Appendix F - Professional Development

 

 

Professional Development is Essential to the Effective Use of Technology

Classroom teachers, library media specialists, administrators, staff, volunteers and technical support staff must receive training about: technology skills, technology integration, data analysis, and its uses to promote improved student achievement. Education organizations such as the Consortium for School Networking (http://www.cosn.org/ ) “…consider professional development a part of the total cost of ownership; without effective training in productivity, integration, and data analysis, the equipment is useless…” Enhancing Education Through Technology - EETT grants, required a minimum of 25% of the grant award, be spent on professional development. Professional Development is a key element to a successful Technology Plan.

 

This Section provides information on:

1. Critical Factors for successful Professional Development

2. Design Elements for Effective, High-Quality Professional Development

3. Examples of connecting Curriculum and Professional Development

4. Different types/models and strategies for Professional Development

 

Section 1. . Critical Factors for successful Professional Development

 

Technology Training is best implemented to support Curricular Goals – Identifying what curriculum objectives need to be achieved with students and how technology can implement or support those objectives, drives timely and high quality professional development. The most effective staff development is that which targets specific student goals and outcomes, is meaningful to the individuals involved, and supports what teachers need to immediately teach. Teachers learn best by studying, doing, practicing and reflecting, and by collaborating upon a common need. Looking closely at student learning and evidence of achievement; and by sharing what they see and observe, focuses the topics that staff need to be trained on.

 

Timing is Important - The timing of professional development is essential to student success using technology, and the maximum utilization of equipment. Students will likely not be successful using technology if teachers do not have at least a working knowledge of what students are being asked to do. Often trusted and knowledgeable students may be able to support classroom efforts to use technology, freeing up the teacher. If equipment is purchased long before staff have been trained or have learned to use it, "new" equipment may become obsolete before it is ever used to benefit students. Effective professional development is well planned and carried out in advance, however a system that provides "Just-in-Time" training and support, to reduce frustration and negative outcomes needs to be part of thee training plan as well.

 

Benchmarks and Timelines in the Technology Plan Describe How and When Chosen Strategies Will be Implemented - The Professional Development component benchmarks and timelines must support the Curriculum component benchmarks and timelines, as well as the Infrastructure, Hardware, Technical Support, and Software components of the Technology Plan. The technology plan describes specific Goals, Objectives, and Benchmarks that need to be carried out. The Professional Development plan needs to be sure that each of these are addressed/supported, and that the timing and order of the training topics are arranged for maximum advantage and efficiency.

 

Effective Professional Development Equips Staff to Integrate New and Existing Technology – Surveying and identifying what is available to use (hardware, software, courseware, etc.) and what needs to be acquired will be a factor in what type of Professional Development can be offered.

 

Use SETS Project Support and Resources: The State has commissioned four State Educational Technology Services –SETS Projects (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/rs/sets.asp ). The four projects together with the California Technology Assistance Project – CTAP provide many resources that are useful in successful Professional Development Programs.

 

The SETS projects and their web sites include:

EdTechProfile (ETP) – An online, self-assessment tool that allows school and district educators and administrators the ability to gather data for staff technology professional development and technology planning. www.EdTechProfil

California Learning Resource Network (CLRN) - The California Learning Resource Network provides a one-stop information source that enables California educators to identify supplemental electronic learning resources that meet local instructional needs and embody the implementation of California curriculum frameworks and standards. www.clrn.org

 

Technical Support for Education Technology in Schools (TechSETS) - The Technical Support for Education Technology in Schools is focused on providing technical professionals in California schools improved access to training, support, and other resources. With the explosive growth in school technology, the need for well-trained technical support staff has been steadily on the rise. 
 www.techsets.org

 

Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL) - The Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership will help administrators find technology resources to assist in the day-to-day needs of their jobs, whether they are site level principals or district superintendents. These resources have been collected and organized by a cadre of technology-savvy, practicing administrators and meet criteria judged to be of value to other administrators. www.portical.org

 

California Technology Assistance Project – CTAP is a regional technical assistance program that provides coordination and services in education technology based upon local needs in each of the 11 regions in California. A list of the CTAP regions can be found at http://www.ctap.k12.ca.us/regions/

 

CTAP provides training on how to use all the SETS projects and how benefit from CTAP provided services as well.

 

 

Section 2 - Design Elements for Effective, High-Quality Professional Development

 

Needs Assessment – Determining what technology skills the group be trained already knows, what they need to learn is a requisite starting point. This often requires a survey or sample of the group to be trained. The EdTechProfile (as listed above) can be useful in providing this data. Additionally, it is helpful to identify what skills to start with, that are obtainable by the majority of the group to be trained, so that the majority of the group to be trained experiences success early in the process.

 

Identification of the Equipment that is available to use in training. An informal survey can be performed, or the Edtech Profile Reports of California State Technology Survey, Technology Planning, or the RFA report, available from the Admin tab of ETP may be useful.

 

Guidance from Student Achievement Data – elements of the Professional Development Plan should include training on Technology based interventions and support that can improve identified student weaknesses in the curriculum or student focused technology skills. Student Technology Skiils may be assessed using the student portion of EdTechProfile survey.

 

Long-term commitment - The best professional development is not a one-time experience. The plan has built in repeativeness and support. Revisiting and spending time with training topics more than once, for those that need it, is a quality aspect of training. Time must be spent to reassess what skills have en mastered and which ones needs to be revisited or repeated.

 

Modeling - Students and teachers master the art of using technology in the classroom by seeing and doing. Assisting and supporting the teacher to model exactly how a curriculum based lesson and be carried out, using the teacher’s actual classroom and students, allows everyone to learn their roles and responsibilities quickly and forward progress is made is made using technology in the classroom.

 

A balance of collegial and individual learning – Individuals, in the group to be trained, need to feel that they can be part of a group while learning technology skills and classroom techniques, and at other times receive “one on one” individual training. Quality training will seek to provide both types of experiences.

 

Addressing Standards 9 and 16 – California Standards for teachers pertaining to Technology Skills (Standard 9), and using technology in the classroom (Standard 16) have been established by the Commission on Teacher Education. Teachers taking the EdTechProfile - ETP survey - get instant and confidential feedback on their level of expertise, as measured by these standards. Groups of teachers that have taken the survey can be profiled as to what the group knows and needs to learn. The ETP survey can also be used to pre/post a given group, to establish growth using these standards.

 

Outside Evaluator – Many projects, Technology Plans, and particularly EETT Competitive plans use outside evaluators. It is possible that the evaluator can and may assist in identifying what needs to be included in a comprehensive professional development program. They may also be able to implement techniques that can evaluate the effectiveness of the Professional Development plan.

 

 

Section 3 – Examples of connecting Curriculum and Professional Development

 

- To illustrate how professional development connects to the curriculum components, here are some examples:

 

1. In order to address student outcomes listed in Part 3d, a district might choose to subscribe to an e-learning service as listed in Part 4b to teach staff and students how to integrate technology to meet a district curricular goal. For example, a district may utilize podcasts (http://etc.usf.edu/te_win/ ) to provide just-in-time training to reinforce skills for creating a virtual field trip using Google Earth.
2. In order to address student outcomes listed in Part 3f, a district may seek a professional development provider or a district mentor as listed in Part 4b to teach staff how to cite sources used in multimedia presentations. For example, a library media specialist may assist staff in developing multimedia presentations and correctly formatted bibliographies to reference Internet Based research.
3. In order to address student outcomes listed in Part 3g, a district may provide time and resources for staff to complete training as listed in Part 4b to increase awareness and guidelines for Internet safety. For example, a district may hire an expert to provide a staff development day to complete certification training provided by iSafe (www.i-safe.org).

 

 

Point 4 - Different types/models and strategies for Professional Development

 

Professional development should always be coordinated with the school improvement plan, WASC recommendations, API benchmarks, and delivering state content standards.

 

Professional development should include teachers, administrators, support staff, library media specialists, and technical support staff.

Traditional one-day workshop -

• Ongoing series of workshops with follow-up in between -
• Focused Professional Development - Training that is focused on what teachers need next in curriculum
• Expert model - An example would be hiring a paid, knowledgeable professional to come in and provide training for staff on a specified topic.
• Classroom of the Future model - robust planning before implementation; ongoing planning during the year
• Train the Trainers - This is similar to the expert model, except that the expert provides training on a specific topic and/or skill for a group of trainers, who then will be providing the same training to a group of local users. The goal would be for the trainers to also serve as local experts and support providers.
• Peer mentor/peer observation model - This model consist of identifying a colleague or peer who is already seen as a staff leader and designating that person to provide training, expertise, and support in a particular subject, skill, or technique.
• Online modules (e-learning) - This model involves training individuals by having them work on self-paced tutorials. Keys to success with this model include periodic assessment of individual progress and/or concerns, as well as having a designated person to oversee the group being trained.
• Visiting model schools- providing time for staff to visit model schools to observe the strategies and operations being used in a successful setting.
• Collaboration model- Teachers planning lessons together
• Writing curriculum - Having teachers focus on an area of need, such as English Learners of special education
• Hands-on training - Interactive training on a concept, skill, or software application, often provided in a computer lab setting
• Keeping a journal of teaching practices (yours or others) -
• Things go better with food consider it.
• Do you wish to train using online resources: CTAP online, Atomic Learning, etc.
• Live instruction: California Technology Assistance Project (www.ctap.k12.ca.us); WestEd (wested.org); McRel (mcrel.org); Tapped In (www.tappedin.org); BTSA, CUE (www.cue.org)
• Online modules (eLearning): My Skillsource, Career Academy, Atomic Learning, CTAP Online