This initiative aims to increase collaboration among Algebra I teachers at Northwestern High School over 8 weeks using a blended learning model. Teachers will use a Wiggio site to share resources like lesson plans, provide feedback, and discuss topics. They will also meet in person 4 times to further collaboration. Currently, there is little collaboration between math teachers. The initiative seeks to address this by providing an online space and structure for collaboration, which will help as the school adopts a new curriculum and assessment.

2. SUMMARY OF INITIATIVE
An eight-week blended initiative for all Algebra I teachers at Northwestern
High School.
Teachers will use a Wiggio site to collaborate by:
• sharing lesson planning resources
• critiquing one another’s lesson plans
• participating in group discussions and surveys
Teachers will also meet in four f2f meetings for in-person debriefs and
discussions.

3. NEED
There is currently little collaboration among the math department at
Northwestern.
The Algebra I teachers at Northwestern need a space to share lesson plans
and resources, and an easy-to-use platform through which they may
connect with one another.
The math department at Northwestern is teaching a new curriculum and will
begin to administer a new high stakes assessment in the 2014 – 15
school year.
Of the 478 students who took the Algebra/Data Analysis Maryland High
School Assessment in 2013, the scores were:
• 30% basic
• 58% proficient
• 12% advanced

4. AUDIENCE
• All Algebra I teachers at Northwestern High School in Prince George’s
County, MD.
• This includes five teachers for the 2013 – 14 school year.

5. OUTCOMES
The five Algebra I teachers in the e-learning initiative will be able to:
• Share their planning resources over a group Wiggio.
• Download planning resources that other teachers have uploaded to a
group Wiggio.
• Create shared Common Core lessons that fit within the county
curriculum and meet the unique needs of the students at Northwestern
High School.

6. PLATFORM - WIGGIO

7. PLATFORM
Wiggio is an online collaborative space that makes it easy to work in a
group.
Among other features, Wiggio allows users to:
• Upload and download files
• Participate in chatrooms and surveys
• Post discussions to a group feed
• Send meeting notifications

8. BROAD PLAN
The eight-week initiative will run from August 18, 2014 – October 12, 2014.
During the initiative, participants will:
• Review the county’s Algebra I Unit 1 plan
• Share their course syllabus and provide feedback on other teachers’
course syllabi
• Share a lesson plan and provide feedback on others’ lesson plans
• Collaborate with another teacher on a lesson plan
• Complete a peer observation and debrief
• Attend four f2f meetings in which teachers discuss and share the work
that they have done on the Wiggio site

9. FACILITATOR EXPECTATIONS
• Post instructions and checklists for each session.
• Monitor group and team discussions.
• Respond to questions.
• Provide feedback to groups and to individuals.

10. PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS
• Be present at all face-to-face meetings.
• Participate in all team assignments.
• Complete and submit all individual assignments.
• Honor each team member’s work and provide constructive feedback
when asked to do so.

11. CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
By the end of the initiative, all Algebra I teachers have created a Wiggio
account and have joined the Northwestern Algebra I group.
By the end of the initiative, all Algebra I teachers are able to upload and
download resources from the Wiggio site.
By the end of the initiative, all Algebra I teachers have participated in a peer
observation and debrief.
By the end of the initiative, at least two-thirds of participants say that the
shared lesson plan and peer observation was a positive learning
experience.
By the end of the initiative, at least two-thirds of participants agree that
they will continue to use the Wiggio site for peer collaboration.

12. THANK YOU!
Conclusion:
The Algebra I teacher team at Northwestern High School will dramatically
increase levels of collaboration following the introduction of this e-
learning initiative.