EDUC 5373: Blog Week #2 (Innovative Leadership Digital)

Who are the stakeholders that you would reach out to first to develop a technology integration plan? Try to be as inclusive as you can.

The stakeholders that I would reach out during the beginning development of my technological integration plan would be other teachers on my campus, their students, and eventually administrators. I have gathered enough data from my own classes and students that I would need to branch out to other classrooms to gather more data to push my call to action created back in the previous class. To summarize, my call to action centered around the digital divide issue that was created through students not having reliable internet access in their homes. This created a general inequity for a large majority of my students thus needing to create a call to action that students and their families must be offered access to something as simple as a wireless hotspot to close that gap. Once the data is gathered on a larger scale, educating teachers and school admin of these gaps (which I am confident the similar trends will show up) will be a step in the direction of creating equitable learning for 100% of scholars.

How might technology integration be aligned with current projects or goals in your community, school, or organization?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning, there have been identified many side effects to students learning at home for practically two school years. To combat this, the state of Texas passed a law that required accelerated learning to occur during the school day for those students are have not passed their required state exams for the grade levels. 

"Texas law requires all students who do not achieve approaches or higher on STAAR grades 3 through 8 or EOC assessments be provided accelerated instruction. These requirements, modified by House Bill 4545 of the 87th legislature and recently updated with the passage of House Bill 1416 in the 88th legislature..." (Texas Education Agency, 2023).

A way to align my tech integration plan and even provide more rationale for approval, is to show how creating this internet access for all students, that they could continue their work for not just their classes but also these requirements that have been state mandated for their success. This goal as a campus and state can be better streamlined and offer more access to learning when students are not on campus and can continue the learning on their own. 

How would you structure opportunities or take advantage of current practices to learn together and build capacity to implement the plan?

I would structure opportunities through the usage of professional development and required training through a LMS that would properly inform and educate the learning professionals assigned to the campus. This will ensure full buy in to the new tech integration plan across the board and giving educators a chance to ask questions, provide feedback, or get on board to fully support the new initiative. 

What outcomes might you focus on to provide input/feedback for your plan? Also consider the digital divide research you have engaged in earlier this semester.

As mentioned through the use of professional development and required LMS courses, I would be expecting mostly positive feedback and only slight hesitations in regards to it being something new which can feel daunting. As long as all the information and resources are provided, guiding educators and stakeholders to a better form of tech integration throughout the entire campus should be a success. If leaders are aligned and have bought in, then the rest should ideally follow suit. In my own personal experience, it is really when leaders are not aligned or have no idea what they think or believe in a new initiative is where there are gaps, misalignments, and lack of buy in from staff. Teachers will not be willing to do any extra work asked of them if they can tell the leaders and those who are pushing a new expectation have yet to do the work and figuring out themselves. 

Choose a model for change from the readings that resonates with you and briefly discuss application of this model to your community.
Since learning of the Triple E Framework by Kolb, I have felt a strong pull to that model and get excited at the prospects of potentially integrating it on larger, campus based level. I have done my own mini integrations in my own class through the use of the Engage, Enhance, and Extend via my photography students last few projects. I have seen  how my teaching has developed and morphed into a more well rounded philosophy by using technology as a main catalyst and support from the ISTE standards and the Triple E framework. If I have seen the proof and power of these integrations in my class, I know they would find success throughout all classes on my campus. With educating my colleagues and admin, we could foster a culture of inclusive, equitable, and meaningful learning in our 21st century tech driven society. 

Resources

Texas Education Agency. (2023). Accelerated instruction. https://tea.texas.gov/academics/learning-support-and-programs/accelerated-instruction

Kolb, L. (2020). About the Triple E Framework. Retrieved from: https://www.tripleeframework.com/about.html