Monday, November 5, 2012

A Leader in Educating Every Child


Born in 1880, Helen Keller was a typical child.  At the age of 18 months, however, she caught a high fever that caused her to lose her sight and hearing.  Frustrated by her inability to communicate, she was often left to tantrums and wild behavior.  Her parents looked for answers and help, and through different channels were introduced to Anne Sullivan, a newly graduated teacher.  The famous breakthrough, where Anne helps her young (6 years old) student understand the connection between the cold fluid pouring from the well spout and the signed letters for "W-A-T-E-R" turned on the light for this intelligent child.  Helen would go on to graduate Radcliffe College, become a political and social activist, write several books, champion the rights of individuals and serve as an inspiration to all who need to overcome adversity in order to learn.  She would credit the talent of an amazing woman in her life for being able to do this - her teacher, Anne Sullivan.

As I read about the history of education, and how individuals who are different, whether by social/economic status, intelligence, culture, language, physical attributes or race have been taught in the past, I am proud to be a teacher living in 2012.  As I study to become an administrator, I look to formulate an understanding of the best way to serve society by creating a citizenship who are taught to the best of their abilities in the environment that most includes and values the contributions of everyone.  I am not shocked that it has taken many years to cement the right of all individuals to be educated in the United States, in fact, as the wife of a school psychologist, I understand very well what labels mean, how the school and parents work together (sometimes opposing each other) in the best interest of children,  and how teachers sometimes feel overwhelmed by the continuing demands placed on them to diversity their curriculum and teach each student in a way that best meets his/her needs.  This is one of the precise reasons that I wanted to become an administrator.  It is in working together, understanding the rights of students and parents, balanced with the needs of teachers, giving a nod to the community as well (budget, budget, budget) that an administrator is able to best shine as a leader for his/her building.

What drives you in wanting to be a leader?  Is there a visionary piece that makes your soul yearn to be part of something bigger than yourself?  Have you seen injustices that drive you to want to lead to a better way of educating children?  Do you have an idea or concept that you believe will change the way every student learns about his/her world?  Through my classes, I have been challenged to delve into and share my own understanding of why I want to be a leader...  what drives you?

Saturday, October 27, 2012

VSS12 - Share, Reflect and Call to Action

After an intense four days of innovation, collaboration and presentation(s), I needed a rest from VSS.  What is difficult to explain to others who have never attending this conference, is the effect it has on one's psyche.  Meeting other individuals who share the same passion for educational innovation has a profound effect on you - making you feel that anything you do needs to be taken to the next level.  This year was no exception, and I walked away from New Orleans ready to take on the world.

Sunday began for me with the general membership meeting, a discussion of the vision of iNACOL and their priorities, and an introduction of the award winners for this year.  Feeling energized, I joined the membership on the vendor floor, catching up with colleagues from BSN and PLS and finally meeting Rod Darrow in person, after having worked with him over the last month on the online educators blogging project.  As educators who work in the online environment, we are comfortable working with individuals from around the world virtually, however, when we actually get the chance to meet, the synergy is invigorating, and inspiration seem to flow freely from the collaboration.

I felt a call to action in listening to Stacey Childress, Deputy Director of Education at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Her work with the Next Generation Model teams will offer educators cutting edge ideas when integrating technology and online resources into their classrooms, especially when working with underprivileged youth.  My inspiration came in the form of making resources available to everyone - not only available, but easily searched, embeddable and aligned to Common Core State Standards.  I want to find a way to make resources readily available to teachers, students and parents, and offer a road map through the clutter that is Web 2.0, social networking, and source validity/bias.  The librarian in me has been working overtime, and through Childress's discussion, I may have found an outlet for work.

In presenting at this conference, I was able to share ways that the Quakertown Community School District is able to ensure success for online and blended students through the services we offer, and how librarians can support students and teachers by offering their services, resources and expertise in the online environment.  These two presentations were well received, and can be viewed here.  Additionally, I also was able to meet with one of the newest members of my PLC, James Brauer.  We met through the online bloggers group at iNACOL, and as we worked through the projects together, found that we shared a passion and dedication to online teaching and administration which made us more like collaborating colleagues than individuals working separately over 1,000 miles away from one another.  Such is the power of an online collaboration!

It's hard to believe that although I've been home for only two days, I've already begun to frame out my ideas for new presentations and chances for collaboration.  It was a wonderful experience #VSS12, but I'm already poised for #VSS13!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Leadership 2.0

In trying to define what it means to be a leader, I came across the Leadership 2.0 Series offered/organized by George Couros similar to a Massive Open Online Course dedicated to Leadership. I unfortunately was unable to attend the Tuesday session (find the archive here) but was able to attend this evening.  Through nine sessions, the group focuses on the seven dimensions based on the Alberta Education Principal Quality Standard.  Although this is foreign to me, the principles are universal and I found the first session to be inspirational.  Part of what was discussed (and I encourage you to attend yourself!) was the need for a leader to share his/her learning, obtain feedback from a worldwide audience (their possible expanded PLN!) and reflect - just as we would ask of students.  It was a very simple concept, but one that offered deep ramifications when internalized.

Although it is not difficult to share ones learning, it does take an unusual leap of faith to put it online, at least for someone who has been more familiar with keeping a journal rather than a world accessible document.  However, the communication that I've had with my own new blogging experience (thank you Rob Darrow of iNACOL) has made me appreciate the power of this tool, and the ability to personalize ones learning through sharing.

For this week's assignment, we are to look at creating a digital portfolio - how a leader can use a blog to share his/her thinking.  One of the projects discussed was 184 Days of Learning from the Parkland School Division, where various stakeholders share their experience for the day, thus following the learning of a community for the entire year.

One of the most progressive movements our district, Quakertown Community School District in Quakertown, PA, has done, is opening up their required professional development/professional learning for teachers.  Although there are some required work sessions that must be attended, teachers are able to choose their own professional development, so that their learning is fully individualized.  One off-shoot of this with which I was involved was our Upper Bucks EduSummit 2012.  We partnered with two neighboring districts to offer technology based professional development to teachers within all three districts, taught by teachers and administration in the three districts.  This partnering between the districts was unprecedented, and allowed individuals to work together with others over common interest.  It was a small step toward individualizing teacher learning - but journeys always begin with one small step.

I look forward to the discussions we will be having as part of the Leadership 2.0 Series (#leadership20 on twitter) and building my own leadership PLN.  Join me - the journey is just beginning!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Online Learning - The Missing Component

As the reach of online learning continues to extend, there is one area that I believe has been unexplored by many practitioners, to the detriment of the students that they teach.  One advantage of the brick-and-mortar setting is that the teacher has access to many resources to help ensure student success in their classrooms, for instance, collaborating with other individuals to deepen students' experience.  Collaborating with the school library is one way good classroom teachers become great classroom teachers.  Online teachers also have this access, but because it would be a non-traditional way of working, the resource is often overlooked.  If more online teachers/programs integrated the services of school and public libraries, teachers could create learning experiences through online inquiry that would produce creative, resourceful and information literate students.

How?

Librarians are uniquely prepared to understand information and share how to inspire students to connect, wonder, investigate, construct, express and reflect on the world around them, per the Stripling Model of Inquiry .  The business world looks for employees who are agile learners, able to change course when needed and map out a new way when the old way is no longer sufficient.  Through traditional curriculum, we create students who learn information and regurgitate what they've learned.  What they need to be doing is to connect with that they are being taught, question the relevance of what the have learned, investigate the answers to their questions, construct understanding from what they've found, share the fruits of their labor and reflection upon the process for true understanding.  Libraries help teachers create this experience for their students.  Online teachers can also do this classes, but often miss the opportunity (or do not realize the opportunity) to work with librarians.  This connection can help online teachers take the next step in their classes, building lifelong skills with their students and creating an online class environment ripe for constructivist learning.

Curious?

Visit us at iNACOL's Virtual School Symposium 1:30 on Tuesday or contact me with questions @bekcikelly

Monday, September 17, 2012

Online Learning - Equivalent or Improve Student Outcomes

Online Learning has a long history - one which far out dates the adoption of the Internet into our everyday lives.  I remember when I was in high school (the early 90's), I studied the Russian language using a program transmitted through our school's satellite.  It was dynamic - we met with a tutor every Monday on the phone to check our pronunciation, watched programming the rest of the week as a class, and twice a month were the "online class" who had to answer questions as part of the presentation.  I loved it - and still speak Russian, albeit poorly, whenever I get the chance.  The satellite, alas, did not fare so well - it current sits lonely in a courtyard, abandoned and deteriorating.

My delving into online learning, however, just continued to grow stronger.  In 2001, I started my graduate program at the University of Pittsburgh in Library and Information Science.  We were the first online cohort - both for the program and the university itself.  A wondrous success, this education allowed me to get an ALA accredited degree that I would otherwise have been unable to receive.  This accreditation offers me a plethora of career opportunities that an unaccredited degree would not.  My education was stellar at PITT, and I promote their program highly to anyone interested in a library degree.

As a teacher, I have now become engrossed in online learning for my students.  This is the fourth year that our district will offer online classes, as well as building capacity for truly blended learning in our middle and high schools.

I've shared my online experiences, because I've learned that history always becomes more meaningful when seen through your own memory, and aligned to your life.  It helps me focus and give a truly personal answer to our blogging topic - to make a case that K-12 online learning must achieve equivalent or improved student outcomes.

We often ask online learning to fill in a gap - a gap where we are losing students.  These students might have a special condition that keeps them from attending school, a unique circumstance (for instance, we have a snowboarder who must compete during the school year) or social reasons for not wishing to attend public school.  We have a duty, as educators, to ensure that students receive equitable education no matter how they are educated.  I believe that the Common Core will go a long way in bring equity in education in general, and in online learning specifically.

To be truly viable, online learning must offer equitable student learning outcomes.  The unique part of online learning is not what is taught, but the manner in which it is done - synchronous/asynchronous, on-site/off-site, etc.  While there are different attributes that make teachers more successful in one delivery mode than another, creating a supportive classroom environment, individualizing education for each student, and using different modes to assess student learning remain constant in any teaching format.

It would not be realistic to ask online learning to be the answer to every educational need, but as we take the best from online learning, mold it together with high quality brick-and-mortar learning, and take the lessons learned for both, I believe we build the potential for students to truly individualize their learning, and be more involved in their education.  However, we must keep checks and balances on any type of educating organization to ensure that quality education is taking place - common between them must be highly qualified teachers, rigorous curriculum, real world experience for students and the constant potential to grow through an educational program.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Classifying K-12 Online Learning: A Look at Pennsylvania

To get a better understanding of online learning for our Virtual School MOOC, I examined several of the cyber programs that are available to Pennsylvania residents.  Four of the programs I briefly classify are regional virtual charter schools with a connection to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and because of this, Pennsylvania students are able to attend for free - the fees are covered by taxes paid by PA residents.  The last one is a district created cyber program servicing the students who attend their schools.  Each school/program was created to fulfill a unique need, and each is set up differently in reference to their curriculum and manner of supporting students.

This list is by no means comprehensive, as there are more cyber schools servicing students in Pennsylvania.  In fact, of the nine new charter schools that have opened in Pennsylvania this year, four are cyber charter schools.


A regional virtual public charter school, PA Cyber was created to educate students in an area where the local high school had shut down due to a declining tax base.  It currently has over 10,000 students from Pennsylvania in attendance, and utilizes National Network of Digital Schools for its curriculum.


This regional virtual  public charter school offers its services specifically to Pennsylvania residents.  Enrollment at its partner company, Connections Academy, is also available to Pennsylvania students, but as a national organization which charges a fee, not one where attendance is covered through PA taxes. Their curriculum is offered through Connections Academy.


This regional virtual public charter school in Pennsylvania opened in 2001, and currently serves over 3,400 Pennsylvania students.  Through a partnership with K12, a national company, PA Virtual offers a comprehensive curriculum for its students.


A regional virtual public charter school servicing Pennsylvania students in grades 6-12, 21st CCCS was started as a collaborative effort  between the Intermediate Units of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties, representing 64 school districts.  This charter school’s curriculum was developed by Pennsylvania certified teachers based upon PA Standards.

QCSD Cyber Program - Quakertown Community School District 

A district-based program, QCSD Cyber was created to meet the needs of students within the Quakertown Community School District.  Students may take as many online classes as needed to meet their graduation requirements from the district.  They offer an outreach program through a collaboration with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to assist other districts in creating in-house online programs called Bridges Virtual Education Services.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Blended Learning - That which we call a rose...

A question of linguistics - how do you describe your online program?  I've found that conversations can get confusing, convoluted and down-right difficult when individuals discuss online learning programs.  In semantics, meaning is sometimes confused, or lost all together.  iNACOL has taken strides to work through this definition jungle, offering the Online Learning Definitions Project, and while I have never been a fan of jargon (my humble apologies, researchers) the question warrants discussion, especially as classrooms extend beyond their four walls achieving, sometimes, global reach.

My background with blended learning began as I coached teachers through integrating technology into their brick-and-mortar classes.  As our school district added a virtual program to meet the growing needs of students, and implemented a 1:1 computer environment at the high school setting, that role expanded to helping teachers find content-rich materials to add to both their fully online and/or blended brick-and-mortar class.  The idea was to offer ubiquitous learning - anytime, anywhere - as students' needs and interests continued to blossom under the influence of Web 2.0 philosophies and the constructivist classroom.  Teachers were able to create learning environments, rich with multimedia and online resources, that not only supplemented their curriculum, but became a integral part of it.

In our district, there was little difficulty in explaining what we were trying to accomplish for students.  If there was any confusion, it was easy to focus back on students and question, "What must we as an institution do in order to meet the needs of students?"  However, once I ventured outside of our district, and became engrossed in the panoramic online education landscape - vibrant with nuance and unique circumstances - my understanding of blended learning became muddled when reading the research, or having conversations with practitioners around the world.

Although these conversations have helped me grow as a professional, this adolescence has been painful, with misconceptions and misunderstanding abounding.  However, I have recently been introduced to a graphic which has offered a much clearer picture of what I've been trying to describe to others.  Through Greg Vanourek's Defining Dimensions of Online Learning I was offered my "a-ha" moment.

For me, it has been impossible to have a word, or word pairing, that encompasses all that is involved in online learning. This graphic - complete with punctuated stop lines that show divisions between concrete "types" as well as flowing arrows to designate a continuum - offered me the first clear picture, in my mind, of a way to describe, compare and contrast ones online program in a way that would be discernible to others.

I believe my confusion stemmed from an understanding of what "blended" learning is, and once that concept was in mind, a plethora of understandings came along for the ride.  It would be like using the word "snow" to represent what is meant by "winter."  In this graphic, visually I see represented aspects, or dimensions, of an online program, and by showing what one means, rather than forcing a concept to be hammered into a word, I believe conversations can more easily take place between practitioners.  By showing and explaining aspects or dimensions of my program, anyone can compare/contrast it with their own.  For conversations, this is brilliant, and I am so pleased to have this visual reference.

For offering studies, sharing information, and research work, a clear understanding and definition of terms is important, but as I spend time learning and sharing what I'm doing through conversations, I appreciate the power of a graphic!


Saturday, September 8, 2012

Leadership in Online Learning - A Missing Link

The prevalence of online learning continues to spread.  Recently, Education Week reported on a district in Wisconsin that requires its students to take an online course for graduation.  This is not a new trend, but one that has been expanding through K-12 as districts look to prepare students for the 21st Century workplace and/or continued schooling.  In both cases, part of that continued education will most likely lead to an individual taking a course through electronic means, so the preparation is more than appropriate.

As this trend grows, colleges and universities that prepare students for the education field  have started offering courses and concentration areas in best practices in online teaching.  With guidance from organizations such as iNACOL, International Association for K-12 Online Learning and SREB, Southern Regional Education Board institutions of higher education have gained a clear and solid picture of the attributes needed in order to be a successful educator in an online environment.  This understanding has helped mold stronger teacher candidates graduating from these innovative programs - an impressive and necessary occurrence.

My focus shifts to the educational leader.  How are colleges and universities preparing leaders in the online environment?  I've found examples of guidance for current leaders who begin overseeing online programs, and there are current administrators who are successfully overseeing online programs, but the link that I am missing, or cannot find, is how higher education is preparing aspiring leaders to lead in the online environment.  

How can we embed leadership in the online environment into educational leadership programs, just as we have been embedding teaching in the online environment into teacher preparation programs?


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Leaving a Legacy

You are what you leave behind.  As educators, we leave a constant stream of influences, which pulses out of our classrooms and affects much more than we will ever see.  However, it is in looking at our purpose, that we focus fully on what we are offering the world.  Like Randy Pausch delivering his last lecture "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" to a packed audience at Carnegie Mellon, or Mitch Albom returning to the company of his college professor for wisdom on the meaning of life, there is something within every educator compelling us to not only share, but also make this world a better place today than it was when we arrived.

We sit at an incredible threshold of educational philosophy.  No other time has been as interesting, or tumultuous, in our profession.  It is my hope in this blog to look at leadership in this time of change.  As I look into myself, molded by professors and mentors, I am driven to fulfill a larger purpose.  As a librarian, I affected many students - fostered a love of reading and learning in all I touched.  As a leader, I hope to affect those who teach, and create rivers, not streams of influence, that help reshape an educational system in need of change.

As I explore what it means to be a leader in this fantastic time for education, I will share my influences with you.  Please join me as I learn to lead.