Leading Schools in a Web 2.0 World

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Leading Schools in a Web 2.0 World

• Mike Thun
• Office of School Leadership
• South Carolina Department of Education
• Leinda Peterman
• Project Director, EDC

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• Background
• Office of School Leadership, SCDE
• 8 Leadership programs for Teacher Leaders through
  District Superintendents
• Principal Induction (first year principals)
  Program required by SC law
• Approximately 700 participants per year
• 100 of content delivered face-to-face,
  seminar-style until 2006

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• Background
• 2006-07 Online Campus Leadership Program created
• Started August 2006
• CD-ROM/Internet gateway leadership modules (six
  sessions each)
• Internet Academies (Educational Impact)
• Variety of online assessments
• MBTI, LPI, DSP, etc.

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• Background
• 2007-08 Online Campus Leadership Program
• In-house Blackboard/computer training for entire
  staff
• Program Director facilitator and course design
  training w/EDC/ETLO
• Upgrade classroom with wireless
  laptop/projection/print/scan capability
• Integration of existing ETLO workshops
• Integration of advanced Blackboard functions

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• The Parameters
• Progress still not meeting the need
• Reluctant adopters
• Administrator schedules
• State and local accountability requirements
• Focus on instruction vs. technology
• The Need
• A method of engaging administrators in a
  technology vision dialogue

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• Discussion Board quote
• WOW! is all I can say.  Information overload, yet
  exciting to think of the potential of the Web 2.0
  tools.  The article, The Next Wave Now Web 2.0,
  challenged me to step up my use of blogging,
  podcasts and to introduce wikis to my staff. The
  article, The Day in the Life of Web 2.0, shows
  just how much our classes and instruction will
  change as teachers in my school become users of
  wikis, blogs and podcasts.  The alphabet teachers
  have set the bar high and I want it done at my
  school-yesterday. 
• After viewing Will Richardson's youtube
  presentation, I calmed down and heard him tell me
  3-5 years.  I feel like we don't have 3-5 years. 
  It also makes me wonder why districts start in
  high school with technology.  We need to start in
  elementary school.
• There is power in Web 2.0 if you know how to use
  it. I am inspired to improve my use of my blog
  and podcasts.  I hope you all will hold me
  accountable by going to my school's website
  periodically to see how my blog and podcasts are
  coming along.
• I have to admit I was not looking forward to this
  course. Now that I have made time for myself to
  read the material and explore the links, I am
  fired up.

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• Web 2.0 Development
• Key development questions
• What do administrators need to know about Web 2.0
  tools?
• Which tools will be most helpful to
  administrators in their daily work?
• What tools help administrators build
  collaboration with and among staff?
• What policy issues do administrators need to
  address?

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• Web 2.0 Development
• Development Process
• Gathering a team
• Brainstorming key topics and confirming with
  state partner
• Determining structure (number of sessions,
  organization readings, activities, discussion)
• Researching locating resources (also occurs
  during other phases)
• Identifying needed permissions and making
  requests

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• Web 2.0 Development
• Development Process
• Identifying key Web 2.0 tools
• In this workshop Bookmarking, Google tools,
  blogs and podcasts
• Rationale for selecting these tools easily
  learned, effective tools for communication and
  collaboration

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• Web 2.0 Development
• Process continued
• Planning activities and discussion questions to
  focus on key concepts
• Identify hands-on tasks to practice skills or
  extend learning, for example, setting up a Diigo
  bookmarking account, creating a blog or podcast
• Create provocative questions that engage learners
  in deep thinking about the topic

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• Web 2.0 Development
• Process continued
• Planning the final project
• Checking each section for instructional flow
• Reviewing and revising based on partner and
  collaborator feedback
• Engaging the technical team
• Developing graphics and workshop banner
• Formatting and uploading content to the course
  management system
• Final reviewing and editing

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• Discussion Board quote
• Ever read the Left Behind series?  Okay, after
  that article, I feel a little left behind.  It is
  amazing to think that classrooms, schools and
  districts can operate in such a fashion.  As
  educators, we are always talking about working
  smarter and not harder.  These scenarios
  certainly seem to fit the bill.  
• We received fifteen new promethean boards this
  school year.  This interactive piece of equipment
  has had a tremendous impact on the way teachers
  teach and the way students learn.  I can only
  imagine what can be accomplished with the Web
  2.0!  I have watched the teachers embrace the
  technology and training that comes along with it,
  and I have watched the most "traditional" teacher
  flourish. 
• It is imperative that we embrace this new
  technology and find as many was as possible to
  utilize it within our school communities!  I
  remember only needing an overhead projector as a
  classroom teacher - given that, I could teach the
  pants off of anyone.  I look forward to learning
  more about Web 2.0 and where I and my school will
  fit into all of it.  As a community of
  professional leaders and learners, we will want
  to make certain we are not left behind!

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• Employment
• School Leaders Executive Institute
• Experienced (3-5 years) principals
• 32 participants/Two cohorts/Two facilitators
• Mixture of E/M/HS principals
• Varied demographics
• Will complete on December 18,2008

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• Discussion Board quote
• I am so far behind!  I taught technology classes
  ten years ago with Teach to the Future, but I
  have not kept up after becoming an administrator.
  As a district, we have put up the walls in our
  "castle" due to the fear of our board and parents
  (myself included) that the risk were not worth
  it.  Last night, as  I read my assignments and
  watched Podcasts, I realized that if we do not
  embrace all of these tools and learn to utilize
  the tools available, we will be ignored as our
  kids continue to learn.  We are becoming barriers
  not facilitators to learning by being unwilling
  to learn along with our students.  I don't want
  that for myself or my children. 
• We have worked with Schlechty over the past 7
  years to learn how to design work for students. 
  We have heard Phil say over and over that there
  are companies and private educators out there
  that have it right and can do away with public
  education as we know it.  Today I get what he is
  saying.
• If we learn with our kids, we can transform
  education.  If we don't, we need to get out of
  this business so learning can continue.

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• Participant Podcasts
• Mary Ellen Parks
• Principal, Shell Point Elementary
• maryellen.parks_at_beaufort.k12.sc.us
• http//web.beaufort.k12.sc.us/education/components
  /docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid43638
• Roderic F. Taylor
• Principal, Dutch Fork Middle School
• rftaylor_at_lex5.k12.sc.us
• http//www.gcast.com/u/rftaylor/main

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• Lessons Learned
• Administrators require a different online
  instruction model
• Administrators struggle with time management
• Personal choice and family
• Professional duties
• Administrator focus
• Daily operations, instruction and accountability
• Little time for reflection or lifting the fog

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• Lessons Learned
• Administrators tend to have email and
  Blackberry skills but reluctant adopters of
  education technologies
• Want only the silver bullets
• Online instruction hampered by local technology
  and personal proficiencies
• District technology staff/policies interfere with
  effective use of Web 2.0 tools
• However, course success is greatly enhanced by a
  F2F orientation and/or integrated online work

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Leading Schools in a Web 2.0 World

• Mike Thun
• Program Director, Leadership Online Campus
• 803-734-8357
• mthun_at_leaders.ed.sc.gov
• Leinda Peterman
• Project Director, EDC
• 601-442-7115
• lpeterman_at_edc.org