Course Offerings for Spring 2010

Technology Leadership and the Schools
MSTU 5510.001
January 20, 2010 - May 11, 2010
Meeting times: 5:10 pm - 6:50 pm on Thursdays
Instructor: Ellen Meier

More than ever before, leadership is needed to create a shared vision for meaningful integration of technology in our schools. Competing visions for technology use are at play and decision-makers need to understand the implications of these competing visions. New York City has created a handful of 21st Century Schools, and other districts around the country are exploring new technology-centered schools. Whose vision for technology is being promulgated? Whose vision for schooling is assumed in the use of technology? What policies are shaping the development of new schooling approaches? What are the implications for equity?

If technology is to be a catalyst for school change – a means of rethinking the possibilities for teaching and learning both inside and outside the classroom — then it is incumbent upon educators to articulate a clear educational vision. Research makes it clear that both teachers and administrators need to understand more about how to integrate technology in ways that transform learning.

We will explore some classic texts on organizations, along with emerging literature on leadership theory and practice and recent technology research. The class will develop case studies to illustrate key aspects of leadership challenges related to technology integration.

Student Teaching Practicum - Technology Specialists
MSTU 4700.001
January 20, 2010 - May 11, 2010
Meeting times: 5:10 pm - 6:50 pm on Tuesdays
Instructor: Ellen Meier

This student practicum will address issues related to student teaching as a Technology Specialist. We will use Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005) as one of our texts to reflect on projects we help teachers develop and projects we develop to implement ourselves. In addition, we will use a formative assessment book for teachers, Using Data to Improve Learning for All: A Collaborative Inquiry Approach (Love, 2009) to address issues of leadership related to our role as Technology Specialists. We will also be exploring another resource, Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom (Delpit, 2006), a classic account of cultural diversity, to better understand our role as “cultural translators” for children. Finally, we will also spend time debriefing our experiences in the classroom and thinking about how best to match our unique skills with the unique challenges posed by various schooling situations. These discussions should help us as we start thinking about job interviews and appropriate placements for ourselves going forward.