EDLD 5352 wk 3 Web 2.0 Tools Review

Web Tool Edmodo

How is Edmodo useful for you?

Edmodo opens a whole new world of possibilities for everyone but especially teachers.  First and foremost, it's a Learning Management System, which is just a fancy way of saying that you can conduct class activities online.  Edmodo gives me the ability to create a secure online classroom for each of my sections, make/grade/return assignments, create discussion forums and literary circles, teach and monitor online etiquette and usage, and a zillion other things.

For my classroom, I use Edmodo to facilitate a virtual classroom.  It is literally the backbone of the class.  Students complete and turn in assignments through the site.  I can grade them much more quickly and provide better feedback using the online tools through the site.  They can view videos, prezis, webquests, etc--a plethora of interactive activities--right from the site.  

Students interact with each other and have the ability to interact with students from other classes (in the same school), and other classes/students from different schools (which we will be doing this year).  It gives them the opportunity to compare thoughts and ideas with students from other regions of the country or the world if the teacher chooses to connect with others.

Professionally, I use Edmodo for research on the best and most productive web/app tools out there.  I can interact with other teachers and gain ideas about how they operate their classrooms and teach certain lessons, and I can provide ideas to help when they are stuck.  By joining different professional communities, You can expand your Professional Learning Network infinitely.  

Edmodo also offers apps through the site that are facilitated by professional education companies so students can access online tools right in Edmodo (my vocabulary, study sync, no red ink, etc.)

How is Edmodo useful for your student?

Students benefit from Edmodo because it is a a web-based program that is accessible from any device the student can access.  It also has a free app where students can receive notifications about grades, assignments, etc. and can check their class feed for important information.

They can interact with students in their same class, other local classes, or classes across the nation right from the site.  The teacher has to set up groups for this to be possible, but it opens up a much broader learning group for them.  

Also, because Edmodo is online, it gives the student more access to online tools and interactive activities because it can be accessed through the site in a protected manner.  

The class feed and messaging tools make it easy for students to message teachers with assignment questions or additional information without having to use a personal email, and Edmodo is designed so that students can create a login without owning or providing an email of any kind.

How is Edmodo useful for parents?

Edmodo makes the classroom more transparent for parents.  By using their individual access code, a parent can check his student's class assignments, graded work, teacher feedback, due dates, etc. from any device that can access the internet.  It is much easier for a parent to stay on top of classwork and grades because they can look at it from the app while sitting in the Target parking lot if he so chose.

How do you incorporate your course work with Edmodo?

I use the class library and news feed in our group to make course work assignments to students.  It allows me to attach a video, presentation, document, or whatever additional information the student would need to complete the assignment and assign a due date for when the assignment needs to be returned.  

The assignment shows up in the group feed where students can access the information and see what they need to complete.  Once it is finished up, the assignment has a turn in button where the student would submit his completed work to me.  Edmodo date/time stamps the work as it is turned in, so I know exactly when the assignment came into my drop box.  

As I get the assignments graded, students get a notification that they have a new grade and can check their progress report from any device to keep track of their most current averages.

What is my favorite parts about Edmodo and why?

I like pretty much every aspect of Edmodo, but if I had to choose, I think I like how everything is integrated into one spot.  It's not like other sites where students can only view assignment or can only turn in assignments.  In Edmodo, they can do everything in one spot and even access activities and work from other sites through the apps Edmodo offers.

Do you think other teachers can increase learning in their classroom with Edmodo and how?

Absolutely.  You don't have to run a tech class or be a tech-savvy teacher to be able to use Edmodo.  First, it is EXTREMELY easy to navigate and use, so teachers would have no problem learning how to use the site.  Beyond that, it has so many uses that teachers could use just a few options or all of them and the teacher and students would benefit.  

If a teacher used only the PLN options in Edmodo, he would learn so much about how other teachers relate the same information, tech tools that would make his life easier, upcoming professional development, and new curriculum/tools on the horizon. Also of this could be incorporated into the classroom and benefit the students.

He could use some of the class group functions or all of them, and it would really open up the supplement materials available for students to use.  Because it creates a protected group, no one except those approved would be able to access the group, and he would control what content is posted on the feed.  This also teaches students to be more tech-savvy in a way that would benefit them in the future (creating presentations, responding professionally, etc.) as opposed to how to tweet from the bathroom. 

Teachers could create a group for each section with the sole intent of using it as a collection point for the online activities and materials they want to use in class.  A teacher could post videos and activities to the feed and use a projector or smart board for the class to be able to view it with no intention of students actually turning in work online.  Think of it as a more specialized Pinterest board where you might actually be able to find what you're looking for :).

Edmodo is really such a versatile site that I don't see how someone who accesses it even sporadically could not learn something new to use in the classroom.

Google Docs

What are Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides?

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are productivity apps that let you create different kinds of online documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store them in your Google Drive online — all for free. You can access the documents, spreadsheets, and presentations you create from any computer, anywhere in the world.

Google Docs

Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time. Here's what you can do with Google Docs:

·       Upload a Word document and convert it to a Google document

·       Add flair and formatting to your documents by adjusting margins, spacing, fonts, and colors — all that fun stuff

·       Invite other people to collaborate on a document with you, giving them edit, comment or view access

·       Collaborate online in real time and chat with other collaborators — right from inside the document

·       View your document's revision history and roll back to any previous version

·       Download a Google document to your desktop as a Word, OpenOffice, RTF, PDF, HTML or zip file

·       Translate a document to a different language

·       Email your documents to other people as attachments

During my time in the educational leadership program I have found and area to build an action research paper to help my school improve in the area of inclusion and it’s effectiveness. I have researched the results of student performance at our school by tracking a certain group of students.  These students were chosen to track their performance because they were in inclusion classes and a few years earlier were not involved because inclusion was not yet available. While tracking these students I used there bench mark and state scores to evaluate how whether or not they we’re improving.  I sent out letters to other schools within our district to ask permission to use data from groups that they have tracked for the same purpose. I have received data and have begun to compare the results as well as look at the other schools ways of implementing inclusion and their processes. During the last few months I have discussed with special services our processes at our school and how these students are being tracked what has been learned from results from previous group studies.  I have also had meetings with administrators over the processes that have been used for inclusion over the years at our school.  Our administrators on all campuses all work with inclusion in the same way in the classroom.  There are inclusion teachers that float from room to room rather than having a teacher per subject area. I have found that this may not be the most beneficial as will be indicated in my action research paper. I have discussed with our administrators ways to improve the inclusion process at our school so that students are getting the most from the inclusions as possible.  I have also spoke to special services from a couple different schools at this point to better understand how they choose their inclusions teachers for their classes.   I am currently compiling these findings and organizing these facts and ideas for my action research.

Reflection of EDLD 5326

While in EDLD 5326 I have learned much about the school requirements as they relate to Title 1 schools and how the the money should be spent  and the accountability that the school is under for those expenditures. I see the the importance of the school building a parent/school compact to.  I understand how to build a site based committee and who it is made up of. I have learned what the site based committee is to do and what that all things are done for improving student achievement. I have learned what AYP is and how the school use's that data to find areas of weakness to address and improve on. During this course "School Community Relations" I have learned how important it is to build healthy parent communication better know as "two way communication" to bolster parent involvement which has been proven enhances student achievement.  I have learned that during EDLD 5326 how two way communication and increased parent involvement all work together to not only improve student achievement but also decrease discipline referrals, improve attendance, decrease tardies as well as other areas too. The one thing I felt that I learned most was the importance of parent involvement and how to decrease the barriers so that parents will want to be more involved and feel more valued in the process. As a future leader in a public school I will make sure that the parents of my community feel more welcomed at my school and I will educate my staff on the importance of being more socially aware of diversity.  I will also have a open door policy with the parents as I will have for all staff to build a family like atmosphere at the school. I will use the site based teams decisions to better improve student achievement as well as use the AYP data to find areas of weakness to improve on. 

Below is a copy of my action research plan:

Action Research: How Effective is the inclusion program in relation to student performance?
Goal: To compare Central’s Inclusion program to other schools to identify how to make it more effective.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. What is the inclusion process?	Special Education Director Rochell Metts, Diagnostician Carol Spivey, principal Chad Smith	Oct. 2012- Dec. 2012	Campus inclusion procedure, campus schedule	Comparing different schools inclusion process.
2. Research relevant information pertaining to the impact of inclusion and student grade point average over 3year span.	Spec. Director Rochell Metts, Diagnostician Carol Spivey, principal Chad Smith	Jan. 2013-June 2013	Students personal file	Percent increase or decrease in special ed. test scores since inclusion has been introduced.
3. Compare schools within the county looking for similarities/ differences with the inclusions processes	Special Director’s, District Principals and Diagnosticians	Aug. 2013- 0ct. 2013	Test results of special ed. students from other district’s  within the county that have inclusion	Compare/contrast scores of different schools that have implemented the inclusion process.
4. Track and compare a class of students since they have begun inclusion and compare standardized test results.	High School principal Mr. Smith, Jr. High Principal Mr. Ivy Jr. high and High school councilor, Mrs. Nash and Mrs. Arnold	Oct. 2013-Nov.-2013	State test results for special ed. students	Compare grade point average of students involved in inclusion since it has begun at Central ISD.
5. Compare schools within the county to understand the impact that inclusion has on special education student success/improvement	Special Education director, School Councilors, Jr. High and High School Principals	Aug. 2013- Dec. 2013	Data from schools in the county that have inclusion as a part of their special education program.	Comparing other schools inclusion student success vs. our school to evaluate where we rate on student success.
6. Present results from research and recommended changes to the special education director.	Special Education director	Dec. 2013- Jan. 2014	All data collected from Action Research	Feedback from special education director indicating feasibility of recommended changes.

Week 2 reflection EDLD 5301

In reflecting on week two of this course I have come to find that there is much demand in finding ways to implement change from data that is gathered through action research. After watching the videos of the three administrators and looking into my own research plan with my site supervisor it has also become clear that there is much to do with compiling information, comparing data, and making a plan tailor made for your specific environment. This weeks lesson has exposed me to the realization of the importance of data and what is done with that data can make all the difference in how effective your programs will be. The idea of an action research makes all the sense due to the fact that in years past all schools waited years on data that may not even be applicable in their school district. With active research you get the results sooner and it relates directly with the needs and issues of your own school.

How might educational leaders use blogs

Educational leaders can use blogs to gather information form on issues they are facing from other district's that may be facing similar issues. Blogs can also be used also to keep up with new research and there impact. As a school administrator a blog can also be used as form of professional collaboration among educators for issues they are facing.

Action Research, what I have learned and how it can be applied

     What I have learned with my readings of the usage of a action research in general is that it is essential to monitor, analyze, reflect and make adjustments. First the practitioner needs to identify and clarify a situation to improve. Next, after the practitioner identifies an issue they would find a plan or action strategy for resolving the problem or improving the issue.  Once a solution has been identified the practitioner would need to implement the action for change and evaluating it's effectiveness. Action research is concerned with the practitioners (not outside sources) and engages practitioners in the design, data collection, and interpretation of data around the a question. Gathering data on any given issue at your school is essential to making a relevant change.  Action research requires observation, interpretation, time and reflection by the practitioner.  The thing I see that makes an action research so valuable is the element of the practitioner as the researcher and not someone who has no working knowledge of a public school. Who better to identify, research solutions, implement those stratagies and reflect on their effectiveness than those who lead the school.  An action research also allows for a school to deal directly with their own issues specifically. It is clear that action without reflection does little to prevent the same issue from reoccurring and nor would you be able to make an accurate judgment of wether or not a program or change has made the changes sought.

What a action plan could be used on is interventions and the strategies used. I am a member of a PLC with works with, track and makes adjustments based on the findings from our PLC. The PLC can identify areas that need addressed with intervention and inclusion and formulate new strategies. Assessing or reflecting wether or not a plan has been affective for our special needs students are essential for the the effectiveness of the special service programs.  I feel that it would also be in order to reflect frequently on the PLC to make sure that it has been affective and has not become sedentary and ineffective. Meeting the needs of the our special needs students is imperative. With a professional team using an action plan and reflecting would show what is working and what is not working based on what has been done and the student progress.