Final Program Blog
Blogging took some getting used to.  I wanted it to be more than just a repeating of already discussed information.  I was less than satisfied with my first attempt so I created a 2^nd which I maintained throughout the remainder of the course. One of the consistent reminders I received as I have grown and prepared for a position as a campus leader is the importance of reflection on ideas, accomplishments and visions. Blogging is the way to make thoughts and ideas public and get feedback from others. My mentor shared information about a leader in the area of leadership blogging. Michael Hyatt hosts his own site/blog that provides helpful information about blogging (Hyatt, 2013). 

 Liberty Hill ISD has recently adopted Google Docs for processing tools and collaboration.  As I continue as an educator and campus leader I will incorporate the use of blogs as an educational learning tool for my students and a reflective tool for myself.

 As a reflective tool I will be reading and processing the 124 actions from the text Leading Every Day 124 Actions for Effective Leadership.  I have created a blog to document my progress through the text as I continue to grow and learn about being an educational leader. The blog will allow me to reflect on various leadership topics and get feedback from colleagues and veteran campus leaders.  Follow my progress at http://reflectiveleader.blogspot.com/.

References

Hyatt, M. (2013, April 19). 3 Blogging Mistakes That Are Killing Your Traffic . Retrieved from Micheal Hyatt Intentional Leadership: http://michaelhyatt.com/tag/blogging

Kaiser, J., Mundry, S., Stiles, K., & Loucks-Horsley, S. (2006). Leading every day 124 actions for effective leadership. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.

EDLD 5398 Week 5

I am in the final week of the Masters Degree Program.  It has been almost 3 years since I started.  Today both of my supervisors signed off on my completed work. As I look at the 8 pages of assessments and comments it occurs to me that the 8 pages represent over 300 hours of activites , coountless hours of work and approximately $10,000 in expense to acheive the degree.  Is it worth it?  You bet. Based on the one on one I had with both of my supervisors I feel that I have grown as a teacher and a campus leader.  I still have a lot to learn but have been assured by both that they feel I am prepared to tackle any job they give me.

Good luck to anyone just starting the program and feel free to contact me as resource if you need help.
Bonnie.Reichert@gmail.com

Follow my new Blog on the 124 Steps to Effective Leadership http://reflectiveleader.blogspot.com/

Week 5 EDLD5363 WebCasts

The webcasts were helpful to get information on the coming week.  Dr. Abernathy conducted all of the webcasts and encouraged collaboration of the students as we all worked though issues regarding the production of the various projects. It was helpful to hear that questions and concerns that I had were voiced by others. I missed the first week of the class and it was helpful to have the recording to look back at what was discussed and advice that Dr. Abernathy had for going forward. 

The webcasts also provided guidance on different tools that could be used to successfully produce the digital story, podcast and PSA Video. The live chat also allowed people that had used the tools and discovered things to share with the rest of us so we could learn from their mistakes and troubleshooting. This type of online communication is extremely valuable with all the information now available on the internet.

Dr. Abernathy alos contintued to stress the importance of the E-portfolio as a record of acheivement.  I have posted the link for anyone that wants to see what I have completed in the program.

Link to Wiki:   http://edtechlamarmasters.wikispaces.com/Course+Work

Week 1 EDLD 5363 Video Technology and Multimedia

I started the class a week late so I'm playing catch-up.  In four short days I have scripted and recorded my digital story.  I truly beleive I had divine guidance as it all came together easily.
 I was unable to collaborte with a class peer but as usual my family gave me feedback and ideas to build my story. 

I have seen Digital Stories before but did not realize or appreicate the impact.  I fully intend to add this to my teaching plans for my 7th and 8th grade students.  The language skills alone are worth the time and effort to teach my students about the process of telling your story.  When you the technology lessons to the process you have created an opportunity to engage students and encourage them to think about what they are learning and it will apply to them now and in the future.

My digital story was developed with Technology Facilitation standards that focused on Standard 3.  Standard 3 focuses on educating the net generation.  The performance indicators that will help the technology facilitator assist learners include: Facilitating technology –enhanced experiences that address content and technology standards and help manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.  The digital story is an example of a multi-media learning opportunity. Patti Shank says, “Well-designed multimedia can enhance motivation, learning, and transfer. The most effective multimedia provides learning experiences that mirror real-world experiences and allow learners to apply what they’ve learned in various contexts.” (pg. 10) The Center for Digital Storytelling uses the motto ‘Listen Deeply, Tell Stories’. Digital storytelling provides our students with a media-rich experience to demonstrate learning through the creation of personal stories that focus on their learning and knowledge they are acquiring. According to the ISTE text, “ In technology-rich environments students claim they could learn better and more deeply by constructing products, assessing online learning opportunities, finding information tailored to specific learning goals, and connecting with teachers, beyond school mentors, and peers.” (Williamson and Redish , pg.59)

Shank, P. (n.d.). The value of multimedia in learning. Think Tank. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/valuemedia/

Williamson, Jo and Traci Redish. "ISTE technology facilitation and leadership standards." What every k-12 leaders should know and be able to do. Washington DC: International Society for Technology in Education, 2009. 57-76.

School Community Relations - Week 5

Dr. Jenkins facilitated the webcast for the beginning of Week 5.  Several students presented their community project ideas.  Some of these ideas included:

Program focused on new 9^th graders.
Watch Dogs
Volunteers to read and discuss books in elementary
Expansion of Dual Language Program
Reading Picnic

Science Night with the community

Dad and Daughter Activities

School Newspaper as an enrichment activity

Improvement of neighborhood school concept with activities in school zone

Long distance connection at a residential school

Many students expressed frustration with using TK20.  It was suggested and acknowledged that a chat would be set up with the TK20 folks. I have discovered that the TK20 support is good and they are quick to communicate.  My frustration is in knowing what to submit.

Week 3 EDLD 5326

I attended the Week 3 web cast with Dr. Abernathy.  The discussion was focused on the types of school community program projects the graduate students are pursuing. There were many different kinds of programs shared and we were able to offer alternate approaches for many. Dr. Abernathy continued to stress the importance of collaboration through the use of Web 2.0 tools.  I reminded the public school teachers about Texas Project Share and the collaborative forums, blogs and wikis available on the platform provided by TEA. 

There were several questions regarding the mid-term scheduled for Week 3.  Dr. Jenkins will be posting this information during week 3.

Week 2 Web Cast EDLD 5326

Week 2 Web Cast
EDLD 53626

Dr. Jenkins led the Webcast for Week 2 of School Community Relations.  Many students shared ideas about School Community activities they are considering. I was able to connect information about the DOGS (Dads of Great Students) with one student.  Dr. Jenkins also shared a book titled Bi-Cultural Parent Engagement that addresses advocacy and empowerment for the bi-lingual/cultural community.  I think this could be very helpful if I decide to pursue an initiative that involves improving communication with our bi-lingual community.

Information was also shared about taking the ILD training. I shared the following web address for information on all the ILD courses in Texas. http://www5.esc13.net/ild/trainings.html