Educational Leadership with Technology Focus
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​Enterprise Architecture

Module 12 Reflection - Final Reflection

4/9/2016

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I have learned an inordinate amount of information through this course.  I have never taken any sort of business class so I was unfamiliar with the concept that businesses depend heavily on good organization and architecture.  The first critical thing I learned was how there are frameworks that exist solely to support the successful organization of businesses with technology, such as EA.  If you had asked me before what made a business successful I might have been able to list a few things.  Now, I feel like I could give you a thorough description of the different components, how they should work together and I could use technical vocabulary to support my thoughts.  Knowing this will help me as an educational leader because I now know that school sites should be run effectively, but the overall district needs to be functioning properly with a solid vision and architecture for students to receive the best educational experience.

The second critical thing I learned was what it takes to examine the current Enterprise Architecture within a school district.  Although it was difficult to collect information about a school district, this was one of the most valuable parts of the course.  I learned all about the different departments in the district, the decision makers, and the overall organization and architecture.  I also examined how data is used and the current privacy protections in place in the district.  This has fully prepared me to work as an educational leader within this district because I am now familiar with the current state of the architecture.  Anyone can have an opinion on how things could be improved within a district, but the fact that I have spent quite a bit of time examining the current state, I am better prepared to make suggestions because I know what is already in place.  Learning about a specific district and their architecture allowed me to apply what I have learned in this course and was extremely valuable.

The last critical thing I learned was how to take each individual piece of the architecture, break it down to its most detailed level and examine the parts that need improvements.  I learned about the resources available that make this type of work possible.  For example, we had to complete the application rationalization in which we examined each component part of each application used within the district.  We had to examine the data inputs and outputs, functionality, technical support, classifications, process issues, costs and outcomes.  This was a valuable way to determine which applications needed immediate replacement and which were functioning well.  Having practice in this type of work has equipt me with resources that can be used to implement EA within an organization.  It’s one thing to determine which application requires replacing.  It’s another thing to analyze each and every detail of applications using standardized scales and being able to present the information in an organized way.  I am now prepared to do the latter.

Overall, I am now prepared to make a difference in a big way in my district.  I think being a principal is an important job and you can improve many things at a school site.  However, the work in this course has prepared me to make a difference at the district level.  I can help advise how successful the district is right now and how it can be improved.  I couldn’t do this alone, but I feel like now I would be a valuable asset to a team that would work to improve the overall organization and architecture of the district.  
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Module 11 Reflection

4/3/2016

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The organization that I am analyzing has a very thorough and well thought out educational technology plan that is available on the district website.  As far as a “district education plan,” though, I’m not sure that the district has one of these.  The district has their mission statement and their LCAP goals, but I do not know that the district has a separate education plan that would be similar to the technology plan.  This worries me because I feel like an educational agency needs to have a plan that outlines the educational goals they are working towards.  Unfortunately, the focus of the entire district is on technology right now, which is probably why the time was taken to write a technology plan, but not a education plan.  

Throughout our learning of EA, it has been made clear that educational goals and technology are tightly intertwined.  If educational goals and technology goals go hand in hand then I don’t believe there should be separate plans for each set of goals.  Isolating the technology goals in a separate technology plan detracts from the cohesiveness of how much technology and educational goals go together.  Districts should combine these two plans and have on overall educational plan that integrates technology.  This will demonstrate that technology is deeply woven into the educational plans of the district.  The organization that I am analyzing already has a very detailed educational technology plan, so adding overall educational goals instead of only technology goals would be a good way to start moving toward the integration of the educational plan and technology plan.
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Module 10 Reflection

3/26/2016

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This week we had to examine one area of technology for the organization we are analyzing and complete a brick for that area.  The brick examines applications that need to be replaced or improved.  The brick outlines the applications (or processes within the application) that need to be eliminated, ones that should be tracked to see if they would be a better fit for the organization, and ones that would be integrated within the next 2 or 5 years to improve overall functionality of the organization.  This same process can be used in my practice as a teacher because I can examine the technology tools that I am currently using in my classroom and determine which ones are ineffective and look for better options.  For example, I currently use Google Classroom to post information and assignments for my students to access, but Google Classroom’s functionality can be limited.  Students have to scroll excessively to find older assignments, it’s difficult for students to share certain documents, and the activity feed does not automatically update.  These problems are not overwhelming so I have not tried to find another application that could replace Google Classroom.  However, completing a brick for this area of a course management system could potentially help me find a better resource to use.  This brick activity can also be used for other instructional tools.  Teachers are constantly looking for video tutorials to share with students to support learning, so looking for a credible, reliable video tutorial bank would also be another way to use the brick activity.  Basically, you can use the brick activity with any area that teachers think they would like to improve.  It’s a dissection of current practices to determine what is already being used and then it is an examination of possible future practices to replace the ineffective ones.  I can see that the brick activity is very similar to Enterprise Architecture, but in a much more detailed and specific view.  Enterprise Architecture examines the current state of technology within an organization and then outlines the future state that the organization would like to move towards.  The brick activity does the same thing but only looks at one specific area of technology or application at a time.  This activity would be beneficial for all teachers to use to improve their practices.
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Module 9 Reflection

3/20/2016

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For this week’s assignment we had to examine the district’s devices to determine if they met all the requirements for the upcoming SBAC testing.  The district I am analyzing has participated in SBAC testing for the last two years so they are familiar with the process and have had devices in place for a while.  In order to find out the exact specifications for the devices that the district has, I met with one computer support technician to ask questions.  I was worried some of the questions would be too difficult for her to answer, but she knew all the answers right away.  I had to ask about the device model type, screen size, resolution, network connectivity, security and operating systems.  She did not have to ask anyone else for the answers.  She knew them all.  This impressed me.  I know it is her job to be familiar with the devices, operating systems and networks but the fact that she could answer all my questions quickly shows me that the IT department functions very well and has some amazing people working for the district.

Another discovery I made was that some sites have different supplemental devices.  All sites have 1:1 chromebooks for all students.  However, it turns out other sites have iPods and iPads as well.  These devices cannot be used for testing, but it was good information to learn.  It made me wonder why and how they received those additional devices and how other sites could receive the same thing.

Overall, my research this week showed me that the district I am examining has met all requirements for SBAC readiness.  This has been refreshing to learn because most of the other areas I have examined in this class so far have shown me that the district has many areas for improvement and gaps.  Although the areas for improvement and gaps are important to identify, it is equally important to identify the strengths of a district.  This would be one strength of the district.  They have an extremely strong IT department with knowledgeable staff who have prepared school sites for the upcoming SBAC test.  This is no easy task either.  The SBAC test is still very new for students and teachers so making the testing experience easier for all users is extremely beneficial.
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Module 8 Reflection

3/13/2016

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This week we took a closer look at the different applications that are used within the organization we are examining.  Last week we had to identify the applications that are used, but this week we had to scrutinize the application’s functionality, technical capabilities, process issues and costs.  This is an excellent approach to examining applications because it evaluates each application individually against a standardized rating scale.  This allows districts to determine which applications should receive immediate focus for improvements or replacements.  This is the primary reason for using Enterprise Architecture in general as well.  EA allows districts to examine what they currently have in place (current state) so they can look forward to what they need to improve (future state).  

Breaking down each part of the EA of a district is extremely helpful for anyone, but especially helpful to current and future leaders.  Often times staff can see that there are problems within a district.  Sometimes these problems can be identified, but not always.  From there, problem solving has to occur to make improvements and fix the problems.  With an entire organizational structure, this task can be a daunting one.  Using EA is a highly structured way for leaders to examine their current state of processes and the areas for improvement.  The specific way of outlining each aspect of the organization provides a detailed view of each part of the organization that contributes to the whole.  This results in informed decision making.  Without a thorough examination of the current state of the organization, decisions to improve the organization may be too narrowly focused or will not take into account the outcomes of decisions.  

Throughout the work I have done in this class, I can see how valuable EA is for making improvements within organizations.  Honestly, my first few weeks reading about and discussing EA were difficult.  I felt like it was such an abstract term that I could not fully grasp.  After eight weeks of assignments and readings that have allowed me to directly apply what I have learned to a real organization, I am gaining a much better understanding of EA.  I think the assignments will not only prepare me to apply what I’ve learned to different organizations, but it will equip me with some solid recommendations for improvements in my district.
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Module 7 Reflection

3/6/2016

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This week we had to examine the organization’s applications and explain how we would prioritize them.  With district applications, many are distinct and isolated from one another and information can not be transferred easily between applications.  One way to clarify and unify distinct applications within school districts is by using Enterprise Architecture (EA).  EA is used to align the business aspects, programs and information technology within an educational agency (Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook, 2014).  Although I am not an administrator yet, I could use EA to examine the district and their applications to help clarify or unify their applications.  There are multiple steps I would need to take to use EA (and I have done a lot of this work already for this class), but for aligning district applications, I would need to specifically focus on their Application Architecture (AA) .  The AA delineates the current applications being used in the district and how they interact (Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook, 2014).  I could create a visual representation of the applications within the district, how they interact and the overall structure.  This would provide the district with a visual of the current applications and they will see possibly areas for improvement.  Once I have developed the current state of the AA, I can look forward to the future state to examine how we can clarify and unify the district’s applications.  I will have to examine if certain applications are missing, if they have some that overlap unnecessarily and if they are not working properly (Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook, 2014).  This would be the time where I would also prioritize the applications and make suggestions about replacing or altering the applications that are least effective.  While looking for new applications, I would need to keep in mind the interoperability of the all applications.  This will mean that the new or altered applications I would recommend will ultimately bring the systems together instead of purchasing another isolated application.

Currently in the organization that I am analyzing, there are many distinct applications that are isolated, but there are also multiple applications that work well together.  The student information system used throughout the district (Q/Zangle) is available and used in most departments.  This application provides information for other applications such as OARS (student assessment application), Go Math Curriculum (digital math curriculum), and GAFE (email and collaboration application) so they work well together.  However, the application for Child Nutrition (OneSource) is not currently available to office staff or linked to the student information application (Q/Zangle).  Therefore, this organization can definitely benefit from using EA to unify applications to make information easily transferable from one application to another.  

Resources
Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook. (March, 2014). Reform Support Network. Retrieved February 2, 2016, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/implementation-support-unit/tech-assist/education-architecture-guidebook.pdf
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Module 6 Reflection

2/28/2016

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The Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) is a new law in California that prohibits the selling of student data for advertising or other reasons (Herold, 2014).  This puts a lot of the responsibility on the operators of online educational programs.  This law is a big step towards protecting students because it allows teachers to use various online resources without running the risk of accidentally releasing student information because SOPIPA prohibits the operators from using student information.  The biggest factor is that the operators of the online tools are not allowed to use student information.  This protects teachers because now they are not expected to scour and understand a lengthy and complex privacy policy before using a resource (although this still needs to be done somewhat because some operators may not be SOPIPA compliant).   

In the organization that I am analyzing for my enterprise architecture class there is a large department designated solely to Information Technology.  This department needs to be up-to-date on all current legislation that affects how schools use technology in the classroom, specifically what precautions educators need to take when it comes to protecting student privacy online. The IT department would also need to be diligent about investigating the privacy policies of the approved online educational tools teachers may use.  Providing an approved list to teachers will help guide them to use online tools that appropriately protect student privacy.  Additionally, if the IT department comes upon online tools that are not compliant with specific privacy policies, it is vital that all educators within the district are informed that they should not use that tool.  

Overall, the advice I would give a leadership team when it comes to protecting student privacy is that we need to be far more aware than we are about protecting student privacy.  I had no idea there were so many legal protections in place for student privacy and I have never been asked to investigate the privacy policy of an online tool I am using.  At the same time, though, I have been pushed to use as many new and innovative online tools a possible.  In fact, teachers get far more attention in a school district if they are using new and different online tools than the ones who are using the district provided and approved tools.  This worries me because there have been no conversations around protecting student privacy, but teachers are praised for using online tools.  How many teachers are currently breaking the law with their teaching practices? These laws need to be in the forefront of teachers’ minds when they are evaluating new online tools.  The IT team should be the leaders in informing the educational community about all current legislation (including SOPIPA) since they should be the most familiar with the legislation and how we can comply.  

Resources
Herold, B.  (2014).  Landmark student-data-privacy law enacted in california.  Education Week.  Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2014/09/_landmark_student-data-privacy.html
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Module 5 Reflection

2/21/2016

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This week we had to examine a data system that we have no experience with and present it to our classmates.  This is something that will be asked of us as administrators so I was glad to have the opportunity to do this now and practice.  Data is extremely important in education.  You could almost say it drives education.  Teachers help students learn content and then assess students on that content.  This provides the teacher with data on whether the students mastered that content.  Teachers can then take that data to provide interventions and enrichment activities for students.  Without assessments and data, teachers would not be able to evaluate how well students are doing in the classroom.  Of course this is not the only form of data that is collected in education.  

There are all types of data collected in education: attendance, assessments, demographics, programs and more.  All types of data support decision making at all levels within an educational agency.  Assessment data helps educators make decisions on what content areas need improvement, which can help make decisions about professional development to support these areas.  Attendance data helps educators make decisions on what types of programs are available at schools to enhance attendance.  Demographic data helps educators make decisions about which subgroups need extra interventions within school sites.  All of these unique sets of data can help students get the best educational experience.  Therefore, it is vital that all educators are aware of what kinds of data are available to them and how it can be used to improve their schools.

If teachers do not understand the sources of data, it can cause problems.  For example, educators need to understand that the current state assessments are based on the new Common Core State Standards, are administered digitally and are still in the beginning years of being administered.  Taking the data from these assessments as a completely accurate portrayal of student proficiency in grade level content would not be the best idea.  Digital tests can have many problems and may be harder for students to navigate.  The new set of standards are still being taught at varying degrees in each classroom so students may not have access to new curriculum.  The assessment will then only show a limited analysis of certain students’ capabilities.  Therefore, it is vital that teachers understand the sources of data when using it to inform teaching or to provide supports for specific students.  

In all, data is an extremely valuable resource in education, but should be used wisely.  Educators need to be aware of where data comes from and how they can use it.  Administrators will need to take an active role in educating their staff about data, its sources and how it is used.  Informing staff about how data works and how it should be used will ensure it is support student learning instead of causing problems.
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Module 4 Reflection

2/14/2016

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This week we were asked to use what we had learned about the current state Business Architecture of our organization and brainstorm possible improvements to the architecture and outline the future state of the organization.  Although this week did not require quite as much research, it took a lot of thought.  How would I improve our district’s current architecture? This is not an easy question, but it has been something that I’ve been thinking about since starting this master’s program.  Taking classes and evaluating different components of my school and district has opened my eyes to the many areas that could be improved.  Looking at ways to improve current systems and processes is probably the main reason why I’d like to take on a leadership role in the first place.  I always seek to improve routines and ways of teaching in my own classroom.  Now, I am looking at improving systems and processes within the district as a whole.  It’s a challenge, but it is preparing me for what it would be like as a future administrator.  

Evaluating the current state of our district’s Business Architecture was an extremely helpful step towards brainstorming improvements.  I had little to no knowledge on the systems or processes in place in the different departments within my district.  Now that I have a general understanding, it allows me to begin to brainstorm possible improvements.  No district is perfect and education is always changing, so it is important that leaders within the organization are constantly looking ahead and figuring out ways to improve the systems they already have in place.  One person that helped me the most this week was our office manager.  She is the go-between for many teachers and the different departments, so I asked her what she thought needed improving.  She said she’d like to have a faster turnaround for damaged devices and maintenance/operation work orders and she would like to have direct access to student information about transportation and child nutrition.  I agreed with her on the faster turnaround for technology and maintenance, but I had never thought about having access to more student information.  I always thought we didn’t have access because we weren’t supposed to have that information.  Wouldn’t it be so much more efficient if office managers and teachers had access to student bus information and student balances due to the child nutrition department? I really enjoy problem solving so this week I was really able to put this to the test.  Leaders within the district have a lot of power when making decisions because it really affects everyone at school sites.  The Child Nutrition Department’s decision to restrict access to staff on student balances makes it more difficult for teachers and office staff to support the department’s collection of funds.  Therefore, providing that information to staff would improve the current system that the department already has in place.

In all, I’ve learned that developing a future state for an organization is what will keep it moving forward.  It promotes change and improvement, which is how all organizations should operate.  Although my ideas may not be the best or work out for my organization, I like the idea of problem-solving to attempt to create change in my district.  That is my ultimate goal as a teacher and an administrator.  This class is allowing me one avenue to do this.  ​
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Module 3 Reflection

2/7/2016

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This week we had to examine our organization and describe the current Business Architecture.  The Business Architecture outlines the organization’s strategic business intent, and the plans on how to meet the goals outlined in the business intent (Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook, 2014).  I emailed the Directors of most departments and also emailed the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services and our Chief Technology Officer.  I asked each department if they had a mission statement (some were posted on our district’s website), knew their approximate annual budget, knew the state regulations that influenced their department, the number of staff working in their departments and if they had an organizational chart of their staff.

After emailing at least a dozen people to help figure out the current state of my organization’s Business Architecture I came to two conclusions.  First, I learned that my district has multiple departments that all need to work together to achieve the district’s overall vision.  I knew our district was large, but I never thought about the individual departments and how they work together to achieve one common goal.  Emailing the directors of all the different departments was eye-opening because I found out some really interesting information that I never knew.  Examining the organization’s architecture is something I am glad is expected of us because as a future administrator, it is essential that you understand how the entire organization works if you would like to make a difference.  

Second, I realized that although we have quite a few departments that need to work together, the connections between the departments are not always strong.  I know it is not going to be a perfect system, but I could not get much information on certain departments because I received no responses to my inquiries.  Oddly enough, the department I received no feedback from was the Teaching and Learning department, which is the department I have the most experience with.  I’m not sure if they didn’t have time to answer my emails, or if they didn’t know how to help me, but I received one response after emailing 4 people and that response said she didn’t know how to help me and the person that would have the information was really busy.   I heard back from almost every other department within a day or two, which I thought was impressive.  However, a few departments had to get back to me with information because it was not easily accessible.  The departments that had the quickest responses (which makes me assume they know the information off the top of their head) were Transportation, Facilities, Maintenance and Operations, Finance and Business, Technology and Human Resources.  Throughout all my inquiries the Chief Technology Officer has been extremely helpful and patient with me.  This gives me confidence that the systems and processes are well established in these departments because getting information to an out-of-department employee (me) was not difficult.  

Through this research I believe that our Business Architecture is well developed, but could be improved in a few areas.  For example, the Facilities, Maintenance and Operations departments do not have a mission statement.  When emailing the Director of Long-Range Planning (our Facilities Department), she told me they didn’t have a mission statement and then she mentioned that she should probably write one.  Could I really have already made a difference in our Business Architecture by emailing a Director? Maybe she will write a mission statement that is aligned with our district’s mission statement now.  That would add more structure to our Business Architecture, even though it is a small piece.  Another example of how it can be improved is that many departments have well organized structures and processes within each department, but as a whole I’m not sure the district is united in its mission.  The fact that I am a teacher and had no understanding of any of the structures or processes in place until this assignment tells me that our district needs to have better communication about the systems we have in place with all staff, not just the staff within their individual departments.  The Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook (2014) explains that the Business Architecture is the “what, who, how, when and why of the agency’s business” (p. 11).  Everyone within the organization should know each of these structures for the entire organization.  I was completely unaware of any of this information until I reached out to each department.  I believe our organization should be more cohesive and all staff members should understand the Business Architecture of the organization. This will allow for more movement towards the district’s overall vision.  Hopefully I will be able to include some of these recommendations in the future state of our Business Architecture.  This will allow for a more cohesive Business Architecture and a better foundation for our organization as a whole.

Resources
Educational Enterprise Architecture Guidebook. (March, 2014).
Reform Support Network. Retrieved February 2, 2016, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/implementation-support-unit/tech-assist/education-architecture-guidebook.pdf
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    ANDREA JACOBS

    Fifth Grade Teacher
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