Preparing School Leaders In The Electronic Age

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Preparing School Leaders In The Electronic Age

• Dr. Gary Hoban
• National University

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National University

• Founded in 1971
• 2nd Largest private, non-profit university in
  California
• Enrollment 22,000

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National University

• Five Schools and One College
• School of Business and Management
• School of Health and Human Services
• School of Media and Technology
• School of Engineering and Technology
• School of Education
• College of Letters and Sciences

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School of Education

• Department of Teacher Education
• - Current Enrollment 7,000
• Department of Special Education
• - Current Enrollment 3,500
• Department of Pupil Personnel School Psychology
• - Current Enrollment 1,000
• Department of Educational Administration
• -Current Enrollment 1,500

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The National University Instructional Model

• On Ground-
• One course a month,
• Two nights a week
• (4.5 hrs. per class)
• Online-
• One course a month
• Two units per week, paralleling On-Ground format
• Asynchronous and Synchronous

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Online Instruction at National University A
Time of Growth
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The National University School Administrator
Preparation Program

• Eight Content Courses
• Field Work
• Masters/Research Option
• For more information on this program visit the
  National University website www.nu.edu

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The National University School Administrator
Preparation Program
Average Student Age 41
And numbers are changing
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Issues Considered

• Accreditation-
• A degree or certificate program delivered
  partially or entirely through elective means is
  coherent and complete and results in learning
  outcomes comparable to those delivered through
  other means.
• (WASC)

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Issues Considered continued.

• Synchronous or Asynchronous?
• Field Work- A hands on experience
• Keeping On Ground and Online programs consistent
  and parallel-
• You can add but not subtract

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How It Works
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Sample Interaction
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Author Date
Time Responses     In thinking about a past
princ 10 Jul
07  1024 PM MST     Personal power
definitely stem
16 Jul 07    453 PM MST 16 Jul
07    807 PM MST In my teaching career I have
ran across some people that try to use position
power before they have establish anything else.
One year I had a grade level chair that wanted to
do everything his way or the highway. Many of the
other teachers in the department just went along
with his ideas because they did not have to think
or do anything, even if it was not the best thing
for the department or the classroom. Of course I
had a problem with this and by the end of the
year everyone in the department did not think I
was a team player but I knew I was doing the
right thing for the students and the class. I was
a new teacher and the other teachers in the
department have been teaching for some time, I
believe they just got use to doing what they can
to get by instead of improving the program.
Mentally and physical it was hard, I did not have
anybody in my department I could really go to if
there was a question, problem and mentally I knew
they were waiting for me to do a mistake so they
can say " we told you so." As time went by I
learned not to worry about what they thought
because I knew I was doing the best I could for
the students and the class and that is what
matter.Yes, William, it can be lonely 17
Jul 07    755 AM MST Yes it was a lonely
thing to g 17 Jul 07    114 PM MST I
agree about flaunting positi 17 Jul
07    753 AM MST I agree too sometimes I think
22 Jul 07    901 PM MST
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Does Online Instruction adequately prepare our
future school administrators?

• A research track
• - 2000-Present
• Measures
• -Student Surveys
• -Student evaluation of courses
• -Instructor Surveys
• -Employee Feedback
• -Exit Examination results

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What we learned

• There was a high degree of comparability in the
  quality and rigor of the online and on-ground
  educational administration courses.
• Online students were generally satisfied with the
  quality of instruction in their program.

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What we learned

• Students, generally, academically performed
  comparably in online and on-ground school
  administrator preparation courses.
• Both groups achieved their learning outcomes as
  indicated by similar results, online and on-site,
  on assessment instruments.

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What we learned

• Online instructors were quite positive about the
  online educational administration program.
• Students enrolled in online courses, even if they
  had concerns, liked the flexibility, especially
  in managing their own time as allowed by the
  asynchronous nature of the course discussions,
  and planned to take more courses in this format.
  (Hoban, Neu, and Castle, 2002)

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What makes for a good online experience?

• Interaction time between student and instructor
• The amount of time an instructor spends in
  interacting with his or her students in an online
  class--specifically when the time spent is above
  and beyond normal activities--has strong
  implications for how students assess the quality
  of instruction they have received and answers any
  questions about effective or ineffective pedagogy
  one might have regarding the course. Strategies
  might differ from instructor to instructor, but
  what ultimately counts is being there and being
  receptive and interactive in a timely manner.

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What makes for a good online experience?

• Students believed that they can improve their
  ability in critical thinking, problem-solving,
  and decision-making skills in an online course--a
  factor that appeared to be in doubt in earlier
  studies, as reported by students--provided there
  is strong instructor/student interaction and
  instructor guidance.

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What makes for a good online experience?

• Students can apply their learning to diverse
  populations and situations, a factor called into
  doubt in earlier studies, provided that there is
  strong instructor/student interaction in the
  online course. (Hoban, Neu, and Castle, 2003)

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The Major Factors for Success

• A consistent and structured curriculum that has
  on-ground and online courses being congruent in
  requirements, texts, and content
• Opportunities for frequent and meaningful
  interaction between student and instructor
• Clear expectations for student performance
• Accessibility with asynchronous discussion
  opportunities
• Consistent, timely, and meaningful
  student/instructor and student/student dialogue

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Another research track, to be continued

• Self-efficacy
• Self-directed learning
• Self-efficacy for online learning

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What do we need to do next?

• Increase and enhance student/instructor and
  student/student interaction.
• Balance synchronicity and asynchronicity
• Introduce different learning style experiences
• The PEP (Premier E-Learning Process)

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Technology Upgrade

• Utilize the latest technology to enhance the
• learning process.
• Use power point lectures that have audio and
  include images that both engage the learner and
  enhance the material presented.
• Use video clips.
• Use synchronous learning activities.

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Engage Candidates

• Select activities that involve audio, visual, and
  kinesthetic.
• Connect delivery of material and assessments to a
  variety of learning styles.
• Using Web conferencing service, students utilize
  cooperative learning, group presentations, large
  and small group discussions, and other activities
  commonly used in On Ground classes.

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Final Thoughts

• Online preparation of School Administration is
  here to stay
• Online preparation of school administrations will
  dominate the field in years to come
• We have no choice but to make it better