Showcase Showdown
Directions
Showcase Showdown represents a compressed situation with many of the variables found in schools today. Signs placed around the Forum Plaza are portals for observing the scenes. Most scenes take place in a school classroom which may look similar to ones with which you are familiar. The principal’s office is the setting for another scene, while one scene (between mother and daughter) is text-based only. As you enter the classrooms and office, you will act as an outside observer…. clicking on different characters will give you a description of the scene and the dialogue taking place. Note from whose perspective you are learning about what is happening. (At some future date we may add perspectives for each character in each scene).
To exit any scene, just walk through the room door to return to the forum. You may also click on the back arrow key at the top of your AppEdTech browser or you may go to the principal’s office and click on the sign outside the office door.
Clicking on the back or forward arrow on the top of your web window will bring you previous web pages or return you to the one you were reading.
Assignments
As an outside observer, read each scene in the case and become familiar with the characters and major issues in the case.
Explore the forum area behind the water fountain and find the areas with questions concerning the issues, perspectives, actions, consequences and knowledge required to understand and make useful decisions concerning aspects of this case.
In your team, discuss this case and your views concerning the issues, perspectives, actions, consequences and knowledge. Use whatever communications technologies make sense for these discussions.
In your team find the appropriate strands on the discussion board and contribute to the guide questions listed in the various areas of the forum concerning issues, knowledge, perspectives, actions and consequences.
Find and add print resources and web resources that will help us better understand each of the components listed above.
Do not feel that these components follow a lock step methodology to problem solving and leadership. This is very much a non-linear process in the real world that we are familiar with. Try starting with consequences and move to perspectives and then to other components.
In your team, pretend that your reputation as an Instructional Technology Specialist-Computers has spread far and wide. You have been hired by the local school board to investigate and make recommendations to improve the situation found in this district and school. Your final task for this case will be to submit a two to three page executive summary of your report to the board.
o Identify what you consider to be the two or three most critical issues facing the school or district at this time. (These should be short term as well as long-term problems).
o Present the crucial perspectives you find in the case on each of the issues presented. (Think, not from your viewpoint, but from that of the characters holding that point of view.
o Include possible actions and possible consequences of each action upon the various stakeholders.
o List additional knowledge needed to better understand the issues and the recommendations you make. This should be in the form of best practices, research, models of successful programs, etc. Just listing your professor’s “lofty thoughts and desires” may not be compelling (grin).
o Provide specific recommendations for each issue you articulate. (When making recommendations, don’t be too concerned about funding, that is not your job or problem. Rather, give it your best professional shot at what needs to be done to solve the problem).
o If you have any questions concerning this assignment, please ask us any questions at any time….
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