Component of Journal

Utilizing Video Simulations to Improve Educational Leaders’ Public Speaking Skills 

Abstract

                 This article examines specific uses of video simulations in one educational leadership preparation program to advance future school and district leaders’ skills related to public speaking and participation in televised news interviews.  One faculty member and two advanced educational leadership candidates share their perspectives of several applications of advanced technologies, including one-on-one video simulations with the instructor and collaborative peer review of video portfolios.  Finally, the authors provide links to multimedia examples of these digital artifacts from an advanced educational leadership course, titled Effective Practices: Media, Government & Public Communications, offered at the University of MissouriKansas City.

Introduction

                 School and district administrators may unexpectedly find themselves in front of a television news camera with only a few moments notice prior to a live or videotaped interview session.  A breaking news story could be anything from a crisis situation to a human interest segment celebrating a school event, and educational leaders need to be prepared to effectively represent their school and district communities through this medium.  In addition to these situations, many school districts now produce their own cable television programs, broadcasting talk shows hosted by superintendents, town hall meetings, or formal speeches made by administrators.  This article will explore ways in which educational leadership programs may utilize video simulations and video portfolios to prepare future school and district leaders for both live and televised public speaking events. Effective Features of Effective Leadership Preparatory Programs Technology has advanced at a rapid pace, including the development of multimedia technologies with the capacity to enhance educational leadership preparatory programs through real-world case studies and simulations.  These activities require candidates to demonstrate competencies and skills, and they provide instructors with authentic ways to evaluate candidates’ achievement of learning outcomes.  There are signs that professional preparation programs are making necessary, research-based changes to facilitate new learning experiences that go beyond assessment of candidates’ knowledge.  Through harnessing advanced technologies, instructors can design and implement learning experiences aligned with performance standards for leaders that measure candidates’ skills and applications of knowledge (Militello, Gajda, & Bowers, 2009).   The U.S. Department of Education (2005) published a case study of six innovative programs, identifying effective program components such as: (a) beginning and operating the program guided by a distinct vision of effective school leaders, (b) exacting criteria for selecting and recruiting candidates, (c) defining a rigorous curriculum, (d) including field-based experiences with project-based learning, and (e) administering an accelerated timeline for program completion (p. 9, 12).    The majority of educational leadership candidates are engaged in full-time work as teachers or other educational professionals, which limits the length and nature of field experiences during preparatory programs.  According to Edmonson (2002), “Many administrative interns receive no real administrative practice at all through their internship, and yet upon completion of the internship, they are expected to be competent administrators” (p. 1).  This logistical reality creates a situation where the classroom instructional environment may be the only forum for candidates to encounter certain elements of educational leadership.   This article highlights video simulations and video portfolios used in one leadership preparation course at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) titled, Effective Practices: Media, Government & Public Communications. The description for this required doctoral course for advanced educational leadership candidates involved role plays to move beyond theory and content knowledge to effective application of learning outcomes.  The instructor redesigned the course to integrate video simulations in order to strengthen the fourth element of the aforementioned Department of Education’s 2005 case study of innovative programs: field-based experiences and project-based learning.  Prior to the redesign efforts, this required course centered on analysis of readings on issues related to school-community relations and the governmental and legal aspects of education.  Candidates completed writing assignments and participated in class dialogues intended to relate new learning to educational leadership practices.   

Discussion

                 The purpose of this article was to provide a detailed account of how video simulations were utilized in this doctoral course at UMKC.  Additionally, the authors offered reflective feedback from both the instructor’s and candidates’ perspectives.  The candidates in this course demonstrated the knowledge, dispositions, and skills that are expected of school and district leaders with regard to the identified learning outcomes for the course.  Candidate feedback and evaluations of the course using a nationallynormed end-of-course evaluation instrument designed by the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA Center, 2007) clearly recognized the instructional planning for “hands-on practical learning”.  The video simulations were identified as an effective activity by several candidates.   One student stated, “The interview and speeches provided a great experience that I can use in my position as a principal” (IDEA, 2007).  A more in-depth analysis of the video simulation activity was shared by one student who stated:

             The video simulation provided me with a unique opportunity to evaluate how I present myself to others.   I’ve never had the experience of talking into a camera so this was very helpful.   Body language and tone are so important in establishing credibility as an administrator so this was an invaluable tool.   You also set the tone for use of the internet in class activities and being creative with our group presentations.  (IDEA, 2007) Another common theme expressed in the candidates’ course evaluations was that the design of this course was more closely related to the real world than other graduate courses: “I like the fact that Dr. Friend applies concepts to real life rather than providing a bunch of busy work” (IDEA, 2007). During the fall semester that followed the media communications course at UMKC, the instructor was contacted by several of the students from the Ed.D. cohort who shared that there had been a bomb threat in the school where one of the candidates was working.   This candidate and several of his peers in the program stated that during the interview by the television news reporter, the questions and school crisis scenario were almost exactly what had been practiced during the video simulation.  As a result, the interview segment demonstrated that the school leader was caring, confident, and competent to handle the crisis situation in the school community. Dr. Curry further reflected on the course activities and the pedagogical techniques that are effective in educational leadership preparatory programs:   I believe role playing, simulations, and or “In Basket Exercises” are vital to the preparation and development of prospective educational leaders.   As school or district leaders, we face many challenges and experiences that are unique to our profession.   The more opportunities we have to simulate potential dilemmas the better prepared we are to respond effectively, efficiently, and appropriately.     Dr. Adams also shared an overall synthesis of the applications of advanced technologies and videotaping exercises from her experiences in the course and as an instructor in an educational leadership program:

          Constructively analyzing candidates’ strengths and giving the participants an opportunity to assess how they can be received based upon their delivery cannot be taught in a lecture.   People must experience this for themselves and then engage in the reflection of the matching of delivery and intended message.   This self-reflection is the greatest teaching mechanism that can be instilled in a leadership class for it supports the growth of a leader to be self-actualized and to be able to discern how messages should be delivered within the context of the audience, topic, and intended or unintended consequences.    One of the candidates from my own course in School and Community Relations is now an assistant principal in my school.  When I was unable to be interviewed by a local TV station for a story on the impact of snow days on curriculum delivery, I called my assistant and asked him to take the interview.  I provided him with some guiding points to infuse into the interview.   He later shared with me that because of his experience with a videotaped interview in the graduate course, he felt prepared to be interviewed by the local media.   These filmed experiences during safe times where we can provide guidance and constructive feedback for leaders to grow are invaluable.     

Conclusion

                        In conclusion, in order for candidates to connect and apply knowledge presented within educational leadership coursework to the skills and performance indicators identified by national leadership standards, instructors must connect course content with field-based or real-world experiences.  In this redesigned course, video simulations and video portfolios contributed to educational leaders who were ready to communicate “breaking news” when opportunities arose in their diverse professional settings.  These advanced learning technologies serve as one methodology for providing candidates with the opportunity to demonstrate performances expected of educational leaders, and to independently and collaboratively engage in reflective practice regarding their performances.