PASC Field-Based ProjectsPASC Field-Based Projects

Fielding Graduate UniversityFielding Graduate University

Carrie TortorellaCarrie Tortorella

Fall, 2006Fall, 2006

VisionVision

Learn, create, embrace, involve, and support a culture where: Families have more educational choices – such as

academic progress, growth, teachers, schools, and curriculum

Students have an opportunity to master essential skills and knowledge which will prepare them to thrive in today’s society

Families, businesses, and schools team to provide a rich, stimulating, and socially interactive environment for its community

My Needs…My Needs… Adaptable in different educational

environments from state-to-state Growth in leadership within a virtual

school Growth in leadership within a

traditional school

Two Principal Internships:

1. California Virtual Academies (CAVA) - California

Mentored under Cynthia Griffith – Assistant Principal

Home-based school, 3300 students grades K-8 Class size 25-30 Students taught at home by parent using online

curriculum; supervised and guided by teacher “Virtual” school

2. Newsome Park Elementary (NPES) - Virginia Mentored under Dr. Jay Teston – Principal Title I School of 700 students grades K-5 Class size 18-22 Project-based Expeditionary School (ELOB) “Traditional” school

Two Comprehensive Projects:Two Comprehensive Projects:

1. CAVA – Conduct research on an aspect of virtual education for students in K-8 (California)

Lead, design curriculum, and evaluate a pilot to teach middle school students in an online synchronous learning environment

2. NPES – Provide, curriculum, expertise and training to the computer technology curriculum in a new state (Virginia)

Backwards design (UbD) an integrated computer curriculum for a project-based K-5 school in Virginia

Collaborate with entire staff to create curriculum to help meet the students learning objectives

Train teaching assistant to teach students

1. Shared Vision 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

2. School Culture 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

3. Management 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

4. Community 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

5. Ethics 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4

6. Political, Social, Economic, Legal and Cultural Understanding 6.1, 6.2, 6.3

PASC CPSELs KeyPASC CPSELs Key

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Needs Assessment Needs Assessment

STAR Testing 2004-05: Low AYP Math Scores – concentration in

grades 5-8 in the sub-subject of Algebra Parent Survey 2003/04 & 2004/05:

Parents felt inadequate to teach subject or needed resources in Math instruction

Student socialization/isolation revealed on school survey

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 2.4, 5.2, 1.1, 2.4, 5.2, 6.2, 6.36.2, 6.3

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Collaborative ProjectsCollaborative Projects

Create and implement structures to support students & parents

Kid’s Clubs – interest groups Virtual Tutoring network – organized teachers on a synchronous

online platform to assist students Family Partners Parent Share Forums – virtual and in-person Parent Curriculum Workshops Organized School Directory Moderate school’s community board

Create and implement structures to support teachers Coach & mentor to new virtual teachers Match curriculum to state test standards with document Create Outings Assistant to help match outings with standards

and curriculum Participate in Policy Committee National Charter School Conference Attendance and

Presentation

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.4,1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.4,3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4,3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4,4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 6.1, 6.2,5.2, 5.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.36.3

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

From data, School Administration decided to use a synchronous computer mediated communications (S-CMC)* platform to address middle school students needs in Math

*S-CMC is a java-based web conferencing platform (ie. Elluminate!Live) that features many real-time tools to host a meeting over the internet using your computer

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 3.2, 1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 3.2, 5.2, 6.25.2, 6.2

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

Research Questions: Is S-CMC an appropriate mode of instructional

delivery for students in the middle school grades? What pedagogical methods are beneficial using an

S-CMC community, specifically to this age group? What free resources are readily available online to

use when creating Pre-Algebra and Geography learning communities using S-CMC?

What considerations and modifications must be made when preparing for S-CMC communities for this age group?

IRB Application

CPSELsCPSELs1.2, 1.3, 2.21.2, 1.3, 2.2

Virtual synchronous learning communities in the middle school using Elluminate!Live

Teaching Tools Interactive Whiteboard Instant Messaging 2-way Audio Emoticons Online quizzes Surveys/Polls Breakout Rooms

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

Figure 1

CPSELsCPSELs2.22.2

Geography Bee Competition Study Group Total 8 lessons once a week + competition in November-

December 2 groups, 8 /18 students in each 50 min instruction, 10 min social or tutoring

Math Small Group Instruction Total 8 lessons Once a week March-April 3 Pre-Algebra groups, 5-11 students in each 40 min instruction, 10 min social or tutoring

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

CPSELsCPSELs

Data Revealed: Survey Older students with prior technological experience and

motivation in the subject reported a more gratifying experience within the synchronous computer mediated communication classroom.

More interaction and collaboration if students had prior exposure and if sessions had many interactive activities.

Time to cover material and interactive games required 50 minutes minimum.

Students felt more satisfaction when there was “free” time to socialize in the virtual environment.

More satisfaction with groups large enough to have homogeneity and heterogeneity; that is the same gender and age, and varying gender and age. This seemed to be sustained in groups with attendance of 10 or larger.

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

CPSELsCPSELs6.3, 5.2, 5.16.3, 5.2, 5.1

Data Revealed continued: Students preferring to operate in Sensimotor stage

had difficulty adjusting to virtual environment. This tended to be younger students.

Beneficial to start at beginning of year, start sequentially and build curriculum

Lessons that matched what they were doing in actual Math class from week to week

Maximized 1-1 tutoring at end of each lesson If interested in topic, high attendance and

interaction If typing skills high, high interaction and

engagement If parents were involved and interested, students

were more interactive

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

CPSELsCPSELs6.3, 5.2, 5.16.3, 5.2, 5.1

improve student academic achievement through the use of technology

technologically literate students Math instruction support Student learning communities Pedagogical implications for future

practices in virtual education and in S-CMC

Publicly documented

Internship 1: CAVAInternship 1: CAVA OutcomesOutcomes

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 5.2, 5.4, 1.1, 1.2, 5.2, 5.4,

5.3, 6.15.3, 6.1

Analyzed state’s SOLs*, district’s UbD curriculum and school’s Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound (ELOB) mission to determine standards (for Virginia)

Discussion with principal to determine school’s needs for an integrated computer curriculum and computer training to instructional assistant

Analyzed school SOL* scores to determine grade-level weaknesses ie. Comprehension in Grade 3*SOL-Standards of Learning

Internship 2: NPESInternship 2: NPES Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.21.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.2

Shadow principal & vice principal in their roles Staff trainings Student Discipline Student Counseling Teacher Observations & Feedback

Support administration in their roles Student Counseling (with Parent Involvement

Specialist, Title I Coordinator, and Counselors) Teacher Observations & Feedback

Internship 2: NPESInternship 2: NPES Small ProjectsSmall Projects

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4,2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4,4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6.15.3, 5.4, 6.1

Created integrated curriculum map Used analyzed SOL’s & Newport News

UbD curriculum Used map to build integrated technology

lessons Shared map with specialist teachers

(music, art, etc) to allow them to integrate their lessons

Shared map with parents during Open House

Internship 2: NPESInternship 2: NPES Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1,1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.36.3

Develop integrated technology lessons Expand on material covered in homeroom

class Use to build culminating expeditionary

projects Build grade level skills in area of Math Used survey and weekly emails with NPES

teachers and staff to collaborate and refine curriculum map and tech curriculum

Internship 2: NPESInternship 2: NPES Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1,1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.36.3

Train Teaching Assistant to Cover Technology Curriculum Teach and build on assistant’s computer

skills Provide feedback on teaching Provide feedback on time management Help assistant to carry out curriculum

upon my departure

Internship 2: NPESInternship 2: NPES Comprehensive ProjectComprehensive Project

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1,1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.36.3

Improve student academic achievement through the use of technology

Technologically literate students Streamline and unify curriculum Streamline and unify NPES staff Empower Technology Teaching Assistant

who will persevere with project

Internship 2: NPESInternship 2: NPES OutcomesOutcomes

CPSELsCPSELs1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1,1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.36.3