School Type: Public	School Setting: Suburban
Level: K-12	School Design: Traditional
Content Presented By:
Edvantia

Design and Implementation

The Virginia Department of Education designed eight teacher technology standards. In order to be recertified after the year 2002, Virginia school divisions must show that their personnel have met the technology standards.

Our project intent was to offer all faculty and staff a friendly, flexible and adaptive vehicle by which to address the state technology standards. We developed a program of training that assures that professional staff acquire a high level of competency in the use of existing and emerging technologies.

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1. Develop a program of training that assures that professional staff acquire a high level of competency in the use of existing and emerging technologies.

Objectives:

1. Develop a calendar of workshops, peer "Technology Coaching" opportunities, "tech days," and other staff development opportunities to address the weaknesses found in staff competency levels through the Needs Assessment Survey, to include especially multimedia development, curriculum integration strategies, and SOL correlations.
2. Provide additional opportunities such as conference attendance and college courses for staff members who have gained the minimal competencies to continue to increase their knowledge and hone their skills.
3. Monitor staff progress in reaching at least three of the Virginia Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel during the 1999-2000 school year through review of submitted materials by administrative staff at each school.
4. Provide training and time for teachers to review software and locate curricular sources on the Web and plan appropriate classroom use of these sources through the use of released-time, in school "Tech Days."

Goal 2. Expand the cadre of division "experts" who serve as "Technology Coaches."

Objectives:

1. Identify at least 5 staff members in each school to serve as "Technology Coaches" for their peers.
2. Provide vendor sponsored training, conference attendance, college courses and other advanced levels of training for the "Technology Coaches" to advance their training.
3. Schedule each "Technology Coach" to provide training for school staff in areas indicated as needs through the Needs Assessment Survey and local school priorities.

Goal 3. Provide hardware and software that will enable staff to practice skills learned during training sessions.

Objectives:

1. Procure laptop computers as prices and the grant budget allow (approximately 16 laptops with installed software [Microsoft Office and Microsoft Works]).
2. Provide opportunities for staff to practice skills gained in training through a computer loan program.
3. Identify particular workshops and training sessions for which laptops will be made available for follow-up practice.

Action Plan

1. Continue the Poquoson Technology Academy which was established in Poquoson City Schools in 1997 to provide a variety of courses, classes, and workshops to meet the specific needs of the staff. These will include, but not be limited to:
   • College courses - A three-college-credit collaborative course with Thomas Nelson Community College was offered during the summer of 2000. This course was held at the individual school sites using local technologies and software. Instruction will be provided by Technology Coaches, other Poquoson staff, and experts from the Tidewater region. Instruction was geared to specific classroom applications, the State Technology SOL's, the Virginia Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel, and needs determined by the Spring 1999 Needs Assessment Survey.

   • Mini-courses on specific topics offered within the division - Forty to fifty mini-courses will be offered after school, during the evening, on Saturdays, and during the summer. These courses will run from two to eight hours. Mini-course topics will be developed from weaknesses found by the Needs Assessment Survey, SOL curriculum areas that had the lowest pass rates in Poquoson schools, from the requirements of the Virginia Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel, and from specific individual school priorities. Examples will include but not be limited to:
     • "Using Computers in the 6-8 Math Curriculum"

     • "Algebra and Computers -- A Magic Combination"

     • "Tying Technology and Social Studies SOLs Together!"

     • "Power Searching on the Internet"

     • "Using the Scanner and Digital Camera"

     • "Presentation Tools for Professional Use"

     • "Using the Computer for Student Assessment and Record Keeping"

     • "Student Use of Multi-Media -- No More Boring Book Reports!"

     Instructors will be drawn from the Technology Coaches, library media specialists, area experts, and/or consultants.

   • Staff development activities - Staff development teams and technology committees in each school will determine and plan appropriate technology training to be presented during staff development times. School training will be specifically geared to the use of equipment and software in each building, curricular needs of each school's students, the appropriate grade-level SOL's and the Professional Technology Standards needed by each school's staff. Each school has been provided a copy of the summary of their Needs Assessment Survey results so they can focus training efforts on the weaker areas, as well.

   • New teacher orientation activities - In mid-August, all teachers new to Poquoson will be required to participate in at least two days of technology familiarization and training conducted by the Director of Technology, technology coaches, library media specialists, the network administrator and other Poquoson staff.

   • Conferences - Personnel will be provided opportunities to attend professional technology conferences in order to be exposed to new technologies and to share new ideas and applications with staff members in the division.

   • Off-site workshops and classes:
     • Consortium for Interactive Instruction - a regional partnership of area school systems and WHRO, offering a wide variety of topical classes, as well as TechTrek, a week-long intensive residential immersion in technology.

     • Old Dominion University - offers a 4.5 CEU "Technology SOL Certification Course" and other courses.

     • NASA - provides resources and instruction in Internet-related projects, specifically advanced training for middle school teachers to enable our students to participate in the projects sponsored by the agency.

     • WHRO-TV - sponsors the National Teacher Training Institute, which focuses on interactive use of video and Internet in the classroom.

     • Commercial technical training - provides school staff with necessary training and updates in network administration, troubleshooting, and advanced applications.

2. In order to expand the cadre of "experts" in the Poquoson Technology Academy, interested staff members will be encouraged to attend specific higher level training opportunities in order to return "home" to share their knowledge and skills. These teachers serve as Technology Coaches to the staff in their schools.

3. Laptop computers will be purchased for loan to staff members who participate in identified mini-courses and other training.

4. Teachers will identify areas of the curriculum, including the SOLs, in which the use of software and the Internet will enhance student learning. Release time will then be provided for teachers to become more confident with the software themselves and to plan for curricular integration.

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