JacksonELizzie_DTTP

8/22/2019 JacksonELizzie_DTTP

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Running Head: DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY TRAINING PLAN 1

District Technology Training Plan for Montgomery County Schools

Elizabeth L. Jackson

University of Maryland, University College


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DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY TRAINING PLAN 2

The District

Student and Staff Demographics

Montgomery County is the largest county in Maryland, spanning 497 square miles. The

total population of Montgomery County is 971,777. It is the seventeenth largest county in the

United States and includes 202 schools. There are 132 elementary schools that make up over half

of the 202 schools). One hundred forty-eight thousand, seven hundred seventy-nine students

attend MCPS with varying ethnicities. The population of students contain 33% white, 26.7%

Hispanic/Latino, 21.3% Black/African American, 14.3% Asian, and 4.7% other. There are

22,236 employees, 11,836 area teachers and 84.7% have a masters degree or masters

equivalency that offer a number of services to the families that they serve, including English for

Speakers of Other Languages, Special Education, and Free and Reduced Meals. In 2013, 13.3%

of students participated in ESOL, 11.7% participated in Special Education, 33.2% participated in

FARMS, and 42.4% had received FARMS at some point (Montgomery County Public Schools

[MCPS] At a Glance, 2012-2013; About Us: Montgomery County Public Schools [MCPS],

2013).

Technology

According to The Technology Development Plan (n.d.) for the 2010-2015 school years,

the MCPS Technology Department wants to provide services and tools that support the MCPS

mission and vision to: 1) sustain open communication among stakeholders, 2) enhance

instructional environments with technology integration, 3) protect the physical and emotional

safety of staff, and 4) encourage students and staff to become life-long learners. Currently, the

goal of MCPS is to turn all classrooms into 21st century classrooms, with technology and

knowledge of the technologies readily available. Existing computer inventory lists 4,794 total

computers and 959 computers replaced every five years. To accommodate the maintenance of

these resources, the annual budget is $959,000. By maintaining this budget, the student to

computer ratio is 2.12 to 1 (4:1:4). In addition to computers, the network contains four separate

categories of server, one for files, one for maintenance, one for operational use, and the final

server is for instructional purposes. Camera servers exist in all schools, but exterior cameras are

a working progress. Most schools have burglar alarms, all classrooms have telephone access, and


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emergency phone notification. However, all rooms do not have phones in them (Montgomery

County Public Schools Technology Plan, 2010-2015).

Technology Staff and Available Software

The technology department has 26 employees in three groups. Ten are certified with a

teachers endorsement and sixteen are not teacher certified. Technology staff members have

identified the appropriate software for students in differing levels of their academic careers.

Thirteen software options are approved for early childhood, meaning grades k-3, later elementary

and middle school students in grades 3-8 have 21 identified software possibilities, middle to high

school ranged students have 26, and high school students have 29 approved options

(Montgomery County Public Schools Technology Plan, 2010-2015).The majority of

technology software in MCPS target middle and high school leveled students in the county, asboth of these levels have at least two times the number of applications/software alternatives than

lower elementary students.

Teacher Survey

In order to gain insight into the existing technological problems and needs of MCPS, I

administered a survey using the online site,SurveyMonkey. The survey link is

http://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/?survey_id=42291489&OPT=NEW.Nine teachers, both

male and female responded to the survey, from the Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, and Takoma

Park areas. I asked survey respondents to answer seven survey questions about software,

hardware, and training. Based on their responses, and personal experiences, I identified the

problems with the district and training needs.

The Problems

Technology problems in the MCPS district exist within teacher and student domains.

When asked about the adequacy of training to integrate technology into their teaching, 66.67% of

respondents indicated that sometimes the technology training is adequate, and 22.22% indicated

that training was not adequate for their needs. Similarly, when asked about the effectiveness of

training, 55.5 % of respondents indicated that training was helpful, while 44.44% indicated that

training was lacking or just okay. Based on this data, I determined that teachers are just as likely

to attend training that is adequate and suits their needs, as attend a training that does not meet
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GK98ZHhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GK98ZHhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GK98ZHhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/?survey_id=42291489&OPT=NEWhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/?survey_id=42291489&OPT=NEWhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GK98ZH


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their professional needs. Therefore, teachers cannot rely on training to integrate technology into

their teaching. I too, have found this to be a problem, as I oftentimes leave training knowing how

software functions, like how to type text and add pictures, but equipped with little or no

knowledge about how to use the tool resourcefully in classroom settings. Alternatively, training

does not always match the level of each learner, as it might be designed for individuals who lack

any knowledge, but there are learners who have limited or extensive knowledge about the tool.

Although teachers work hard to plan lessons, they do not have sufficient time to plan

lessons that integrate technology. Seven out of the nine surveyed teachers indicated that they did

not have time to plan lessons. So, when teachers are taught how to use a new software or

hardware, they are not given time to incorporate the skills attained at training in their classrooms.

This has left a number of teachers feeling that training is a waste of time, as it does not always

serve its purpose.

Six out of ten survey respondents indicated that there are many different technologies, but

they are not taught how to use them. Since these resources are unfamiliar, they are underutilized,

if utilized at all. In addition, it leaves teachers with unfulfilled training requests. Seven out of

nine of those surveyed indicated that they wanted to know more about ActivInspire, a software

option that eight of them use on a daily basis. Eight out of the nine also indicated that they

wanted to know more about Kidspiration despite the lack of implementation of the application on

a regular basis. We can infer that these teachers would like to use Kidspiration more frequently,

but they do not know how to use the program. Nonetheless, training does not exist to target this

particular software. This is a common trend for the technology in the district. MCPS offers a

number of software options, but there is not enough training for all of them.

Technology does not always work properly. Five out of nine respondents found that the

technologies that they are supposed to access, do not function in the way they were intended.

One common reason for contention are student computing units. At Takoma Park Elementary, in

particular, each classroom has four student computing units. Although the idea of a centralized

computer that controls all of the students classroom computers sounds fantastic in theory, there

are reoccurring issues with the units. There are times when the central computer does not turn on

and/or freezes. In addition, when that computer is logged off or shut down, they all turn off.

There have also been times in my classroom when all of the computers are out of sync and you


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turn on a game with one computer, but the sound comes out of another. Another issue is the

printing difficulty, as none of the student computers will print from the classroom. So, if you

have twenty kids creating projects throughout the week, as their teacher, you have to pull up and

print twenty separate documents for assessment and feedback.

The Needs

Based on the survey data, technology problems in MCPS, and personal experience, I have

identified ten training needs. The needs are organized into two groups, needs that there are not

appropriate training programs for and will be included in the District Technology Plan (DTTP),

and needs that exist despite current training. Rationale for each training need included in my

DTTP is included below the needs.

Needs Targeted in the DTTP

1. Evaluative tools to determine teacher background knowledge prior to training classes.Rationale: Evaluative tools are needed to determine teacher background knowledge prior to

training courses. This will allow instructors to better assess the needs of the staff members

who are attending the training class. With better pre-assessment data, trainers can determine

the appropriate content for students. This is important because Clark and Mayer (2011) stated

that people are active sense makers. They attend to relevant information, organize it, and

integrate it into what they already know. Good teachers should expect learners to process

new information and use what they already know to make sense of new material. In order to

make new information accessible, trainers should know what their students already

understand to help them integrate new information into their schema. Evaluative tools, such

as online surveys and self-assessment quizzes will give clues about the prior knowledge of

students to better meet the needs of most, if not all students.

2. Free training at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels to accommodate the needs ofdifferent learners.

Rationale: Free training should be available for mandatory technological resources at the

beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels to accommodate the needs of different learners.

Due to the push for 21st Century Classrooms, a number of Montgomery County Schools have

Promethean Boards and/or Smart Boards. Since these tools have replaced traditional white

boards, accompanying software is essential. One of such software, ActivInspire, is a program


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that is expected to be used on a daily basis, and eight of the nine respondents of my survey

confirmed that they do indeed use the program on a daily basis. Since it is frequently used, it

is important that learners at all levels know how the program functions at beginner,

intermediate, and advanced levels. This way, students who need to know the basic functions

of the program, can learn how to type text and add pictures. More advanced students can

learn how to add additional links and to include helpful gadgets. The most advanced learners

would want to create games with response systems, embed videos, and increase the level of

interactivity. Currently, there are two levels of courses available for individuals who want to

learn about the Promethean Boards. They are both courses that cost $45 each and they are

worth college credits, with graded assignments inside and outside of the classroom setting.

These courses are not available to everyone, have a fee, and are not intended as training, but

as optional coursework like any other college class.

3. Training that includes information about functionality and application of practice.Rationale: Training should not only focus on how software works, but also how and when to

use software in lessons. If students are unsure of how to apply the information they have

learned, then the training is without purpose because the learned skills cannot be put to use.

Clark and Mayer (2011)stated that learners must engage in generative processing, meaning

training must include relevant practicing so that they can make the most of their cognitive

resources.

4. Training schedules should be more flexible, with online and more on site options.Rationale: Training schedules should be flexible enough to accommodate working adults

with responsibilities at school as well as at home. Since teachers have limited planning and

professional development times, they should have options for training that meet their needs,

not just those of the trainer, which is typically during school hours.

5. Availability of training courses for unfamiliar and/or underutilized programs, such asAudacity and Kidspiration.

Rationale: There are not any training courses available for unfamiliar and/or underutilized

programs. Data from my survey indicated that none of the respondents use Audacity on a

daily or weekly basis. In addition, seven out of the ten respondents did not know how to use

the software, and one individual had never even heard of Audacity. However, none of the


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respondents were uninterested in learning about the software. Kidspiration, similarly, had

88.89% of responses indicating that teachers would like to know more. Results from the

survey indicate a need for training on this software, as teachers are interested in it, but are

unable to use the program because they do not know its purpose. One teacher did not even

know that the software exists. When I used our online course search, there were not any

classes or training available for Audacity or Kidspiration.

Additional Needs Available in the District

6. Additional planning time to identify the best ways to integrate technology.7. New classroom hardware for students so that the can utilize technology in the ways teachers

request.

8. Evaluative tools that assess the effectiveness of training and required reflective practice frominstructors.

9. School-wide technology mentors when piloting new programs or software.10.Communication strategies to inform teachers and staff of the addition of new technology

resources.

The Audience

My DTTP would aim to improve technology integration by teachers, administrators, and

other staff members who work with children, or present information to audiences on a regular

basis. Although the training would be welcome to a number of individuals, training would target

teachers with various technological and county experience. Summary: County Schools (n.d.)

indicated that there are approximately 11,598 professional staff members, over 6,000 of them are

classroom teachers, over 600 are preschool or kindergarten teachers, about 497 teach ESOL and

nearly 1,364 teach classroom special education. Data indicates that over half of these

professionals are classroom teachers. In addition, seventy-nine percent of MCPS professionals

are female, while twenty-one percent are males. Therefore, I should assume that most of my

students will be female. They will have varying levels of professional experience, as 42% ofMCPS professionals have taught with the county 5-15 years, and 42.2% have worked with the

county over 15 years. Remaining teachers have less than 5 years of experience. This data informs

me that a number of teachers have taught in the county a great deal of time and may be more

familiar with more traditional methods of instruction. There are also a few newer teachers that

may be technologically savvy and/or excited to try newer methods of education that align with


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current trends. Although there are Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian teachers in

the MCPS professional population, 75.5% of them are Caucasian and the race closest in numbers

is African American, making up 12.5% of teachers. So, it would be reasonable to assume that my

lessons should appeal to all ethnicities, but the majority of my targeted audience is Caucasian or

African American. It is unclear whether there are technology experts in each building, and there

is no data that describes the technology background of any of the professional staff.

The Goals and Objectives

As a result of my efforts, learners will learn a number of skills. The overall goals and

objectives of my DTTP are identified in the chart below. Each of the goals are accompanied by

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards and in some instances,

student goals are accompanied by trainer goals as well.

District Technology Plan Key Goals

Goal Objective ISTEStandard

Students will assess personal technologycompetencies and identify personaltraining goals.

Teacher will assess student background

knowledge and training goals.

Trainer is better equipped to designcourses to meet student needs.

Trainer allow students pursuecuriosities and set establisheducational goals

Students identify what they knowand want to know. They are thenbetter equipped to learn newinformation, which assists withengagement, assimilation andreflection.

1.c., 2.b.,2.c.

Students will learn basic, advanced, andintermediate functionality of availablecounty software.

Teacher will offer training, free of cost,

at the level that best meets studentsneeds.

Students will collaborate withothers to create knowledge.

Students and trainer will designlearning experiences thatincorporate digital tools and

resources to promote learning.

1.d., 2.a.

Students will use software to createclassroom applicable activities.

Teacher will provide opportunities forstudents to apply training to real worldclassrooms situations.

Students will be able to identifyways training can be used outsideof the training environment so thatit can be applied and integrated intotheir daily teaching.

1.a.,1.b.,2.a.,5.a.,

5.d.


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Students will create subject basedactivities using common core standards.

Students will incorporate commoncore standards in their instruction.

2.a.

Students will access multi-media trainingavailable in e-Learning and traditionalclassroom settings.

Teacher will design training accessibleonline and in person to accommodatestudent schedules.

Students will learn at a pace and inan environment comfortable forthem.

Trainer will provide trainingaccessible for all students.

1.d.,3.a.,3.b.,3.c.,

5.a.

Students will master the functionality ofan unfamiliar program and use it tocreate a classroom relevant presentation.

Students learn how to use newsoftware.

Students apply learning in lessonsgeared towards students.

2.a., 2.b.,2.c.

Students will evaluate effectiveness ofpresentations to instruct their audiencesby receiving and giving feedback toclassmates, instructor, and peers.

Students are reflective learners anduse reflection to improve theirinstruction.

2.d.,3.b.,3.d.,4.d.,

5.a. -5.d.

Content

Course Titles Description Audience

Introduction toActivInspire

Learn the basic functions of ActivInspire,including insertion of text, graphics, andadjustment of background features. Classalso includes the editing of work

Professional staff,with special focuson classroomteachers

ActivInspire forIntermediate Learners

Explore hyperlinking, gadgets, ActiVotes,grouping objects, and accessing projectbuilding tools

Professional staff,with special focuson classroom

teachersActivInspire forAdvanced Learners

Get the most of the ActvInspireprogramming by utilizing all of what theapplication has to offer. Explore how toembed videos, create interactive games, bargraphs, etc.

Professional staff,with special focuson classroomteachers

Kidspiration Discover the Kidspiration program and itsbenefits in the public school educationclassroom.

Pre-school-Grade 3Classroom Teachers,ESOL Teachers,Teacher of Studentswith Special Needs

Audacity Learn how to operate the Audacityprogram and its benefits in the publicschool education classroom.

Classroom Teachers,ESOL Teachers,Teacher of Studentswith Special Needs

Methods of Integration inthe 21st CenturyClassroom

Discussion of the methods of integrationand application of technology in 21stCentury Classrooms.

Classroom Teachers,Specialists


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Reflective Teaching andPresenting

E-Learning course that focuses oncollaboration. Students work with fellowcolleagues to create and evaluateFlipcharts.

While teachers arethe targetedaudience, allprofessional staffmembers are

encouraged to attendthis course

Technology for theReading Teacher

A course for experienced teachers who areinterested in learning about the waysdifferent technologies can enrich theirclassroom learning environment. Afterattending this course, teachers will havestrategies for integrating technology intothe reading classroom.

Elementary, middle,and high schoolreading teachers

Technology for the MathTeacher

A course for experienced teachers who areinterested in learning about the ways

different technologies can enrich theirclassroom learning environment. Afterattending this course, teachers will havestrategies for integrating technology intothe math classroom.

Elementary, middle,and high school

math teachers

Technology for theScience Teacher

A course for experienced teachers who areinterested in learning about the waysdifferent technologies can enrich theirclassroom learning environment. Afterattending this course, teachers will havestrategies for integrating technology into

the science classroom.

Elementary, middle,and high schoolscience teachers

Technology for theSocial Studies Teacher

A course for experienced teachers who areinterested in learning about the waysdifferent technologies can enrich theirclassroom learning environment. Afterattending this course, teachers will havestrategies for integrating technology intothe social studies classroom.

Elementary, middle,and high schoolsocial studiesteachers

Technology for theSchool Specialist

A course for school specialists. This classgives specialists strategies forincorporating technology into their lessons.

Art, Music, PhysicalEducation, andMedia Specialists

Instructional Strategies

In order to teach the content for my DTTP, I will use direct instruction, indirect

instruction, experimental learning, and interactive instruction. Direct instruction implies that

instruction is teacher directed, as it helps students develop skills when new methods are taught.

In order to teach students new software skills, I will present lectures and use explicit teaching.

Lectures will help me tell students information about the technologies they are learning about,


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which will assist with the development of skills. Explicit teaching is another important

instructional strategy, as I would teach specific learning skills in the training environment. It

would take the big ideas of creation and integration, and break them into smaller parts. During

these sessions, I would explain the technology, show students how to use it, guide students to

practice their learning, and encourage students to practice what they have learned with the end

goal in mind.

Indirect instruction is student centered instruction. It encourages students to solve

problems and the teacher acts as facilitator, giving feedback to students as they work. Reflective

discussion is one form of indirect instruction. During reflective discussion, students and teachers

discuss activities and students are encouraged to relate to both hypothetical situations and actual

situations that have occurred. This will help students reflect on their work and offer one another

constructive criticism. Reflective discussion is a valuable evaluation tool, as students cannot just

repeat information you have given them, but they have to internalize what they have done and

learned and use it to think critically about their work.

Experimental learning and interactive instruction are also necessary instructionalmethods. Experimental learning is activity focused learning, where students learn from doing. In

my plan, students create and design presentations through experimentation to see what works the

best for him or her. The assignments they have created can then be applied and used in later

contexts. Interactive instruction allows students to discuss and share their ideas with each other.

All of my workshops encourage students to learn from one another, as they work in collaborative

groups to help one another create new knowledge.

Technology Workshop Lesson Plan

Your NameElizabeth Jackson

Workshop Title:ActivInspire for the Beginner

Day # 1

Subject(s) of the day's workshopCreating an Interactive Flipchart

Prerequisite KnowledgeAn idea for creating a lesson on presentation or a lesson you havealready used

Content (Describe in a paragraph)

Beginner students are students with limited knowledge of the ActivInspire software. These students donot know how to create flipcharts and need to learn how to do the basic functions of ActivInspire. This coursewill teach students how to insert and format text, adjust background styles and add graphic images. In

addition, students will apply these content skills in a classroom applicable setting, while workingcollaboratively with peers to reflect on and evaluate final products.


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List theobjectivesfor this lesson.

Students will learn basic functionality of ActivInspire, including how to:

Insert text into presentations and adjust font style, color, and size Addition of fill color to text box Adjust background style, including changing background color and imagery Insertions of graphic elements, such as clipart, digital photographs, and internet downloads

Students will use ActivInspire to design 2 flipcharts that incorporate textual skill, background style, andgraphic elements.

Flipchart 1 will be about a personal area of interest of students Flipchart 2 requires application of skill into the classroom setting

Students will reflect upon the days activities with other classroom member to receive feedback about their

completed flipchart tasks.

How will you teach the lesson? Details help.

Warm-up and Introduction: I will use the beginning of class discussing the goals of the days workshop andto appeal to student prior knowledge. I will also ask for their personal goals during the workshop. To activatetheir prior knowledge, I will show them one page from a completed presentation and have them identify thefeatures of the presentation that they have seen in other electronic documents, such as text, graphics, fillcolor, etc.

Modeled instruction/Guided Practice: I will spend a few hours modeling how to create the text, graphics, etc.in ActivInspire presentations, as well as guiding students to do the same on their computers using theprogram.

Independent Practice: Students will use their knowledge of basic ActivInspire functionality to create apresentation about themselves. It should include an introductory slide that tells their name, an inserted pictureof them, and background color. The next few slides should incorporate clip art, background images, andincorporate other skills taught.

Evaluation and Reflections: Students will evaluate personal mastery of skills and content learned. Trainer willevaluate products and student comfort levels prior to the afternoon session. Students will identify additionalquestions they still have.

Collaborative Practice: Students will work with other peers in groups of similar grade levels. They will create

presentations in subject levels of their choosing that incorporate skills taught throughout the morning.

Presentations: Students will present their flipcharts to the class. They will discuss the most challenging andleast challenging elements. Other groups will give feedback and offer constructive criticism and praise theirefforts. Teacher will use the presentations as an opportunity for evaluation and assessment of student masteryof concepts, as well as application of skills taught in the classroom setting.


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Conclusions: End reminders of goals and anonymous paper evaluation of course and personal achievement ofworkshop goals.

Additional materials you will use and how will you use them.1. Promethean Board: I will use them to model and guide students. Students will use them to display

their finished group projects.2. ActivInspire Software: Students and teacher will use this software to create Flipcharts while

becoming acclimated to the software.3. ActivInspire project description page: Teacher will display directions for the group project on the

board and students will use it to ensure that the meet Flipchart requirements.4. Printed screen captures/directions: Students can use printed screen captures/directions to assist them

with completion of workshop assignments. They can serve as reminders to help students rememberthe steps they must follow to be successful.

Evaluation Strategies1. Checklist: Teacher will have a checklist of criteria that should be included in student assignments. A

certain number of checks indicate mastery of skill set.2. Quality of evaluation/reflection: Students evaluate their successes and failures and can identify

changes they might make in the future.3. Revisit workshop goals. Did students meet goals of the workshop?



Workshop TitleActivInspire for Intermediate Learners Part1

Day # 2

Subject(s) of the day's workshopInserting hyperlinks intoActivInspire Flipcharts

Prerequisite KnowledgeCreation of basic flipcharts that include text, graphics, and color

Content (Describe in a paragraph)This workshop extends lessons from the previous workshop, ActivInspire for Beginners. In addition to

using text and graphics, students utilize hyperlinks in flipchart presentations to further enhance classroomlessons. Teachers who attend this worksheet must have basic ActivInspire knowledge, be willing to workcollaboratively in a group with others, and have a Common Core and Curriculum 2.0 subject matter ofinterest for assignment completion.

List theobjectivesfor this lesson.1. Students will create a flipchart that uses text and images.2. Students will insert hyperlinks into flipcharts with existing text and images.3. Students will work collaboratively to create, design, and present a subject specific presentation

appropriate for students in their grade level-elementary, middle, or high school.4. Students will work independently to design a flipchart that incorporates text, images, and hyperlinks

using the Common Core and Curriculum 2.0.


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Discussion of workshop goals and expectations.

Warm-up: Students create a one page flipchart that incorporates text, images, and background color that is

reading based. (Reading based is a loose term, it can refer to a few sentences about a math subject, deal withphonics, be a political cartoon that encourages students to make an inference, etc.)

Teacher modeling: Teacher introduces the skill of adding hypertext and has students discuss what they couldlink to the flipcharts to make them more powerful (website, pictures, videos). Teacher models locating anappropriate resource and attaching it to the flipchart using text and/or existing picture.

Teacher guided practice: Teacher guides students to identify an appropriate resource for their chart and assistswith link insertion. Early finishers can begin to explore ideas for group collaborative activity, in which theywork with teams to design a lesson appropriate for their grade level that attaches an appropriate link.

Collaborative practice: Students identify a lesson idea and use the skills they were taught in class to create aflipchart presentation appropriate for their grade level.

Feedback: Groups present projects to class and receive 1 to grow on and 1 positive statement. Studentscritique personal presentations as well during reflection time.

Independent Practice: Students work independently to identify one Common Core objective. They shouldcreate a lesson that meets the objective using the ActivInspire software and skills from the days workshop-text, images, and links.

Reflection and Presentations: Students reflect on final projects, things that went well and things they would

change next time. Students submit completed assignments for final assessment and feedback from theinstructor.

Additional materials you will use and how will you use them.1. Internet: Students and trainer will use the internet to locate links for their flipchart to enhance student

learning.2. Printed directions: Reference for students to assist with recollection of the hyperlink addition process.3. Checklist: Students will use a checklist to identify the elements of good presentations while creating

flipcharts, reflecting, and providing feedback to other workshop members.

Evaluation Strategies

1. Work samples: Do the samples show mastery of hyperlink insertion?2. Checklist: Does student show evidence of reflective thinking and useful feedback to others?3. Peer evaluation: Can student work with a team to design a classroom applicable presentation?


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Workshop TitleActivInspire for Intermediate Learners

Day # 3

Subject(s) of the day's workshop

Shared Resources

Prerequisite Knowledge

Formatting of text, graphics, background color, and addition ofhyperlinks

Content (Describe in a paragraph)Students will start the workshop with a review of text, graphics, background colors, and hyperlinks. After

review, students will receive instruction about how to access the shared resources found in the ActivInspireprogram. Final product creation is a subject based lesson using the Common Core and Curriculum 2.0 thatcan be utilized in a real world classroom setting.

List theobjectivesfor this lesson.

1. Students will create a subject based flipchart using the Common Core and Curriculum 2.0.2. Students will use at least 3 of the shared resources to improve interactivity of their ActivInspireflipchart.


Discussion of goals for the days workshop.

Warm-up: Students view Common Core and Curriculum 2.0 to locate subject matter for todays activities.

Teacher Modeling: Teacher models how to search through shared resources for ways to improve interactivity

of a completed flipchart lesson that includes hyperlinks, the Common Core, and Curriculum 2.0.

Teacher Guided Practice: Students explore shared resources to see what the program has to offer.

Independent Practice: Students create a flipchart using the Common Core, Curriculum 2.0, hyperlinks, andshared resources.

Collaborative Practice: Students send finished products to another member of the class for suggestions. Thesesuggestions are considered for improvements ideas by flipchart creator.

Reflections and Revisions: Students will make revisions and reflect on their mastery of skills and utilization

of classroom goals.

Closure: Review of workshop goals and assessment towards meeting these goals.


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Additional materials you will use and how will you use them.

1. Promethean Board: Teacher uses to facilitate learning2. Screen captures: Offers students samples of completed projects so they can see what the different

resources can do and how they fit together to create a finished product

Evaluation Strategies Work samples-Assessed using a rubric to determine whether students have achieved workshop goals Rubrics-Assesses work for proficiency, in progress of mastery, and needs additional training



Workshop TitleActivInspire for Intermediate Users

Day # 4


Using ActiVotes

Prerequisite Knowledge

Creation of flipcharts using curriculum based goals

Content (Describe in a paragraph)Students will create content based flipcharts using what they already know about the ActivInspire

program. In this workshop, students will learn an alternative method of assessment, ActiVotes. Experimentallearning is essential in this workshop, as the lesson is self-paced and encourages learner exploration andteacher creativity.

List theobjectivesfor this lesson.1. Students will create a lesson with accompanying assessment questions.2. Students will register ActiVotes and use them as an assessment tool in their lesson.


Discussion of workshop goals.

Warm-up: Students have group discussions about methods of assessment. They create lists of assessmentoptions theyve used in their classroom or would like to use.

Teacher Guided/Modeled Practice: Teacher shows students ActiVotes and tells their purpose. Teacher andstudents view examples of ways teachers have used ActiVotes in their lessons.

Independent Practice: Students create interactive flipchart that uses hyperlinks, shared resources, and utilizesActiVotes to assess classroom learning.

Teacher and students register ActiVotes and teacher shows how to conduct a class vote.


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Three students, one from each grade level, volunteer or are randomly selected, to show flipcharts and askclass to use ActiVotes to demonstrate their understanding.

Conclusion: Teachers and students discuss daily goal. Students complete written test to demonstrate theirknowledge of the ActiVote process.

Additional materials you will use and how will you use them.1. ActiVote: Students will use them to vote and assess student learning based on responses.2. Written test: Students will indicate the appropriate way to register and initiate votes using ActiVotes.


Written Test-Shows student mastery of key ActiVote execution



Workshop TitleActivInspire for Advanced Users

Day # 5


Fun Tools

Prerequisite KnowledgeIntermediate functions of ActivInspire

Content (Describe in a paragraph)Students create and modify existing flipcharts. In this workshop, students learn to use math tools, othertools, customize toolboxes, and other advanced techniques, such as containers and embedding media. At theend of this workshop, students should create at least two flipcharts utilizing advanced functions ofActivInspire.

List theobjectivesfor this lesson.1. Students will explore advanced tools in ActivInspire.2. Students will create at least 2 subject based flipcharts using at least 1 advanced tool in each

presentation.


Discussion of the workshop goals.

Teacher Input/Guided Practice: Teacher works with students to explore related advanced tools, such as mediaembedding and creating containers. After the introduction of each tool, teacher guides students to attemptusing the resource.


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Independent Work: Additional independent exploration of advanced tools. Students choose 2 subject areasand advanced tools that they would like to use. Students create 2 separate flipcharts using at least 1 differenttool in each.

Presentation of Advanced Tools: Students show the class how 1 of their flipcharts utilizes advanced tools.

Additional materials you will use and how will you use them.1. Checklist for self-assessment: A checklist of expectations for flipchart assignment2. Microphones for students who would like to embed sound


Self-assessment checklist Authentic assessment-teacher observes student usage of advanced tools Work sample: Teacher views student presentations of advanced tools and mastery indicates that

advanced tools were used effectively in flipcharts

Materials

In order to complete the workshops, a number of materials are needed. I plan to use

Promethean Board flip charts, screen captures in print and digital form, rubrics, checklists,

DiscoveryEducation, audio, digital cameras, written tests, and microphones. Figure 1 shows an

example of one of the resources I will provide for students. It shows the directions for theinsertion of a video hyperlink into existing text and/or imagery on a flipchart. The pictures in the

directions page are not pasted to scale to preserve paper and space for the purposes of this

assignment.

Figure 1

Adding a Hyperlink to Existing Text or Picture

Go to a video website and locate a video you are interested in.


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Locate hyperlink for video and copy the link.

Go to your presentation and locate the slide that you want to insert your hyperlink into. Select insert, link, website.

Right click the whitespace under Enter a website link to.

Select paste. Find Add link as and click circle beside existing object. Click three dots box under Existing Object. Select the object you want to insert hyperlink into by clicking it and pressing, ok.

Field Test and Revision

Prior to launching the workshop, field testing and revision are necessary. To test my

workshop, I will follow my own directions to ensure that I have not forgotten any important

steps or ideas. Once I have ensured that the procedure makes sense to me, I will find 1-5

ActivInspire beginners to test the training program on. Since these individuals would not have

prior experience with the software, their success would depend on my training program. They

would go through the beginners workshop first and attempt to create the finished products.

Then, based on their input and finished project, I will revise my program. For instance, if one of

the testers are unable to understand what I intended for them to do, or if the steps were too


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remediated, I would make adjustments in hopes of creating a more efficient workshop. One of

the most important revisions involve the clarity and attainability of goals, as well as the learners

perception of how well they accomplished their goals. If my field testers feel that they did not

understand or meet the goals, the necessary changes would be recorded on comment sheets and

corrected before use of the workshop materials.

In addition to field tester personal perception, I would use their finished projects as

indicators of the quality of my instruction. Ineffective products, or extreme variance in products

where variance does not belong, would make me reflect on and change presentation content to

better meet learner and trainer goals. Finally, since engagement is essential for long term

processing, I would have rating scales to determine the level of engagement learners had at

different times throughout the workshop lessons.

Evaluations

In order to assess the effectiveness of each workshop, I will use formal as well as

informal assessment methods. All assessment methods are based on identified workshop goals,

as they strive to answer the question, Has the learner achieved the given goal? Checklists are

essential evaluative tools, as they outline all of the criteria of assignments for learners. In

addition, when there are a number of different assignments, it is a quick and efficient method that

teachers can use to see if key objectives were accomplished. When checklists are used for

assessment, I plan to assign a given number of checks to indicate general mastery of the skills

associated with the workshop. Work samples are a second assessment tool, as they are excellent

indicators of student mastery of goals. They offer authentic assessment because they show what

students can and cannot do independently and with instructor support. Observation with

anecdotal notes, is an additional tool for student evaluation, as it allows the teacher to assess the

quality of student evaluation, reflection, and peer collaboration. Finally, formal methods, such as

rubrics and written tests offer standardized, written methods of assessment. When there areprocedural expectations, these methods of evaluation use point systems to determine whether

students have mastered skills. I would use these methods as summative and formative

assessments. When used to evaluate skills over time, they can serve as final comprehension

scores. On the other hand, when used after a lesson, they can offer insight into which skills

learners are in the process of mastering.

Summative Evaluation

The workshops goal is to teach users how ActivInspire works and to use these functions

to create interactive flipcharts. I would like the flipcharts to be useful during the training and in

classroom settings. A successful workshop would result in students who can not only use the

technology to create flipcharts, but they can ensure their usefulness in classroom settings and

evaluate their effectiveness as teaching tools. To determine whether the workshop has reached

this goal, each workshop will have evaluative tools. I will evaluate student final products, as well

as take anecdotal notes that will transfer to a checklist for success of initial training. The final

products will assess whether students can use the software in the way it was taught and with


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purpose. In addition, the checklist will evaluate collaboration and reflective discussion criteria.

Finally, surveys weeks after the workshop will determine if teachers are truly incorporating the

training in classroom environments in meaningful ways.

Budget

In order to have a successful workshop, I need a number of materials. Many of thematerials I require, are available in schools throughout the county. I would start first at my

current school, Takoma Park Elementary School, to request usage of the computer lab for a full

day for five days throughout the school year. If this request is filled, then most of my budgetary

needs will be fulfilled. However, if this school declines my request, I would continue to search

for a county location, such as the training office or another school so that we have access to

teacher files and county software. The budget listed below, follows the best case scenario, where

most of the necessary materials are in the training location prior to the workshop.

Workshop Expenses

Expense Term CostInstructor salary 6 hours x 5 days=30 hours $40 x 30= $1, 200

Teacher stipend 6 hours x 5 days=30 hours $100 x 20 teachers= $2,000

10 digital camerasCanon PowerShot fromRadioShack

2 per teacher $89.99 x 10 cameras=$899.90

Venue 5 days in school computer lab Free

21 computers withActivInspire software

5 days in school computer lab Free

1 copy machine 5 days in school computer lab Free

1 Promethean Board with

connected overhead

5 days in school computer lab Free

1 case OfficeMax copypaper

2500 sheets $39.94

Conclusion

Tony Vincent (n.d.) quoted Senator Nancy Kassebaum stating, There can be infinite

uses of the computer and of new age technology, but if the teachers themselves are not able to

bring it into the classroom and make it work, then it fails. Therefore, my DTTP targets

classroom teachers, although all professional staff can benefit from the training programs I

would like to implement. Based on survey data, the biggest problems faced by my targetedaudience are the lack of sufficient time to plan lessons that integrate technology, having a great

deal of software options without training for them all, and the lack of appropriate training for the

various levels of learners found in MCPS. As a result, my DTTP offers courses on integration

and software training for varying levels of expertise. My five day workshop focuses on

ActivInspire software, as it was the most commonly used software of my given survey

population, which most indicated they needed additional training to use efficiently in classroom


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settings. If teachers are technologically literate about different strategies they can use to integrate

technology into the classroom, then technology, and learning prevails.


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References

1. Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011).E-learning and the science of instruction: Provenguidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning(3rd ed.). Pfeiffer.

2. International Society for Technology in Education (2012).NETS for teachers. Retrievedfromhttp://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-20083. Montgomery County Public Schools (2012, 2013).At a glance. Retrieved fromhttp://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/about/Refresh_2011_Content_Piec

es/At-A-Glance-2-20-13.pdf

4. Montgomery County Public Schools (2013).About us: Montgomery County PublicSchools. Retrieved fromhttp://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/about/

5. Montgomery County Public Schools (n.d.).Montgomery county schools technology plan2010-2015. Retrieved fromhttp://www.mcps.org/tech_files/techplan2010_2015.pdf

6. Montgomery County Public Schools (n.d.). Summary: County schools. Retrieved fromhttp://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/curr

entyear/schools/county.pdf

7. Vincent, Tony (n.d.).Education & technology quotes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrievedfromhttp://www.slideshare.net/tonyvincent/education-technology-quotes
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