RSA4: Module 5—Shared Goals for Learning

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED489149.pdf

                Within our discussions and readings, the importance of working collaboratively and ways to improve communication and develop a positive learning community have been presented.  In our current module, methods to grow as a collaborative team as well as working towards shared goals are significant topics.  “An instructor can use a number of techniques to move students in the direction of embracing a shared goal…” (Palloff and Pratt 159). These techniques include negotiating guidelines, posting introductions and learning expectations, encouraging comment on introductions, forming teams, and posting guidelines for team performance (Palloff and Pratt).    It’s interesting to reflect on our own online classes and sense of community.  These techniques are often used in our cohort and have worked to bring us together and to build a sense of commonality.

                The online resource found is one of seven modules that outlines a school improvement project.  Module five was particularly interesting because it focuses on shared goals and how those lead to enhanced school improvement as well as success for students (Appalachia Ed Lab).  It states that goal setting is a process that is often seen, but that is often not effective.   Setting realistic, specific and achievable goals is the desired outcome, but often see are an “…excess of general, vague statements that did little to energize faculty or mobilize family and community support.” (Appalachia Ed Lab 7)  Writing specific goals can have the following benefits:

• Specific goals convey a message directly to teachers that they are capable of improvement.

• Specific goals provide a basis for rational decision making, for ways to organize and execute their instruction.

• Specific goals enable teachers to gauge their success.

• Specific goals promote professional dialogue.    (Appalachia Ed Lab 7).

                The readings and the article relate in many ways, overall topic being the most obvious.  Reading deeper into the article, characteristics of good goals are given.  Also in the article are ways goals can be seen and evaluated across a learning community.   Through our modules, we are learning how to write effective and realistic goals and how to implement and present them within a learning community.   

Resources:

Appalachia Educational Lab., C. V. (2005). Module 5--Shared Goals for Learning. School Improvement Specialist Training Materials: Performance Standards, Improving Schools, and Literature Review. Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia.

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K.  (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.

RSA3: Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ909918.pdf

This week’s learning module centered on building effective online learning communities.  Readings discussed methods for building online communities as well as a multitude of issues that can arise and need to be considered while working collaboratively online.  It is becoming more apparent that learning in the 21^st century is moving away from the normal classroom setting to online or hybrid formats, much like our current graduate program.  When designing and implementing online courses, flexibility was discussed as being key.  Also, the learning styles of students need to be considered and teachers “need to be diligent and deliberate in ensuring their (student’s) success (Palloff and Pratt, 5).   Overcoming issues such as student’s not taking an active role, privacy, lack of human contact and support, as well as physical issues such as muscle or back pain and online addiction is another aspect of online communities that differs from traditional classroom settings. 

In the professional article cited above, the high demand for online courses was explained and examples of how these demands are being met at the collegiate level were given.  The study discussed teacher’s roles and how positive teacher actions can influence student learning, “education experts agree that faculty are the key element in creating and maintaining a quality online education program” (Jackson, Jones, and Rodriguez, 79).  Faculty responsibilities such as e-mailing students, making personal connections, holding regular office hours, having clear procedures and expectations, handling technical issues promptly, were stated as some of the actions that directly resulted in student success and student satisfaction.  Within this article, one can also find data from student evaluations on the effectiveness of online courses.

The article and the assigned module readings went hand in hand.  Building online communities takes flexibility and responsibility on the part of both the student and the teacher.  Although there are many issues that face both, the emphasis is on working together and building standards that result in a successful and meaningful experience.  

References:

Jackson, L. C., Jones, S. J., & Rodriguez, R. C. (2010). Faculty Actions that Result in Student Satisfaction in Online Courses. Journal Of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14(4), 78-96.

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K.  (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.

RSA2- Walking the Talk: Tools for Continuous Improvement in a Professional Development School

http://20.132.48.254/PDFS/EJ915880.pdf

Our current module looks at the challenges that PLCs can face along with how to develop a culture within a PLC.  Developing PLCs within a school is not easy. “Real change is real hard.” (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Many 248).  There are many shifts that need to take place, as our text outlines.  Shifts in thinking as well as planning and doing need to occur; teachers have to learn to work within a group to develop common lessons and assessments as opposed to working in isolation to develop curriculum.  As seen in successful PLCs, more individuals are needed to take on leadership roles, so shared leadership is a common practice.  Flexibility needs to occur, leaders need to stay true to goals and purpose, whereas group members need to work together and show flexibility in execution.  In order to be successful and to create a positive climate, staff involved need to show sustainability in focus, work ethic, energy and leadership. 

The article Walking the Talk: Tools for Continuous Improvement in a Professional Development School (Ballock 2010) describes ways in which groups like PLCs can be supported and can best develop and grow.  Using the steps outlined in this article can give PLCs the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and record progress towards the achievement of specific goals.  The first step involves using “self-assessment tools to reflect on strengths and areas for growth” (Ballock 49).  The end result of this stage is for a professional development group to write one or more goals based on areas to improve as well as where the group agrees it would like to go.  The second step incorporates accountability and progress monitoring.  All group members clarify goals, decide what the end product should look like, and discuss how everyone will stay focused and how the group will collect data.  Finally, during the last stage group members share progress, celebrate success and plan for the future.

Our current topic of study relates to this online article in many ways.  Goal setting holds a major part in each resource.  Setting attainable and realistic goals as well as using data and focusing on outcomes are discussed in each.  Sustaining efforts and making sure all members of a group are on the same page are also present and reported as very important steps in group success.

References

Ballock, E. (2010). Walking the Talk: Tools for Continuous Improvement in a Professional Development School. School-University Partnerships, 4(1), 47-55.

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: A handbook for

professional learning communities at work (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree

Press.

RSA1- Project Summit: A cooperative effort to effect teacher change

RSA1- Project Summit: A cooperative effort to effect teacher change

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_2_127/ai_n29321101/

            Professional Learning Communities are in essence about sharing.  Teachers share a vision for improvement, goals to help ensure student learning, common assessments and common planning time.  Administrators share responsibilities in the passing of information to staff, assisting with teacher buy-in, allotting time and resources for teachers, and following through in regards to group participation and growth.  A school wide commitment to effectively enact change, increase student achievement and professional growth is a shared responsibility of all.   Through Module 2, understanding the foundation for PLCs has been the focus. 

            The article “Project Summit: A cooperative effort to effect teacher change” (2006) describes an attempt by a district to increase teacher interest and endorsement of staff development and to boost staff morale.  Ensuring teacher change and cooperation in a school wide development plan can be very difficult.  As teachers, we have all been subjected to long meetings consisting of an overload of data and grand ideas that we feel we have little connection to and little desire to follow through with.  As described in this article, there are many reasons why teachers are not buying into staff development and why teachers are not implementing practices learned.  These reasons deal with resources, lack of leadership, problems disseminating information and inadequate implementation procedures.  One theme of this article is that schools should emphasize “the importance of collaboration of participants” (Gerla, Gilliam & Wright 283), which directly connects with our discussions regarding PLC.

            Through the article by Gerla, Gilliam and Wright (2006), similarities were seen when compared to the current module of study.  In this article, teachers were asked to accomplish a common goal through instruction, implementation, ongoing supervision and feedback, formative and summative evaluation, and results.  These components were also presented in our Module 2 readings and are parts of our PLC model.  Both our readings and this article discuss staff feelings of empowerment and how often teachers are asked to perform tasks that they do not believe will benefit themselves or students.  Both readings emphasize teachers working together collaboratively as well as “reciprocal accountability” (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Many 69), which looks at administrations role in helping educate teachers as well as being responsible to ensure teachers know why the PLC or staff development theme is important to all.   There is a focus on common assessment, common planning time, and working through content.  “Collaborative teams of teachers work together to build shared knowledge” (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Many 65); teachers are not expected to carry the burden of change and growth as an individual, but as an active member of a group. 

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: A handbook for

professional learning communities at work (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree

Press.

Gerla, J., Gilliam, B., & Wright, G. (2006). Project Summit: A Cooperative Effort to Effect Teacher Change. Education, 127(2), 280-286.