Friday, June 28, 2024

MEd Educational Leadership - EDUC 5324

Before starting the EDUC5324 course on integrating technology into education, my expectations were quite high. I anticipated a comprehensive understanding of how technology could be seamlessly woven into the educational fabric, enhancing both teaching and learning experiences. My background in ICT teaching had already provided me with a foundational understanding of technology in education, but I was eager to explore more advanced concepts and strategies that could transform the educational landscape. I looked forward to learning about the latest technological tools, innovative teaching methods, and best practices for overcoming common challenges such as the digital divide and lack of student engagement.

Throughout the course, my expectations were met. Engaging in various projects and assignments, such as creating a form for food quality feedback, making a screencasting video about Quizizz, and developing a school promo video, provided hands-on experience with diverse technological tools. These projects allowed me to see firsthand how technology can be utilised creatively and effectively to solve real-world problems and enhance communication. The course also involved extensive discussions on critical topics, including the digital divide and strategies to increase interaction in online courses, which deepened my understanding of the broader impacts of technology in education.

After completing the course, my understanding of the role of technology in education has significantly evolved. I now have a deeper appreciation for the complexities and potential of technology integration in educational settings. The research and articles I reviewed highlighted the persistent challenges of the digital divide and the importance of social and cognitive presence in online learning environments. My perspective on the importance of teacher training and ongoing professional development has also been reinforced, recognising that technology is only as effective as the educators who implement it. This course has equipped me with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to advocate for and implement meaningful technological advancements in education, ensuring that all students can benefit from these innovations.

Master's in Educational Leadership

My name is Rovshan Zeynalov, and I am currently serving as the principal at Horizon International Bilingual School in Hanoi, Vietnam. My journey in education began in 2008 when I transitioned from an engineering major to become an ICT teacher in Azerbaijan. Since then, I have taken on various leadership roles, such as deputy principal and principal in international schools across Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and now Vietnam.

I am currently pursuing a Master's program in Educational Leadership at North American University (NAU) to further enhance my skills and contribute meaningfully to the field of education. I am expected to graduate in 2025. I am new to NAU, and I am excited to be part of this academic community!

An interesting fact about me is that my strong sense of empathy often leads me to overcare about many things.

One technology I can't live without is a computer. It is crucial for managing the demands of the competitive private school market and maintaining my efficiency.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a bit about me.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Is it ok to meddle with your kid's class selection?


We ask a clinical psychologist if it's ever OK to meddle with your kid's class selection.



Class lists – who your child will be with, and the teacher they will have for the following year, are a popular topic of conversation at this time of the year, as term four is well and truly underway and these decisions are being made. The decision of class allocation is usually made by the school; often the teachers and other staff who have taught your child this year, and the teachers from the following year level – who will teach them the next year – will decide your child’s classmates and who will be their primary teacher.
For some kids (and some parents) this can be an anxiety fuelled process. The idea of change can make many children feel uncomfortable, the knowledge that they will not have their best friends and the teacher they have grown familiar with can create a sense of insecurity, worry, or anxiety. For some parents, the loss of control about the environment their child will spend the majority of their time in can also create the same feelings within them, especially if they have strong feelings about their potential teacher or classmates.
So, the question is, as a parent do you interfere with the usual process of class selection? Do you request a particular teacher or other students for your child to be with (or not to be with) the following year?
Dr Judith Locke, a clinical psychologist, former teacher and author of parenting book, The Bonsai Child, says a firm no. Class placements should be made by the school and not influenced by parents.
“There is an emphasis on making children happy, where immediate feelings are prioritised over long time gain,” Dr Locke says.
She argues that parents will often try and solve a child’s worry about change by stepping in and asking for a ‘solution’ to the issue, in this case by requesting their child be put in the class with a particular person or with a specific teacher. She says though that this isn’t the solution to the problem, because it’s the feeling of worry or anxiety about change that is the real problem. This is what needs to be looked at and worked on in its own right; requesting particular people or conditions will not help solve the real issue, she argues.
Dr Locke actually believes trying to make kids happy, by controlling particular situations or environments like school classes, can actually do more harm than good.
“When parents constantly make things immediately better, by allowing their child to get out of situations they are a little unsure of, then the child will start to believe they truly can’t cope with challenge, because their parent’s actions reinforce this belief. Inadvertently, over time, the child’s anxiety, bossiness, or poor behaviour will increase,” she says.
“Don’t cater to everything [children] want. You can’t dictate terms forever, you need to look deeper,” Dr Locke says.
This idea of need versus want is really important in Dr Locke’s perspective. Children want to be with their friends and they want a particular teacher, but they don’t need it. Catering to their wants to solve their feeling of insecurity or anxiety about class changes won’t actually solve the problem she argues, but it can create an even bigger problem in the long term.
“Inadvertent catering to all that your children ‘want’ can make them ‘need’ it,” she says.
In relation to class choices, this can mean that if parents request particular friends or teachers for their child to be with, their child will end up unable to cope when they are eventually without this particular friend or teacher.
“The main issue is that when you allow someone to always dictate the terms then you don’t teach them that they can cope when things aren’t exactly the way they want. This action reinforces a child’s faulty belief that they need to be in charge, or experience particular outcomes, to be able to cope,” she explains.
“Schools have good reasons for putting children in particular classes and parents need to support this,” she adds.
Dr Locke believes that this applies to the majority of children, with very few exceptions. “Although my advice is directed to the majority I still like to ask the question to parents of children who believe their kids are ‘different’ – at what point will you let them experience the real world? If not now, when?”
Dr Locke believes that the best way for all children to learn about the real world, and to be adequately prepared for it, is by learning that change is inevitable and to be able to handle this change. She identifies flexibility, working in groups, and working with a range of people as essential skills for their future and believes these skills are learnt through the process of class transitions. Learning to work with a range of people with different personalities equip them better for their future so learning this from a young age undoubtedly assists with this, she says.
If your child is worried by the process of changing class, Dr Locke believes speaking with them, listening to them, and providing your own examples of how you coped with change in your own life are great ways to help support your child through the process. Trying to influence it by particular requests are not.
https://www.mamamia.com.au/school-class-selection-teacher/

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Cas journey is starting.

Today our IB students started to CAS journey. And our first task is to deliver message in 1 min long video. I think that it will be a very good step in this journey! After accomplish this task they will get their C letter. (Creativity) Why did we choose this task? 
Nowadays people are very impatient. So your message have to be short and effective. But it needs hard working and deep thinking. And it brings creativity. So we choose it as a first task. LET'S GO!

Monday, July 10, 2017

First Global 2017

Team Azerbaijan, Istak Lyceum robotics team is going to compete with the teams from 165 countries. Our students participated in different robotics competitions and it is most challenging competition we will face as a team.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Iso- Istak Student Organization

Yaxınlarda şagirdlərlə yeni layihəyə başlayırıq. Youtube kanalımız və NISO-Narianov Istak School Organization fəaliyyətə başlayır. Böyük planlarımız var!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

IB DP proqramına qoşuldum..və bu mənim forumda ilk yazımdır...IB learner profile - İB şagird profilinin mənə nə dərəcədə uyğun olduğu barədə yazıdır..

Reflection on the IB learner profile

INQUIRERS: Yes, this is the most suitable indicator for my profile.  I am always curious about how it works or how it was made…Thanks to internet nowadays it become very easy to research anything…It is my main rule: If you know anything in depth then you can really explain and teach it.
KNOWLEDGABLE:  We always feel ourselves hungry for new knowledge. But I think that the most important thing is to make your current knowledge strong and then to get new one. Because there are many things that I think I know, but how I know it, how and where I use this knowledge…answers of these questions show me that I don’t know these things completely…
THINKERS: I think that I am good thinker, I am creative person, but in very complex problems I need to collaborate with my fellows.
COMMUNICATORS: My communication skills are satisfying. It was not so good in my school life but now, in my opinion I can communicate with any person in any age or any type.
PRINCIPLED: I gained a great experience on this profile since starting of my life as a teacher. When I started to teaching I thought that it will be easy to adjust students. But this amazing job showed me that each student is different and you must control senses, respect rights of all students, take responsibility of your wrong or right actions and to be honest in all conditions.
OPEN-MİNDED: I studied partly in Soviet times, partly in independent times. Although, we gained freedom our Education System was the continuation of Soviet education system. This enclosed system was self praised and there was strong- sharp edges, which you could not pass.  But independency and easy communication with other countries opened all closed and dusty doors. Now we can add new views to our history, we make new researches about written history. We found new amazing common sides of our culture with other cultures. Since meeting with other peoples from different nationalities and traveling different countries I’ve changed a lot of things in my mind. I think that I am very open minded person.
CARING:  I see myself as emotional and friendly person, empathy is the main point of my life, mainly before any action I try to put myself in position of my companion. Religious aspect also make me to do things that make people happy.
RISK TAKERS: I will not give 5 point on this profile for individual actions. But if there are cooperative work then I am in. Because in my opinion if there are more risk-takers, then disappointings will be break a part.
BALANCED: Despite fact that I am emotional, i know that there are rules in our life. I try to maintain balance, but sometimes it is very difficult.

REFLECTIVE: It is the weakest side of me. I claim to myself that I know my weaknesses and strong sides, but I dont make effort to work on them. I never write them down, never discuss it with my colleagues. I think that I forgot it, or did not pay attention on it. This article remind me that essential profile, that I must awake.