Leading OnlineAn Autoethnography on Facilitating an Instructional Focus on Student Learning

Sally A. LancasterMay 2, 2011

Context Growth of Online Learning Inconsistent quality measures Teaching metrics focus on online class

management not instruction Best practices tend to focus on metrics

Problem Monthly staff meetings and discussions

lack energizing discussions about student learning. Instead, they focus on the details and mechanics of teaching an online course.

Percentages not standards

Socio-technical theoretical framework Tavistock Institute: Social and technical

components directly correlate to produce a given goal state.

Balance of human needs and technical needs

Application of socio-technical theoretical framework Look at balance of human needs versus

technical demands in the system. Look through lens of all three level proposed

by Trist (1980)1. Primary – Classroom (Human resources

frame)2. Whole organization – School (Structural

frame)3. Macro-Social system – District/State Context

(Political frame)

Anticipated research questions As a leader of an online high school, how can I facilitate

teacher engagement in analyzing courses to ensure student success?

What does online learning look like when teachers identify and implement best practices in the online setting?

As a leader, how can I work with teachers to shift the discussion about online learning from an emphasis on teacher metrics to a focus on student-centered learning?

How do teachers effectively utilize the technology to manage the workload while focusing their personal resources on the important task of ensuring learning?

Key research Martin Mueller Testimony Nelson 2009, 2010 Tallent-Runnels 2006 Kopcha 2008 Portin, Feldman and Knapp 2006

Methodology Analytic Autoethnography Designed to study self-reflection in daily

praxis Story behind data Ellis and Bochner, Muncey, Chang and

Anderson

Autoethnography: A triadic model

Process(graphy)

Culture(ethno)

Self(auto)

- Ellis and Bochner (2000)

Anderson’s five elements1. Complete member researcher2. Analytic reflexivity3. Narrative visibility of the researcher’s

self4. Dialogue with informants beyond the

self5. Commitment to theoretical analysis

Setting Everett School District

OnlineHS 7 Teachers, 1 Support Staff, 1 Principal # Classes

Contractual Agreement Success Rate Political Context

Anticipated Methods for Data Collection Daily journal

Thoughts, reactions, perceptions, use of time, political context

Meeting agenda items Meeting notes Reflections of teachers

Positionality Supervisor: Reflexive role alleviates

power differential Beliefs about online learning Ownership by virtue of developing the

program

Anticipated Outcomes Provide insights into one leaders

successes and challenges with developing a high quality online program.

Contribute to growing body of knowledge of online learning.

Increase knowledge of the importance of instructional leadership in this new arena.

Questions?