http://www.divshare.com/download/7984012-222

Below is the URL address for the video.  It is also on the blogroll.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yso8vzK0xzg

Technology, Professional Learning Community & Building Community Connections

            The technology equipment has arrived at many of our schools.  We are connected to the world and have the hardware for support.  As a matter of fact, the equipment is coming much faster than the skills and knowledge necessary to use it. 

            The surmounting technology requirements of education are forcing schools to get creative and focus on the programs with proven results.  Since change is constant and ever-advancing in education, the philosophy of integrating technology into core curriculum or vice-versa is not that far-fetched.  As a matter of fact, school programs across the country are gaining popularity.  Seeking partnerships and supplying funding in our schools gets complicated, although,  schools, businesses and community relationships are on the rise, educators must come together to provide opportunities for teamwork and collaboration (LeBaron, 2001).  More importantly, we need knowledge, skills, and understanding.

Case Study

This case study of integrating the arts into the core curriculum is an example of the level of commitment it will take to successfully integrate technology.

Dallas Independent School District

            The Dallas Independent School District is the most noteworthy example of schools integrating the arts education.  Through the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative, all 300,000 students in the 157 elementary schools will have arts education programs by this September 2008.  The initiative has resulted in widespread national attention and received funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Wallace Foundation and a host of local boosters.
            More than 200 community stakeholders were involved through a series of collaboration and town meetings; artists, administrators, principals, school board members, representatives from philanthropy, parents, students, classroom teachers, arts teachers and city council members. As stated in Levin (2008, p. 3), “The stakeholders were asked to describe quality arts education — what were its components and what leaders should consider when building a systemwide arts education program.”  The components of the district’s standards-based fine arts instruction, includes, “45 minutes of weekly art and music instruction; integration of arts and culture with other curriculum subjects, including programming by museums and performing arts groups; and out-of-school programs that provide access of innercity kids and their families to arts experiences.”  The initiative is extensive community cooperation between the city, the school district, and a nonprofit organization that manages and coordinates the professional development.  Superintendent Michael Hinojosa says, “The fact that we are focused on the entire child and that we are looking for long-term results makes it easier for the community to support the initiative.”  He further adds, “When it is the right thing to do, it is easy to garner the support necessary to acquire the resources to accomplish the dream, especially if it directly impacts students

(Levin, 2008, p. 4).  In education, no matter what the reform, implementation is the key (Ferguson, 2006).

Implementation

            Successful implementation will depend heavily on professional development.  The commitment of the teachers is crucial and becomes evident in the success of any program or changes in the curriculum.  In the professional development of integrating technology, teachers need to work together with administrators, community members, and businesses to build a professional learning environment and have the opportunity to collaborate.

            Equally, implementing the stages of professional development as related to the cooperative learning instructional model must be analyzed, and some assumptions can be made about the approach to staff development of integrating technology.  Some of the standard learning structures would be effective; face-to-face interaction, think-pair-share, jigsaw, individual accountability, group investigation and group processing (Glickman, Gordon and Gordon, 2007, p. 363).

            Teachers should not be treated as if they were all the same based off of Sternberg’s and Gardner’s research on multiple intelligences (Glickman, Gordon and Gordon, 2007, p. 58).  The differences between new and experienced teachers point to the need to employ different learning strengths of teachers at all levels of experience. 

            Sternberg’s (1985, 1990) discussion of socially influenced abilities points to the need for teachers to engage in learning aimed at developing a variety of strategies to change their classroom and/or lessons.  Mezirow (1981, 1990) and Brookfield’s (1986), teachers need to participate in a continuous cycle of collaborative activity and reflection on that activity to develop the powers of critical thinking.  Collaborative action, reflection, critical thinking and teacher empowerment expand along a continuum of conceptual development (Glickman, Gordon and Gordon, 2007, p. 59).  The continuum extends from its’ lowest point of concrete thinking, continuing to moderate, abstract thinking, and finally to the highest level of abstract thinking (Hunt and Joyce, 1967).  Listed are some of the characteristics of teachers with concrete thinking; innovativeness, rule orientation, punitiveness and anxiety.  On the abstract thinking side, a few of the characteristics involve warmth, perceptiveness, empathy, flexibility, ingenuity, task effectiveness and consistency.   Hunt and Joyce found correlations between teacher conceptual level and ability to use learners’ needs as a basis for planning and evaluation.  The higher on the continuum, the teacher will be capable of a greater number of methods and learning environments.  The conceptual models of adult development carry a common thread (Glickman, Gordon and Gordon, 2007, p. 77), and make the supposition that adult lives are characterized by change and adaptation. 

            The teachers must feel trust, have an interest, and be encouraged to work together as a team.  The style of leadership during the professional development sessions will be key to the success and commitment.  The needs and behaviors of the teachers will have to be met with guidelines to smooth the way to the next level.  Some of the needs include:

• Clear Goals
• Standards for what a good job looks like
• Information about the task and the organization
• Action plans – direction about how, when and what
• Timelines
• Priorities
• Boundaries – responsibilities
• Collaboration in problem-solving

The instructor exhibiting enthusiasm during instruction will build the enthusiasm of the participants, in addition acknowledgement of the participant’s enthusiasm is necessary for the instructor. 

During the next stage, teachers will need more coaching and collaborating, and less directing.  Some of the needs of the teachers in this stage will be:

• Perspective
• Frequent feedback
• Praise for making progress
• Assurance that it is okay to make mistakes
• Explanations of “why”
• Opportunities to discuss concerns
• Involvement in decision making and problem solving
• Encouragement

The teachers will be collaborating, planning and integrating the new lessons into their program.

The final stage will involve:

• A sounding board
• Support – help in looking at skills objectively so confidence can be built
• Ideas implemented
• Opportunity to work with others as a team working on the same goals
• Variety and challenge
• Acknowledgement of contributions
• Autonomy and trust
• Challenge to even higher levels of performance

            The teaching of the lessons will incorporate new vocabulary, connections and conceptual planning.

            Cultivating a professional learning community through the professional development program will benefit the teachers, but will greatly improve the level of instruction for students and their success.

References:

Brookfield, S. (1986).  Understanding and facilitating adult learning.

            San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ferguson, R., (2006).  5 Challenges to effective teacher professional development.

            National Staff Development Council, Vol. 27. NO 4, Fall 2006, from www.NSDC.org

Glickman, C., Gordon S., & Gordon, J., (2007).  Supervision and instructional leadership

            – A developmental approach. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Hunt, D.E., and Joyce, B.R. (1967). Teacher trainee personality and initial teaching style.     American Educational Research Journal, 4(3), 253-255.

LeBaron, J.F. and Collier, C. (2001).  Technology in its place; Successful technology infusion in       schools. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

Levin, K., (2008).  Bucking trends:  expanding the arts.  School Administrator, 65 no3  18-22, 24-5

            Mr. 2008, Retrieved April 20, 2008, from the HW Wilson Web database.

Mezirow, J.M., (1981).  A critical theory of adult learning and education.  Adult Education, 32(1), 3-24

Mezirow, J.M., and associates (1990).  Fostering critical reflection in adulthood.  A guide to             transformative and emancipatory learning. San Franscisco: Jossey-Bass.

Sternberg, R.J. (1985).  Beyond IQ: A triarchic theory of human intelligence.

            New York: Cambridge

Sternberg, R.J. (1990).  Metaphors of mind: Conceptions of the nature of intelligence..

            New York: Cambridge

Picasa3 – Warhol Style

Step 1

• Open Picasa3
• Go to File add choose Add File
• Browse to your photos location. Hold the Ctrl key down and click and drag over your photo to create 3 additional copies of your original photo. (You should have a total of 4 photos.)
• Highlightall 4 photos by dragging over them (or Ctrl clicking the photos)
• Choose Open

Step 2

• Double click first photo
• Go to Effects and choose your effect
• Click Apply

Step 3

• Go to the bottom left hand side and right click on the small photo thumbnail
• Choose Hold Section
• Continue this until all 4 photos are in the Photo Tray

Step 4

• Click on the Collage
• In the settings tab – choose Gride
• Click Create Collage!!!

Step 5

• Click Export at the bottom. Browse to your H drive – this creates a folder named Collage.

RESULTS:

The work of art photograph turned out wonderful.  I wasn’t able to copy it into this blog.  I will continue to try.  The project has been done in the past with paints, but with adding technology, it really was more interesting and “Warhol” – like.   I liked the format for the lesson plan and will continue this planning process.  It is simpler, not necessarily easier, but I do feel as though I was able to put more thought into the process.

Collaborative, Reflective and Ongoing Assessment

            First, the practice of informing students about themselves through assessment for learning, focusing on enabled targets, reflection and revision, and communicating to students where they are on the continuum will improve learning.  Secondly, we must learn how to use assessments as a custom during instruction and understand how new technologies will aid in this process by helping to diagnose needs, or helping students to see themselves making improvements. The teachers at our school have experienced professional development which has imparted lists of assessments that must be given, but I believe the teachers do not fully understand how to use the assessments, teach focused revision, and/or definitely have problems using technology in the process.  Lastly, students must be in control of their academic success to avoid victimizing themselves.   Students must self-reflect to track growth.

            Wiske discusses reflective, collaborative communities with new technologies.  The experiences must generate meaningful knowledge.  These are wonderful ideas and “Kristi” our master teacher is an inspiring role model, but her success depends on the planning and research behind these lessons – time.  In elementary school, we do not always have the time.  The situation brings us to where collaborative teacher communities play an important part.  In our future, especially with new technologies we will find that teamwork is vital to our success.  For example, on a third grade level, each teacher could take a different civilization (Mali, Greece, and Rome) to research, plan and discover new technologies for assessing, exploring and building knowledge for students.  Teachers would be able to be explicit and intensive, using the time needed, but not have to stretch out the allotted time over three civilizations.

            In my opinion, collaboration doesn’t happen often enough, even with common planning times.  Teachers should involve other teachers in other schools, countries, etc.  There is no more excuses of not being able to collaborate with your peers with new technologies popping up everywhere.  The missing link may be motivation.

            The teacher’s role needs to be transformed to create an environment for learning that is student friendly, technology enhanced, builds understanding and planning with the use of assessments, while teaching students to track their own growth. The students will make healthier instructional decisions and take part in their own journey of learning enabling success.

Wiske, M. (2005). Teaching for understanding with technology.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Purpose of Chat

The focus of Webheads in Action is on teacher professional development for teachers and teacher trainers and forming communities of practice with CMC tools.

July 5, 2009 @ 8:00 am – 10:00 am

English as a Second Language
Foreign Language
Language Arts

Leader, and background

Other attendees:

ThomasLev – teaches and asked to write a book on Twitter

AnithaDevA – teaches English at the University of India

DennisOL – works in Arizona and used to teach ESL

RickRo – was in Amman and is a traveler to other countries

NinaTL – works at Maryland English Institute (MEI) in Gaithersburg, MA

CorinneW – UK, but lives in Germany

SheilaM – attends a grad. class

RitaZ – teaches and has been invited to take 15 students to England this January

ClaireB – teaches Business English for ESP

PamelaMV and SusanR – other attendees

BrianneS, JoannieMc, and EmilyKo taking another technology class

SuzanneL, JeremyS and myself from our class

Discussion Summary:

The communication began with hellos and discussion of on-line dictionaries, twitter and CALL.  ThomasLev has been asked to write a book on Twitter and asked for input in a separate meeting on Adobe Connect Pro.  The resources are unending when questions were asked.  The attendees did try to only respond to the ones being discussed.  There was a lot of small talk of happenings around the world; like the flu, people and areas of related work.  The discussions changed as attendees joined throughout the session.  The greatest part of our discussion were the resources gathered.  Some of the resources discussed were as follows:  twitter, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), edmodo, voice thread, epals, voxopop (formerly known as Chin Swing), blogs, lessonwriter, and web 2.0 tools (second life and first steps toward online teaching).  DennisKo, AnithaDevA, NinaTL, and RickRo were very helpful.

Resources

(twitter, voicethread, blogs etc. website):

Pageflakes: http://www.pageflakes.com/vancestevens/13497873
Twitter Crowdstatus: http://crowdstatus.com/webheadsinactioncrowd.aspx

Conclusion: – (reflection what was learned and how you feel about this medium for prof dev)

I believe this class was a little different because there was no stated leader.  DennisKo and AnithaDevA did try to keep things on track, but towards the end, I found myself leading the process.  I think you can get out of it what you want, but you have to be willing to put yourself out there.  I have websites to explore and have begun to realize the abundance of resources.  For this reason, I do believe it is a viable medium for professional development.

Planning and Instruction

            Our county’s strategic plan encompasses the six strategies that LeBaron and Collier discuss.  The county started a strategic planning committee in 2002-2003 that would extend to five years.  By the time, 2007-2008 arrived, the strategic planning committee was very much needed.  The current plan extends to five years again, which I believe with the world’s technology pace speeding up, and the information age upon us, is too long to wait for a new educational plan.  Perhaps, three years is better suited for long term planning of technology and education. 

            In the elementary schools in the county; the curricula prepares students for the high school curriculum and ensures their success on the SOL’s to earn the verified credits required for a high school diploma.  In regards to literacy, in kindergarten through third grade, the primary goal is to teach all students to read and write fluently, and to comprehend a variety of fiction and nonfiction selections from all areas of the curriculum. In fourth through twelfth grades, students continue to acquire and refine strategies for comprehending and analyzing selections of all literary types and materials which relate to all subjects.  Overall, I believe we have made progress in literacy because we have focused intently on literacy.  Math assessment scores continue to suffer as well as other subject areas.  Technology can bring about change in these areas.  The equipment has been provided, as well as, funding.  The changes have to be made in the lessons, activities, training, and the attitudes of educators.  Classroom teachers, administrators, resource faculty and staff should work in collaboration to provide explicit instruction and ongoing progress in developing these key strategies.

            The teachers do motivate students when they involve student interest, which many times involves technology.  In order to bring the “real world” into the classroom, teachers use the United Streaming website: streaming.discoveryeducation.com.  The Discovery Education Community Website provides best practices on the effective and appropriate use of digital media in the classroom. Teachers may use interactive Smartboards to actively engage students in learning.  Connecting to the community is another way teachers engage students.  Business partners, volunteers, field trips, and student projects have involved the activities geared toward student interest.  There is a fear of involving people from around the world to interact with students.  Fear of the unknown and an ignorance of how to set guidelines and protect students from harm concerns teachers, parents, and administrators.

            Our school’s technology planning involves a technology committee, an ITRT plan that provides training to our teachers, special education and resource teachers planning lessons around technology specific to student needs.  Our ITRT collaborates with other schools, plans and finds resources continually to assist teachers.  We have seen teachers gain expertise and collaborate with others on their grade level and in the school.  These teachers have progressed in assessment strategies also.  As their colleagues see the gains made in assessments, they tend to start asking questions.  Therefore, the key to motivating students seems to be in direct proportion to motivating teachers.  In other words, motivating the students is the easy part of the equation.

LeBaron, J.F. and Collier, C. (2001).  Technology in its place; Successful technology infusion in     schools.San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

The passage ways are important to learn the ins and outs of the site.  Manuevering around the rooms, and seeing potential groups to join was inviting.  I enjoyed meeting the other teachers and joking around with my group during our session.  Barb and I did the session together with nine others.  She was kicked off many times due to the wireless connection.  FYI, this could be a problem if you use wireless during your professional development workshops.  Otherwise, we did learn some tricks, but mostly we learned the basics prior on our own – hunt & peck!

            There have been numerous activities that my students have engaged in that haven’t encouraged them to “think” or transfer knowledge.  Even though the lessons are curriculum and SOL based,  the students are many times not required to manipulate information or transfer knowledge.  The essential understandings are present, but students must also understand how to use that knowledge on a conceptual level, not just recalling.  Technology can be a tool for students to demonstrate their understanding, not just apparent understanding.  Through technology, students can show what they really know, and teachers can evaluate their learning.  Wiske outlined three stages of how students demonstrate understanding, knowledge, and how to use technology to perform in the classroom through project interests, guided inquiry, and products.  The technology can help the process of differentiation, small group activities, investigations of new information, assisting students with special needs, making abstract concepts visible, and personal expression apparent, especially in the study of visual arts.

            I was excited to see the arts in the case study that integrated literacy.  The content areas of literacy, math, social studies, and science can be integrated into art, music and physical education.  At our elementary school, we have worked to integrate the core curriculum for the past four years.  These are natural in many cases, we are just making the connections apparent.  The next step must be to integrate technology into every content area.  These technologies can move us past a world of pressing high-stakes testing and give us geniune understanding for our students.

Inquiry, Action, and Integration

            Considering the universal changes that must take place for technology access, technology integration, and technology training to reach its’ potential and become usable in the classroom; and considering the rate that technology is increasing, it seems we have a arduous job in front of us.  The impact of technology is so profound that we cannot afford to limit ourselves with neat little packages of catching people up to the world’s pace.  We must have systemic change that has guidelines, but we also must engage a collaboration of people, ideas and knowledge.

            Stakeholders must be submerged into technology in order to learn about technology.  The teaching and learning will not come from fear, or dreaming, or even spending funds on it.  The teaching and learning must be an authentic, hands-on saturation of all stakeholders, furthermore, working together consistently.

            In Spotsylvania County, the technology plan began with providing an up-to-date structure for the appropriate utilization of technology throughout the entire division.  The fiber optics hardware and connectivity provides students, staff and users the ability to transfer information, including; complicated networks (wired and wireless), sophisticated systems of voice, data and video. These new technologies have enlarged the means for storage, access and delivery of information.

            Technology access opens doors to ethics, legalities, and responsibilities to provide policies and procedures on use of electronic resources.  In our school district, staffs are responsible for informing students and their parents of the Electronic Networked Resources & Internet Safety Acceptable Use policy, Code of Ethics and the consequences resulting from not adhering to the county’s policy. Teachers, administrators, library/media service specialists, and instructional technology resource teachers are responsible for providing internet safety instruction, guidance, monitoring of student use and reporting all violations to school administration.

            Since technology offers new and creative applications for teaching and learning, a professional development plan, training and maintaining technology leadership teams/committees to implement, practice, and share technology integrated lessons, assessments and provide training during inservices targets professional development needs of staff. Utilizing division web-based technologies to provide opportunities for staff to interact for professional growth and training has been developed in our district.

            Online resources for teachers are never-ending and may be overwhelming to choose one to incorporate into lessons.  During our schools bi-monthly technology resource class, the top 25 websites are investigated between the leadership, staff and technology expert(s).  Our ITRT’s have a daunting task of preparing teachers, but have missed an underlying message: teachers lack the “know-how.”  Projects, instructional strategies, and meaningful lessons based on the curriculum and student interest.  Teachers have goals that involve the use of tools at their disposal and develop the skills needed for instructional technology strategies (ITS).  The ITS has been the missing link connecting teachers to a brave new world that needs to be embraced.  We have to teach the instructors “what” to do with all of this information in their control.

Demonstrating Understanding; Teachers and Students

            In order to discuss what I have learned from integrating technology, developing student understanding, and teacher contribution to the process of learning, I must start with No Child Left Behind (NCLB).  The agony of closing achievement gaps for schools and meeting the demands of NCLB and Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), improving their subgroup performances in reading and math for; Economically Disadvantaged (ECD), English Language Learners (ELL), Students with Disabilities (SWD), and other sub-group categories have posed the question:  Has high stakes testing improved student performance, student learning, in other words, do students know more?  To answer the question, we look at the SOL scores and assessment data and find that state tests have been showing increases in the scores.  According to the leaders in the field of high stakes testing, scores will rise when high stakes are put on a test, the phenomenon is called “Campbell’s Law” (Jehlen, 2009).  No test can cover all the skills at every angle that a student must master, it will only cover skills necessary to solve the question when it is posed in a particular questioning format.  The skills will only cover a narrow path of discovery, a reduced range of skills that will increase over time as the student becomes more familiar with the format and test taking strategies.  Professor Daniel Koretz, from Harvard University carried out his demonstration of Campbell’s Law and proved the theory in Kentucky and Texas.  When the test is no longer considered a high-stakes test, the students’ scores plunged.  His conclusion was that four years of rising scores did not reflect student learning or academic achievement, but alternatively teaching to a new test (Jehlen, 2009).

            On a positive note, NCLB has brought teachers off the islands and back to the main land.  Teachers have learned to work collaboratively, and have begun to search for interesting materials and activities for students to participate.  Instead of looking at specific skills in the curriculum and teaching to each of them, teachers must search for specified targeted understandings, and have discussions about learning activities, after they have engaged in substantive curricular planning and design work (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998).  Teaching for understanding, the pedagogy, must include a student’s learning strategy or approach to a task.  It includes how a person thinks or acts when planning, interacting and assessing their progress on a unconscious level (Protheroe & Clarke, 2008), the process where learning takes place.  For example, one student’s approach of tackling a new problem by what they already know is different than, another student tacking the new problem with one strategy for all new problems, even after repeated failure.  The lack of success happens not because of cognitive ability or content knowledge, but lack of metacognitive skills.  This is where technology can be integrated into every curriculum.  The technology not only opens students to thoughtful discoveries, but prepares students for “life-time learning” through authentic discoveries in a real-world context.  The student investigates through thinking and observing in a content-rich environment, formulating questions along the way, engaged in the learning process and understanding on a far-deeper level.  Many teachers will find that by using the research-based instructional lesson planning methods, using collaborative teams, and integrating technology – appealing to student interest, they will exceed the standards of the test and give meaning to the students’ learning.

            Principals can help their students improve academic performances by instructing the educators on the significance of teaching metacognitive skills, learning strategies, and the integration of technology.  By teachers guiding assessment of the projects and process, they are supporting student research (LeBaron & Collier, 2001).  Classroom teachers, administrators, resource faculty and staff should work in collaboration to provide explicit instruction and ongoing progress in developing these key strategies.

LeBaron, J.F. and Collier, C. (2001).  Technology in its place; Successful technology infusion in schools. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

Jehlen, A. (2009). Is NCLB working?: The ‘scientifically-based’ answer. NEA Today,January/February 2009, p. 30.

Protheroe, N and Clarke, S. (2008). Learning strategies as a key to student success.  Principal, November/December 2008, 33-36.

Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2001).Understanding by design.  Danvers, MA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Technology Publics

            In the 21st century, we must meet the demands of a global economy, edification and technology through efforts and changes that are necessary in our schools.  We have an opportunity to enhance education and improve the quality of the community through technology.  The parent engagement is critical to student success and supports the development of productive and positive partnerships with businesses and the greater community.

            The stakeholders within the school community have established that interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and advances in cognitive knowledge show that learning increases significantly when students are engaged in academic study through:  higher order thinking skills, making sense of information using multimedia, producing knowledge and making connections in project-based products, and by learning in authentic real-world context.  To increase student achievement and create a culture of multiple literacy’s, we must build partnerships with the community on local, state, national and global levels.  In order to close the achievement gaps, meet the challenges of diversity, and expand the classroom to include the greater community, it is important to establish reliable sources of funding, communication and resources for teachers and students.  It requires political will.

            The local school board has a responsibility to establish policies and the state has an obligation for support, but it has been the local and federal governments initiating changes for funding, resources, and additional personnel through grants, initiatives, and foundations.  In Spotsylvania County, there have been effective technology strategies; a foundation formed by local businesses for teachers to receive grants, and resource sites created to provide all publics with communication.  All instructional personnel (licensed staff) must demonstrate proficiency of the Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel (TSIPs I) through a portfolio during their first year of employment.  You may access the portfolio and related form requirements at the website: http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/prodev/tsip/portfolio.htm

            Technology is the most powerful tool a teacher has at their disposal.  The curriculum has critical elements as does technology.  The research shows that using technology in generative topics has increased writing skills, presentations, and authentic assessments. Students must be engaged through a collaborative effort of teachers, administrators, parents and the community.  The school board should support a technology plan in their districts.  In Spotsylvania county, there is such a technology plan.  It can be accessed through the following website: http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/instruction/technology.htm

Spotsylvania county teachers have a resource web page containing technology related lessons in each of the core curriculum, SOL Tracker, IGPro (grading program), and AESOP (automated absence calling system for substitutes) located on the drop-down menu for educational resources under teachers: http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/resources/teacher.htm.  The county has Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRTs), which have an extensive website available for teachers with lesson plans, resources, websites and technology explanations on software, hardware and basic knowledge and skills.  The website can be accessed through the Spotsylvania County website, under instructional programs (ITRT) http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/ITRT_Elementary/.  The county has also created Parent Access for Student Success (PASS), a website which gives parents immediate access to their child’s grades and SCORE, which is a website for teachers to give lessons and projects for students to work on through the computer.

            The challenge is to catalyze change within the organization to ensure an integrated approach to teaching, learning and quality improvement. Learning theory asserts the value of hands-on experiences.  Skills and content are not taught as ends in themselves, but students learn them through their research and application in their projects. The skills and content become relevant and needed as students require this information to complete their projects. The Spotsylvania county school division has critical components of a successful plan as follows: 

Vision Statement: Provide a premier education of world class distinction in a positive, collaborative environment with high levels of community engagement. All organizational structures support the primary purpose of preparing students to be responsible and productive citizens through;

Literacy: the ability to use digital technology, communications tools, and/or networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge society, and  Inventive Thinking: because technology makes the simple tasks easier, it places a greater burden on high-level skills, and Effective Communication: new skills are essential for success in a knowledge-based society, and High Productivity: in the Digital Age, success is “powered by technology, fueled by information, and driven by knowledge.”

Spotsylvania County, (2009). A strategic plan for continuous improvement 2008-2014. Strategic Planning Committee, Fredericksburg, VA. website accessed on June 3, 2009, http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/Strategic%20Planning/STRATEGIC%20PLAN%20FINAL.pdf

The leadership in technology should include guiding principles and commitment to excellence through technology.  The collaboration within the school’s stakeholders for technology integration creates an active professional learning community of authentic learning, which encourages a passion for learning, and helps to bridge the gaps in student achievement.

voicethread.com/share/521869

Technology in the Schools

          For successful integration of technology, the principal must use an enlightened future-oriented leadership to capture the educational staff and community.  Our communities are becoming more diverse, and the school remains key to bring groups of people together to merge thinking and to make an impact on a child’s education.  The constant development of ideas and free flow of information is essential to the process of how schools meet their educational purpose through programs, activities and staying in touch in a global/information age.  Therefore, the principal will need to be resourceful and employ technology experts to provide instruction, planning and observations of the faculty.  The effective principal introduces a change process that will overcome resistance employing a systematic and developmental process must include all stakeholders in the school.  The school culture encourages staff to be organized to promote teacher-led reform through instructional support staying current with professional trends creating a climate that stimulates creativity and innovation.  The professional development for teachers must challenge mindsets and habits to be “in touch” with today’s students and knowledge of technology.  Recent brain research shows that people learn by making sense of information, by producing knowledge, by making connections, and by learning in a real context.  The follow-up and continuous improvement is a process, not a program. 

          According to LeBaron and Collier (2001), as we begin the 21st century, our research shows that student learning is enhanced through the use of computer technology.  The data access, retrieval, and processing support instruction in reading, writing, and research.   Informational technology is an integral part of student research and helps students acquire information from a variety of sources to produce effective oral and written presentations.  The competition of our global economy and propagation of computer technologies increase the need for an educated workforce with expertise in technology skills and abilities.

          New technologies are popping up everywhere, and they connect young people to feel a part of a culture, part of something larger than themselves.  The technology learning theory asserts the value of hands-on experiences, engages students in critical and non-critical thinking, helps students understand what is happening and why it is meaningful and important.

LeBaron, J.F. and Collier, C. (2001).  Technology in its place; Successful technology infusion in schools. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

Educational Philosophy

            We are constantly creating a future through the challenge and learning of our students, teachers, parents, administration and community.  The learning process challenges mindsets and habits engaging students in cross curricular collaboration of critical and non-critical thinking to ensure learning by all individuals in a diverse community.  The challenge remains to be continual improvement and necessary change within our schools to ensure an integrated approach to teaching, learning and assessment for student achievement.  The educator  must take time to think methodically about how to develop a system of engaged and authentic learning for each individual. The word each reminds us that our students differ in many ways and that our teaching should be responsive to those needs.

            The art of teaching is quickly becoming the science of teaching where data analysis and the effective teacher each play a more important role than curricular materials, pedagogical approaches, or proven programs.  There is a variance in success due to the differences of instruction, emphasis on the focus of the course, and system of grading within the classroom and use of assessments.  As we plan to assess our progress, these factors within the classroom and school must be considered.  Multiple assessments must be chosen and reasons “why” must be established before analyzing the results to find answers.  We must always look at other variations in the system, not just the process of assessment, but the culture, types of assessments chosen to analyze, and the attitudes of students toward learning, in other words, the students’ instructional decisions.  The bottom-line will fall on the teacher’s instructional strategies, activities and effectiveness, but there are mitigating circumstances that can affect the preparation for planning of data analysis.  For instance, if a teacher believes that writing skills should be given more emphasis than reading skills, and some students score lower on assessments, it is not because of a lack of effort, intervention needs of the student, nor is it reflective of the learning.

            Success for all students is to be provided a leading education where all students can learn to their fullest capacity in a positive, collaborative environment with high levels of community engagement.  All students should be able to expect to be prepared to excel in a dynamic global society in the 21^st century. 

            As a teacher, the belief of high achievement by all students must be held.   Every interaction with a student is an opportunity towards student academic success.  The instruction must be based on the student’s prior knowledge, interests, experience, and/or culture.  There must be effective, open, caring communication to ensure a safe, respectful, and responsible environment for all students and staff.  Instructional strategies must be aligned with research and integrated technology, in which students are more actively engaged in the process of their own learning.

            Students must have the necessary skills to achieve success in tomorrow’s workplace.  In order for success, students must be able to sort good information from bad, to view data, and to use information for problem solving.  The students can be introduced to the computer through project based activities, consulting an expert somewhere else in the world, or with another computer.  Through their learning students may gather information or data from other computers, websites, people, graphs, or spreadsheets more effectively.  Moreover, students may place data in these same deliveries.  The computers must be accessible in the classroom, laptops for each student would be the most valuable.  An excellent source for project ideas can be found at Global Schoolhouses’ website:   globalschoolnet.org/index.cfm.  

            The willingness for teachers to use the computers in the classroom is directly related to the teacher’s comfort level with the use of technology.  Therefore, the professional development must be reviewed and closely aligned with current research on technology, as it relates to teaching and learning.  The principal must ensure that each teacher participates in the most appropriate activities to improve technology skills, knowledge and methods using it as a tool to improve results in a diverse population.  The school culture must include the use of mentoring, coaching, and collaboration that is accepted by teachers to develop their expertise and provide on-site assistance to other teachers. 

            There are unlimited resources for technology in the classroom.  The learning environment for students can thrive when virtual tours of “real” world are present.  In our school, we use the United Streaming website: streaming.discoveryeducation.com.  The Discovery Education Community Website provides best practices on the effective and appropriate use of digital media in the classroom. Teachers may use interactive Smartboards to actively engage students in learning.  Our school has been provided lots of equipment, resources and training, but we have a long way to go before we reach our objectives and potential.