a research project that focuses on the
highly successful high school I have been teaching at for the last 6 years. I hope to bring some results to the topic that will help to influence the counseling given to high school students as they make course selections in preparation for high school graduation and into their future.

How Educators might use Blogs

While I have not spent much time "blogging" I have been reading the blog of one of my pastors as he takes a sabbatical through Europe. The purpose of the sabbatical is spiritual renewal but he is using the blog to share the experience first hand with the congregation through the blog.

As educators I think setting up a blog between new principals would be a great way to share experiences and encourage one another. New principals within a district could blog about their campus and what leadership opportunities they were involved in. It would be a great tool for the district to see how things were communicated, different leadership styles across the district and where there might be "holes" in the process. Sometimes in education we are somewhat an island unto ourselves, even in administration! Blogging could be a great communication tool to share issues and problems and different approaches to solving or dealing with them.

Action Research

I think the only kind of research that really makes a difference is the kind that spurs an organization or individuals into action. I really like the term used in the text (Dana, p. 2) "inquiry" rather than research. This implies that the researcher is really inquiring into a situation or problem or issue they are dealing with and looking for information to help move them in a positive direction. Sometimes the result anticipated from research is just more information looked at from a new perspective. I think when we use the terms "action inquiry" we have expanded what our purpose is with the activity. The principal or educator participating in "action inquiry" is actively involved in the process that is creating the data or information and is seeking to know more than just information but a way to take action in the situation. issue or problem. I am excited about the work that will be shared in this course across the blogs and the discussion board. Learning from others is the fastest way for ideas to migrate, grow and expand into better ideas and into further action.

Action Research

This post is about action research. I like the terminology of administrative inquiry better. I think the term research scares people and they don't think they know how to conduct "research" but the other terms (administrative inquiry) allows people to see the research as an inquiry. By seeing the research as an inquiry teachers and campus leaders alike can help to form questions or inquiries that are relevant to their campus.

Week 5 Reflections Writings

Reflections on what I have learned in this course.

While I will be the first to admit that I certainly see the value of technology as an instructional tool, I don’t feel a lot of personal confidence in its use yet in my classroom. I have mainly been using the internet and other technology tools as investigative tools rather than as instructional tools. My expectations of what I would learn in this course really related to ways I could use the latest technology instructional tools in my classroom. What I really learned and experienced was how technology aids educators in the sharing of knowledge and information through the use of those technology tools. I also saw how important it is for the principal on a campus to keep open discussions with teachers and other stakeholders about the use of technology on a campus and the continued advancements in technology and how to integrate them into education.

As I work toward assuming the role of a principal on a campus I do see that I will need to be ahead of the curve on the latest technology tools that have value to education and instruction. As I reviewed our district’s Long Range Technology Plan and how it was integrated into our campus improvement plan I clearly see the role of the principal in technology integration. The organizational chart prepared in week 4 clearly lays out a picture of interaction and cohesion in the purchase of, integration into and support for the best technology tools onto our campuses. Modeling the best practices in the use of the latest technology is important for the principal on any campus.

The assignment for starting a blog was certainly challenging. I have been on blogs of friends as a social tool but I had never really seen the value in it as an educational tool. Posting documents, power point presentations and other valuable information on a blog and then making it accessible to other educators is wonderful. I loved the quote on the video presentations this last week that said students use the internet as a social networking tool while adults use it to check emails and do “business”. What a great descriptor of those two worlds and how the technology has different arms and different uses for different generations. As a member of the baby boomer generation who will be walking into a principal position, hopefully, at a high school where I will be modeling the use of the latest technology both as a social networking tool and as an educational tool it will be important for me to continue the learning curve in technology.

The course assignments were interesting and challenging but also sometimes seemed like busy work! The readings were most definitely useful, interesting and I actually passed a few of them on to other teachers and administrators in my building. The building of and use of my own personal blog was very interesting and I plan to attempt to use this as a sharing tool with other high school marketing teachers and eventually new principals. The discussion assignments were always interesting but as I expressed in earlier course evaluations, the great thing about an online course is that you can fit the assignments and course requirements into your own personal schedule. The requirements that students get the readings done early in the week so they could post their comments and then comment on other student’s comments really curtailed that freedom. Like most teachers, my school days are packed with lesson planning, research and grading and I usually wait till the weekend to do most of the online assignment work. While I do the reading through the week, time on the computer is difficult except on the weekends! I was able to complete the assignments but did not feel I produced the best work possible because of those expectations.

I did learn a lot about myself from a technology standpoint. While I feel comfortable with technology, I know that my students are far ahead of me and I will need to commit to working hard to stay ahead of them. As a campus principal I feel it is important that I am informed about the latest technology and how students are using it. The battle with cell phones and their usage in schools is a hot topic today. The discussion that we want to use technology to engage the 21st century learner and that those students have access to the use of technology that we “ban” from usage in the classroom is certainly a dilemma that will need to be addressed in the next few years. I believe I have solid leadership skills but I will have to work hard to integrate the leadership of technology usage in my future role as a principal.

The value of blogs in education is probably just on the threshold of exploding. Like a lot of new technologies our culture finds the social networking aspect of a new technology first and then others move it into another arena. The blog creation was a learning experience and I certainly see the value of it instructionally and as a communication tool. I have seen blogging as a way of sharing information to lots of different stakeholders in a school district or on a campus or even in a specific classroom. Through the use of blackboard technology teachers can set up blogging opportunities which are similar to open forum classroom discussions. Teachers and administrators will have to continue to develop guidelines for usage of those tools and teach students about what is acceptable and appropriate language and usage of those tools.

Organizational Chart

Organizational Chart
Holly
Technology Integration Specialist
Clear Lake High School
Responsibilities Include: Support the integration of technology into the instructional classroom by working directly with teachers in the development of technology resources and the integration of those sources into the lesson.
Dr. Chris Moran
Head Principal Clear Lake High School
Responsibilities include: Implementation of the district’s Long Range Technology Plan at the local campus level including support of technology use for instructional support.
Susan Wells
Director of Instructional Technology
Responsibilities include: Direction of the instructional part of the district’s Long Range Technology Plan and provision of support to local campuses for technology integration into instructional areas.
Chad Stevens
Chief Technology Officer
Responsibilities Include: Direction of all technology acquisition, distribution, security, hardware and software as well as implementation and monitoring of the district’s Long Range Technology Plan.Technology Integration