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Mrs. Warner

Session 9: Technology Integration Initiatives - 35 views

21st century learning session 9 stakeholders policy evaluation framework

started by Mrs. Warner on 10 Nov 10
  • Mrs. Warner
    #1 Mrs. Warner on 10 Nov 10
     
    In 1995, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory [NCREL] (then part of the national research and development system administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education) released this planning document for schools and school systems to use when evaluating educational tools for student learning.

    It's 15 years later, and while technologies have changed, the evaluation framework and recommendations made by NCREL are still an excellent guide. BCPS maintains in the Blueprint for Progress technology-related performance indicators and strategies in Performance Goals 1 (Key Strategies j, u, v); 3 (Key Strategies h, j); and 8 (Performance Indicators 8.1, 8.2).

    Review the information in the planning document and comment below with 3 recommendations for a school and/or the Baltimore County Public School district. Each recommendation should aim to use high-performance technology to meet student learning goals, while taking into consideration policy issues and the diverse needs of all stakeholders in a school and/or district.



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  • Geoffrey Roe
    #2 Geoffrey Roe on 10 Nov 10
     
    1. There should be a democatization of a choice in technology. Dr. Hairston quoted a student to something of the effect " Teach me where I am not where you were." Shouldn't the students have a say in what technologies they need and find useful. Teachers should also have a voice. I know what I need in my room. I am quite sure that no one on the Board does. Let me have a say and a voice in what I need and what.

    2. There should be no unfunded mandates. It is all well and good to talk about incorporating technology, but if there is one working computer in my computer lab out of every 10 and it cannot effectivly use the latest software then we have paved the road to hell with good intentions. The technology must be in place before anything.

    3. There must be a comprehensive support systems for this technology. Usually staff development means a sideshow of what a technology is capable of and that is it. No support is given on a daily basis or indepth training, much less time to incoporate it in the classrooms or departments.
  • Christy McKinzie
    #3 Christy McKinzie on 10 Nov 10
     
    My first recommendation is very unrealistic, but students and/or families should have access to the use of computers and Internet. Our IB students have access to laptops through funding through IB, but we have many students that do not have access to a computer in school and/or at home. When the students have their own personal laptops, it makes completing activities using technology easier, faster, and actually doable (webquests, labs using LabQuest, etc.). This prevents the need to sign out laptops, wait your turn, figuring out which laptops work, etc. Students are very self motivated when they work on the computers and with technology. If everyone had a computer many motivational sites and programs could be used on a daily basis (Make Believe Comix, Inspiration, Voice Thread, wikis, etc.). Kurzweill and other programs could be put on the computers in order to help meet the needs of our special education and ESOL population.

    I also believe that the Interwrite tablets and smart boards are a great recommendation for motivating students, keeping students on track, allowing students to participate and become engaged, and allow for enrichment and/or remediation. Data can be posted for the class to review and evaluate, readings and websites can be projected, explained, critiqued, etc., papers can be projected for editing purposed, formulas and problems can be carried out step-by-step, and much more. I do believe that for younger students, students with hand-eye coordination issues, other writing disabilities, etc. that the smart boards are more student friendly. Many of my students still have a very difficult time using the Interwrite tablets.

    There are many programs out there that allow students to interact live with members of the community, peers from other locations/countries, business leaders, scientists, etc. If students had accessed to computers, headsets, web cams, and the programs, they could be opened up to a world that they might never have access to. Students from different regions, countries, etc. can share experiences, weather details, literature, language, etc. Business men, colleges, doctors, scientists, etc. can come into your classroom through the web and have a seminar, digital lab, discussion, debate, etc. Students could get live data and images from all over the world to help them gather data and learn about enviroments and societies all over the globe. There are even some science programs that will allow the scientist to interact through a webinar and share images from outer space. There will be a privacy issue at times, students will have to keep personal data off the sites and there will be a need for constant adult supervision to ensure the safety of all students.
  • Jackie Davis
    #4 Jackie Davis on 10 Nov 10
     
    1. Nintendo Wii controllers to make the white board act as a smart board is a way to use stretch out finances of a school buget, during these tough economic times, to provide students with interactive learning. This allows the student and the teacher to provide immediate information to the student using the Internet, Excel, Word,...etc. Students become more engaged in learning and are able to see more examples and teachers are able to display more real-life situations to the class.

    2. Personal Labtops for students to use at home and at school. This will cut down on the lack of technology provide to students once they have left school grounds. Students will be able to use them to take notes and submit work to the instructor. They will also be able to expand on the learning that was provided to them in the classroom.

    3. Professional Development that enables a teacher to feel comfortable with the instrument or program that they are being instructed to use in the classroom. Sessions of development that are being taught at too quick of a pace are no good to the person sitting in the course because when the session is over they have already forgotten the material.
  • Angela Martinelli
    #5 Angela Martinelli on 10 Nov 10
     
    1. Educate the teachers about Technology. Have them focus on one or two technologies throughout the year and have them become "experts" on this technology. Don't try to throw everything at them at once. That happens sometimes to me, and I just get overwhelmed.
    ** One way to do this is to set up professional development opportunities to attend, and teachers can choose which technologies to become "experts" on. We are doing something similar this year. But again, there are too many things to wrap your head around. If we allow a teacher to become expects on 1 or 2 technologies and focus on them this year. You could even offer MSDE credits for completing these professional developments and get teachers really on board.
    ** Blue Print for Progress - Performance Indicator 8.1, Key Strategy for goal 8a

    2. Schools need more student access to computers. More computer labs or more laptop carts should be available for students. It may be unrealistic, but it would allow more opportunities for students to use all of the tools available.
    ** Blue Print for Progress - Performance Indicator 8.1

    3. Suggested lesson plans/projects/scenarios/simulations/websites using technology and connected to BCPS curriculum would be great! These would have to be updated frequently to keep up with the BCPS filter and different websites that would end up not working after awhile.
    ** Blue Print for Progress - Performance Indicator 8.1
  • Robert Mryncza
    #6 Robert Mryncza on 10 Nov 10
     
    The thought presented in this article are fantastic. Who would not want their students to be learn, observe, apply their knowledge to real world situations. The HDA's and I know my Environmental Benchmarks have one question (BCR about the real world. The rest are more understanding of terminology and how to's. How to read graphs and charts,
    1st for the planning as is suggested there needs to be equatity of tools for use. This does not occur as far as I can see. It isn't even equatible in the same schools. Some programs have greater access to the computer cartts (IB) example. This involves monies. Schools have such diverse populations that to bring all to the same level wouuld be difficult. Why shouldn't we at Kenwood have the same technologies as Towson, Dulany Valley or Hereford? Who directs the moneys here, who directs the monies to the science class students, who as a last ditch effort have to take Environmental Science as their 3rd sciences to graduate? Do they deserve the same availability of technology as GT or Honors? My recommendation is to split the county money evenly and split the monies evenly in schools
    2nd. Where are we going to fit more staff development in The suggestion is to allow more time to explore and do.
    The school day is long enough with the 80 mminute period, very little time to interact with fellow teachers (Where is the common planning times.I can only see where teachers should be paid for attending these professional development sessions like other professions do.
    3rd Standardized Test must be updated. More real world situations need to be included, cooperative learning amoung students in a class or other classes is needed. Since all students are at varied levels time will be needed to have students become familiar with the world of new information out-there to be used. How can this be achieved when test scores drive education presently.

    Who is going to be bold enough to say that the future is not test score driven but driven by collaborative efforts. Students that are motivated to try new processes, work on social skills, etc.
    I think until we find the 3 problems above solution, we will be in the old method of teaching and learning no matter what policies are in place.
  • Margaret Archer-Batten
    #7 Margaret Archer-Batten on 10 Nov 10
     
    In my specific classroom is a lap top with access to the web, an LCD on a cart to project onto a screen, and some programs that have been loaded onto the desktop for use to enhance learning. The ones I use most frequently are Kuzweil which is a read aloud tool, and the web sites provided throught the system. At a minimum the school classroom needs access to the web for projection onto a screen, but would be best used if every student had access to the web each day at the same time. Access to programs provided for the students the system internet programs are very useful and provide in depth access to teaching tools and information that is available to all students if they have a computer, What the school system does have and does use for Home and Hospital children who cannot come to school is a destance eduacational learning system that can be accessed via the phone and/or computer and the TV screen. That can assure that all students can participate individually and collectively, interactively in a class. Ideally, all students should have frequent availbility to computer use. Frequent computer accessibility is actually more available for the higher functioning academic student. Policy makes it available but not readily accessible for all. If feasible, LCD's should be mounted so access for use may be confined to laptop, desk oriented use. Lap tops need to be available for teachers so they do not have limited access for planning lessons or making use of technology.
    Bottom line: If one wants technology that is effective in a school system, Lap tops, LCD's, easy access to the web for information, and distance learning tools need to exist to engage all students, regardless of disability or cognition.
  • Kim Samele
    #8 Kim Samele on 10 Nov 10
     
    1.My first recommendation would be that Kenwood provide students with a personal laptop or access to a personal laptop for use in school as well as at home. This would give our students who do not have computers the tools they need to research information and create documents for classes. At the very least, we need to have a computer lab available to our students in the morning and afternoon for our students who do not have computers. This would be much like having the cafeteria open for breakfast for our students who do not eat breakfast at home.

    2. With their new laptops I think that BCPS needs to provide electronic copies of texts. This would eliminate the cost of replacing textbooks year after year and cut down on Baltimore County's carbon footprint or the need to remove outdated books from storage. This would also help eliminate the accumulation of dust on the old books and improve the air quality in our building.

    3. Finally, I recommend that BCPS create a school network. Ok, I know we have one, but it seems that some technology should simple be available to us without a password or a cost. Students should have minimal access to the network so that file accessibility is easy and transparency exists for students to move from school to home.
  • Tammy Yost
    #9 Tammy Yost on 13 Nov 10
     
    1. My first recommendation is that students have more access to computers and labs. We now have three computer labs in our school. Plus, our Science Dept. has 12 laptops that travel from class to class on a cart. However, I believe we need more laptops available to all departments. We also need a consistently working and reliable wireless internet access connection in order to access the internet while using these laptops. I'm not sure if we should loan out the laptops to students due to the fact that there is a financial liability factor, but if I do agree with other posts that it would be a perfect scenario to have computer access for all students. In the case where students do not have access at home, I believe there should be after school access where a teacher is paid to hold a technology club of sort.

    2. My next recommendation is for the curriculum guides to include technology within the units of study and indicators. A variety of suggestions could be given so a teacher can choose which technology they are most comfortable working with. The cost to rewrite curriculum is high, so BCPS could create mini-guides that focus on a few projects or lessons per unit per subject. That way the entire curriculum doesn't need to be rewritten and reprinted.

    3. For those teachers that don't feel comfortable with technology or are not familiar with the multitude of choices available, there needs to be more professional development and daily support from the school and technology staff. Therefore, I suggest that all schools that courses for students in technology available. These teachers can also offer the daily support for all staff as well. At Stemmers Run we have two members of the staff that have two roles, the second role being tech liason. There is not enough time in the day for these two people to do their jobs and assist other teachers and students. I believe that if there were more support available, then more teachers would feel comfortable entering the world of technology.
  • john kucharski
    #10 john kucharski on 14 Nov 10
     
    1. Students have cell phones, game consoles, and access to other technology. Let's call out industry, the NEA, our government and anybody else; that we want a computer for under a $100.00 that runs web 2.0 web based software and operating system that will allow, all school systems and students computer access at a minimal cost. Let's make government cut the red tape, the cost, to get access to the computer and software.
    2. We have the greatest entertainment industry/enterprise in the world creating video games and movies and other visual technology to grab our youth attention. Why can we/ government not call on this talent to develop education/ learning materials for the classroom and teachers?
    3. Last, if teacher had the above resources / teaching aids that worked and that they did not have to generate from scratch. This could free the teacher to work with students that need the extra help and free up the teacher to learn this new technology given to them.
  • Althea Page
    #11 Althea Page on 15 Nov 10
     
    1. I have heard rumors that we will be going to electronic books in the BC Business Department within the next 10 years. While the technology will be intially costly, in the long run texts will no longer be needed. No more tracting students with corresponding books, especially when the books do not come back to school. No more out dated versions of books, the upgrade will be readily available. No more clutter of books in the classroom. On the other hand, this means that each class room will be required to be a computer lab OR that each student will have their own computer notebook to access the e-book (which the teacher will have to track that technology. I am not sure how having e-books will improve the actual reading of the material, but it is the wave of the future and what the students' will be accustomed to.

    2. My accounting book has a computer program that accompanies it. I have used it for the first 2 chapters and then it mysteriously will not work for the class. There are no cut and dry instructions for the teachers on how to get this program to work and the publishing company does not offer sessions to teach the teachers how to use the software. So, although many in the county have the software, it is either being used improperly or not used at all. As of last week, I travelled to another school to see how one teacher (who is using the software correctly) has been conducting class and the software. I was able to see that I didn't have all the software that was needed to operate the program after Ch. 5. I have now put in a $2,000 order for additional software. The point of this example is that the software that is purchased is sometimes difficult to operate. Unless the teacher is willing to spend numerous hours figuring it out, there is no other option. Some of my programs are sims and although they are on the desktop, the students will try them once, but not come back to them. Training of these programs (free with purchase or additional cost would be a wonderful idea.)
    3. Many of the Wiki's and other collaboration websites are valuable to show the students because that is how many long distance learning will take place (normally at the college level.) However, I still like a face to face interaction for business students--they need to know how to interact face to face in the business world. That could mean anything from a class discussion, to showing a powerpoint presentation, to using an flip cam and movie maker, to generating pictures off a computer and putting them on a presentation board in order to present ideas and generate discussions.
  • Chris Gauthier
    #12 Chris Gauthier on 16 Nov 10
     
    1. I think Baltimore County needs to do a better job of keeping up with the technology that is out there. We are still using Windows XP which is two operating systems old and Microsoft Office 2003 when Office 2010 is now available. They need to realize that teachers and students are using the newer software because they have either upgraded or had to buy a new computer to replace an older one. In order to accomplish this, they will need to make sure the hardware is able to handle the upgrades.

    2. Baltimore County needs to incorporate textbooks that are available online so students can access them at home instead of having to carry 2-3 books home with them everyday. This will help to keep the costs down because teachers will just need a classroom set to use instead of assigning a book to every student they teach.

    3. I think Baltimore County needs to give teachers a chance to actually see some of the new technology in action in a classroom setting instead of workshops where we do get a chance to use it but will not know what problems would occur with students using the new technology. I know teachers like playing with new technologies, but it would really be nice to see how a teacher in our own discipline incorporates new technologies.
  • Toni Dunn
    #13 Toni Dunn on 16 Nov 10
     
    1. Computer access for student in the classroom would greatly enhance learning for many students. Although we have the carts of computers to use, they are not necessarily available as often as we might need to make regular use secondary nature for the students. Practice online testing would improve scores. Regular computer use would also help with differentiated lessons. The faster students could be challenged while the slower students are being remediated.

    2. It would be very helpful to have more time to incorporate new technologies. Learning the ins and out of new technology is time consuming at first. We have such little time to practice and learn. The first week of school gives us very little plan time to do anything new. I like the idea of the layered lesson plans. but I need more time to learn and incorporate.

    3. I agree with Chris about online textbook use. With computer use in the classroom, we could better teach the students how to use the online book at home. Since students generally don't correctly use the textbook as a resource, regardless of how we try to help them with it, they might possibly use the online version as a resource since they are used to using the internet for a resource in other subjects.

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