Technology Showcase Fall 2003 Policy Quest: A Web-Based Examination of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Lorrie C. Reed

Purpose of the Project  Integrate technology into LEEA 554  Create a Blackboard course  Develop a pilot Web Quest

ISLLC Standard 6  Preparing educational leaders who promote the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context of schooling.

Impact on Policy Awareness  Students are expected to acquire a deeper understanding of the policy process as a result of engaging in this project.

Impact on Student Practice  Students are likely to practice those methods to which they were exposed during their career preparation.

Impact on Student Decision Making  Students are expected to apply their insights about the policy process to administrative decision- making.

Impact on Professor  After having gained a level of expertise and comfort with using web-based instruction, the professor is more likely to utilize it in other courses.

LEEA 554 Policy Analysis for School Administrators  Policy making, implementing, and evaluating at the national, state, and local levels.  Students will develop an awareness of policy analysis and policy development.  Many examples utilized in the course this semester pertain to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Goals and Objectives  To provide students with a web-based mechanism for acquiring and developing knowledge of the public policy process.  To model for students (aspiring administrators) integration of technology into practices.

The Blackboard Experience  Students received overview in class.  Students were given a schedule of assignments.  Students submitted their work as attachments by a specified deadline.  Students received feedback through .

An Overview of Blackboard

The Tentative Schedule

Sample Activities

Welcome to Policy Quest Foundations, Think Tanks, and Major Actors: A Web Quest on Policy Studies for Educational Administrators

Policy Quest Introduction IntroductionIntroduction | Tasks | Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Resources | Process | Evaluation | ConclusionTasks |Activity 1Activity 2ResourcesProcessEvaluation Conclusion Understanding the policy process involves acquiring the ability to identify policy actors, namely, those who occupy major and minor roles in policy development, adoption, and implementation (Fowler, 2000). This quest will help students examine priorities of some of the think tanks and foundations

Evaluation Plan  Pre and Post Assessments  Students who agree to participate in the experimental and control groups of the pilot project will be given a survey to pre-assess their  level of technology use,  prior exposure to technology as an integrated tool for instruction, and  their level of skill in using technology.  Upon completion of the project students will be given a post-assessment of these same indicators.

Essay- Evaluation Component  Another planned component of the evaluation would have had students write an essay regarding the policy implementation process.  Because of time constraints and logistical complications, this did not happen.

Evaluation – Lessons Learned  Students have differences in their motivational and skill levels.  Maintaining consistency is important.  Lab facilities should be available for students without resources at home.  Break activities into smaller segments.

More Lessons …  You can’t please everyone. Make options available.  Intersperse on-line work with face-to-face class meetings.  Allocate enough time to plan challenging, engaging activities.  Identify a simple, reliable way for students to submit work.

and more …  Make use of virtual classroom and discussion boards.  Students need to develop a level of comfort with the mechanics of the on-line experience before they can concentrate on content.  Have students keep a journal of the experience.