Thinking About Learning

We’ve been training for about 2 weeks, and students will begin on Wednesday.  I’ve always loved the beginning of school!  It’s a chance for a fresh start, new dreams, and new opportunities for growth.  I’ve been tossing around some thoughts about what I’d like to focus on this year……

Here are my initial thoughts:

1. Promote Greater Collaboration
Collaboration is a research-based best practice that generates improvement in student achievement (Schools as Learning Communities).  In addition to the research, I had first-hand evidence this past year when my school embraced Professional Learning Communities and experienced phenomenal growth in student achievement.

A. Teacher Resource Center
After spending the past 2 years working with a small group of TIS colleagues on the development of a district-wide Resource Center, it’s finally ready for debut this year!  It is a database of teacher-created instructional materials, including SMART Notebook lessons, PowerPoints, spreadsheats, lesson plans, units, hand-held activities and more that is searchable by keyword, content area, and grade level.  The TRC will allow our teachers to move beyond collaboration within their own building to collaborating across the district.

B.  Social Bookmarking
I have set up a Diigo account for use by my school which is fairly well accessed by students and teachers.  We also have a prominent link on our school web page so that students can access resources from home.  Unfortunately, up until this time, teachers usually send their links to me, and I post them to Diigo.  This year I intend to make sure that the Diigo toolbar is on each teacher’s laptop, and I hope to train them to bookmark their own great finds instead of just saving them to “Favorites.”

C.  Grade Level & Individual Planning Meetings
Regular communication with teachers is the only way I can provide support for instruction.  They many more responsibilities than there are hours in the day, so it’s important that I take the initiative to find out about their units of study and the standards being taught.  This means that it’s important for me to schedule regular visits to grade level collaborative planning meetings.  As I hear what they are teaching, I can make suggestions of ways technology can be used to facilitate the learning.  One of the most success strategies I’ve used to encourage technology integration is to individually approach teachers with ideas for project-based learning activities.  I have never had a teacher say, “No.”

2.  Instructional Support

A. Assessment
My faculty made great leaps last year in learning how to create and use common assessments.  Using common assessments is one of the best ways to measure growth in student achievement.  There are lots of ways that technology can be very assistive in the administration of common assessments.  Here are some tools I plan to share with teachers:

• Hot Potatoes: free online assessment tool with crossword, matching, and cloze activities; great for formative assessment.
• Google Forms: with the addition of a little html code, you can create self-checking quizzes in Google Forms.
• Quia: a reasonably priced “subscription” service that is tried and true with multiple quiz types available.
• iQuiz: create quizzes that can be used on iPods
• SMART Response Sysytems: (formerly known as Senteo): this year each grade level will have 2 sets, and this will be fabulous for instant feedback!

B. Differentiation
I’m still convinced that the use of iPods in the classroom is one of the most motivational, effective tools available for differentiation, so I plan to continue to locate and create instructional content in mp3 and m4v formats.  Student blogs offer another path for differentiation.  We will also continue to use Riverdeep (Destination Reading & Math) , First in Math, and Ticket to Read.

C. Project-Based Learning
During my 4 years of teaching in the 21st Cenury Classroom, I learned that project-based learning motivates student learning and addresses multiple standards in a time “cost-effective” way.  As I collaborate with teachers, I will actively make suggestions of PBL activities to address targeted standards.

3. Teacher Productivity

A. Outlook
Our school email has switched from GroupWise to Outlook.  Besides the basics, teachers need to learn how to create distribution lists and use the calendar. (Love the calendar features!)

B. PowerSchool / PowerTeacher
As part of the big migration, our district has moved from using IGPro to using PowerSchool.  PowerTeacher seems fairly easy to use.  At our initial introductory session, teachers were favorable about the interface.  Some features can’t be accessed until school actually starts.  This will be a continual learning experience for a while.

C.  Google Docs
I’m going to make an effort to go more “paperless” with my training materials.  As part of my beginning of the year training I’m making sure each teacher has a Google account, and I’m sharing technology “cheat sheets” this way, hoping they will see the value in online collaboration.  So far, so good!

D. Document Cameras
Our district has adopted an ambitious 5 year technology roll-out plan based on a bond referendum.  This year all classes in the district are scheduled to receive an Elmo Document Camera.  I’m already collecting resources to help train teachers on the many ways a doc cam can enhance instruction.

E. Teacher Blogs
About 12 teachers have indicated that they are interested in having their own class blog through our district iWeb server.  That is evidence to me that they are beginning to see the power of Web 2.0 tools for the classroom!

It’s going to be an exciting and busy year!  I look forward to observing growth in students, teachers, and myself!

With the recession and incredible budget cuts to education, I was asked to make a list of what I do as a Technology Integration Specialist.  My district has worked so hard to protect personnel and jobs, but limited funding requires change.  The literacy coach program has already been reworked, and half of them have been sent back to the classroom.  Now it’s our turn.  We currently have a TIS in every school, with the exception of our 2 new schools that have .5 TIS positions, due to last year’s budget restraints.  I love my job!  I sense that I have had a positive impact on my faculty’s interest and willingness to try new ways of integrating technology into the classroom.  I have 2nd graders who have learned to use the Internet to research this year.  They used Open Mind 2 to organize their information as they researched, and then exported their mind maps to PowerPoint so that they could prepare an oral presentation of their work.  These same students have used Writers all year to learn keyboarding skills.  I can’t help it…I want to see what these students will be able to do as 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders!

Nevertheless, change is inevitable.  I don’t know what I’ll be doing next year, but here’s what I’m doing now:

1. Staff Development
Meet monthly with grade level teams during planning to address topics of their choosing or something I want to introduce.
Hold after school training sessions as needed.
Provide training for TTCA.
Provide training for the completion of Technology Competency Level 2 Portfolio.
Train new teachers on use of IGPro, Lex-Connect, Groupwise, and district software.
Provide training on use of equipment such as SMART Boards, student response systems, and document cameras.
Lead sessions in district-wide staff development venues.
Provide 1-on-1 tutoring for teachers who need extra help.
Provide training as needed for instructional assistants and student interns.

2. Curriculum Support for Teachers
Be familiar with state curriculum standards (quickly and easily accessed through SMART Tech’s lesson plan site)
When possible, attend team collaborative planning sessions to be aware of current instructional objectives.
Ask teachers individually what they are teaching and make suggestions of ways to use technology to enhance instruction.
Locate and share Internet resources that support instruction.
Make suggestions about project-based learning activities that relate to topics of study.
Collaborate with teachers to plan standards-based PBL objectives, activities, and assessment.
Co-teach with teachers  to model technology integration.
Suggest technology-enhanced alternatives for classroom assessment.
Create instructional materials such as SMART Notebook lessons for teachers.
Maintain a school blog to share student learning with families and the community.

3. Provide “Just in Time” Assistance (Examples)
Inability to log in.
Laptop won’t get on the network.
Laptop won’t connect to projector.
SMART Board tools won’t work.
IGPro gradebook problems.
Email issues.
Printer won’t work.
Diagnosis of computer problems to make work order referral for technician.
Answer immediate “how to” questions.

4. Personal Professional Learning
Develop a Personal Learning Network (PLN) with other educators around the world by reading blogs, Twitter, and social networks like
Ning.
Collaborate with other TISs to learn together about new opportunities for technology integration such as the use of iPods in the
classroom or Augmented Reality.
Make use of a social bookmarking tool to collect useful resources that can be shared.
Attend workshops or conferences.

What have I left out? Please share your thoughts!

Our governor is insisting that he will refuse to accept federal stimulus stabilization funds for education.  His children attend private school, and one of his big agenda items during his tenure has been to push for tax-payer funded vouchers to help families pay for private school tuition.  Our legislature has refuted his efforts, so now public education is being held hostage.  It’s his revenge as he tries to make his name known nationally to aid his future bid for the presidency.  Last week over 1000 educators rallied at the state house to protest his refusal to accept funds for education, and I’m proud to say that I participated in my 1st protest rally!

I regret that I was out of the blogging loop for the last couple of months.  Finishing up the school year, having a son graduating from high school,  and a daughter planning a wedding, I’ve just had a lot on my plate!  Now it’s nice to have some time to relax and reflect.

My first year as a technology integration specialist was wonderful!  I was a little apprehensive about starting in a new school after teaching in my previous school for 14 years, but I was very warmly received.  My teachers were very welcoming to me, and they were receptive to what I had to offer in the realm of technology.  I was impressed that they were so open to trying something new.  One of my greatest impacts this year was with blogging.  In December I started with a couple of fifth grade classes, and by February, over 220 of the students in my school had their own blogs.  Students loved it and would ask me in the halls in the morning, “Are we coming to blog today?”  Teachers loved it as a way for students to reflect on their learning.  It was definitely a win-win scenario!

My other area of positive impact this year was  project-based learning.   Podcasting,  Photo Story, and research using Open Mind were some of the most engaging learning activities.  The last month of school, I had a second grade students who each researched an animal and wrote digital stories about their animals based on the book, Diary of a Worm.  They navigated through our school’s social bookmarking site, Diigo,  to locate information to research, wrote and edited text, located copyright permissible images, created a PowerPoint, converted it to JPEGS, created a Photo Story with it, and narrated it.  These second graders learned and used technology skills that many teachers don’t possess.  I was very impressed with what they accomplished.  It was so much fun to work with them, because every new thing that I showed them received a “WOW” reaction.   They were so motivated and enthusiastic!  I don’t think Disney World would measure much higher on their “WOW” meters.  They were sponges soaking it all in and loving every minute of it.  I can’t wait to see what these kids will accomplish next year as third graders!

In thinking about next year, I want to continue with the blogging and projects.  Some other goals I have are to get my teachers more involved with using Diigo and to focus more on using Web 2.0 tools for assessment.  Another emphasis will be to raise awareness with my teachers about copyright issues related to the Internet, fair use, and Creative Commons.  I also want to be a catalyst for greater collaboration among teachers.

I had a fabulous year! This job change was the right thing at the right time in my life.  I have made new friends and learned so much.  I’m already excited about next year…the journey continues!

I finished analyzing the results of the technology survey that I posted for my teachers with Survey Monkey. Following the example of a TIS friend, I posted the survey results on a web page so I could easily share them with my staff. I was pleased that 48 people took the time to respond. It was a short survey with only 8 questions, but it gave me a barometer reading on the local attitudes toward technology. Honestly, there weren’t any surprises. Most teachers reported that the level of technology integration in their classrooms is not very high, but they have a very strong interest in learning more about how to use a SMARTboard. As part of our district’s technology roll-out plan, every teacher in our school received a laptop and projector last semester. Our SMARTboards have also arrived, but they are still sitting in boxes in a storage room. It may be months before the contracted company gets around to mounting them. (That is a huge frustration and another story.) My teachers are eager to get their boards and want to be prepared to use them. This eagerness is an open doorway for me, and I hope to use this momentum to help my teachers see that using technology is not just “one more thing to do.” Instead, it’s a way to teach students in ways that engage and motivate them. It will also make their jobs more fun, and it will prepare students to be successful in the world in which they live. The survey results encouraged me as a new TIS. My faculty has demonstrated good receptivity to me and my ideas. I’m excited about my work, and I look forward to good things happening in my school this semester!

Curriculum Connections:

Third Grade Social Studies: Research key battles of the Revolutionary War that were fought in South Carolina. Use Google Earth to plot the locations of the battles. Use Excel to create a graph of the casualty numbers for each battle. Write a “from the scene” news report of each battle and record them for podcasts. Resource: Diigo bookmarks of battle websites.

Literacy: Post Children’s Book Award nominee books on Shelfari to encourage students to read those books and post comments. It’s an online book discussion! Check out our bookshelf. We’re just getting started with this in our media center.