pdactionplan

= **__Technology Professional Development Action Plan : A Collaborative Mentorship Approach__** =

This document is in draft and sources used will be properly cited!

Russell Munkler and Jim Swan - primary source -

http://learningandtechnology.wikispaces.com/pd http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te1000.htm Our references Source: ** www.ncrel.org/info/nlp/ lpsp00/planner.htm ** Introduction

It is imperative that any professional development program be focused on how to infuse the technology within the teaching and learning process rather than teaching the skills to use specific technologies. Professional development oppurtunites that focus on instruction rather than the tools are of greater value. Within our school division w e have many talented teachers who are using new technologies and infrastructure capabilities as quickly as they have been deployed but currently do not have access to the guidance and support they require.

Although much progress has been made in the past few years in implementing and deploying learning technologies we need a Professional Development Action Plan that will facilitate the process of teaching and learning. Our current methods and approaches of inservices and workshops need to to be reconsidered. We propose a model based on collaboration and mentorships combined with a school based leadership program.  The role of teacher leadershship is the crucial factor in the full development and use of technology in learning (Keedy, 1999) where they rely on the expertise and support of one another to adopt innovative practises. Empowering teachers through a collaborative mentorship where they can interact within a greater community is the key to success of this plan. 

**Components of Effective Professional Development for Technology Use**
Much of the following section has been adapted from Knuth & Rodriguez (2000) and Living Sky (2009). Generalizations, ideas and concepts are drawn from both documents and we have used their works extensively in creating this document.


 * Connection to Student Learning.** Professional development's ultimate purpose is to improve student learning (Speck, 1996 as cited in Knuth & Rodriguez, 2000). The fact that we are here to serve students must never fail to be our primary focus. It is important to recognize that K-12 education has in the past and will continue in the future to evolve and change as the expectations and needs of our society continue to evolve and change. We as an organization must be able to adapt, evolve and change if we wish to remain relevant in today’s world.

**Variety of Learning Experiences**. As educators we are all aware that every individual has his or her own unique learning and teaching style. Unfortunately too often our professional development activities are not based on sound educational design. Effective professional development must recognize that each teacher – just as each student – has a unique learning style. Within the context of offering a variety of learning experiences, it must also be remembered that like students, teachers require relevant, concrete experiences with adequate support, appropriate feedback, and long-term follow-up (Speck, 1996 as cited in Knuth & Rodriguez, 2000).  **New Roles for Teachers.** “As sophisticated technology alters the nature of work and citizenship, the skills and concepts students need to be productive adults are changing too. Simply aiming for higher standards of achievement in today's curriculum will not prepare pupils for 21st-century life” (Dede, 2000, para. 1). The simple reality is that the world is changing and teachers too will have to evolve. Effective professional development must take into consideration the changing role of the teacher.  **Collegial Learning**. A professional development approach that helps teachers use technology for discovery learning, developing students' higher-order thinking skills, and communicating ideas is new and demanding and thus cannot be implemented in isolation (Guhlin, 1996). Guhlin’s statement may be true, but need for collegial learning is much simpler: throughout the entire human history people have worked together both when learning and problem solving. The old adage is //“two heads are better than one.”// Pedagogical growth occurs in teachers who work in a collaborative and social environment and participate in professional learning communities. **Ongoing Process.** "A high-quality professional development program is conducted as an ongoing process, not a one-shot approach. Teachers need continued practice to become comfortable with and to implement change, especially in technology use" (Knuth & Rodriguez, 2000, para. 22). There should be no unrealistic expectation that change will happen within days, weeks or months. Professional development is a long term and ongoing process. Its value or success must be measured over long periods of time.  **Sufficient Time.** If one is to expect a teacher to infuse new content and strategies into their practice, a professional development program needs to be provide sufficient time and follow-up support (Knuth & Rodriguez, 2000). As noted above – professional development is an ongoing and long term process. Sufficient time must be given for success.  **Administrative Guidance and Support.** School administrators and leaders play a critical role in collaborative mentorship based professional development (Keedy, 1999). Principals themselves must take a leadership role and have a clear understanding of the benefits technology infusion can provide (Bowyer, Gerard, & Linn). They must also give recognition to the teacher-leaders in their school.  **Built-In Evaluation.** Effective professional development uses evaluation to ensure that each activity is meeting the needs of the participants and providing them with new learning experiences. Evaluation is built into the professional development program during the planning process, before the actual activities begin. **Successful Professional Development to Produce Change** From: //Managing Complex Change Towards Inclusive Schooling// in [|Creating an Inclusive School] by J. Thousand and R. Villa
 * Active Learning.** Professional development needs to be active and participatory. It is difficult learn without doing. In order for teacher's to be active learners we must ensure their access to the technology. Teachers must also take a proactive role in becoming competent with new media literacy skills.
 * All Encompassing.** It is critical that any professional development is targeted at the greater whole, realistic and sustainable. Before any professional development is attempted serious consideration must be made to ensure that we meet these requirements.
 * Vision+ || Skills+ || Incentives+ || Resources+ || Action Plan || = || Change ||
 * || Skills+ || Incentives+ || Resources+ || Action Plan || = || Confusion ||
 * Vision+ ||  || Incentives+ || Resources+ || Action Plan || = || Anxiety ||
 * Vision+ || Skills+ ||  || Resources+ || Action Plan || = || Resistance ||
 * Vision+ || Skills+ || Incentives+ ||  || Action Plan || = || Frustration ||
 * Vision+ || Skills+ || Incentives+ || Resources+ ||  || = || Treadmill ||

__ **Vision** **–** **Have all staff effectively use technology for administrative and student learning needs and infuse learning technology into curricular activities.** __ =__ Attainable Objectives __= =__ Skills __= =__ Incentives __= =__ Resources __= =__ Action Plan __= What are the phases, sub phases that we anticipate?
 * Identify specific areas of strengths and weaknesses
 * Identify experts and sources to assist with and do a needs assessment (ongoing as new initiatives are begun)
 * Develop set of long term divisional (technology) PD goals (See Technology Plan)
 * Integrate key ideas related to school improvement, teacher growth and best practice.
 * Identify and grow the actual skill/competency level of staff.
 * Identify the long term benefits to teachers and the desired advances in student achievement
 * Establish a reciprocating peer mentorship model where innovative practises are introduced and developed where the participants initially become profient then eventually master the concept.
 * Communicate the long term benefits for teachers and students
 * Clearly define this exercise in terms of
 * 1) Improving student achievement
 * 2) Helping teachers deliver curriculum in dynamic ways
 * 3) Making the //job// of teaching easier
 * // Technology as a tool that enhances teaching and learning //
 * // Technology as a tool to manage and streamline student data. //
 * 1) Providing useable curriculum resources to enhance and revitalize classroom instruction.
 * Identify several immediate win/win objectives // (short term goals) // that will create an immediate climate of success
 * Develop capacity for leadership related to the infusion of technology and curriculum.
 * Create a conceptual framework for the infusion of technology into teaching and learning. Detailed further in the current Technology Plan.
 * Create desired set of performance indicators for all staff that reflect long term goals. (possibly survey/Atomic Learning assesment)
 * Create desired set of performance indicators for central office
 * Create desired set of performance indicators for school administrators
 * Create desired set of performance indicators for classroom teachers
 * Identify expert sources to assist with training teacher leaders/catalysts/infusionists/mentors
 * Identify best practices in teaching, learning, and leadership.
 * Create rewards for those who mentor others and/or model known best practices
 * Create rewards for those who promote, share and educate others in tranforming teaching and learning through technology.
 * Identify metholodolgy and practise for effective "just in time" training and collaborative mentoring.
 * Work with Division Board/Learning Council in recognizing individuals who are exemplary in integrating technology in to the classroom
 * Develop ways of using technology to make the //job// of teaching easier
 * Emphasize that good teaching is not always working harder, but working smarter
 * Creating a culture of sharing and collaboration.
 * Streamlining data management, recording and reporting.
 * Utilize / Develop planning tools to help teachers manage lesson plans, long range plans, rubrics, testing, assessment, reporting etc.
 * Create reward system for “early innovators”
 * Create a centralized databank of curriculum planning tools.
 * Allocate current class planning time to PD by changing how teachers
 * plan. Make class planning a teacher learning activity in itself by moving
 * to team planning, grading, and problem solving.
 * Use specialists and other school staff in the classroom so that regular teachers may focus on PD.
 * Change class scheduling to include a short PD period every day.
 * Incorporate PD into other daily activities. Encourage staff to reflect daily on what they have learned and to look for ways to “do it better next time.”
 * Arrange PD after school hours on weekday afternoons on a regular schedule (e.g., 3–5 p.m. on Thursdays).
 * Ask staff to voluntarily lengthen the school day by a short time – perhaps add 5-10 minutes.
 * Create resources for //“just in time”// learning – Develop short, quickly learned elements that can be incorporated into daily lesson plans.
 * Utilize //Train the Trainer// approaches where one individual becomes proficient in one area and then trains others in the school: utilize a //mentorship// approach to learning.
 * Develop and establish a professioanal development model of collaborative apprentiship.
 * reciprocal as mentor or learner through the stages of introduction, developement, proficiency, and mastery.
 * see table 1. for ptoential interactions in a community of teachers.
 * Find examples within our schools of how technology is an can be used in the classroomand share. (ubershare.wikispaces.com repository)
 * Ask for staff for input. Use collaborate approach to build technology PD Vision. (Learning Technology Planning Committee)
 * Identify the mentors (trainers or teacher /leaders) and peer groupings (at each school site – if possible)
 * At meetings, share successes and expectations not met. Celebrate success and find ways to learn and grow from failures.
 * Provide oppurtunites for collaboration both virutually and through unconference styles of learning.
 * Continue with on-going planning and re-evaluating where we are and where we want to be
 * Have teachers create a portfolio of their work and share with colleagues (personal wikispaces or filestores)
 * Replace traditional Staff Development inservices and workshops with collaborative mentorships. – Develop model that focuses on choice and accounts for individual learning styles.
 * Identify Student Learning as the primary reason for this exercise – Recognize that they way we teach is evolving and changing. Development of higher order cognitive skills is taking precedence over memorization and comprehension: information is exceedingly abundant.
 * Create Teams and a Culture of "Just in Time Support". Identify school leaders who can assist in helping build skills and knowledge but more importantly of how to infuse the learned skills into curriculum.
 * Work with school principals to provide time for invention and lesson development. Develop a system and means to share those inventions and lesson plans with other teachers.

Phase 1 - Begiinning a Collaborative mentorship (48 teachers/cross grade/curricular/diagonal peer groups)
 * develop the first generation of mentors

Supporting Digital Resources

The 21st Century Learner - media type="custom" key="3455826" width="108" height="26"

__ Monitoring __


 * Professional Development Item || What / How || Who / Most Responsible || When || Budget ||

Monitoring and Evaluation || What / How || Who / Most Responsible || When || Budget ||