January 2004 — Features
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The Impact of Standards-Based Technology Professional Development
Our professional development design included cross-curricular collaboration and a comprehensive professional development plan honoring differentiated learning styles. We were careful to align professional development opportunities with monetary resources and school improvement plans. It included pre- and post-data collection using the MyTarget online survey, on-site workshop opportunities and support from the district technology trainer.
In addition to the district technology trainer, 10 technology coaches were designated as building technology leaders. One coach was at each of the five elementary buildings, two each at the junior high and high school, and one at the alternative education building. Each technology coach received focused NETS training from the district technology trainer. The technology coaches, who were also classroom teachers, were responsible for the following extracurricular responsibilities beyond the regular classroom:
- Facilitating 10 technology professional development workshops for building staff per year;
- Attending four out-of-district technology workshops per year;
- Observing three workshops provided by fellow technology coaches;
- Providing technology support for teachers in the classroom; and
- Promoting the use and integration of technology in the curriculum.
In return for their extracurricular responsibilities, each coach was provided district-supported incentives.
Workshop Opportunities
At the beginning of the project, baseline data was collected from each teacher as he or she completed the MyTarget survey within a specified two-week time frame. The data was aggregated by building and disseminated to the building principals. Using the data, the technology trainer and the technology coaches created 10 building-based workshop opportunities. Six of the 10 workshops used NETS and followed the monthly training session format. The additional four workshops were created based upon the building technology needs identified in the MyTarget survey. In addition to the technology coach workshops, the district technology trainer offered individual classroom technology integration support and also districtwide professional development workshops.
One of the most successful workshops used the intracampus distance learning equipment to deliver the content. During the districtwide workshop, teachers were given a variety of examples of technology and curriculum integrated lesson plans. Using the workshop examples, the teachers divided into grade levels and used work time to produce at least one grade-level focused lesson plan integrating Indiana Curricular Standards and NETS. To begin building a professional learning community and support network, the teachers shared the lesson plans produced that day. The district technology trainer placed each lesson plan onto a common network drive for equitable access and teachers were encouraged to use and/or adapt the lessons in their classrooms.
Technology Trends
In the spring, after several months of focused technology professional development, each teacher repeated the MyTarget survey and completed a supplemental survey to identify teacher technology usage in the classroom. The supplemental survey provided direct teacher input about the integration and incorporation of NETS into the daily classroom environment. In addition, a student survey provided student perceptions of technology usage in the daily classroom environment. The three data collection components provided a unique opportunity to correlate the ability and skills data from the two MyTarget assessments: the teacher and the student surveys.
