Syllabus for EDL-670

TECHNOLOGY FOR INSTRUCTION AND ADMINISTRATION

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Technology for Instruction and Administration focuses on the key role of the principal as a leader in the selection, use, and evaluation of instructional technology. Students are encouraged to think critically about technology, both in its role in the teaching–learning process as well as in its role in school management. (ISLLC 1, 2, 3; NJDOE 1, 2, 3).

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Evaluate computer hardware and software programs commonly used in a school setting according to given evaluation criteria.

2. Illustrate at least seven ways in which technology may be used in the instructional process, identify the associated hardware and software products that can be used to achieve these ends, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

3. Identify several examples of Web-based learning, including distance learning, and discuss how these can be used to increase school and district instructional options and improve student achievement.

4. Describe and use several administrative applications, notably database management systems and spreadsheets; identify uses for specialized applications such as test scoring, statistical software, automatic calling systems, and energy management systems.

5. Integrate the essential components of the planning process with the technologies that can be used to address each component.

6. Identify the key components of an effective staff development plan for teachers and apply them to support the implementation of technology in a school.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbooks are available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbooks

Software

1. Microsoft Office, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

External Links

1. Educause—An organization with plenty of resources on its Web site
2. Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards (PDF)
3. Kathy Schrock home page—A wonderful source of resurces for teachers
4. New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) standards (PDF)
5. New Jersey Department of Education, Educational Technology
6. Software Evaluation Form (Kathy Schrock)
7. THE Journal—A journal you might find helpful

Electronic Portfolio Registration

As a capstone experience in the Educational Leadership program, you will prepare an electronic portfolio that demonstrates your incremental achievement of the program standards. Each course in the program helps you to identify artifacts to place in your portfolio on completion of the course. To this end, you are required to purchase an electronic portfolio registration code upon your entry into the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program. Basic directions for purchasing access to and using your electronic portfolio are posted within the Educational Leadership Students Organization (online community).

COURSE STRUCTURE

Technology for Instruction and Administration is a three-credit online graduate course, consisting of six (6) modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles and topics are listed below.

1. Module 1: Computer Hardware and Software: Uses, Issues, and Evaluation

2. Module 2: The Impact of Technology on the Teaching–Learning Process

3. Module 3: Data Communications, the Internet, and Web-Based Instructional Resources

4. Module 4: Administrative Applications of Technology

5. Module 5: Planning

6. Module 6: Staff Development: Integrating Technology into the Teaching–Learning Process

Modules 1, 3, and 5 contain key course activities; Module 4 requires you to complete two (2) software projects, and Module 6 includes a staff development project. See sections below for further information about these activities and projects, including evaluation rubrics.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums and complete four key activities, two software projects, and a staff development project. See below for more details.

Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Discussion Forums

Each module in the course has one or more discussion forums. All discussion forums take place asynchronously.

Online discussions provide an opportunity for you to interact with your classmates. During this aspect of the course, you respond to prompts that assist you in developing your ideas, you share those ideas with your classmates, and you comment on their posts. Discussion forum interactions promote development of a community of learners, critical thinking, and exploratory learning.

Most discussion activities contain several questions. Be sure your posting addresses all of them. Some discussion forums direct you to post a course activity for classmates' comments.

Please participate in online discussions as you would in constructive face-to-face discussions. You are expected to post well-reasoned and thoughtful reflections for each item, making reference, as appropriate, to your textbook readings and any other sources you may use, including Web sites. You are also expected to reply to your classmates' posts in a respectful, professional, and courteous manner. You may, of course, post questions asking for clarification or further elucidation on a topic.

1. Click link for an evaluation rubric.

Key Activities

You are required to complete four (4) key activities in Modules 1, 3, and 5 of the course:

1. Hardware evaluation (Module 1)
2. Software evaluation (Module 1)
3. Web-based applications (Module 3)
4. Technology plan critique (Module 5)

Hardware and Software Evaluations

In Module 1 you will complete two evaluation activities, one concerning a hardware purchase of laptops or PCs for your school or district, the other focusing on an instructional software product already owned by your school or district. Both activities involve completing an evaluation form and writing a 1–2 page conclusion of your findings. See Module 1 for the activity details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

1. Click link for an evaluation rubric (hardware activity).
2. Click link for an evaluation rubric (software activity).

Web-based Applications

Module 3 concludes with a short activity asking you to describe five Web-based applications used in the classroom and their potential for improving student learning. See Module 3 for the activity details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

1. Click link for an evaluation rubric.

Technology Plan Critique

In Module 5 you will critique the technology plan for your school district (or one of a district you research on the Web) in terms of the four Cs of planning. See Module 5 for the activity details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

1. Click link for an evaluation rubric.

Software Projects

You are required to complete two (2) software projects in Module 4 of the course. The first entails creating a spreadsheet in Excel containing budget information, grades, demographics, or other statistical data. The other is to create a database using Access that contains information about students, teachers, courses, or inventory (to name a few possibilities). See Module 4 for the activity details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

1. Click link for an evaluation rubric (Excel project).
2. Click link for an evaluation rubric (Access project).

Staff Development Project

Your final project in the course is to design a staff development program for teachers in your school or district that aligns with your school's or district's vision, goals, and technology plans. This staff development program constitutes a principal artifact for your portfolio. See Module 6 for the activity details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

1. Click link for an evaluation rubric.

Portfolio Artifacts and Reflective Narrative

The principal artifact for this course is the staff development project from Module 6. Accompanying the artifact is a reflective narrative that describes the process and how the artifact meets specific standards and prepares you for school leadership.

Upload your artifact to your electronic portfolio, and be certain to indicate its alignment to the applicable ISLLC standards.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

1. Discussion forums (12)—40%
2. Hardware evaluation—5%
3. Software evaluation—5%
4. Web-based applications—10%
5. Technology plan critique—10%
6. Excel software project—7.5%
7. Access software project—7.5%
8. Staff development program project—15%

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., assignments, discussion postings, projects, etc.). Graduate students must maintain a B average overall to remain in good academic standing.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

3. Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

4. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting activities before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting activities and posting discussions.

2. Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students at Thomas Edison State College are expected to exhibit the highest level of academic citizenship. In particular, students are expected to read and follow all policies, procedures, and program information guidelines contained in publications; pursue their learning goals with honesty and integrity; demonstrate that they are progressing satisfactorily and in a timely fashion by meeting course deadlines and following outlined procedures; observe a code of mutual respect in dealing with mentors, staff, and other students; behave in a manner consistent with the standards and codes of the profession in which they are practicing; keep official records updated regarding changes in name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address; and meet financial obligations in a timely manner. Students not practicing good academic citizenship may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension, dismissal, or financial holds on records.

Academic Dishonesty

Thomas Edison State College expects all of its students to approach their education with academic integrity—the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception. All mentors and administrative staff members at the College insist on strict standards of academic honesty in all courses. Academic dishonesty undermines this objective. Academic dishonesty takes the following forms:

1. Cheating
2. Plagiarizing (including copying and pasting from the Internet without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources)
3. Fabricating information or citations
4. Facilitating acts of dishonesty by others
5. Unauthorized access to examinations or the use of unauthorized materials during exam administration
6. Submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the mentor
7. Tampering with the academic work of other students

Academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal from the College. Students who submit papers that are found to be plagiarized will receive an F on the plagiarized activity, may receive a grade of F for the course, and may face dismissal from the College.

A student who is charged with academic dishonesty will be given oral or written notice of the charge. If a mentor or College official believes the infraction is serious enough to warrant referral of the case to the academic dean, or if the mentor awards a final grade of F in the course because of the infraction, the student and the mentor will be afforded formal due process.

If a student is found cheating or using unauthorized materials on an examination, he or she will automatically receive a grade of F on that examination. Students who believe they have been falsely accused of academic dishonesty should seek redress through informal discussions with the mentor, through the office of the dean, or through an executive officer of Thomas Edison State College.

Plagiarism

Using someone else's work as your own is plagiarism. Although it may seem like simple dishonesty, plagiarism is against the law. Thomas Edison State College takes a strong stance against plagiarism, and students found to be plagiarizing will be severely penalized. If you copy phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or whole documents word-for-word—or if you paraphrase by changing a word here and there—without identifying the author, then you are plagiarizing. Please keep in mind that this type of identification applies to Internet sources as well as to print-based sources. Copying and pasting from the Internet, without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources, constitutes plagiarism. (For information about how to cite Internet sources, see Online Student Handbook > Academic Standards > "Citing Sources.")

Accidentally copying the words and ideas of another writer does not excuse the charge of plagiarism. It is easy to jot down notes and ideas from many sources and then write your own paper without knowing which words are your own and which are someone else's. It is more difficult to keep track of each and every source. However, the conscientious writer who wishes to avoid plagiarizing never fails to keep careful track of sources.

Always be aware that if you write without acknowledging the sources of your ideas, you run the risk of being charged with plagiarism.

Clearly, plagiarism, no matter the degree of intent to deceive, defeats the purpose of education. If you plagiarize deliberately, you are not educating yourself, and you are wasting your time on courses meant to improve your skills. If you plagiarize through carelessness, you are deceiving yourself.

COURSE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, D. A. (2001). The internet and Web design for teachers. New York: Longman.

Bitter, G., & Pierson, M. (1999). Using technology in the classroom. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Boettcher, J. (2000, August). Designing for learning: What is meaningful learning? Syllabus, 14(1), 54–56.

Boettcher, J., & Kumar, M. S. (2000, June). The other infrastructure: Distance education’s digital plant. Syllabus, 13(10), 14–22.

Brown, J. S. Growing Up Digital. (2000, March/April). Change, 32(2), 10–11.

Conyers, J. G., Kappel, T., & Rooney, J. (1999, February). How technology can transform a school. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 82–85.

Corley, T. (1998). Tapping into technology in rural communities. Educational Leadership, 55(8), 71–73.

Coulter, B. (2000, January). Making good technology choices. Principal, 79(3), 18–21.

Creighton, B. T. (2001). Schools and data: The educator's guide for using data to improve decision making. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.

Deal, N. (1999, May). The cyber-quest: A tool to assess educational resources on the internet. T.H.E. Journal, 26(10), 50–54.

Dede, C. (Ed.). (1998). Learning with technology: ASCD yearbook, 1998. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Drier, H. S., Dawson, K. M., & Garofalo, J. (1999, February). Not your typical math class. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 21–25.

Epstein, S. (1999, February). Electronic textbooks: From paper to pixels. Syllabus, 12(6), 16–19.

Freeman, L. (1999, January). Selling parents on technology. Principal, 78(3), 45–46.

Gregory, H. G. & Kuzmich, L. (2004). Data-driven differentiation in the standards-based classroom. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.

Hawkes, M., & Cambre, M. (2000, August). The cost factor: When is interactive distance technology justifiable. T.H.E. Journal, 28(1), 26–32.

Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials rising. New York: Vintage Books.

Isernhagen, J. D. (1999, August). Technology: A major catalyst for increasing learning. T.H.E. Journal, 27(1), 30–38.

Karelis, C. (1999, February) Education technology and cost control: Four models. Syllabus, 12(6), 20–28.

Latham, A. S. (1999, February). Computers and achievement. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 87–88.

Leamon, P. (1999, February). Apples and arias in the language lab. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 28–31.

Maurer, M. M., & Davidson, G. (1999, February). Technology, children, and the power of the heart. Kappan, 80(6), 458–460.

McQueen, T. F., & Fleck, R. A., Jr. (1999, June). An evaluation of alternative technology-based instructional formats. T.H.E. Journal, 26(11), 108–115.

Mergendoller, J. R. (2000, January). Technology and learning: A critical assessment. Principal, 79(3), 5–9.

National Research Council. 1999. Being fluent with information technology. Washington, D.C.: National Academies.

Oblinger, D. B. (2003, July/August). Gen-Xers, and millennials: Understanding the new students. EDUCAUSE Review, 38(4).

Oblinger, D., & Oblinger, J. L. (Eds.). (2005). Educating the net generation. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE.

Peregoy, R., & Kroder, S. (2000, August). Developing strategies for networked education. T.H.E. Journal, 28(1), 48–56.

Picciano, A. (2001). Distance learning: Making connections across virtual space and time. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Roberts, P. A. (1997). What administrators need to know about technology. Principal, 76(3), 20.

Roblyer, M. D. (2003). Integrating educational technology into teaching (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

Rose, D. H., & Myers, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Schulman, A. H., and Sims, R. L. (1999, June). Learning in an on-line format versus an in-class format: An experimental study. T.H.E. Journal, 26(11), 54–56.

Simkins, M. (1999, January). Building public support: Help from the Web. Principal, 78(3), 51.

Tapscott, D. (1999, February). Educating the net generation. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 7–11.

Thoman, E. (1999, February). Skills and strategies for media education. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 50–54.

Weinman, J., and Haag, P. (1999, February). Gender equity in cyberspace. Educational Leadership, 56(5) 44–49.