Syllabus for EDL-670

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).

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of the 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.

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COURSE MATERIALS

The following materials are required to do the work of the course. The required textbooks and eFolio registration code are available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbooks

Picciano, A. G. (2006). Educational leadership and planning for technology (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 13: 978-0131194717

Brooks-Young, S. (2005). 101 best Web sites for principals (2nd ed.). International Society for Technology in Education. ISBN 13: 978-1564842145

Software
Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

eFolio Registration
As a capstone experience in the Educational Leadership program, you will prepare an electronic portfolio (e-folio) 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 eFolio registration code that you will renew annually as you continue to develop your electronic portfolio. You can purchase this code through the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct. Basic directions for using eFolio are posted within the Resources area of the Thomas Edison State College Heavin School of Arts and Sciences eFolio Web site (after logging in, click Open My eFolio > Resources > Resources).

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Technology for Instruction and Administration is a three-credit, graduate course, consisting of six modules:

Each module, in turn, comprises learning objectives, a reading assignment from the two course textbooks, and one or more discussion activities. In addition, modules 1, 3, and 5 contain key course assignments; 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 assignments and projects, including evaluation rubrics.

For the course's six modules, go to the Course Modules area of the course Web site. (See also the course Calendar.)

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ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

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

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 board interactions promote development of a community of learners, critical thinking, and exploratory learning.

Most discussion activities contain several assignment questions. Be sure your posting addresses all of them. Some discussion forums direct you to post a course assignment 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.

Click link for an evaluation rubric.

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COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

The course has four key assignments:

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 assignments, 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 assignments involve completing an evaluation form and writing a 1–2 page conclusion of your findings. See Course Modules for the assignment details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

Click link for an evaluation rubric (hardware assignment).
Click link for an evaluation rubric (software assignment).

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

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 Course Modules for the assignment details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

Click link for an evaluation rubric.

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SOFTWARE PROJECTS

You are required to complete two 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 Course Modules for the assignment details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

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

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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 Course Modules for the assignment details, and consult the course Calendar for due dates.

Click link for an evaluation rubric.

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PORTFOLIO ARTIFACT[S] AND REFLECTIVE NARRATIVE

The principal artifact) for this course is the staff development program from module 6. You should accompany this artifact with a reflective narrative that describes the process and how the artifact meets specific standards and prepares you for school leadership.

Place your artifacts in the Artifacts area of your e-folio. You can also link your artifacts (designated as "Work") to ISLLC standards listed in the Resources area of the e-folio. Keep your work in "draft" or "ready for feedback" status for now.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined 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., writing assignments, discussion postings, court case reports, final paper or project, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. (Note: Graduate students must maintain a B average to remain in good academic standing.)

Letter grades and their numerical equivalents are as follows:

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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

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:

• Cheating
• Plagiarizing (including copying and pasting from the Internet without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources)
• Fabricating information or citations
• Facilitating acts of dishonesty by others
• Unauthorized access to examinations or the use of unauthorized materials during exam administration
• Submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the mentor
• 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 assignment, 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 Graduate 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.

For examples of unintentional plagiarism and advice on when to quote and when to paraphrase, click the links provided below.

Examples of Unintentional Plagiarism

When to Quote and When to Paraphrase

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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.

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