ReTool Your School Grant
ReTool Your School (RTYS) Grant SY 2012-2013
Project Information Gwynns Falls Elementary School #60 School and School Number Joshua Shaw, Data and Technology Specialist Grant Project Administrator Grant Project Administrator’s Signature
Grant Title Proposal Abstract (50-word maximum) Our proposal aims to increase the technological literacy of our students and staff through an extensive professional development program and through the purchase of iPads for staff and students. Additionally, we will create a student-run television station and strive to improve our ability to track student mastery of Common Core skills by purchasing a subscription to Mastery Connect.
For ITD Staff only:
CIO
ITD Director
Grant Manager
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II. Table of Contents Section Description Cover Page Table of Contents Introduction Goals Narrative Alignment to Common Core Identification of Technology Leaders Action Plan Professional Development Plan Budget Worksheet Budget Narrative Technology Framework References Page
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Introduction It is our goal that this grant helps to transform Gwynns Falls into the leading educational technology elementary school in Baltimore City. Our application focuses around a comprehensive technology professional development system for staff members and administrators to make sure they not only feel comfortable using technology, but to be able to use it instructionally every day. The first tier of professional development will be offered to all staff members in order to improve their use of technology for both administrative and instructional purposes. The second tier will focus on the administrators and how they are modeling the use of technology to their staff while encouraging its daily use. The final tier will focus on a select group of 15 teachers who will participate in iPad-focused professional development and who will receive their own iPad, giving them the tools and knowledge to use technology on a regular basis. By purchasing the LoTi digital survey, we will be able to accurately and efficiently track staff progress and monitor their use of instructional technology on a daily basis. Our plan also seeks to dramatically increase our mobile technology hardware supply and increase exposure to new media by purchasing two mobile iPad carts for student use. It is our goal to re-establish GFK TV, our live morning announcements television program, and to improve upon it while also broadcasting it live to the community through our school Web site. Finally, while only taking up a small portion of the grant money, a school subscription to Mastery Connect will help teachers track student mastery easily and efficiently. The program is used completely online and makes creating and grading assessments based on both the Maryland State Standards and the Common Core standards easy for all teachers, regardless of their comfort using technology. By combining a comprehensive professional development system with the purchase of new hardware and software, we know Gwynns Falls can be a successful model school for instructional technology use.
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III. Goals Goal 1: To consistently and successfully provide extensive staff-wide professional development on current education technology tools such as Smart response systems, Smart Boards, Google Documents, Web 2.0 tools and Mastery Connect in order for teachers to comfortably infuse technology into their daily instruction. The professional development will be offered to all staff members during school hours during collaborative planning meetings every two weeks and teachers will apply their learning to their actual lessons each week, receiving time for feedback, support and reflection. The effectiveness of this goal will be measured by the LoTi digital profiler survey as well as Mastery Connect check-ins and observations. Using the city-wide Speak Up survey and seeing increases in important technology categories will also help us measure this goal’s effectiveness.
Goal 2: To provide continuous professional development for administrators on using technology to complete administrative tasks such as observations and targeted learning walks in order to appropriately model and encourage the use of technology in the school. Sessions will help administrators comfortably use iPads, Observation 360 and other technology tools and will be led and monitored by the school technology leader. The effectiveness of this goal will be measured by the LoTi digital profiler survey as well as monthly check-ins with the technology team. The Speak Up survey can also provide useful information on how administrators are using technology.
Goal 3: To create a pilot group of 15 teachers who can proficiently infuse the use of iPads for both administrative and instructional practices into their daily teaching habits, two of whom will also be able to successfully integrate a class set of iPads into their instruction. In a classroom, iPads can be used for administrative tasks such as tracking behavior, mastery, grades and parent contact. Instructionally, iPads provide a unique and engaging way to provide intervention, guided reading and enrichment. The effectiveness of this goal will be measured by the LoTi digital profiler survey, observed use of the iPads in administrative and instructional tasks and an increase in student test scores on the reading and math MSA exams.
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Goal 4: To ensure all students have daily access to technology tools and are using them to improve their reading, comprehension and technology skills. Web 2.0 tools such as Khan Academy, TSS, and blogs not only increase student engagement but have the potential to build academic skills for every student. Students should also be learning keyboarding and digital citizenship to ensure they are using the technology efficiently and safely. The iPads provide an excellent opportunity for students to become better, smarter readers. This goal will be measured through standards-based technology tracking and we will consider it accomplished if there are increases on formative assessments in reading and on the reading MSA exam.
Goal 5: To re-establish a morning announcement program (GFK TV) in order to efficiently communicate news to the school as well as to the community through a live web stream. Communication is an integral component of a school community. Broadcasting the news to the school each morning through closed-circuit television as well as streaming it live on the school’s website will dramatically increase the communication between the school and the community. It will also provide students an opportunity to learn real-world, technology skills such as operating a video camera and a teleprompter. The effectiveness of this goal will be measured by monitoring the amount of traffic to the Gwynns Falls Web site as well as satisfaction about school communication as measured by the school climate survey.
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IV. Narrative The Gwynns Falls ReTool Your School grant application is designed to dramatically increase the opportunities for students and staff members to use technology on a daily basis in a variety of different ways. It is clear that the school has made instructional technology a priority in recent years and will continue to do so, but this grant will allow the school to provide much needed professional development for this technology as well as opportunities to expand on the types of technology being used. All of the components of our application directly align with researchbased professional development methods, the latest studies on the effectiveness of instructional technology, the school technology framework and our School Performance Plan. Additionally, many components of our plan directly align to the Maryland State Standards for Technology for Administrators, Teachers and Students while also directly aligning to Common Core standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Our plan is focused around creating a multi-tiered professional development system for teachers and administrators while also aiming to increase the amount of hardware and software the school community has access to.
Professional development and training are two completely different things. Most of what occurs in schools these days regarding technology is training, or the one-time teaching of a skill or program. There is no follow-up, no reflection and frequently, no real improvement. However, it is our goal to create a system that will truly develop the administrators and staff members to become comfortable and consistent in their use of technology. A system like this requires clear goals to be established and allows plenty of time for collaboration, reflection and evaluation. True professional development is embedded into the normal work day and focuses on what teachers are actually doing in their classrooms. It is aligned to the curriculum and to the standards and is given consistently (Cottle, 2010). Our professional development system plans to take all of this into account in three tiers.
Tier 1: Staff-Wide Technology Professional Development on Use of Current Technology The first tier aims to increase the digital literacy of all staff members at Gwynns Falls in a comprehensive manner. For two days at the beginning of the school year, at least two additional days during system-wide professional development and then during weekly collaborative planning meetings, teachers will meet in small groups with the technology leader, Joshua Shaw,
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and administrators to learn how to effectively use a variety of technology and Web 2.0 tools and programs. Mr. Shaw has informally been leading technology professional development at Gwynns Falls for more than a year and has established himself as a technology leader. He will participate in extensive professional development while working with the Informational Technology Department over the summer and by attending the 2012 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in June. Equipped with these experiences, he will lead the collaborative planning professional development sessions. Every classroom at Gwynns Falls is equipped with a Smart board, a document camera, Internet access and many of them have a set of Smart response clickers. While some teachers use these items regularly, they are not used consistently enough by the entire staff and there is huge room for improvement. Staff members will be shown how to use all of these tools and will be given assignments to help them practice using the tools in class. There will be time during planning meetings for collaboration and reflection while Mr. Shaw and administrators provide appropriate evaluation. We plan on using Google documents and Google sites more frequently to improve communication among staff members. Teachers can also use these tools to track attendance, homework, behavior and skill mastery. According to National Technology Standards for teachers, instructors must “engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources” (ISTE, 2012). Teachers must also “participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning,” (ISTE, 2012). We think this system directly aligns to these and many other technology standards. Mastery Connect is another extremely important tool that will be implemented school-wide. This program will allow teachers to track student mastery quickly and easily online. Mastery Connect allows teachers to use either the Maryland State Standards or the Common Core standards for the subjects that they teach and they will have access to thousands of pre-made assessments. Teachers will also be able to use their own assessments and grade them quickly and easily by scanning them with their document cameras. The teachers receive instant data which is well organized making it easy to determine which students have and have not mastered each skill. As a pilot program during the Spring 2011 semester, three second-grade teachers and the technology leader all became familiar with the program and will help train and facilitate these sessions.
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The LoTi digital profile survey is an easy way to monitor how comfortable teachers are when using technology in their classroom. The survey takes into account a number of factors including how the technology is being used, who is using the technology and how often it is used. By taking a baseline survey at the beginning of the year and then follow-up surveys in the middle and at the end of the year, we will be able to easily monitor growth according to their rubric. Additionally, informal observations done by the technology leader and administrators will ensure that teachers are teachers are applying their professional development in their classes. The Speak Up survey is a final tool that may also provide some insight on how much teachers are growing in terms of technology use. The survey asks teachers a detailed list of questions and provides a comprehensive assessment of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
Tier 2: Professional Development for Administrators While teachers will be receiving the majority of the professional development in this plan, equally important are the messages sent and examples set by the leadership when it comes to technology (Webb, 2011). In order for the staff to truly buy into a system they must first see the leadership of the building modeling the behavior. Staff members cannot be expected to spend time each week learning how to use technology if they do not first see it being modeled. Administrators must also actively encourage their staff members to use technology and be enthusiastic and supportive throughout the professional development process (Webb, 2011). According to the ISTE Standards for administrators, school leaders must “model and promote the frequent and effective use of technology for learning,” (ISTE, 2012). Additionally, the must “promote and model effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital age tools,” (ISTE, 2012). Tier two of this plan will directly align to these standards. Professional development for administrators would be delivered monthly and would include learning how to use iPads for administrative tasks including observations and walk-throughs, using Mastery Connect to analyze student data and using PD360 and Observation 360. Professional development would be facilitated by Mr. Shaw during and after school approximately once every two weeks, however, all of the administrators come from strong technology backgrounds. It will be important for the administrators to use iPads in their daily routine and actively encourage the teachers to do the same. They must fully support technology initiatives and provide support to teachers who need additional help. One way to do this will be
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to learn Mastery Connect. While the program will mainly benefit the teachers, the administrators must be able to demonstrate they understand the work the teachers are putting in to learning the system and can help analyze the student data. Administrators can also make use of the Observation 360 tool which is a part of PD360. This tool allows schools to create their own custom observation or walk-through checklists and send the final report directly to a teacher. For example, the principal can open Observation 360 on his iPad, walk into a classroom and informally observe a teacher while taking notes and recommending videos to that teacher. The principal can then send this report directly to the teacher via email. It is quick, focused feedback that the teacher can benefit from immediately. Administrators must understand the limits and the capabilities of each piece of equipment in order to fairly assess its use and that is what this tier of professional development aims to do. To ensure this professional development is effective, administrators will also be asked to participate in the LoTi survey as well as the SpeakUp survey. Frequent check-ins with the technology leader will also occur to monitor progress.
Tier 3: iPad Specific Professional Development The final piece of the professional development plan will aim to make iPads a key instructional tool for teachers and a key learning tool for students. The grant will support the purchase of two class sets of 30 iPads for the 4th and 5th grade reading classrooms in addition to 15 iPads that will be given to teachers to participate in this professional development in lieu of a stipend. The 15 teachers will be selected by the technology leader and the administrators based on their previous use of technology and interest in using more technology. Teachers selected will have to commit to attending professional development sessions after school twice a month (in addition to attending all regular professional development session held during collaborative planning). Initial support will be given by Mr. Shaw at the beginning of the year and on professional development days throughout the year. Weekly assignments will be given and then discussed at the monthly meetings and teachers will use actual lesson plans to embed the use of iPads into, instead of starting from scratch. This professional development will focus on using the iPad for both administrative and instructional tasks. Administratively, teachers can use applications like Class Dojo to track and manage student behavior while using Google Documents or the PowerTeacher Gradebook application to track student mastery and grades. There are also applications for PD360 so teachers can watch recommended videos easily and we will use the
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Dropbox application to keep all of the professional development documents organized. Using the camera, teachers can also record parts of their lessons or take pictures of excellent student work to create a collage. Students in the hearing impaired program can use Skype to learn to communicate with other members of the deaf community while other classrooms can have video chats and conferences with classes across the city. When it comes to instruction, the iPad is a great tool to engage students and increase learning potential, especially in reading. It is our goal, in accordance with our School Performance Plan, to increase the reading and critical thinking skills of all of our students. Using iBooks, students can read short stories or novels while also having unlimited resources at their fingertips. Students will be able to research topics to build background knowledge before reading and write down their predictions on a note-taking application. During reading, students can highlight using iBooks and even use a dictionary to look up words they do not know. After reading, students can take a quiz using the Bubble Sheet application that is directly linked to Mastery Connect or using Google documents. The iPads also lend themselves to small groups for intervention or enrichment. Khan Academy, BrainPop and numerous other educational companies have created applications specifically for schools. All it takes is the right amount of quality professional development to show the teachers how to facilitate the use of iPads in their classrooms. Mr. Shaw will oversee the implementation of the iPad program including leading professional development and syncing and securing them each day. To monitor the effectiveness of this professional development we will rely on the LoTi digital survey but we will also use weekly observations done by the administrative and technology leaders. These leaders will look for an increase in the amount of technology usage, how rigorous the activities are and who is doing most of the “work.” The idea is by the end of the professional development that the students are taking control of their own learning and are proficient enough that the teacher really turns into a facilitator. This will be a major indication of whether the professional development was meaningful. By focusing the majority of the PD on reading strategies (as supported by our School Performance Plan goal), we will also expect to see an increase of student test scores on the reading MSA.
GFK TV The final goal of this grant is to re-establish GFK TV, the school-wide morning announcements television program. Last year, we were able to broadcast the morning announcements through
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our own station and onto the televisions in the classrooms. A group of students along with a few advisors ran the production including student directors, anchors and cameramen. However, our video cameras were stolen and GFK TV became GFK Radio. We currently use the PA system to communicate in the morning but it is not as powerful and certainly not as entertaining. By reestablishing GFK TV not only can we make communicating more efficient but we can make it more exciting too. Additionally, students will have the unique opportunity to run their own news station and create and edit their own videos. We have already purchased replacement video cameras but in order to make it more realistic we plan on purchasing a few additional items. First, a Macbook Pro would allow us to run all of the required software and programs to broadcast the program to the school. A teleprompter would greatly enhance the real-life feel of the station and would create true learning experiences for the students. “Students must use technology tools to work collaboratively within the school community” and “recognize that technology helps with communication at home and at school,” according to the Maryland State Technology Literacy Standards. The creation of GFK TV would definitely help students meet these standards as well as many other technology standards outlined in the curriculum. Students would be responsible for writing and reading their own content and scrolling the prompter at the correct speed. We also want to begin streaming the broadcast live through our Web site. This would also help make our school Web site relevant and a real tool for communication. By purchasing Final Cut Pro we can also teach students how to create and edit their own videos on a professional video editing program. While it would be easy to just take a few cameras and shoot the announcements each morning, providing the real-world experiences of how technology is used in many different professions seems to be a more practical way to proceed.
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V. Alignment to Common Core At Gwynns Falls we have already begun our transition to using the Common Core standards to shape our instruction and the projects in this proposal are no different. The technology we aim to acquire through this grant can have an important effect on how well students will adapt to the new curriculum and perform on standardized tests. Mastery Connect – “Core Focused Learning” is Mastery Connect’s slogan and it is easy to see how this program will help our school become more aligned with the Common Core Standards. Mastery Connect allows teachers to create trackers for their classes based on the exact Common Core Standards for their grade level and content area. These standards are not only automatically created at the top of each page but a detailed list of the standards is from Mastery Connect’s Web site.
In the image above, a sample tracker shows the standards color-coded across the top. When a standard is clicked on, the box comes up explaining exactly what it is. These trackers will allow
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teachers to begin to become familiar and comfortable assessing using the Common Core Standards on a regular basis. Since the program is so easy and quick to use and includes standards for reading, writing, math, science and social studies, every teacher, no matter what content area, will be able to track mastery. In addition to just being able to track by standards, the subscription also allows teachers to browse through a library of thousands of teacher-created assessments. Mastery Connect allows only verified teachers into their network and because of this, content is regulated. By having access to this database not only will our teachers be able to quickly tweak and edit assignments to fit their needs, but they will also be able to get ideas on how they should be teaching a specific standard or skill. Finally, by becoming Mastery Connect members, all teachers will be part of a network of teachers dedicated to using technology and to teaching the Common Core. The Web site allows for instant collaboration among teachers from all over the country and makes it easy to connect with teachers who are teaching the same subjects and grades. Mastery Connect will not just help our school start thinking seriously about the Common Core, it will be a driving force behind our transition. iPads – Purchasing two class sets of iPads will allow teachers and students to engage in a variety of activities directly related to the Common Core due to the enormous amount of educational applications that our students will have access to. In mathematics, students will have the opportunities to use the Khan Academy application to watch videos and complete learning modules. The students will be able to play learning games and activities that directly relate to math standards. For example, 5.MD.5 for math says, “Geometric measurement: understand concepts of volume and relate volume to multiplication and to addition.” The iPad will allow students to use the calculator tool, the measurement tool, the converter tool and numerous other applications to help them solve volume problems.
One of the main goals of spending this money on iPads was to be able to get a mobile device into the hands of every student during their reading block. The iPads have enormous potential to completely revolutionize the way reading is taught, especially while following the Common Core Standards. Our first task will be to purchase numerous books on iBooks, allowing the students to read books in groups and independently. Using iPads, students will be able to quickly and easily highlight the main idea of a paragraph (5.RIT.2) using the highlighting tool,
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identify and compare characters and setting from a story (5.RL.2) using the iPads’ graphic organizers and integrate information from multiple texts into one summary (5.RIT.9) using a note-taking application. Vocabulary building applications will help with the language standards and the iPad lends itself to creating and presenting information (speaking and listening standards). If for no other reason, we fully expect that the iPads will help each student who uses one grow more than one grade level in reading by the end of the year.
Purchasing iPads will allow students to truly experience the researching and writing processes. By having access to their own devices, students will be able to conduct research and save their notes to their device. By purchasing the Microsoft Office suite application, students will also be able to type and send their documents electronically. There are a number of applications available on the writing process as well as ones to help with grammar and spelling. Individual access to the Internet at all times will open up a whole new world to the students as far as research and writing. With the ability to create electronic rubrics and checklists, students will also be able to engage much more easily in peer- and self-editing techniques. Collaboration will be made easy and applications like dragon dictation, which allows the user to speak into the microphone and have their words written for them, will allow students to get their thoughts down onto paper and will provide a much needed accommodation for many of our special education students.
Science and Social Studies will also not be left out. While the iPads will be used mainly in Language Arts classrooms, there are a ton of great applications for science and social studies too. In science, the “Star Walk” app allows students to pretend they are looking at the night sky. There is also a “Phases of the Moon” app, an “Elements of the Periodic Table” app and even a “Frog Dissection” app. The iPads can also be used for scientific research but the students may end up getting the most out of using specific content-related apps that tie into the Common Core Standards and the same applies for social studies. GFK TV – While nothing about GFK TV will be graded or tied directly into the Common Core Standards, students will learn how to become problem solvers and work collaboratively, two things that the Common Core emphasizes. While working together to put on a live TV broadcast,
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students will be faced with a number of challenges that they will have to overcome. They will need to communicate clearly with each other and be able to work together. They will need to be able to think critically and reflect on their work. Working in a fun, fast-paced environment like GFK TV will help the students transfer the skills they will learn into the classroom where they will need to think critically and solve problems in order to be successful in mastering the Common Core Standards.
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VI. Identification of Technology Leaders While there will only be one primary technology leader in the school, many staff members bring a lot of experience and skills to the table, including two administrators. It is our goal to use this grant to greatly strengthen and deepen the staff’s knowledge of technology and to increase the use of technology both academically and personally. Joshua Shaw – Mr. Shaw is the data and technology specialist at Gwynns Falls while also serving as the school’s computer teacher. For the past year, he has been responsible for all technology training and support at the school while also teaching grades Pre-K through 5. He has taught a college level course in Web Design and worked in the Instructional Technology Department last summer to help create the initial rollout of the ReTool Your School plan. In his previous years in the classroom, Mr. Shaw effectively used his Smart board, Smart response system, Google Documents, document reader and iPad during instruction. He has facilitated professional development sessions on PowerTeacher Gradebook, TSS, Mastery Connect, data tracking and DataLink as well as many sessions on using technology equipment effectively. Mr. Shaw also serves as the school’s Webmaster for their Web site. If the grant is approved, he will be working with the ITD staff again to deepen his knowledge of instructional technology. He will also attend the 2012 ISTE Conference in order to collaborate with fellow technology leaders. Mr. Shaw will be in charge of leading all tiers of the professional development plan proposed in this application and will also oversee the use of the iPads in the school. He will be in charge of technology purchases for the 2012-2013 school year and attends weekly school leadership meetings. Anthony Felder – In just two years as principal of Gwynns Falls Elementary, Mr. Felder has demonstrated he is committed to making Gwynns Falls a school driven by technology. During his run as principal, Gwynns Falls has put a Smart board in every classroom and is one of only a handful of schools to have wireless Internet. He has made technology a priority and has a vision to become the highest performing STEM elementary school in the city. Before going into administration, Mr. Felder worked as a Technology Instructional Aide for Baltimore City Schools Technology Department, assisting schools with their instructional technology needs.
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Michele Thornton-Lynch – Currently an Educational Associate, Ms. Thornton-Lynch has overseen the budget for the past year while researching and approving all technology purchases. She helped organize and produce GFK TV while it was in operation making sure all students and staff members knew how to use the equipment. She taught computers and technology for three years, helping to make technology a priority at Gwynns Falls. She has already been trained on how to use all of the instructional technology in the building and is very capable of leading the professional development sessions outlined in this plan. Dr. Shawyn Jenkins – Dr. Jenkins is the Literacy Professional Development Consultant at Gwynns Falls Elementary School. She is responsible for organizing the school’s literacy program, developing the school’s literacy teams and collecting and analyzing assessment data. Dr. Jenkins earned a B.S in Elementary Education from Coppin State College, an M.ED in Language and Literacy Instruction and PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a former Reading Specialist and tenured University Professor.
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VII. Action Plan Goal One: To consistently and successfully provide extensive staff-wide professional development on current education technology tools such as Smart response systems, Smart Boards, Google Docs, Web 2.0 tools and Mastery Connect in order for teachers to comfortably infuse technology into their daily instruction. Objectives
Task & Activities
Timeframe
Person Responsible
To participate in extensive professional development experiences
Intern with Baltimore City’s Informational Technology Department and attend the International Society for Technology in Education’s 2012 Conference
Summer 2012
Josh Shaw, Technology Specialist
To ensure every teacher is comfortable using technology administrativel y& instructionally every day
Provide PD sessions which include ongoing collaborative planning, peer observations, modeling, discussion, support and reflection
Once a week, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw
To increase the digital literacy of all
Michele ThorntonLynch, Educational Associate Anthony Felder, Principal
Model and discuss the effective use of Smart boards, document cameras, Smart
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Once a week, August 2012June 2013
Shawyn Jenkins, Professional Developer Josh Shaw Michele
Contact City School’s Email jhshaw@bc ps.k12.md.u s
How Success will be Measured and Documented
Resources Needed
Attendance, discussion notes and application of conference learning
$4,883 for summer PD stipend and conference registration fees
jhshaw@bc ps.k12.md.u s, mthorntonlynch@bcps .k12.md.us, asfelder@bc ps.k12.md.u s
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms, reflection journals and increased functionality
$12,568 for PD stipends and materials
jhshaw@bc ps.k12.md.u s,
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins,
$12,568 for PD stipends and materials
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response clickers, Google documents, Google sites, Mastery Connect, LoTi, Speak Up, and Web 2.0 tools and programs to facilitate reading and critical thinking instructional opportunities for students
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins
mthorntonlynch@bcps .k12.md.us, asfelder@bc ps.k12.md.u s
informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
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ReTool Your School Grant Goal Two: To provide continuous professional development for administrators on using technology to complete administrative tasks such as observations and targeted learning walks in order to appropriately model and encourage the use of technology in the school. Objectives
Task & Activities
Timeframe
Person Responsible
To use technology to complete daily administrative tasks
Model and discuss the limits and capabilities of Mastery Connect and Observation 360
Bi-Monthly, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
To encourage and support teacher technology use
To accurately evaluate classroom technology use
Model and discuss the effective use of Smart boards, document cameras, Smart response clickers, Google documents, Google sites, Mastery Connect, LoTi, Speak Up, and Web 2.0 tools and programs, within small meeting groups
Monthly, August 2012June 2013
Model and discuss the limits and capabilities of Smart boards, document cameras, Smart response clickers, Google documents, Google sites, Mastery Connect, LoTi, Speak Up, and Web 2.0 tools and programs, within small meeting groups
Monthly, August 2012June 2013
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder S. Jenkins
Contact City School’s Email jhshaw@bc ps.k12.md.u s, mthorntonlynch@bcps .k12.md.us, asfelder@bc ps.k12.md.u s
How Success will be Measured and Documented
Resources Needed
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
$12,568 for PD stipends and materials
jhshaw@bc ps.k12.md.u s, mthorntonlynch@bcps .k12.md.us, asfelder@bc ps.k12.md.u s
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
$12,568 for PD stipends and materials
jhshaw@bc ps.k12.md.u s, mthorntonlynch@bcps .k12.md.us, asfelder@bc ps.k12.md.u s
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
$12,568 for PD stipends and materials
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Goal Three: To create a pilot group of 15 teachers who can proficiently infuse the use of iPads for both administrative and instructional practices into their daily teaching habits, two of whom will also be able to successfully integrate a class set of iPads into their instruction. Objectives
Task & Activities
Timeframe
Person Responsible
To consistently and successfully provide ongoing iPad professional development
Model and discuss the limits, capabilities and effective use of iBooks, Khan Academy, Brain Pop, Dictionary App, Note-taking App, Skype & video chats for class instruction
Bi-Monthly meetings and weekly assignments, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw
To effectively use iPads to complete daily administrative tasks
Model and discuss the limits, capabilities and effective use of Mastery Connect, Class Dojo, Google Doc, Power Teacher Gradebook, PD360, and Dropbox application
Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
Bi-Monthly meetings and weekly assignments, August 2012June 2013
Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
Contact City School’s Email jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
How Success will be Measured and Documented Meeting agenda, LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, citywide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, and feedback forms.
Resources Needed
jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, feedback forms, reflection journals, and increased functionality
$33,930 for PD stipends, supplies materials and general hardware
$33,930 for PD stipends, supplies materials and general hardware
Shawyn Jenkins
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ReTool Your School Grant To facilitate daily reading and critical thinking instructional opportunities for students
Daily use and integration of effective strategies discussed in PD with opportunities for students to predict, reflect, make inferences, creative question and problem solve during reading instruction
Daily, August 2012-June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
$33,930 for PD stipends, supplies materials and general hardware
Shawyn Jenkins
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
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ReTool Your School Grant Goal Four: To ensure all students have daily access to technology tools and are using them to improve their reading, comprehension and technology skills. Objectives
Task & Activities
Timeframe
Person Responsible
To increase students reading and critical thinking skills
Daily use and integration of effective strategies discussed in PD with opportunities for students to predict, reflect, make inferences, creative question and problem solve during reading instruction
Daily, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw
To increase use of iPads in “before”, “during”, and “after” reading activities
To increase the use of iPad apps for notetaking, testtaking, intervention, and enrichment
Daily use and integration of effective strategies discussed in PD with opportunities for students to predict, reflect, make inferences, creative question and problem solve during reading instruction
Daily use and integration of effective strategies discussed in PD (such as iBooks, Khan Academy, Brain Pop, Dictionary App, Note-taking App, Skype & video chats during class instruction)
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
Daily, August 2012June 2013
Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
Daily, August 2012June 2013
Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
Contact City School’s Email jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
How Success will be Measured and Documented Increased test scores and MSA results, LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, citywide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
Resources Needed
jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
Lesson plans, student work, class observations, Benchmark data and MSA scores
$33,930 for PD stipends, supplies materials and general hardware
jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
Lesson plans, student work, class observations, Benchmark data and MSA scores
$33,930 for PD stipends, supplies materials and general hardware
$33,930 for PD stipends, supplies materials and general hardware
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Goal Five: To re-establish a morning announcement program (GFK TV) in order to efficiently communicate news to the school as well as to the community through a live-web stream. Objectives
Task & Activities
Timeframe
Person Responsible
To efficiently communicate news and information to the school, parents and community via school’s Web site
Students will have the unique opportunity to run their own news station by creating and editing their own stories, programming and reading the teleprompter, filming the broadcast and streaming it live to the school website. While their classmates, parents and community members watch the broadcast live or watch archived episodes at a later time. Students will have the unique opportunity to run their own news station by creating and editing their own stories, programming and reading the teleprompter, filming the broadcast and streaming it live to the school website.
Daily, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw
To provide students with authentic, realwork opportunities to learn 21st century technology skills
Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder
Contact City School’s Email jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
How Success will be Measured and Documented Increased website traffic, school climate surveys, overall quality of the broadcast
Resources Needed
jhshaw@bcps. k12.md.us,
[email protected] 12.md.us, asfelder@bcps .k12.md.us
Increased website traffic, school climate surveys, overall quality of the broadcast
$3,268 for software, Macbook & teleprompter
$3,268 for software, Macbook & teleprompter
Shawyn Jenkins
Daily, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele ThorntonLynch Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
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VIII. Professional Development Plan Professional Development Goal One: To consistently and successfully provide extensive staff-wide professional development on current education technology tools such as Smart response systems, Smart Boards, Google Docs, Web 2.0 tools and Mastery Connect in order for teachers to comfortably infuse technology into their daily instruction. Objectives
Strategies & Activities
Timeframe
Contact
To participate in extensive professional development experiences
Intern with Baltimore City’s Informational Technology Department and attend the International Society for Technology in Education’s 2012 Conference
Summer 2012
Josh Shaw
To ensure every teacher is comfortable using technology administratively & instructionally every day
Provide PD sessions which include ongoing collaborative planning, peer observations, modeling, discussion, support and reflection
Once a week, August 2012June 2013
Contact City School’s Email
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
Josh Shaw Michele Thornton -Lynch
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms, reflection journals and increased functionality
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: LoTi digital
Shawyn Jenkins
Model and discuss the effective use of Smart boards, document cameras, Smart response clickers, Google documents, Google sites, Mastery Connect, LoTi, Speak Up, and Web 2.0 tools and
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Attendance, discussion notes and application of conference learning
[email protected] s
Anthony Felder
To increase the digital literacy of all staff members
Milestones
Once a week, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele Thornton -Lynch
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ReTool Your School Grant programs to facilitate reading and critical thinking instructional opportunities for students
Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
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ReTool Your School Grant Professional Development Goal Two: To provide continuous professional development for administrators on using technology to complete administrative tasks such as observations and targeted learning walks in order to appropriately model and encourage the use of technology in the school. Objectives
Strategies & Activities
Timeframe
Contact
To use technology to complete daily administrative tasks
Model and discuss the limits and capabilities of Mastery Connect and Observation 360
Bi-Monthly, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele Thornton -Lynch
Contact City School’s Email
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
Anthony Felder
To encourage and support teacher technology use
Model and discuss the effective use of Smart boards, document cameras, Smart response clickers, Google documents, Google sites, Mastery Connect, LoTi, Speak Up, and Web 2.0 tools and programs, within small meeting groups
Monthly, August 2012June 2013
Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele Thornton -Lynch
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins
To accurately evaluate classroom technology use
Model and discuss the limits and capabilities of Smart boards, document cameras, Smart response clickers, Google documents, Google sites, Mastery
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Monthly, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele Thornton
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
Milestones August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the
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ReTool Your School Grant Connect, LoTi, Speak Up, and Web 2.0 tools and programs, within small meeting groups
-Lynch Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
following: LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
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ReTool Your School Grant Professional Development Goal Three: To create a pilot group of 15 teachers who can proficiently infuse the use of iPads for both administrative and instructional practices into their daily teaching habits, two of whom will also be able to successfully integrate a class set of iPads into their instruction. Objectives
Strategies & Activities
Timeframe
Contact
To consistently and successfully provide ongoing iPad professional development
Model and discuss the limits, capabilities and effective use of iBooks, Khan Academy, Brain Pop, Dictionary App, Note-taking App, Skype & video chats for class instruction
Bi-Monthly meetings and weekly assignments, August 2012June 2013
Josh Shaw Michele Thornton -Lynch
Contact City School’s Email
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
Anthony Felder
To effectively use iPads to complete daily administrative tasks
Model and discuss the limits, capabilities and effective use of Mastery Connect, Class Dojo, Google Doc, Power Teacher Gradebook, PD360, and Dropbox application
Bi-Monthly meetings and weekly assignments, August 2012June 2013
Shawyn Jenkins Josh Shaw Michele Thornton -Lynch Anthony Felder Shawyn Jenkins
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
Milestones August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: Meeting agenda, LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, citywide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, feedback forms, reflection journals, and increased functionality
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ReTool Your School Grant To facilitate daily reading and critical thinking instructional opportunities for students
Daily use and integration of Daily, August effective strategies discussed in 2012-June PD with opportunities for students 2013 to predict, reflect, make inferences, creative question and problem solve during reading instruction
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Shaw, Thornton -Lynch, Felder, Jenkins
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected] s
August baseline data collection, December Milestone Review, March Milestone Review & June Final Evaluation of the following: LoTi digital profiler survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, informal observations, city-wide Speak Up survey, lesson plans, feedback forms and reflection journals
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ReTool Your School Grant
IXa. Budget Worksheet ReTool Your School Grant Budget Worksheet Line Item & Calculation Stipends (must include wage + FICA) Tech Leader Summer PD - $20/hr X 180 hrs + FICA (314) Tech Leader ISTE Registration and Event Substitutes Total Stipends Professional Development Supplies & Materials 15 iPads - Teacher Incentive for PD Participation Total PD Supplies & Materials General Supplies & Materials Total General Supplies & Materials Hardware 40 iPads for student use 1 iPad Cart (10 iPads included) 1 iPad Cart (10 iPads included) 5 iPads for teacher use 1 Macbook Pro - for GFK TV 1 Macbook Pro - for iPad syncing 1 Teleprompter for GFK TV 20 Apple VGA Adapters 25 flash drives - 16gb each 1 External Harddrive (2TB) 2 Lockdown plates for Macbooks Total Hardware Software Mastery Connect Subscription for All Students LoTi Digital Profiler Books and Applications for iPads Final Cut Pro Additional Software for Macbooks Live TV Streaming Software Total Software
Grant Funds
School Funds
$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
$3,883.00 $1,000.00 $2,000.00
$0.00
$5,685.00
$0.00
$0.00
$15,160.00 $6,299.00 $6,299.00 $1,895.00 $1,099.00 $1,099.00 $599.00 $580.00 $500.00 $200.00 $200.00
$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
$2,000.00 $500.00 $500.00 $300.00 $170.00 $100.00
$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Total Professional Development Costs Total General Costs
Total
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
$3,883.00 $1,000.00 $2,000.00 $6,883.00 $0.00 $5,685.00 $0.00 $5,685.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $15,160.00 $6,299.00 $6,299.00 $1,895.00 $1,099.00 $1,099.00 $599.00 $580.00 $500.00 $200.00 $200.00 $33,930.00 $0.00 $2,000.00 $500.00 $500.00 $300.00 $170.00 $100.00 $3,570.00 $12,568.00 $37,500.00
$37,500.00
PD Requirement (25% of total grant application)
Total
$12,568.00 $50,068.00
Your PD Cost must total at least:
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IXb. Budget Narrative Our proposal calls for $12,568 of school money to go toward various aspects of professional development and $37,500 of grant money to fund our additional hardware and software purchases for a total of $50,068. In accordance with the grant requirements, 25.1 percent of the total funds will be dedicated to professional development. It is our belief that this money, in addition to the money that we plan on spending on technology anyway, will make a huge difference in the teaching abilities of the teachers and have a significant impact on student achievement.
School Funds - $12,568 Stipend for Tech Leader Summer PD - $3,883 ($20/hr x 180 hrs + FICA (20 x 180 x .0785) In order to make sure the staff is getting a high level of professional development, our proposal calls for Mr. Shaw to work with the experts in the Instructional Technology Department at City Schools for approximately six weeks (or 180 hours) over the summer. Here, Mr. Shaw will be able to develop a better understanding of how professional development should be delivered and learn some best practices to implement with the staff. He will also work on projects that tie directly into developing teachers and their use of technology.
2012 ISTE Conference for Tech Leader - $1,000 ISTE is the leading technology conference for educators where technology leaders from across the country can collaborate and share ideas. Additionally, numerous vendors in attendance display the latest technology tools and help teachers understand how they are being used at schools across the country. Mr. Shaw would be able to share all of this information with his colleagues and discuss latest trends in technology.
Substitutes - $2,000 Funding for substitutes will allow Mr. Shaw and other teachers a chance to meet during school hours to attend professional development sessions and to also demonstrate the use of technology to each other. Best practices should be shared among teachers and teachers need to be able to see how technology is used before they can put it into action themselves. This money will also allow
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for teachers to conduct visits to other schools across the city and state who are effectively using technology to support teaching and learning.
15 iPads for Teacher Compensation for iPad Professional Development - $5,685 Since the majority of the school-wide professional development will be done during collaborative planning meetings, teachers will not need compensation for attending. However, teachers who are selected for the iPad professional development will be required to attend meetings outside of school hours every two weeks. Instead of paying them for their time, we think that providing them with a personal iPad will foster the use of the technology in the classroom and help make them more comfortable when using the technology. It will allow the teachers to experiment with different applications and strategies at home and try them out at school. Teachers will be required to attend every session in order to keep their iPads.
Grant Funds - $37,500 Two iPad Carts each with 10 iPads - $12,598 40 additional iPads for student use - $15,160 At the heart of the grant is the use of iPads to drive reading levels and critical thinking among students to new levels. More than $27,000 will go toward purchasing two carts, each capable of holding 30 iPads. Our plan is to use these iPads exclusively in the 4th and 5th grade reading classrooms, allowing more than 120 students access to them. Since each cart comes with 10 iPads, we need to purchase additional iPads to ensure there is a one-to-one ratio within these classes. As described above, iPads have enormous potential to spark student engagement and to drive student achievement. Our school is equipped with a wireless network connection capable of handling these devices and the carts come with the ability to store, sync and secure the iPads easily. Five iPads for staff use – $1,895 To lead the professional development and model good technology practices effectively, the administrators and technology leader will also each need an iPad. The majority of Mr. Shaw’s sessions will include some sort of demonstration and the administrators will need iPads in order to conduct learning walks using Observation 360 and to help struggling teachers. Additionally,
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
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should we decide that more than 15 teachers are capable of going through the iPad professional development, we will be able to accommodate them.
One Macbook Pro for Syncing iPads - $1,099 20 Apple VGA Adapters - $580 Books and Applications for iPads - $500 A computer is needed in order to properly sync and manage 60 iPads and a Macbook Pro makes the most sense. This lightweight, portable, yet powerful computer will easily allow all of the iPads to sync easily and efficiently. The VGA adapters will be given to the teachers receiving the iPads in order to display the content on their Smart boards by connecting the iPad to the projector. We plan on purchasing a variety of different books for the students to read in addition to a number of applications including Microsoft Office and iMovie.
Mastery Connect - $2,000 At a cost of $5 per student, teachers in grades Kindergarten through 5 will have the ability to track student mastery easily using this online tool. Teachers will have access to a database of thousands of aligned assessments as well as the ability to upload their own assessments, print bubble sheets and easily scan them for immediate feedback and to contact parents and print reports. It will also allow teachers to track student progress using the Common Core standards and the Maryland State Standards. One Macbook Pro for GFK TV – S1,099 Teleprompter for GFK TV - $599 External Hard drive (2tb) - $200 Final Cut Pro Software - $300 Live TV Streaming Software - $100 Additional Software for Macbooks - $170 The re-establishment of GFK requires a lot of different pieces. At the center of the renovation is a Macbook Pro that would be relied on heavily to operate the whole system. Cameras and software all need to be run through a computer and the Macbook is powerful and easy to use. A teleprompter will give the students an opportunity to experience something else from a real
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
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television station that they normally would not get to use. It is practical and will help the broadcast seem more professional. Final Cut Pro is the leading movie and editing software and will allow students to learn the practical skill of movie editing. Due to the size of movies, a large capacity external hard drive will be needed, especially if we start archiving the videos and putting them on the Web site. We also hope that Live TV streaming software will give us the ability to stream our announcements on our Web site for parents and the community to view. The additional $170 in software will be used if the production team decides there is a special project or program they want to be able to use.
LoTi Digital Profiler - $500 As required by the grant application, a subscription to the LoTi digital profiler survey would be purchased to help track the growth in use of technology by our staff members. The survey will be given three times a year and analyzed to determine growth on an individual and school-wide basis. A school’s subscription for one year is $500.
25 Flash Drives (16 GB) - $500 2 Lockdown Plates for Macbooks - $200 As we move into an age where teachers use multiple devices and are constantly keeping track of files, flash drives will allow teachers to stay organized. Additionally, if students are engaged in a project such as movie editing we want to make sure they have the ability to save all of their work safely. The lockdown plates are a security precaution to make sure our valuable equipment does not get stolen. The plates secure the computer to a large surface and require a key to remove them.
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
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X. Technology Framework School Vision: Our vision is to accelerate the academic achievement of all students in partnership with the entire community, to ensure that students have the attitudes, skills, and proficiencies needed to succeed in college and in the 21st century global workforce. Our vision is to “Look like, Perform like, and Act like a Private Academy.”
School Mission: To accelerate student progress through effective implementation of the Master Plan, focusing on quality instruction, managing systems effectively, and sustaining a culture of excellence. Our motto is, “Striving for perfection while walking in excellence.”
Goal(s): It is our goal to transform Gwynns Falls into an educational technology hotspot in Baltimore City by providing a comprehensive technology professional development system for staff members and administrators in order for them to not only feel comfortable using technology but to be able to use it instructionally every day. Needs Assessment: During the last two years, the priority for technology spending was placed on items deemed critical for instruction including Smart boards, projectors, document cameras and student response systems. It was also a priority to make sure every teacher had at least three computers in his/her classroom. In the upcoming year, the priority will shift to providing professional development to teachers on how to effectively use all of these tools through a comprehensive professional development system. The school also plans to start an initiative to be able to put a mobile device into the hands of every student to increase achievement in all subject areas. Funding: The majority of spending on technology has been done through fair student funding. The school received a Race to the Top Cart with 30 laptops through Baltimore City Schools and a partnership with Verizon will bring computers and mobile devices into the building. The school has made funding technology a priority. Every one of the more than 20 teachers has access to a Smart board, document reader, projector, laptop and multiple desktop computers. Additionally, the computer lab has more than 30 computers including three new iMacs to expose students to different platforms. Technology Acquisition: The school aims to build upon its current base of technology by purchasing two iPad carts for student use, iPads for administrator and teacher use and has a plan to replenish technology that is out of date. The school has also purchased video cameras, a sound board and microphones for a student-run television station and hopes to add to this by purchasing a teleprompter, video-editing software and web-streaming software. Access: Every student in the school visits the computer lab at least once a week and teachers are able to check out two different mobile learning carts. Every classroom has a Smart board, document reader and projector. The school is also fully wireless so the Internet is accessible from anywhere in the school and allowing the opportunity to use mobile devices such as iPads. User Support: The Principal comes from a technology background having worked for the Baltimore City Instructional Technology Department previously. The Educational Associate has three years of computer and technology teaching experience and is familiar with current technologies. The current computer and technology specialist not only teaches using technology but is able to provide school-based professional development and troubleshooting. He has worked in the IT Department previously and will possibly continue to in the summer of 2012. Additionally, many teachers are intrinsically motivated to use and research technology on their own and provide help to their peers frequently. Professional Development Framework Goal/Outcomes: The first tier of professional development will
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
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ReTool Your School Grant be offered for all staff members to improve their use of technology for both administrative and instructional purposes. The second tier will focus on the administrators and how they are modeling the use of technology to their staff while encouraging its daily use. The final tier will focus on a select group of 15 teachers who will participate in iPad focused professional development and who will receive their own iPad, increasing the chances they use the technology regularly. The effectiveness of these goals will be measured by the LoTi digital profiler survey, the city-wide Speak Up survey, Mastery Connect checkins, formal and informal observations, and increased test scores. Objective/Indicator: To ensure all students have daily access to technology tools and are using them to improve their reading, comprehension and technology skills. Web 2.0 tools such as Khan Academy, TSS, and blogs not only increase student engagement but have the potential to build academic skills for every student. Activities Technology Purchases
Timeline August 2010 – June 2012
Audience All students and staff
Contact Anthony Felder
ITD Fellowship
June 2011 – August 2011
All students and staff
Josh Shaw
Ongoing Professional Development
August 2011 – June 2012
All staff and administrat ors
Josh Shaw, Michele ThorntonLynch
New Technology Purchases
July 2012 – June 2013
All students and staff
Anthony Felder
Gwynns Falls Elementary School
Evaluation Observed increases in use of technology, increase on assessments and MSA, observed higher level thinking in students Increase in use of technology based on new professional development sessions, increase in technology awareness among staff, increase in technology literacy among all students as measured by formative assessments Increase in use of technology, increase in complexity of technology use, increase in collaboration among teachers based on observations and reflection forms, increase in student achievement based on MSA Usage of Smart board and response technology weekly, integration of new technology monthly, and an increase in student engagement and student achievement measured by student surveys, observations
Follow-Up Ongoing professional development and analysis of use Attend more training, conferences and stay current on technology trends, work again with ITD for BCPSS
Create a more rigid, comprehensive system to meet teachers where they are and help them infuse technology into their lessons Be able to use technology in classroom as a facilitator and not a teacher. Students are leading activities using technology and
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Mastery Connect
August 2012 – June 2013
All classroom teachers
Josh Shaw
Tiered Professional Development
August 2012 – June 2013
All staff and administrat ors
Josh Shaw
and formative assessments including MSA scores Weekly use of Mastery Connect to track, use of MC to analyze and group students, increase in differentiation among teachers as measured by observations Increase in use of technology and in complexity of technology use based on observations, LoTi survey and Speak Up survey.
use it in all subjects and grades Increase the use to multiple times per week and contribute to the database of assessments Continue to develop teachers to use new technologies and to experiment on their own with different technology. Have teachers lead their own PD sessions
Program Evaluation: The effectiveness of these goals will be measured by the LoTi digital profiler survey, the city-wide Speak Up survey, Mastery Connect check-ins, formal and informal observations, and increased test scores.
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XI. References Cottle, A. E. (2010). Infusing technology: A study of the influence of professional development on how teachers use technology. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Marshall University. Retrieved from ProQuest UMI Dissertation Publishing. National educational technology standards for students, administrators and teachers. International Society for Technology Education, Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards.aspx Maryland technology literacy standards for students. Maryland Technology Literacy Consortium. Retrieved from http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/techlit/docs/MTLSS%20Complete.p df Webb, L. (2011). Supporting technology integration: The school administrators’ role. National Forum of Educational and Administration & Supervision Journal, (28)4.
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