Technology Tuesday Program

Designed by Allison Maddigan, Melissa Simpson, and Jessica Visseau-Resig _________________________________________________________________________ Project Overview The goal of Technology Tuesday trainings is to provide the educators of our district with the know-how to use cutting-edge technology tools and programs to meet their unique curricular goals. The tools presented in these trainings should be utilized by teachers to streamline classroom tasks and to enhance curriculum for 21st century learners. Ultimately, the goal of this program is to promote authentic lessons that will prepare our students to be responsible, active digital citizens.

Why Backward Design? When designing this program, we began with our end goal in mind- to help teachers to address the ISTE standards for teachers and to create a district full of educators who are very comfortable with using technology to enhance their curriculum. Because Backward Design begins with the end in mind, it was a very natural choice when creating this particular program. Backward Design also promotes data-driven decisions based on student performance, as well as a high level of reflection on the part of the instructor to improve materials for future use, which will be essential to help us continually improve this program. Also, because this program allows for anyone to apply to be a session instructor, using Backward Design means that we can share our goals with any instructor and allow them to create a session that will serve to meet our overall purpose. Instructors are also able to see the evaluation surveys conducted after each session before they even begin designing their lesson, so they know exactly what participants should gain from their session- information that is easily applicable and immediately available for classroom use.

Elements of Backward Design Analysis of StandardsThis program was designed using the International Society for Technology in Education Teacher Standards, which are as follows:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. 2. Design & Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences & Assessments Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETSS. 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

Develop the Assessment Task Because this program is designed for professionals, as opposed to students, no formal testing or projects will be used to assess the program. Instead, we will rely on surveys that will be distributed three weeks after the session. These allow attendees to assess both the knowledge they acquired, as well as the session presentation itself. We will also conduct a yearly survey of teachers to assess the types of technology they are using or are interested in using in the classroom. Click Here to view the session evaluation survey At the individual session level, instructors may choose to have attendees demonstrate proficiency by creating a sample product using the technology being taught at the session. Naturally, this depends heavily on the content being covered, but is highly encouraged in order for instructors to evaluate the quality of their session.

Development of a Scoring Guide Because of the nature of our assessment tasks, scoring for this program will be based on the data collected from survey results. Our initial goal is to achieve at least 85% teacher satisfaction and 60% classroom application of our session materials. As the program develops and progresses, these data goals will adapt accordingly. Naturally, we would like to achieve 100% session satisfaction and approach 100% inclusion of the technologies being introduced. However, as we have no pre-established data to work with and are unsure of how our participants will respond to these sessions, these goals are subject to change. Design of Curriculum Session ideas must be submitted by interested instructors one month prior to the beginning of a new semester. The technology committee will then assess the session proposals to determine a calendar of events that has a cohesive flow from one session to the next and which addresses the current needs of the district, as determined by observations and the yearly teacher technology survey.

Planning of Instructional Strategies Each session has been individually designed using cooperative learning strategies and scaffolding, with each session building on the content of previous sessions. However, participants will also be able to attend a session later in the semester without needing to attend earlier sessions as well. For session instructors, requirements are to be elaborated upon in Tech Tuesday Facilitator Contract, available under the For Facilitators tab on the website. Facilitation will occur in a three-phase process that occurs as follows: Phase One: Workshop Presentation Phase Two: Tech Tuesday Tutor Service (Tuesday following presentation) Phase Three: Follow Up (to be conducted as a standard Google Form sent out to participants no later than three weeks after the presentation) Delivery of Instruction Sessions are under individual instruction. Instructors are responsible for creating a lesson that addresses different levels of technological proficiency and which allows participants to practice with the technology being discussed. Here are the sessions and instructors for the first semester of the program: 1. Digital Ethics and Internet Safety- Allison Maddigan 2. Google Docs- Melissa Simpson 3. Webquests- Allison Maddigan 4. Wikis- Allison Maddigan 5. Blogs- Melissa Simpson 6. Detecting Plagiarism- Jessica Visseau-Resig 7. Mobile Response Systems-Jessica Visseau-Resig 8. iMovie- Melissa Simpson 9. Skype- Jessica Visseau-Resig Administering Assessment Surveys will be conducted to assess the success of each session, as well as to asses the program as a whole. Please see Develop the Assessment Task to view the surveys being distributed. Session surveys will be distributed three weeks after the session date to allow teachers to experiment with the technology that was introduced. This also allows for tutoring time for teachers who may struggle with difficult technology, and gives teachers time to implement the new technology into their classroom.

Evaluate/Refine Your 8-Step Process Each semester, a review will be conducted by the Tech Tuesday coordinators to assess the success of the program based on attendee and facilitator feedback. The coordinators will also meet with the district technology committee to report on the success of the program and to brainstorm new session topics based on

district needs.

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Content Standards Please see Analysis of Standards Overarching Understandings Attendees of these sessions will understand how using various types of technology in the classroom will help to improve student participation, streamline classroom tasks, and prepare students for their futures. Attendees will also understand how specific technological tools can be implemented. Essential Questions How can new technologies impact educators and classrooms? What is responsible digital citizenship, and how can we teach it to our children? How can technology enhance curriculum? Knowledge and Skills Attendees should already have a basic knowledge of how to use a computer and cell phone when preparing to attend any of the Technology Tuesday sessions. The skills gained throughout the session will vary depending on the content of the session.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

The skills acquired by attendees during the session will be assessed by the session facilitator and will depend greatly on the content covered in the session. Specific measurements of attendee understanding and satisfaction with the session will be gleaned through the use of an attendee survey (please see the For Facilitators page or any of the lesson pages to view the survey). Administrative observations and yearly teacher surveys will also be used to assess technology use throughout the district.

Stage 3:Planning Learning Experiences and Instruction

Those interested in facilitating a Technology Tuesday session will have the opportunity to apply for a slot by clicking on the link under For Facilitators. Each semester, the Tech Tuesday coordinators will meet to determine the schedule for the following semester. Educators who demonstrate a strong interest in using technology in their classroom and who are familiar with a certain tool will be encouraged to apply to share their expertise with the rest of the staff. Facilitators will be responsible for planning the learning experiences for their session. Sessions should be formatted to follow the goals and assessments from Stages 1 and 2. If facilitators feel that attendees need any specific prior knowledge or skills before the session, they are responsible for posting their requirements on their lesson page on the website.