LEADING ONLINE: An autoethnography focused on leading
an instructional focus on student learning in an online school
DOCTOR OF
EDUCATION
WASHINGTON
STATE UNIVERSITY
Department Of
Educational
Leadership And
Counseling
Psychology
May 2012
By Sally Ann Lancaster
The issue
• Rapid growth of online learning
• Lack of quality control standards
• Competition not collaboration
Rationale for study
• Provide recommendations for leaders to structure
online learning teacher teams to positively impact
student learning
• Provide voice to leaders of online learning programs as
they grapple to understand the characteristics of
meaningful instruction in an online environment
Context
• Rapid expansion of online learning absent quality
research on effectiveness
• Alternative Learning Laws (ALE) allow for 3rd party
involvement without strong accountability
• Washington Administrative Code (WAC) current focus
on metrics, not measurement of student learning
Research questions
• What characteristics of an online learning
environment trigger teachers to focus on
management issues rather than learning issues?
• What conditions might be in place to help teachers
manage their online workload effectively so they can
shift discussions from management and metrics to
student-centered learning?
• What leadership behaviors need to be undertaken
to inspire a culture of support to engage teachers in
analyzing the teaching and learning process in the
online classroom?
Literature reviewed
•
•
•
•
•
Growth of online learning
State policy impacts
Online learning quality standards
Leadership in online learning
Leadership frameworks
Methodology
Autoethnography: Better understand the story behind
the data
•
Analytic Autoethnography: Emphasis not about self;
rather it is about searching for understanding of culture
and/or society through self (Anderson 2006)
Socio-technical theory
• Changes in technology bring about changes in
values, cognitive structures, life styles habits and
communication which profoundly alter a society and
its chances of survival (Trist, 1981)
Socio-technical theory
• As technical systems evolve and become increasingly
complex, they eventually reach a steady state with the
social system in which they can accommodate
change without disruption (Passmore, 1988)
• Human needs continue to be secondary to technical
and economic advancement as measures of the
progress of society (Passmore, 2001)
Validity/Reliability
• Categories and themes were presented to three
separate outside evaluators along with a subsection
of the data set
• Each outside evaluator applied the definitions of the
categories and themes and coded the data to
determine inter-rater reliability
• Findings were triangulated through reliable sources
such as journal entries, emails and anonymous
evaluations
Limitations
• Broad array of online programs. Findings may not
be transferrable across schools or districts
Data collection
•
•
•
•
•
Journals
Field notes
Emails
Surveys
Documentation
Data analysis
• Six step data coding process (Cresswell)
– Organize and prepare
– Read
– Detailed analysis, coding
– Generate a description of coding and themes
– Decide how descriptions and themes will be represented
– Make interpretations or meaning from data
Themes
•
•
•
•
Infrastructure
Governance
Teaching and learning
Management
Infrastructure
• Learning management system
• Technology support
Governance
• Compliance
• Policy
• Promotion
Teaching and Learning
• Course planning and design
• Formative and summative assessment
Management
• Management for compliance
• Communication
• Issue resolution
Findings
What characteristics trigger teachers to focus on
management issues?
– Infrastructure: LMS
– Teaching and Learning: Course planning and design
(management)
– Governance: Political systems driven by financial need
and accountability, metrics about money
• Promotion: Important due to policy
• Management: Required by policy and technology
Findings
What conditions help teachers manage their online
workload effectively and shift from management to
student-centered learning?
– Infrastructure: Technology manages, teachers teach
– Governance: Performance based measures for
compliance, clear measures for student success
– Clarity of course layout and design: Guidelines about
modifying and restructuring
– Management: Clear tracking tools, integration of LMS with
SIS
Findings
What leadership behaviors need to be undertaken to
inspire a culture of support to engage teachers in
analyzing the teaching and learning process in the
online classroom?
– Clear consistent message, clear definition of program, roles,
responsibilities that is consistent among all stakeholders
– Structure professional conversations around learning metrics
– Provide pressure relief when needed
– Remove barriers from teachers’ role such as funding,
infrastructure and formatting
Socio-Technical Findings
Increased time
for student
Efficient
technology
Socio-Technical Findings
Inefficient
technology
Decreased time
for student
Socio-Technical Findings
• Learning not technology should be the driver
Recommendations for school leaders
• Guided by a clear vision and compelling purpose
• Facilitate processes for teachers to come together to
discuss student learning
• Provide human contact and daily checks with students
Suggestions for future research
• Future studies should address how existing
measures of online learning and corresponding
management and structural procedures impede
student achievement.
• Research the impact of state/district policy on student
learning with a goal of creating performance centered
metrics of success.
• Explore ways that policy decisions can drive student
achievement rather than data management.
A heartfelt thank you for supporting this
work
Questions?