Syllabus
EDUC 630U: School Technology
Instructor: Karen Work Richardson, PhD
Room: Learning Lab, Boatwright Library, Online: Zoom
Email: krichar4@richmond.edu, witchyrichy@gmail.com
Phone: 757 870 9852
Office Hours: By Appointment Before and After Class Meeting
Required Materials:
Device connected to UR wireless that can complete class assignments (ie, laptop, tablet): You WILL need access on the first night so please touch base with IT prior to 6 PM on August 27, 2019.
Mobile device (aka a smart phone) for some assignments: we won’t chew through too much data, mostly taking pictures or making and sharing short videos. You should be able to install apps such as Twitter.
Goals and Objectives:
This course lies squarely at the intersection of educational technology and school leadership. We will explore a range of issues, from pedagogical considerations and associated tool choices to more pragmatic leadership issues of planning, funding, and faculty development. This course is designed to advance technological literacy for school leaders. This includes running software, using programs to generate and manipulate data, compiling data in order to present it, troubleshooting basic computer challenges, using technology to communicate and collaborate with others, and using technology to support instruction.
Through practical applications of the appropriate use of instructional technologies, students will be able to examine how schools should utilize technology to improve student learning and teacher creativity and expression. The standards that follow serve as the main objectives and content outline for this course:
Students will use computer systems to run software; to access, generate, and manipulate data; and to publish results. They will also evaluate performance of hardware and software components of computer systems and apply basic troubleshooting strategies as needed.
Students will apply tools for enhancing their own professional growth and productivity. They will use technology in communicating, collaborating, conducting research, and solving problems. In addition, they will plan and participate in activities that encourage lifelong learning and will promote equitable, ethical, and legal use of computer/technology resources.
Students will apply computers and related technologies to support instruction in their school. They will learn about the latest software, applications, and learning tools that can be utilized by their teachers and students. Students will also be introduced to instructional technology integration models to use in designing and assessing technology enhanced instruction.
The students will be asked to reflect on the class through 10 hours of embedded field experience. Please see the embedded activities explanation for further information.
Course content and activities are organized around the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) and Virginia’s Uniform Performance Standards for Principals* which are listed below:
Virginia’s Uniform Performance Standards for Principals*
- Instructional Leadership
The principal fosters the success of all students by facilitating the development, communication, implementation, and evaluation of a shared vision of teaching and learning that leads to student academic progress and school improvement.
- School Climate
The principal fosters the success of all students by developing, advocating, and sustaining an academically rigorous, positive, and safe school climate for all stakeholders.
- Human Resources Management
The principal fosters effective human resources management by assisting with selection and induction, and by supporting, evaluating, and retaining quality instructional and support personnel.
- Organizational Management
The principal fosters the success of all students by supporting, managing, and overseeing the school’s organization, operation, and use of resources.
- Communication and Community Relations
The principal fosters the success of all students by communicating and collaborating effectively with stakeholders.
- Professionalism
The principal fosters the success of all students by demonstrating professional standards and ethics, engaging in continuous professional development, and contributing to the profession.
- Student Academic Progress
The principal’s leadership results in acceptable, measurable student academic progress based on established standards.
*Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Administrators, and Superintendents, approved by the Virginia Board of Education February 23, 2012. Updated 2015.
Your coursework and the program’s required 320 hour internship experience will address Virginia’s seven Uniform Performance Standards for Principals (UPSP), which are listed above and can be found in greater detail on Blackboard and on the VDOE website.
State regulation language notes that all internship students will have:
completed a minimum of 320 clock hours of a deliberately structured and supervised internship that provides exposure to multiple sites (elementary, middle, high, central office, agency) with diverse student populations.
These experiences shall be an integral component of a Virginia Board of Education approved preparation program. The internship must be focused on instructional leadership and learning for all students and must occur in a public school or accredited nonpublic school.
In this course, you will be required to complete a minimum of ten hours of embedded field activities. (If you earn fewer – you can complete the additional hours in Leadership Seminar to ensure 320 total hours.)
All courses:
Syllabi and course assignments are purposefully planned to allow students to experience the required five areas of concentration at all levels and with diverse student populations. Course instructors will confer with students throughout each semester to review and discuss embedded hours, activities, and work sites. Each embedded core course activity will tie to a minimum of one of the seven Virginia Uniform Performance Standards for Principals (UPSP). Embedded course activities will be required course assignments for all students and will be present in all required program classes.
Students will utilize the Course Embedded Field Experiences Activity Log to track UPSP activities, hours and work sites. The completed embedded Activity Log, signed by the student and instructor, must be provided to the ELPS program’s administrative coordinator for placement in the student’s file. Blank embedded hours logs and a sample completed embedded hours log are found in your Leadership Seminar and Internship Handbook and on the ELPS Program/Internship Blackboard site.
VDOE Administration & Supervision Competencies
The following VDOE Administration & Supervision Competencies are included in EDUC 603U: 1f, 1g, 1h, 2c, 3f, 3h, 4d, 5b
- Knowledge, understanding, and application of planning, assessment, and instructional leadership that builds collective professional capacity, including;
- Knowledge, understanding, and application of the federal and state regulatory requirements, and expectations associated with identification, education, and evaluation of students with disabilities;
- Collaboratively working with parents and school personnel to ensure that students with disabilities are included as a valued part of the school community, and that they receive effective and appropriately intensive instruction to assist them in meeting the standards set for all students, as well as individual goals outlined in their individualized education plans (IEPs);
- Integration of technology in curriculum and instruction to enhance learner understanding;
- Knowledge, understanding, and application of leadership and organizations, including;
- Information sources and processing, including data collection and data analysis strategies;
- Knowledge, understanding, and application of management and leadership skills that achieve effective and efficient organizational operations and sustain an instructional program conducive to student academic progress, including;
- Principles and issues related to school facilities and use of space and time for supporting high-quality school instruction and student learning;
- Technologies that support management functions; and
- Knowledge, understanding, and application of the conditions and dynamics impacting a diverse school community, including:
- Integration of technology to support communication efforts.
- Knowledge, understanding, and application of the purpose of education and the role of professionalism in advancing educational goals, including:
- Integration of high quality, content rich, job-embedded professional learning that respects the contribution of all faculty and staff members in building a diverse professional learning community;
Course Guidelines and Expectations:
We will meet three Tuesdays from 6 to 8:40 PM in the Learning Lab: August 27, October 29, and December 3. You should bring a laptop with you and you are encouraged to bring other devices as well. This is a VERY active class: you’ll be creating and collaborating both during and in between class. Come prepared to be involved.
Communication Guidelines:
I will use email extensively to communicate with you about the course so it is essential that you check your preferred email on a daily basis. I will send group email reminders as well as personal emails providing feedback on your progress in the course. You can expect me to reply to email questions within 24 hours although I will often do so much more quickly. However, I am not a night owl so if you send an email at 11 PM on Sunday evening asking about that week’s assignments, you cannot expect an answer until Monday morning. Hence, waiting until the last minute to even look at assignments is not a good idea. I have also provided my phone number and, while I encourage you to use it, my preferred times for contacting me are 9 AM to 7 PM.
Deadlines
Readings and activities are expected to be completed before the class as indicated on the schedule. I will assume that this is the case as I design class activities.
Major assignment deadlines have been set at the beginning of the semester to make you make plans. If you need additional time to complete a project, please contact me well in advance so we can make arrangements for an alternative deadline. The final project, which you will be working on through the semester, must be turned in on time. No additional time can be given due to grade submission deadlines.
Grading Scale and Policy:
If I had my choice, I would not award grades for this class. I share much of Alfie Kohn’s ideas about the way grades inversely affect learning. I will say to you what Kohn said to his high school students:
When I was teaching high school, I did a lot of things I now regret. But one policy that still seems sensible to me was saying to students on the first day of class that, while I was compelled to give them a grade at the end of the term, I could not in good conscience ever put a letter or number on anything they did during the term – and I would not do so. I would, however, write a comment – or, better, sit down and talk with them – as often as possible to give them feedback.
You will receive lots of feedback from me and your classmates and you will be reflecting on your learning throughout the semester in a variety of ways.
I simply begin with the assumption that everyone is aiming to do his or her best work. If you choose to skip an assignment or simply “phone it in” I will follow up with you to see what we can do to get it done or make it better. If, for whatever reason, you choose not to do these things, then there will be some discussion of that final grade, but in the many years of teaching both online and face-to-face courses using this assessment philosophy, I have only had to have that conversation one or two times.
There are a variety of ways to participate in this course, and I believe that all of them are of equal importance. While I encourage you to experience all of them, you will probably find that some are more comfortable for you. Therefore, I have weighted the various assignments equally.
My colleague at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Jon Becker, uses the following scale that he borrowed from Dr. Gary Stager:
I did not participate
I phoned-it in
I impressed my colleagues
I impressed my friends and neighbors
I impressed my family
I impressed Dr. Richardson
I impressed myself
From time-to-time, I will ask you to assess your own learning. Also, while I believe the degree to which you impressed yourself should be the ultimate assessment in this and all doctoral courses, you will get feedback from me throughout this semester and you will get a final letter grade using the University of Richmond scale:
Grading Scale (from the SPCS Catalog)
Grade Points: Given for each semester hour’s grade according to the following scale:
A+ 4.0
B+ 3.3
C+ 2.3
D+ 1.3
A 4.0
B 3.0
C 2.0
D 1.0
A- 3.7
B- 2.7
C- 1.7
D- 0.7
**Note Regarding Graduate Course Credit**
Graduate credit is allowed only for courses approved for graduate credit in which grades of ‘B-‘ (2.7) or better are received. No credit toward graduation will be given for a SPCS graduate course in which the student earns a grade lower than ‘B-‘ (2.7). Students enrolled in graduate programs in the School are expected to maintain at least a ‘B’ (3.0) average to remain in the program. A student who earns less than ‘B-‘ (2.7) in two graduate courses will not be permitted to continue in the degree program.
Honor Code
It is expected that all candidates will adhere to the honor system. Unless otherwise instructed, all work in this course should be completed independently. Any collaborative exercises will be clearly explained and defined in class. Assignments require the written pledge of adherence to the honor code, stated as follows:
“I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance during the completion of this work.”
Embedded Internship Hours
State regulation language notes that all internship students will have completed a minimum of 320 clock hours of a deliberately structured and supervised internship that provides exposure to multiple sites (elementary, middle, high, central office, agency) with diverse student populations. These experiences shall be an integral component of a Virginia Board of Education approved preparation program. The internship must be focused on instructional leadership and learning for all students and must occur in a public school or accredited nonpublic school.
In this course, you will be required to complete a minimum of ten hours of embedded field activities.
Syllabi and course assignments are purposefully planned to allow students to experience the required five areas of concentration at all levels and with diverse student populations. Course instructors will confer with students throughout each semester to review and discuss embedded hours, activities and work sites. Each embedded core course activity will tie to a minimum of one of the seven Virginia Uniform Performance Standards for Principals (UPSP). Embedded course activities will be required course assignments for all students and will be present in all required program classes.
Students will utilize the Course Embedded Field Experiences Activity Log to track UPSP activities, hours and work sites. The completed embedded activity log, signed by the student and instructor, must be provided to the ELPS program’s administrative coordinator for placement in the student’s file. Blank embedded hours logs and a sample completed embedded hours log are found in your Leadership Seminar and Internship Handbook and on the Internship Blackboard site.
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Official Attendance Policy
State licensure regulations determine much of what we teach. At the completion of the program, we certify to the Virginia Department of Education that each candidate seeking licensure has met the required competencies for his/her endorsement area. Because of the sheer quantity of skills and knowledge required for licensure, we not only teach a variety of ideas in class, but also model different instructional approaches. When candidates are not in class it is impossible to determine whether they adequately have mastered the objectives for that session. Further, when candidates miss class, they not only deprive themselves of a learning opportunity, they deprive their students of a completely prepared teacher. Consequently, attendance at EVERY class session is critical and therefore REQUIRED. Regardless of the reason for an absence, candidates are responsible for the content of the class and any related assignments.
Excessive Absences:
If a student meets academic requirements but is absent for 25% (or more) of class meetings, a grade of V (failure due to excessive absences) will be recorded. A grade of “F” will be assigned if the student misses excessive classes and has not met the academic requirements to pass the class.
Please note: Area K-12 school calendars do not coincide with the University’s calendar, therefore, class may be in session even if the public independent schools are not.
Absences for Religious Observances and Holidays
The University is a secular institution that values a diversity of religious expression. Any student may be excused from class or other assignments because of religious observance. A student who will miss an academic obligation because of religious observance is responsible for contacting his or her professor within the first two weeks of the semester. The student is responsible for completing missed work in a timely manner. The entire religious observance policy may be found at: http://registrar.richmond.edu/planning/religious-observance.html
Student With Disabilities
Students with disabilities must apply for accommodations through the Student Development Office as soon as possible. The following link provides information and required forms: disability.richmond.edu.
The main purpose of the University Disability Coordinator’s office is to make sure students with disabilities have the same chance for success (defined as average performance or better) as students who do not have disabilities. The designated disability advisors do this by making sure that students with disabilities are able to access learning material, buildings, services, and programs at the University of Richmond. Once reasonable access is provided, it is up to the student to do the necessary work-the disability advisors and accommodations help make sure that students have the chance to do it.
University Disability Coordinator:
Office of Associate Vice President for Student Development
Tina Cade, Associate Vice President
28 Westhampton Way
University of Richmond, 23173
(804) 289-8032
tcade@richmond.edu
Inclement Weather
As a residential institution, the University is committed to a year-round operating schedule. It is the intent of the University to remain open and adhere to full operations, including normal class schedules, whenever possible. Commuting students, faculty, and staff should always exercise their best judgment with regard to road conditions and other safety concerns.
If weather conditions make it impossible to maintain a reasonable level of academic activity and business functions, the University may alter the daily schedule. Weather-related closings and delays for the University of Richmond are broadcast by local radio and television stations, including public radio station WCVE (88.9). Faculty, staff and students will receive weather and delay or cancellation information through email and at alert.richmond.edu. Information can also be found by calling the Weather Hotline at 804.289.8760.
In the event that classes are canceled due to inclement weather, students should check Blackboard for further instructions.
Student Safety
A clear expectation exists that students, in all academic interactions, will behave in a manner that promotes an emotionally and physically safe learning environment. Behaviors that interrupt the learning environment will be addressed as necessary.
You are urged to sign up for the UR Alert System. In the event of an emergency requiring immediate campus-wide communication, the University of Richmond has a comprehensive system in place—called UR Alert—to send emergency updates and instructions via voice, text, and e-mail messages to faculty, staff, and students. For more information and sign-up instructions, visit the UR Alert page at: http://preparedness.richmond.edu/notification/uralert.html
- UR Police, emergency: (804) 289-8911 (911 on campus)
- UR Police, non-emergency: (804) 289-8715
- UR Switchboard: (804) 289-8000
- UR Hotline: (804) 289-8760
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