Goal:In what ways do I facilitate distance learning students through professional development opportunities?


Action Plan


Step 1: Research various workshop offered at other universities and software used.
Time line: Start – July 2010/ End – October 2010
Resources needed: On line resources, Colleagues at other institutions, Professional memberships
Evaluate: Keep file of information and of the data found

Step 2: Talk to distance education about utilizing resources
Time line: Start – August 2010/End – October 2010
Resources needed:Distance education staff
Evaluate:Information gathered from action step one
Make record of notes from meetings and follow-up emails.

Step 3: Send Survey’s to employers where our students need assistance.
Time line: Start – August 2010/ End – September 2010

Resources needed:Assistance of Director, Survey Monkey and Interfase systems
Evaluate:Look at results of survey and make notes on workshops

Step 4:. Build Workshops utilizing new software
Time line: Start – August 2010/ End – October 2010 -Career Center Staff
Resources needed: Blackboard, Adobe Connect, and Captive
Evaluate:Take notes on what works and what doesn’t

Step 5: Track the number of students using the workshops.

Time line: Start – August 2010/ End – November 2010

Resources needed: Blackboard, Adobe Connect and Captive
Evaluate:Compile the data in a spreadsheet



Step 6: Survey students that have sat through on-line workshops and Compare to surveys from traditional workshops
Time line: Start – August 2010/ End – December 2010

Resources needed: Survey Monkey, Interfase systems
Evaluate:Build chart to show what students are utilizing from both on-line and traditional to show how we can better facilitate their needs.

Week 2- Interviews

As I listened to each interview, it made me really think about all the pressure placed upon principals and teachers with data. I work at the University level, where data is not emphasized with regards to academics. This concept of teaching for assessment was fairly new to me. I do understand the Universities align curriculum based on data but teaching from data in order to raise student achievement is not heard of. These interviews gave me great insight to why data is important in schools today. It was interesting when Dr. Chargois made a comment about how teaching has changed over the last decade. A teacher 20 years ago was in the field because they want to change and touch one child. That mentality is no longer supported by teachers. The current focus is on data and how teachers and principals are assisting student achievement through both qualitative and quantitative data. With all the daily task put on educators, it is more important than ever to make sure that teachers are not only being taught how to understand data but how to change instruction based on data.

Education Leaders and Blogging

Educational leaders can use blogging as a communication tool that will assist in gaining further insight into issues or problems. Moreover, blogs could be used by school leaders with the simple intention of sharing information. The leaders within the university could strengthen their ties to the community, stakeholders, staff and faculty buy opening up lines of communication. One idea is to put out thoughts on new programs or what is going to be happening in the future. This could open up doors to begin collecting ideas on the university strategic plan from feedback on blogs they post as well as make the staff feel as they have a voice in making decisions on policy or plans. The hard part for educational leaders is finding the time to participate in blogging along with action research. I really like the example of finding time to work out. (Dana, 2009) It was clear that when you find time to do engage in blogging and action research, then in the long run you will be in a good position to make better decisions as a leader.

Action Research

Before taking this class I never heard of the term "action research." After reading through various text, assigned by the class, I discovered that this process is used in my current position just in a different form. While their are many different ways to carry out the process, the key is that it begins and begins with reflection that will lead to an unanswered questions or as I refer to as the "unknown." By going through this process, any leader will be able to better understand the inquires that they are researching because it is more interactive and internal. I am not a principal nor do I aspire to become one, however I do work in higher education in an environment that has high traffic with lots of problems that arise daily. It is really hard to stop my world to begin researching new ways of dealing with issues so it usually either written down on scratch paper somewhere on my desk or forgotten about until in occurs again. I feel that I could benefit from action research in my current

because so often we jump into new projects or ideas without putting all the pieces together. Part of this is my fault. By this I mean that I admit that I am an impulsive person. However, using the steps outlined in this course, I can begin to make my own diagnosis of problems in a more systematic way. Eventually by taking these steps at my own pace instead rushing into the results, I can be more confident in my findings that will lead to more successful implementation.

I really liked the idea of professional learning communities (PLC) used in the Dana text. Sometimes I feel the isolation factor because although no one else holds the same role as I do its hard to get everyone on the same page . With using action research I can involve other staff members and gain more insight that I would not have thought of on my own.