The School Principal Considers Technology and Safety

While conducting research for this assignment, I was impressed by the clarity and succinctness of following statement prepared by the Twinsburg City Schools’s Board of Education: “Advances in telecommunications and other related technologies have fundamentally altered the ways in which information is accessed, communicated, and transferred in society. Such changes are driving the need for educators to adapt their means and methods of instruction, and the way they approach student learning, to harness and utilize the vast, diverse, and unique resources available on the Internet.” This position closely connects with many of our selected readings and classroom discussions concerning the role of the internet and education in the 21^st century. Additionally, Prensky’s notion of moving towards collaborative discourse between digital natives and digital immigrants is evident throughout available literature Twinsburg has developed regarding technology. Moreover, after interviewing key personnel and closely examining the available resources, I found it to be interesting how Twinsburg City Schools is beyond, as Wolinsky would suggest, “locked in battle over filtered and restricted environments with constraints that prevent us from realizing the full potential technology in the classroom.”  Importantly, TCS appears to be  creating ways to empower our teachers and students to realize the potential locked in the tools we have available...” (Wolinsky).

            The following discussion describes my experiences, research, and an informal interview. A series of questions on acceptable use and Internet safety were developed to help analyze the present conditions. I interviewed Mrs. Jennifer Farthing, who serves as the Coordinator of Learning and Technology for Twinsburg City Schools. Our district does receive E-Rate funding, and to ensure compliance, Mrs. Farthing noted “we assure that all Internet Access is filtered. Students are not to be using the Internet in an unsupervised method. Our student Acceptable Use Policy is a part of the handbook for each building. The staff AUP is given out at the opening staff meeting for each building.” Similar to our discussions in class, TCS, like most schools, certainly meets the compulsory requirements. However, according to our classroom discussions, it seems evident that very little consistency regarding the compliance standards exists among Ohio schools that receive E-Rate funding.

Which group of school officials developed the TCS Acceptable Usage Policy?

It is important to understand which groups are involved in the development of the acceptable use policy. Twinsburg City Schools’ follows a modified AUP version developed by NEOLA. “NEOLA uses a series of state-specific policy templates, each of which includes a number of prewritten policy options that administrators may choose from in drafting their policies.” The technology department, with approval of the Superintendent, revised, modified and ultimately approved the adapted AUP. It is up for revision again to reflect the needs associated with new technologies.

Why was Barracuda Web-Filtering Systems selected for Twinsburg City Schools and briefly explain the role of the Barracuda Web-Filter system.

“Barracuda filters all web traffic. We have exceptions set up for things like ProgressBook, DASL, Fiscal Services at NEOnet. That is just because sometimes Barracuda slows things down and we want to bypass Barracuada. It worked with our LDAP (to authenticate users so they did not have to log in again.)  In general we are happy with Barracuda. NEOnet is now using LightSpeed.  We will evaluate that product once they have had a few months to get the bugs worked out.”

How are specific websites blocked (based on domain, URL pattern, or content category), why are specific websites blocked?

“Barracuda blocks based on all of these. They update their lists on a daily basis. We do have some local control to add things to the blocked list and also to make exceptions. We do that as needed.” 

Since Barracuda Systems is an independent company, to what extent do they offer determinations regarding which websites and internet applications are unacceptable for school usage?

“This is a hard question to answer....no company will ever be perfect with the amount of new websites daily. There are some things that are blocked that should not be and there are some things that should be blocked that get through. We have the list that Barracuda puts out regarding what categories they block - we also have the ability to not block certain categories. Example: gambling....we choose to block that!”

To the best of your knowledge, do school personnel ever express conflicting opinions about what constitutes the acceptableness of internet content? If so, please identify an example. Also, if possible, please explain how these conflicts are resolved.

One issue we have with some sites is they are in the gaming category, but they are really educational games....so we work with that. I don't think we have had anyone express concerns about the content. We do allow teachers to fill out a web filter request if they want to have a site unblocked. If the purpose is educational and the site is valid, an exception will be added to Barracuda. 

            To summarize, Twinsburg City Schools is very fortunate to have such a robust technology department and available resources. The district policy on and procedures for Internet safety are well-established and consistent with state and federal law. The case can be made for students, and in some instances even by students, for their access to websites prohibited by school policy or procedures. Students can support and identify valuable resources to their teachers, who in turn, can help facilitate implementation with the help of the technology department. Typically, these requests can be accomplished in a reasonable time frame. Very similar to Wolinsky’s point, Twinsburg recognizes that acceptable use policies and internet safety policies are documents that set guidelines and that those guidelines are enforced by through a combination of engaging lessons and adult supervision (Wolinsky, pg. 30). School Internet policies and procedures that govern curricular and pedagogic practices of teachers and students are guided by the technology department and the Superintendent, per Board policy. The faculty and students have much to gain from this position. The policies regarding technology is frequently reviewed and revised and faculty members are encouraged to share insight regarding internet usage. Somewhat limiting however, is the fact that the students are not invited to take part in this discussion.

            Technology integration and safety is an important component of Twinsburg City Schools, and will continue to support student usage and learning. The Board encourages students to utilize the Internet in order to promote educational excellence by providing them with the opportunity to develop resource sharing, innovation, and communication skills and tools that are essential to both life and work.

References:

Bauer,, A. "Vending Control Company that sells restrictive policy templates to school districts raises concerns among student press advocates." Student Press Law Center . XXVII.3 (2008): 11. Print. <http://www.splc.org/news/report_detail.asp?id=1286&edition=40>.

Prensky, M. (2005). Listen to the Natives. Educational Leadership, 63(4), 8-13.

Twinsburg aup. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.twinsburg.k12.oh.us/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1

Wolinsky, A. (2008). We Can Get There From Here: Realizing Educational Technology's Potential   in the Face of Internet Safety Issues. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, 15(4),

Data Driven Decision Making

Currently, Twinsburg City Schools collects numerous amounts of data. Similar to the McIntire article, a tremendous amount of data is collected including; student data, test scores, staff and faculty data, counseling data, financial data, book lists, student rankings, community data, discipline reports, special  education meetings, faculty meetings, School Board meetings, PLC meetings, medical records, grades, transcripts, teacher evaluations, paychecks/direct deposits, sports statistics and so on and so on…

Much of the recorded data is being stored in three major software programs, DASL, SchoolCenter and ProgressBook. Additional “storage” services include district- wide servers and shared drives, personal computers, p-drives, Microsoft programs like Excel and Word, hard copies of medical records, grades, transcripts, teacher evaluations, and sports statistics saved on Web 2.0 applications, and on and on…

Much of the data that is saved is typically maintained and managed by the individual directly in charge of the department or group. For example, within our Social Studies department, our department chair is principally responsible for maintaining our records. Based on my observations and informal questioning, similar departments and groups operate in the same fashion. For example, guidance counselors maintain their own data, just like the central office employees’ facilitate data specific to their interests and responsibilities. Typically, many individuals are response for data collection and storage.

For the most part, DASL and ProgressBook are compatible. Unfortunately, teachers have only limited access to the full capabilities of these data sources. I am slightly unaware of the full potential of our data sources at this point in time. However, after speaking with individuals who are directly involved with these systems, I can report that our district feels confident with the available systems and technologies.  

On the contrary, I do not think that we collect data quickly enough. Similar to what McIntire argued in his article, I often feel that data is collected too late, like high stakes testing. The results return once the students have already moved on to the next grade level. McIntire suggestion of trying to establish in-house practice tests, which could provide data to teachers on a monthly or quarterly basis, would be beneficial.

I would suggest that I have a decent amount of access to data which enables me to help promote student success in the classroom. Much of the data that I am privileged too is focused on special needs students. IEP and 504 information is available in detailed format to classroom teachers, and is utilized to help ensure quality instruction. Although this is enormously beneficial, it would be even more powerful to have more information about all of the students. Knowing as much as possible about your students can only help to establish a better learning environment. Past information can be important when trying to develop differentiated lessons for a diverse student body.

Lastly, our MIS system is certainly robust enough to handle the needs of our district, although it is difficult to assess the extent of the successfulness of this system without having full knowledge of the capabilities.

Prezi Link

http://prezi.com/pgbrrvqiicon/technology-vision/

WebLog 3

Lived experiences:

During my years at Twinsburg High School, I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous professional development opportunities regarding educational technology. I will briefly discuss two instances of professional technology development.

Currently, Twinsburg City Schools uses School Center design to design and create websites for teachers, administrators, clubs, athletics and various other organizations. The professional development and instruction used to help integrate SchoolCenter has been thorough and continuing. Multiple workshops directed by technology coordinators and professionals were administered to ensure successful understanding and implementation. Additionally, the administrative team established teacher led subcommittees that could be used as quick references and informal assistants for staff members in need. The experience has been supportive, ongoing and exceeding expectations, especially in terms of increasing student learning and support.

            Contrastingly, the professional development associated with Turningpoint Technologies could be understood as somewhere between slumping and achieving. Much of the development has been self-taught, with only limited support. Although the implementation of the technology has been successful, many fellow teachers are unaware of the technology and few instructional opportunities and time for development and exploration exist.

Mouza and Szymanski/Morrell Readings:

(A) Discuss criteria which define successful Educational Technology Professional Development

(B) Discuss criteria which define the effective school administrator and/or technology coordinator in the context of successful Educational Technology Professional Development.

 Mouza discusses the need for teachers to understand technology professional development as an ongoing career-long initiative. Successful teachers will develop skills that will enable them to explore and new and unfamiliar tools. Addiitonally, successful educational technology development will focus on (similar to TPCK) Content Knowldege, Pedagogical Knowledge, and Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Additionally, teachers and administrators who had limited access to resources and technical support was a major obstacle to successfully incorporating technology. Research-based professional development, focusing on how teachers learn, can foster teacher sustained teacher development. Importantly, reflection on how technology and technology development has impacted student learning and achievement is equally important for teachers and administrators.

Szymanski and Morrell suggest that “the theoretical construct of situated cognition as the basis for increasing the development of technology integration skills for K-12 teachers.” Situated Cognition, according to Szymanski and Morrell, is learning that normally happens during an activity which occurs in a context and a culture; “that is, people build knowledge structures and learn skill sets in specific physical and social contexts…Situated cognition is a characterization of how learning takes place not just where it takes place.” According to this model, designing professional development that is context specific and firmly based in the theoretical framework of situated cognition is a very effective way to assist teachers in integrating technology into their instruction.

WebLog 2

Based on your reading of the Zhao, et. al. article linked below, please compose five (5) thoughtful and significant queries, questions ideas, etc. that you would really want to study and discuss tonight in class.  Defend the queries that you composed.

1. It was interesting to examine the requirements associated with the grant applications. Notably, the grants appear to have been awarded based on credentials other than research supporting how the specific technology will increase or enhance academic success. It seems as if many of the educators who applied for the technology grants were more concerned with introducing innovative technologies rather than focusing on the probability of academic success as a result of the new technology.

2. The section describing the innovator’s social awareness was also interesting. The authors argue that socially savvy teachers know the social dynamics of the school, and are aware of where to go for what type of support, and are attentive to their peers. Teachers who do not are inevitably more likely to be less successful with new technology implementations. This seems to be a poor reason for not being successful with new technology initiatives. The innovator must be responsible for utilizing available resources, especially after being awarded a grant to help improve academic performance. A lack of success as a result social ineptitude seems to be a somewhat limited excuse.

3. The article did well to stress the importance of Technological Infrastructure. An educator must be knowledgeable about their school’s capacity to support technology. Additionally, it should be the goal of the school to make this information accessible to innovators who are willing to introduce new technology to improve academic learning. Page 24.

4. Another noteworthy section of the article involved the role of social and staff support regarding the implementation of new technology. The article suggested newly thriving technology programs are often dependent upon how well respected a member of the staff is with his or her colleagues. This point is worth discussing. The staff should support new technologies initiatives because of the possible benefits connected to academic success, rather than based on perceived respect levels of the innovating staff member. Example, Henry’s case, page 26.

5. Lastly, the article stresses the importance of group collaboration and the notion of linking pedagogical beliefs with technology initiatives. According to the article, it would be wise and potentially more successful to introduce new technology programs with multiple staff members who share similar beliefs regarding curricular goals (curricular goals which can be achieved as a result of appropriate supportive technology). Although the article mentions that most new technology programs are usually successful when innovators have familiarity with the technology; these new programs could become even more significant if like minded educators who share pedagogical beliefs also share the responsibilities associated with integrating new curricular technology goals.

Garber Wordle

Weblog 1 Response

WebLog 1: CLASS SURVEYPersonal information
1. John Garber, Pittsburgh Pa, jgarber04@jcu.edu
2. John
3. High School social studies, Advanced Placement United States History, Introduction to Sociology. 10th & 11th Grade. Undergraduate degree: BA History-JCU, Post-Bac ED. License AYA 7-12 Intergrated Social Studies. Twinsburg City Schools.
4. I enjoy teaching American History and reading about many different aspects about our past; I find our Presidents especially interesting. I am passionate about sports. I played numerous sports in high school, and continued to play soccer collegiately at JCU for four years. I continue to play in the NCSL and I serve as the assistant men’s varsity soccer coach at Twinsbrug High School, and as the head coach of the Twinsburg U-14 Boys travel team. More importantly though, I have been married for 2 1/2 to my best friend Dana, and I am very close with my family and friends. I also enjoy the outdoors, hunting, and our dog Heinz.

Learning Style and more:
5. In general, I feel comfortable taking these risks.

6. I would describe myself as student who tries to actively participate in class discussion, diligent with readings and assignments, and one who is overly concerned with deadlines. I tend to ask many questions when in need of clarification. Like many of us, I will be very busy this semester. I have two graduate classes, obvious professional responsibilities, AP grading, coaching, and family obligations. As a result, I am generally concerned with the amount of reading assigned, not only because of the length, mainly because of the time spent taking notes and deciphering complex concepts which have not been previously covered in class.  
Education Past and Present
Technology Section7. The internet, primiarily because of the speed and access to information.
8. Home computer, internet*, cellphone*, email*, social media, television, ipod, and my webpage*.  
9. Email, TV, cellphone, computer, internet, and DVR.
10. Cellphones, Text Messaging, social media, Twitter, and Ipods


About Dr. Shutkin:
11. Write down two or three questions you would like to ask me about myself or the class.
How will this course specifically improve my abilities as an educator?
What are your interests and hobbies outside of the teaching profession?
How much of the course will focus on social media issues in the modern school environment?