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Technology Professional Development Plan for the Implementation and Support of Wissahickon School District eClassrooms and MacBook Carts

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    This is Susan Smith, 5th grade teacher at Blue Bell elementary school. She has been teaching for 5 years and loves her job and learning new ways to engage and motivate her students. She likes to use technology but is unsure as to the best ways how to effectively integrate it into her classroom. She does not currently have a SmartBoard but has had access to a shared digital projector off an on throughout the past few years. She has learned a lot about technology integration over the past few years during

    She is happy to have her MacBook and uses it often for grades, attendance, email, finding activities for her students, creating resources for classroom use, and other professional and personal activities such as entering Act 48 hours and browsing the Internet. She is allowed to download and install whatever she likes as long as she follows the district AUP. She is even allowed to decorate it as she sees fit with stickers and logos.

    She does not have a SMARTBoard yet but hears that she will be getting one for next school year.   Her grade-level colleague has one and Susan has used it a few times throughout the school year.  She has also used shared LCD projectors to share activities and web resources with her students, but has not had the opportunity to have it consistently. She is a still a bit nervous as to how she will use her new SMARTboard but is excited about learning how to best engage her students with it and the other components of an eClassroom - printer/scanner, digital cameras, sound system and access to MacBooks for students.

    There is a cart full of 30 MacBooks available to Susan that the 3, 4 and 5 grade teachers all share. Susan signs out the cart often and uses the laptops with her students during centers as extra practice for math and writer’s workshop.  She is lucky to have a few teachers in her school who are doing great things with the laptops who can share their strategies and best practices. However, she would like to learn how to better integrate their use into her daily activities and curriculum.

    Susan was given a one day “Meet your Mac” session in which she learned the basics of the MacBook computer and how to get around her email, Microsoft Word, and the Internet. She has attended various in-service days devoted to technology from which she learned such things as how to use certain applications or how to set up a Moodle course. Susan has also taken part in the Summer Institute workshops where she had the opportunity to learn iMovie and how to organize her digital life effectively. She has been working with her staff developer to better integrate technology into her lessons, but without a SMARTboard, it is difficult to employ all the strategies that the other 5th grade teachers, with boards, can use. The WSD ITS visits our Susan’s school once a month and offers to meet and help her out.  She has met with her a few times but it is difficult for her to be knowledgable about everyone's curriculum.

    Susan knows that when she get her Smartboard installed that she will get a one-day training on how to hook up the board and how to use the Smart Notebook software.  She will also be given tips and tricks on how to use the board with other applications and how to begin integrating it into her classes.  Her staff developer will begin to work with her on using the tools and modifying her lessons to encompass more interactive and engaging activities.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    But essentially, what Susan needs is to be continually supported and taught not only how to properly use the tools and software with her students, but also how to evaluate and reflect on the way she delivers content and teach her curriculum.  She needs to be given the data, research, and resources to help her learn better ways of teaching and best practices in project-based and authentic learning. And above all, she needs to be provided with an understanding, supportive, and helpful technology staff development coach to guide her through the transition and evolution of her teaching and her students’ learning.

    This project strives to support the teachers with the new equipment, tools, and resources available to them and their students and to also give them opportunities to learn how to change the way they teach to better suit the students of today.  I hope to develop a strong professional development plan for the smooth implementation and continued support of the art of teaching in a classroom fully equipped with an interactive whiteboard, projector, speakers, and access to MacBook laptops and other peripherals like digital cameras, printers, scanners, video cameras, etc

    I would begin by hiring an additional Instructional Technology Specialist (ITS) so that there will be two - one working at the elementary level and one at the secondary level.  The new hire will work closely with the current ITS on programs, trainings, resources, and so forth. Then together, they will both work with the nine staff developers in the district.  Although the ITS will also work with the teachers, the staff developers are the ones who have vast knowledge of the different curricula.  With the help of the ITS, the staff developers will begin to learn which technology tools and resources are best to use when, and how to use them correctly with different subject areas and grade levels.

    Together with the Director of Technology and the Curriculum department, the two Instructional Technology Specialists will put together a plan for technology professional development for the upcoming school year. Before the plan is created, however, a survey will need to be designed to assess the current technology expertise of the faculty. This survey should include questions pertaining to basic computer skills, specific applications, comfort level of integrating technology with students, and individual learning styles and needs. From there, a committee should be formed to put the actual Technology Staff Development Plan in place. The committee should consist of teachers, administrators and students so that all viewpoints can be represented. The student members could give valuable insight on what their generation already knows about the tools and resources and could provide feedback on how they learn best.

    Although the actual plan will be put together after the new hire is in place and the assessment is conducted, the current ITS and Technology Director already have a sketch of what the professional development should look like.  Since it is better to offer teachers “a variety of activities that take place over an extended period of time to allow participants to practice and experiment” (Picciano 245), this plan provides many professional development opportunities to teachers on a variety of topics concerning the use of the new tools and equipment: MacBooks, software, web resources, Moodle, SMART Boards, etc.  In addition to basic \"how-to\" workshops, there will be sessions about project-based learning, authentic learning, differentiation with technology, inquiry-based learning, problem solving with technology and so forth.  Workshops will be offered during school hours, after school, during in-service days, recorded on video, and through an online interactive environment such as Elluminate.


    The most important element of this plan is the implementation of a professional coaching model that will be served by the current nine staff developers in the district. The goal is to provide the current nine staff developers with consistent training and support so that they can be well versed in the technologies supported by the district as well as successful coaching methodologies. They should receive ongoing support in the following areas:  basic use of MacBook applications and popular web resources as listed in the eToolBox (http://etoolbox.wikispaces.com), effective integration strategies for the supported resources, current and successful technology coaching methods, literacy and learning in the 21st century, project-based and constructivist learning, new software and applications relevant to teaching.  All in all, the staff developers need to be brought up to date and learn enough to feel confident in coaching teachers how to use and effectively integrate tools and resources.  


    Two of the resources that will be used in staff development will be the ISTE NETS Standards for Students (www.iste.org/NETS/) and the Framework for 21st Century Learning (www.21stcenturyskills.org).


    There have already been several teachers at Wissahickon who have “bubbled up” and have proven to be very good teachers with technology. It is this plan’s goal to identify these teachers and to recognize and reward them in their endeavors. These teachers will also be called upon to help train and lead workshops in the technologies and best practices that they have employed in their daily instruction. In my opinion, although the ITS and staff developers are knowledgeable in methodologies and strategies, it is the teachers who are the true experts in their fields. If we can tap the knowledge of our best teachers, we could very well create a teacher technology-mentoring program and offer regular demonstrations of best practices. The teachers want to, and should, learn from each other.



    This plan also calls for the continuation of the use and expansion of all of Wissahickon’s online resources.  The district website, Moodle, eToolBox and Ning will be continually updated and expanded.  The use of the Ning for sharing materials and lessons will be encouraged. Experience with my own Personal Learning Network (PLN) through Twitter, blogs, and wikis has shown that the more teachers start to share resources and see others doing so, the more open they are to sharing.  WSD’s Ning environment has yet to break out of the mold of \"what's mine is mine\" but I think with a bit more encouragement and coaching from the staff developers and ITS, teachers may be more confident to share their resources and lessons. This plan strives to educate teachers in the concept of Personal Learning Networks and their value in their roles as educators today. In addition, building up a collegial learning environment and a database of lessons, projects, units and resources would prove to be valuable for years to come.


    It is the goal of this plan for the teachers in Wissahickon School District to become Networked teachers and understand the need and uses of the resources shown.

    Evaluation of this plan must begin with the teachers directly affected by the professional development workshops, training, and instructional coaching. Surveys should be given at the end of training sessions for feedback and suggestions for improvement.
    Periodic input (3 times a year) about staff developers is also important, and interviews and surveys should be conducted with teachers by the Instructional Technology Specialists and/or the Principals. Survey and interview results would be used to modify, transform and change the way trainings and coaching interactions are conducted. Teachers will also be encouraged to suggest new types of workshops and new topics for training. The Instructional Technology Specialists will gather these ideas and design programs based on the needs of the teachers they are supporting. With the combination of workshops, observations and follow-up with peer coaching, teachers will truly get the differentiated and personalized professional development that they want and need.



    Because this plan is directly associated to professional development, it seeks to find knowledgeable persons from local businesses and the community and make use of computer professionals, trainers, motivational speakers, education reformists, etc to conduct training, serve as guest speakers, and/or to advise the district in the area of instructional technology and the needs of employers today.



    The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU) should be an integral partner in this endeavor as they provide many technology workshops during the school year and summer. The Instructional Technology Specialists and trainers at MCIU could be brought to WSD to conduct workshops and training sessions. Inquiries will be made at area colleges (Chestnut Hill College, Montgomery County Community College, Arcadia University, Gwynedd Mercy College) about internship programs and to offer our district as a place their students are welcome to come to serve in a support or training capacity. The Parent-Teacher organizations will be encouraged to support the infusion of technology and sponsor fundraisers to fund vendor professional development and training workshops. The community of Wissahickon is very generous and, I believe, could provide more support to the schools of the district in many areas, including technology.




    The first thing that needs to be done when this project is implemented is to complete a budget worksheet. Although the completed worksheet will include more exact numbers, the following elements must be considered for this plan:




    The first thing that needs to be done when this project is implemented is to complete a budget worksheet. Although the completed worksheet will include more exact numbers, the following elements must be considered for this plan:




    This plan could very well be included into the School Board’s budget for technology, but there are other fund resources to consider. First and foremost, funds for the Classrooms for the Future coach position could be continued to be used to supply funding for the salary, benefits and conference attendance of the ITS/ CFF Coach. $8,200 for Title IID and $220,700 for Fiscal Stabilization Grants. As outlined in the Pennsylvania School District Guide to the Federal Stimulus Education Investments published by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in March of 2009, the Title IID funds can be used for “Integrating technology into the school curriculum and providing related professional development” (Guide 2). The entire stimulus-funded amount for $8,200 could go toward this plan. In addition, the Stabilization funds, according to the aforementioned Guide, can be used “to pay for ongoing costs of existing programs” (Guide 2). The “existing programs” in this plan are the nine staff developers, the summer institute workshops, the in-service days devoted to technology and any other professional development that has been previously established at Wissahickon. Therefore, the Stabilization funding could also be used in this plan. Lastly, the local community and businesses should be “tapped” for additional financial resources and grants.





    As long as the support structure as it exists today remains in place, with the addition of the Instructional Technology Specialist, this plan can be sustained very easily and inexpensively without much increase in funding after the first year. Eventually though, more peer coaches/staff developers may be hired which would add to the expense of personnel and training. Continued expenses include, but are not limited to: salaries and benefits for the Instructional Technology Specialists and staff developers; distribution and upkeep of individual MacBook computers; expense of conferences, workshops, trainings, webinars, books, and journals for teachers, staff developers and ITS, and payment for guest speakers and vendor trainers. With the exception of the new staff member, the increased conference and supply expenses mentioned above and expert speakers, all of those expenses are already established in the current budget.





    As long as the support structure as it exists today remains in place, with the addition of the Instructional Technology Specialist, this plan can be sustained very easily and inexpensively without much increase in funding after the first year. Eventually though, more peer coaches/staff developers may be hired which would add to the expense of personnel and training. Continued expenses include, but are not limited to: salaries and benefits for the Instructional Technology Specialists and staff developers; distribution and upkeep of individual MacBook computers; expense of conferences, workshops, trainings, webinars, books, and journals for teachers, staff developers and ITS, and payment for guest speakers and vendor trainers. With the exception of the new staff member, the increased conference and supply expenses mentioned above and expert speakers, all of those expenses are already established in the current budget.






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    Technology Professional Development Plan for the Implementation and Support of Wissahickon School District eClassrooms and MacBook Carts - Presentation Transcript

    1. Technology Professional Development Plan for the Implementation and Support of Wissahickon School District eClassrooms and MacBook Carts Dianne P. Krause April 22, 2009 GRIT 687: Technology and the Administrator
    2. OR
    3. How are the teachers going to learn how to effectively use all this stuff with their students??
    4. Susan Smith 5th Grade Teacher http://www.flickr.com/photos/tfrancis/1288762325/
    5. Teacher MacBook
    6. eClassroom with Interactive Whiteboard
    7. Shared MacBook Access for Students http://www.flickr.com/photos/21468527@N07/2085259670/
    8. Professional Development http://www.educationcenteronline.org/images/Online_Information_Technology_Training.jpg
    9. What does Susan need? http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_42/1140187563WI9INj.jpg
    10. Continual Support
    11. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools
    12. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools Evaluate & Reflect
    13. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools Evaluate & Reflect Content Delivery
    14. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools Evaluate & Reflect Content Delivery Data, Research & Resources
    15. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools Evaluate & Reflect Content Delivery Data, Research & Project-Based & Resources Authentic Learning
    16. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools Evaluate & Reflect Content Delivery Data, Research & Project-Based & Resources Authentic Learning Technology Staff Development Coach
    17. Continual Support Proper Use of Tools Evaluate & Reflect Content Delivery Data, Research & Project-Based & Resources Authentic Learning Technology Staff Development Coach Evolution of Teaching & Learning
    18. The Project Plan http://www.pmthink.com/TransformationProject01.jpg
    19. Goal 1: Hire an Instructional Technology Specialist http://www.flickr.com/photos/welchwrite/297100007/
    20. Goal 2: Needs Assessment & Professional Development Plan http://www.mrquestionnaire.com/images/Online%20questionnaire%20programming.jpg
    21. Goal 2: Needs Assessment & Professional Development Plan http://www.minot.com/ndc/images/food_7711345.jpg
    22. Goal 3: Peer Coaching Model http://computercoachamelia.com/images/Computer_Coach_-_Peck.JPG
    23. Goal 3: Peer Coaching Model http://atticmooses.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/iste-nets-s.jpg http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/21stCenturySkills02.png
    24. Goal 4: Identify Lead Technology Teachers
    25. Goal 5: Online Support
    26. http://www.flickr.com/photos/courosa/344832591
    27. Monitoring & Local Evaluation http://www.flickr.com/photos/mygigi/69575407/
    28. Partnerships & Local Support http://www.washington.edu/community/graphics/partnership_image1.jpg
    29. Partnerships & Local Support
    30. Budget http://www.flickr.com/photos/25577119@N04/2477208738/
    31. Budget
    32. Sustainability http://www.kinesismarketing.co.uk/images/at-minimal-cost.jpg
    33. Conclusion

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