July 2004 — SETDA
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Tennessee: Westside School Celebrates the Successful Infusion of Technology into State Curriculum
The use of this small group-training model is proving to be highly effective. The teachers now feel that they have time to assimilate and implement the knowledge they gain, and the student projects reinforce this goal. Because of this success, the second intervention of the grant is being attained. This goal of establishing research-based instructional methods, which can be widely implemented as best practices, is posted on our school's Web site at www.athens-lea.mcminn.k12.tn.us/wse/tech.htm. These best practices must be tied to state curriculum standards as well as ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards for Students. Lessons are also required to have an assessment of student work focusing first on curriculum and then on technology use.
Westside, along with the other 12 schools receiving this EdTech grant, is working with the state's department of education to place lesson plans in this library, which is being developed by the teachers throughout the school year. This meets the third intervention of the grant - for the state to develop a library of portfolio instruments for assessing student technology literacy. The lesson plans are foremost curriculum-based, but the teachers are required to have technology integrated into these lesson plans in order to support and enhance the lesson. As teachers work on these lesson plans, they are encouraged to use curriculum that is already in place. Therefore, many of the teachers bring in existing successful lesson plans and then work on ways to integrate technology into those plans.
Expanding Learning Out of the Classroom
Along with the monthly professional development that takes place, the teachers are also given the opportunity to work with the technology coach before or after school. Mini-classes are offered to refresh skills needed to help students or to learn new components of programs the teacher wishes to use. The tech coach also works closely with teachers in their classrooms as needed to support instruction; however, the coach takes the backseat to the classroom teacher for instruction. In addition, the tech coach works with teachers to develop technology pieces to use with the students during planning time.
After this first year, the technology coach program for professional development concerning technology integration in the curriculum was determined to be a success at Westside School. Teachers are looking forward to some summer training to hone their technology skills and develop lessons for the upcoming school year. Since our "Technology Celebration," we have been contacted about setting up a global learning environment with a sister school in Japan and will continue to work with a school across the state in West Tennessee. This grant is opening doors for us to expand our learning out of our classroom, as well as to encourage and foster higher-order thinking and project-based learning internationally.
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