DTTP

=District Technology Training Plan=

Day 3 Option 1 Presentation District Technology Training Plan EDTC 640 Dr. Sponder March 6, 2012

__ Prince George’s County Public School District __

Prince Georges County serves approximately 123,000 students and has about 17,000 employees, making us the second largest county in the state of Maryland (pgcps, 2011). The main focus in our school system is making sure that all of our students get an equal opportunity at an education that will prepare them for college and eventually a career. In society today, both of these require the ability to use technology efficiently. In all countries children go to school to prepare for the life they will live as adults, and this includes the workforce. According to Hawkins, “ employers require workers to have the skills necessary to collaborate, work in teams, and share information across global networks, that is, to analyze issues from a multidisciplinary perspective” (Hawkins, n.d.). That is why technology has become so important in our district.

Over the years Prince Georges County has purchased various forms of technology for the school system in hopes of brining a new aspect into the classroom and to increase student achievement. As you can see below, based on survey data collected, there are many forms of technology available throughout the county for use in the classroom.

Screenshot image provided by Surveymonkey.com

Unfortunately much of what has been purchased is not being used in the classroom as intended, but sitting at the back of the room or in a hall closet. Why is this happening to such expensive and useful equipment?

In order for technology to be used in the classroom to enhance instruction, teachers must first be aware of how to use the tools. This includes how to operate the technology, how to use it to engage students, and also how to get assistance when they are unsure of how to do something. During a recent survey I conducted, teachers in the county shared their opinions on how much support they feel they are receiving when it comes to technology in the classroom, as well as the attention that professional development is getting in the district.

Screenshot image provided by Surveymonkey.com Screenshot image provided by Surveymonkey.com

According to the data collected, most teachers feel that they could use more support and opportunities for personal growth when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom. The following information will provide a more in-depth look at specific needs that we as a district could work on to increase the use of technology in our classrooms.

__ Our Districts Needs __

Due to the lack of data in public record when it comes to the technology programs used in the classrooms for various subjects, I asked a few teachers for their input on the needs of their school since most of the training is done in each building rather then as a whole district. Most of the concerns began with the lack of professional development provided. It seems that the largest need in the area of technology here in Prince Georges County Schools is professional development. If teachers do not know how to effectively use the tools provided, they aren’t going to use them. All of the professional developments being provided in the county at the school level right now are brief beginner trainings on technologies and are usually lasting only thirty minutes. Teachers are finding that there is not much being taught in such a short time span, and there are no real follow-ups after that initial beginners training.

In addition to the lack of professional development opportunities, teachers were also concerned about the lack of time during the instructional day spent using computers, the students writing skills and abilities, and their communication skills. As with mathematics and reading, writing and communication is just as important when students are expected to be college and career ready. Based on this needs assessment, a District Technology Training Plan (DTTP) will be created and put into place that will introduce and expand on the use of tools that can be used in the classroom for the writing process.

__ The Audience __

The following is an outline of a District Technology Training Plan (DTTP). The DTTP is designed to address the needs of the teachers in Prince Georges County. The plan is a weeks worth, or 4 full days, of workshops. Each day is broken down into session options based on either grade level or technology ability level depending on the topic for the day. The week plan begins with the first part of the writing process, and the last day covers how to present a project or writing. All of the workshops are written at an adult level, with the function of introducing ways to use various technology tools in the classroom to benefit the students. This DTTP was designed to allow for all teachers of the district to be able to participate, whether they are tech savvy or just learning computer basics. In order to make technology useful everyone needs to be involved. Each workshop has a brief description, goal, and objectives to give each teacher an idea of what to expect. This will help guide them in choosing the best workshop for their individual needs during each day of the Technology and the Writing Process week workshop. The workshops will be provided for staff on professional development days, therefor the district will not have to pay any extra stipends. Due to the lack of funding in our district, all of the materials and programs used during the training are free or have already been purchased by the county. At the end of the entire 4 day workshop, the teachers will complete the general district training evaluation survey so that the county can gather data on each individual workshop to see whether they were effective workshops.

__ Technology Workshop: Technology and the Writing Process __

Below you will find a content analysis for each of the workshops offered during this 4 day workshop.

// Day 1: Getting Their Brain Mapped Out //

Course Description: Day one will provide classes, based on the teacher’s grade level, which can be used in the prewriting process. The teachers will be able to create their own example of a prewriting using the software for that particular grade level and become comfortable with using the various tools the program provides, which will then allow them to comfortably use it with their students in the classroom.

Option 1 Grades K-5-Kidspiration

Goal: Teachers will be able to increase their knowledge of the Kidspiration software in order to effectively make use of it in the classroom

Objectives: Teachers will be able to
 * 1) create a graphic organizer using the Picture View
 * 2) show relationships between words and symbols
 * 3) use Word Guide as a tool to assist with vocabulary
 * 4) make use of the Picture View/Writing View connection

Option 2 Grades 6-12-Inspiration

Goal: Teachers will be able to increase their knowledge of the Inspiration software in order to effectively make use of it in the classroom.

Objectives: Teachers will be able to
 * 1) Locate and manipulate the various prewriting graphic organizers
 * 2) Show relationships between information using text, images, and symbols in the Map and Diagram Views
 * 3) Keep track of information collected and draft writing pieces using the Outline View

// Day 2: Track Those Changes //

Revisions and editing are important steps that often left out during the writing process. These classes will provide the teachers with a new way to use Microsoft Word to complete these steps with their students. With various tools, teachers will be able to track the changes made in their own documents as well as make comments and changes to another’s document without making them permanent. This will allow them to then show their students how to better edit and revise their peer’s work.

Goal: Teachers will be able to discover strategies to more effectively integrate Microsoft word into the students writing process.

Option 1-Beginner: Revise and Edit

Objectives: Teachers will be able to
 * 1) Determine how to turn track changes on and off
 * 2) Discover how to display track changes
 * 3) How to hide track changes without deleting them
 * 4) How to allow a peer to revise using track changes and show those revisions in another color
 * 5) How to print revisions

Option 2-Intermediate and Advanced: Revise and Edit for Pro’s

Objectives: Teachers will be able to
 * 1) Review the track changes basics in Microsoft Word
 * 2) Discover how to publish a peer’s name with their revisions
 * 3) Create an email with the track changes, with or without the peer’s name
 * 4) Copy text with track changes

// Day 3: Multimedia Publishing For Show //

Day three’s courses are designed to assist teachers in becoming familiar with tools that can be used in the classroom for publishing writing projects, as well as many other presentations that the teachers or students may do throughout the year. Beginners will learn how to use VoiceThread as a presentation tool in the classroom. Intermediate and Advanced learners will focus on creating and using Wiki’s and Glogsters.

Option 1-Beginner: VoiceThread

Goal: Teachers will be able to effectively use VoiceThread in order to provide a more advanced way of publishing and presenting in the classroom.

Objectives: Teachers will be able to
 * 1) Create a VoiceThread account
 * 2) Explain how to plan for a VoiceThread discussion
 * 3) Demonstrate how to create their own VoiceThread and add on to others presentations, which includes uploading graphics as well as making both text and audio comments

Option 2-Intermediate and Advanced: Glogster

Goal: Teachers will be able to effectively use Glogster in order to present information using an online poster with text, audio, and video.

Objectives: Teachers will be able to
 * 1) Create a Glogster education account in order to provide an account that can be used by their students as well
 * 2) Build a wall where the presentation will be shown
 * 3) Use the black tool bar to change the layout of any image or text box
 * 4) Add their own videos, images, and sound to their Glogster presentation
 * 5) Publish their classic glog

// Day 4: Assessments and Collections //

At the end of the writing process, students should be reflecting on what they have produced. Day four is going to introduce teachers to the website [|eportfolio]. This website allows for students to create goals for themselves, change those goals, and reflect on them. It also gives the students a place to store their work and submit it to teachers for grading.

Option 1- Elementary Teachers This course will focus on the basics for smaller assignments.

Option 2- Middle and High School Teachers This course will focus on higher-level assignments.

Goal: At the end of the session teachers will be able to use eportfolio as a teacher and a student in order to set up a portfolio and grade an assessment using a rubric.

Objectives: Teachers will be able to:
 * 1) Create an account
 * 2) Determine a goal and submit a project for that goal
 * 3) Reflect on the goal set
 * 4) Grade a submission based on a provided rubric
 * 5) Create their own Faculty Portfolio to use in order to show their own achievements and document their learning during this weeks professional development

__ Technology Workshop Lesson Plan __

The following is a complete lesson plan for day 3; option 1


 * Workshop: ** Technology and the Writing Process

Day 3- Multimedia Publishing for Show

Option 1-Beginner


 * Subject ** -VoiceThread


 * Prerequisite Knowledge: ** Teachers should have basic knowledge of the operating system in their school as well as the use of Web 2.0.

This course is designed to assist teachers in becoming familiar with tools that can be used in the classroom for publishing writing projects, as well as many other presentations that the teachers or students may do throughout the year. Beginners will learn how to use VoiceThread as a presentation tool in the classroom. They will create an account, plan a presentation, create their own presentation, and comment on others presentations. By the end of this full day course teachers will be able to use the basics of the VoiceThread program in their classrooms.
 * Content: **

Teachers will be able to effectively use VoiceThread in order to provide a more advanced way of publishing and presenting in the classroom.
 * Goal ** :

Teachers will be able to
 * Objectives ** :
 * 1) Create a VoiceThread account
 * 2) Explain how to plan for a VoiceThread discussion
 * 3) Demonstrate how to create their own VoiceThread and add on to others presentations, which includes uploading graphics as well as making both text and audio comments


 * Lesson Details: **

Before the teachers enter the room the power point will be projected at the front of the room with the instructions on getting started for the day. Each teacher will be logging into a computer station and completing the mobile survey on their smart phone using the link provided on the instructions ([] ). If they do not have a smart phone device they can still complete the survey using the computer station. Once everyone has entered, signed in for the workshop, and logged into their computer stations, the timer will be set for an additional five minutes so that everyone can participate in the survey.

When the timer goes off the results of the survey will be displayed and discussed. This will help begin the discussion on the use of Voicethread in the classroom and the importance of ending the writing process with some sort of presentation. With the technology push in education, technology is a great way to create a presentation. The next slide in the presentation will be shown with the goal and objectives for the day.

The last slide will be used to instruct teachers to open the Safari web browser and link to Voicethread. The teachers will then be guided through how to create a Voicethread account, making sure to choose the education version so that unlimited presentations can be created for free. They will also be reminded to choose a name and password that will be easy to remember for the students since this will be the class account. From there teachers will be given instructions on how to create an identity for themselves, and a few moments to create a few more for their students. Eventually they will create an identity for each student, but for time purposes a few will be created just to be sure everyone knows how to do it. This will all be done using the interwrite board and web browser so that the teachers can easily see the steps.

Next, the teachers will be given a photograph of a Monday morning comic that will be used to create their Voicethread. This will have been preloaded onto each computer. The teachers will be asked to work in pairs to come up with some possible discussions they could have with their peers about this picture, as well as comments that would stimulate good conversation. This will assist the teachers in understanding the importance of planning their Voicethread project.

After determining what they would like to discuss based on the comic, each pair will need to plan the exact comment/question to accompany the picture at the beginning of the Voicethread, which will be short and to the point. Make sure that these are brief and not lectures. The idea is to spark interest and discussion, not provide the discussion.

The instructor will then walk the teachers through how to upload the image to their Voicethread. The teachers will be asked to do this with the instructor to allow for any questions that may arise.

Then the instructor will show how to add the planned comment/question to the presentation using both text and audio. The audio sounds from this workshop may not be very clear since there are multiple people completing projects at the same time, but use of earphones that have attached microphones may be somewhat helpful in reducing the background noise. As the instructor is giving examples of how to make comments in both formats they will also show how to switch identities. (The visual comments will not be shown in this workshop)

Now that the teachers have been shown how to make both types of comments, they will be given time to practice making both and switching identities. As they practice with their partner the instructor will be circulating around the room providing assistance when needed.

A lunch break will be given at this time

When the teachers return for the remainder of the workshop, the instructor will have this Wallwisher, [], posted on the Interwrite board asking that if anyone has questions from the instructional part of the session to please post them here. As teachers return to the room they will be able to add their questions. The teachers can double click and add their name and question. This will be a quick way the instructor can assess the group.

Once it is time to get started the instructor will address any questions that may be asked about what has been covered so far during the workshop. If the instructor finds that questions are not being posted, they may want to post a few just to be sure everyone is ready to move on.


 * Evaluation Strategy: **

The afternoon will be spent creating a Voicethread presentation that can be used with their students. This will give the teachers the chance to become more familiar with the website and create something that they can actually go back to the classroom and use. They will be able to use Web 2.0 to locate images. The instructor will provide a recap of what was covered at during the morning session to assist the teachers in including all of the tools that were used in the demonstration. They will also be asked to visit others Voicethread’s and make an engaging comment, which can be a great example for the students when showing this type of presentation for the first time.


 * Additional Materials: **

A Power Point presentation will be used to provide a presentation at the beginning of the workshop.

The Interwrite program and Promethean board will be used during the workshop so the instructor can easily show the use of the Voicethread webpage without needing to be at the computer, as well as a presenter hand held device to change the slide when needed.

Mobiode.com will be used to gather information about the teachers attending the workshop.

Wallwisher will be used to provide a chance to have questions asked as teachers are returning from break.

Images will be loaded onto the computer for the demonstration.

__ Resources __

Hawkins, R.J. (n.d.). Ten lessons for ICT and education in the developing world. //World Links for Development Program, The World Bank Institute.// Retrieved from []

Mobiode (2010). Retrieved from []

PGCPS (2011). Retrieved from []

Surverymonkey (n.d.). Retrieved from []

Voicethread (2012). Retrieved from []

Wallwisher (n.d.). Retrieved from []