District Administration - November 2009 - (Page 75)

ADVERTISEMENT Web-based Lesson Planning Helps District Meet Key State Standards OnCourse System’s software allows administrators to easily review teacher lesson plans OR YEARS, IT WAS A FAMILIAR SCENE ON FRI- their own state’s curriculum standards. A new feature allows day afternoons in the Iberia Parish School District administrators to ﬂag selected state standards with high imporin Louisiana: principals lugging home armfuls of tance to the district, so teachers get a recurring reminder to large lesson plan books to review over the weekend. address those so-called “power standards” in their weekly lesAnd for these administrators, as for their counterparts across son plans. Administrators can generate reports that show how the country, the job of inspecting each teacher’s plans for the often the power standards show up in lesson plans, and which teachers may need additional reminders coming week took on even more imporabout them. Added by OnCourse after tance with the focus in recent years on feedback from users, the power stanmeeting state curriculum standards. dards feature also facilitates assessment Today, though, the heavy lesson plan on key standards to ensure mastery by all books are a thing of the past in Iberia students. Parish, as is the tedious task for princi“This new feature is a testament to pals of manually examining lesson plan OnCourse’s willingness to listen to its pages to check for coverage of key learncustomers and its ability to provide ing standards. Thanks to OnCourse improvements that can have a positive Lesson Planner, an Web-based tool for impact on student achievement,” says creating and reviewing lesson plans, the LeBlanc. district’s entire lesson planning process In addition to simplifying the prohas been streamlined. cess of creating and reviewing lesson “Our superintendent saw the prodplans, OnCourse Lesson Planner has also uct at a neighboring district and recimproved instruction in the Iberia Parognized that it was a way to fulﬁ ll his ish School District because it fosters colgoal of a paperless system,” says Dianne laboration between teachers, principals LeBlanc, supervisor of technology at and curriculum supervisors, accordthe 14,000-student district. “Since “The power standard ing to LeBlanc. “Teachers are working we’ve been using the product, teachers together in lesson plan design, providing are able to create and share lesson plans feature allows the district an opportunity for experienced teachers online, while administrators are able to to highlight the learning to mentor teachers with less experience,” review lesson plans online at home or goals that should receive she says. “It also builds accountability at school in a more effective, less timebecause teachers are aware that lesson consuming manner.” instructional emphasis.” plans can be viewed and reports can be In addition to ensuring that all lesobtained at any time.” son plans are consistent and complete, In the three years since OnCourse Lesson Planner was OnCourse Lesson Planner automates routine aspects of lesson plan preparation and enables every teacher to easily cre- implemented in all 30 of the district’s schools, the program ate and maintain a Web page for posting assignments and has become ingrained into the daily lives of teachers and class news. Those Web pages are updated automatically from administrators, LeBlanc says. “Everyone is using it,” she the lesson plans, and most teachers post additional informa- explains. “I cannot think of anyone who would want to go tion to keep parents up-to-date. “Parents quickly caught on back to traditional pen and paper.” to the concept of checking student homework assignments and accessing Web resources from the teacher Web pages,” For more information please visit www.OnCourseSystems.com or call 800.899.7204. says LeBlanc. Perhaps one of the most valuable beneﬁts of OnCourse Lesson Planner is that it includes learning standards for every state, making it easy for teachers to align their lessons with systems for education November/December 2009 75 www.DistrictAdministration.com http://www.OnCourseSystems.com http://www.OnCourseSystems.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November 2009

District Administration - November 2009
Contents
Advertiser Index
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Facilities & Construction
Stimulus Monitor
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Conversations
Mobile Learning Guide
The New Writing Pedagogy
Staying Ahead in Education
Tightening the Purchasing Process
Minding Your E-mail
New Books
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
Problem Solution
New Products
Professional Opinion
Crisis Response

District Administration - November 2009