Chapter 9: District Initiatives to Improve Curriculum and Instruction: Views of Administrators on Houston’s Teacher Tools Online Initiative

As districts implement federal and state-level standards and accountability policies, they are increasingly turning to online methods of professional development. For districts, the dissemination of information, skills and activities through traditional and online courses is a way to standardize the curricular and instructional messages they send to administrators and teachers (Spillane, 1998; Stein & D’Amico, 2002). Particularly for large urban districts facing the challenge of providing high-level curricular and instructional support, online delivery offers a way to set and reinforce uniform goals, standards, and procedures for all.

Yet while implementing distance programs, districts must consider the diverse characteristics and needs of professional learners. Online learners are hardly a homogeneous group. In addition to obvious differences in demographic characteristics, administrators and teachers have different levels of motivation and technological experience (Learning Systems Institute, 2004). While some may respond well to the distance format, others may find it more of a challenge (Palloff & Pratt, 2003). In a district context, administrators and teachers experience different demands. Further, each school has its own particular needs. District initiatives, therefore, need to address individual, organizational and school-level concerns. They need to provide guidance and support in the delivery of curricular and instructional standards and assessments while also recognizing the range of experiences of their online learners.