Staff Development

Overview	Guidelines	Levels
TAGLIT	Summer Training	Title II-D

Staff Development Overview

Ongoing, sustained professional development shall be paramount for the Lockwood School District. Technology training for staff is provided on a regular basis in many forms. Incorporation of the technology into the classroom shall be the professional responsibility of the teacher. The staff developmental plan is built upon individual interest followed by shared learning and expansion.

Several groups and individuals work cooperatively in decision making, development, and execution of a strong professional development component:

Administrative team, school board, and Professional Development Committee shall provide leadership, guidelines, and structure for staff development.
Direction for staff development may come through members of the Technology Committee as representatives of the staff.
The Technology Coordinator will conduct a survey to determine levels of technology competency and need for technology training at least yearly and present it to the Professional Development Committee. This survey will be used to determine areas of interest and potential numbers of participants in future inservices. (see attachment “Professional Development Survey”)
Community education director will outline community training requests which may be coordinated with staff inservice plans.
Professional development committee shall provide structure and guidelines for training on a yearly basis. All staff shall be represented by this committee. The Professional development Committee guidelines set the bar for high quality, relevant staff training.

Guidelines of the

Lockwood School District

Professional Development Committee

Revised March 2003

The structure of the Professional Development Committee (ARM 10.55.714)

• is based on representation of all stakeholders at Lockwood School, including

- two teachers from each building

- all administrators

- a school board member

- technology coordinator

- paraprofessionals

•defines the length of service as three years on a rotational basis from each building

•requires one committee member from each building to have previous PDC experience

•allows for committee members to collaborate with administrators to select new members

•requires committee meetings as needed to be decided by the committee members

•one member chairs the committee and one records the proceedings

The role of the Professional Development Committee is to

• plan for professional development

•encourage teachers to be active, investigative, reflective practitioners

•provide input for the yearly school calendar

•coordinate agendas with administrators for PIR and early-out days

•publish opportunities for professional development, aligning with the adopted school calendar

•review and approve October PIR credits/replacement hours

•represent building faculties

•oversee criteria for PIR replacement and lane change

•search for training resources

The responsibility of the Professional Development Committee is to

• provide professional offerings based on district goals and priorities

•support staff during adoption, implementation, and follow-up of educational practices

•make use of research based resources in the most efficient manner

•reflect current understanding of best practices for adult learners

• report to and collaborate with the superintendent

•report to and collaborate with school improvement committee (POET)

•make information available to community members via Lockwood School website

Criteria for decisions made are based upon

• supporting enhanced growth of educators to help all students achieve high standards of learning and development

•improving student performance as determined through assessments chosen at a district or building level

•facilitating building and district goals

•understanding that our offerings will be relevant to anyone working with students

Levels for Staff Development

As we plan for staff technology development we realize that staff members, just as students, are at varying levels in their technology skill development. Inservice will be planned to meet the developmental needs of our staff as defined below. Professional development will focus on opportunities for staff to progress through the various skill levels in their use of technology as a tool to support themselves and their students.

Definitions:

LEVEL 1) NO EXPERIENCE (TAGLIT 1- “I don't know how to do this/I do not use it in teaching and learning”)

-no opportunity to use the program/technology

LEVEL 2) AWARENESS (TAGLIT 2- “I can do this, but sometimes I need help/I am beginning to understand its relevance to teaching and learning and to experiment using it with students”)

-dabbled with the program/technology, but need more practice and skill development

LEVEL 3) NAVIGATION (TAGLIT 3- “I can do this independently/I make a conscious effort to use it in teaching and learning and to integrate it effectively into my lessons”)

-developed basic skills that enable productivity with the program/technology

LEVEL 4) PROFICIENT (TAGLIT 4- “I can teach others how to do this”)

-developed advanced and in-depth skills with the program/technology

LEVEL 5) INTEGRATION (TAGLIT 4- “I naturally include it in teaching and learning and use it in powerful ways)

-able to use the program/technology with students and willing to mentor others who may want to advance their skills

TAGLIT

“Taking a good Look at Instructional Technology”

Lockwood Schools will administer the TAGLIT assessment each fall to both students and teachers. The results will provide data to assess levels of staff development and determine training needs as well as track student technology proficiencies.

Taking A Good Look at Instructional Technology (TAGLIT) is a suite of assessment tools designed to help principals and other school leaders gather, analyze, and report information about how technology is used for teaching and learning in their schools.

TAGLIT helps administrators and planners gain a comprehensive understanding of the current status of instructional technology in their schools. If administered more than once, it provides measurements of progress over time. The data generated is intended to help administrators make informed decisions that lead to better uses of technology for teaching and learning, not to establish school-to-school comparisons.

TAGLIT contains separate assessment instruments for principals, teachers, and students. Information is collected on planning, budget, policies, resources, technical and instructional support, teacher and student skills, classroom use, community involvement, professional development, and how technology affects classroom activities.

TAGLIT assessments generate a report through a two-step process. First, schools receive a Data Summary with tables, graphs and all responses to open-ended questions on teacher and student surveys. The Data Summary also includes text entry boxes designed for the school leader to add his or her comments to the TAGLIT Report. The TAGLIT Report includes five sections: (1) the Technology Plan, (2) the Teachers, (3) the Students, (4) the Community, and (5) the "Stuff". It includes data tables and graphs and comments by the principal or other school leader.

Integrating State Technology Content and Performance Standards

into Local Curricula and Instruction

Technology professional development at Lockwood School has evolved to focus on three elements:

Integration-How can I use technology tools to enhance my teaching, not as an added subject, but as a student centered teaching strategy?
Standards-How can I use technology to meet the essential skills defined at Lockwood School which have been aligned to state standards?
Student achievement-How can I use technology to motivate my students and encourage higher level thinking skills?

Summer training institutes have been offered over the last 5 years for Lockwood teachers. The institute description that follows outlines the structure designed to move teachers in the direction of integrating technology into their instruction.

The following description details the essence of a summer training institute…

Summer Institute 2002: Theme “Sail Away”

Part 1 is designed for classroom teachers to experience several integrated curricular units supported by technology. Participants need only bring their excitement for learning as they begin a journey of exploration through the portals of technology and curriculum. Skippered by enthusiastic sailors of integration, participants will map their own course as they learn a variety of technologies and ideas to help them become better navigators of the learning process. Participants will receive instruction and hands on experiences that tie together the roles of essential skills, standards, teaching strategies, assessment and technology in their curricula.

Software tools to be explored may include Kidspiration, Inspiration, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, HyperStudio, Kid Pix, Kids Media Magic, Timeliner, Graph Master, Excel, MP Express, AppleWorks, FirstClass Client, and Internet Explorer.

Curricular areas to be explored may include Communication Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health Enhancement, Music, and Art.

Part 2 is an opportunity for classroom teachers to create one or more integrated curricular units supported by technology. Participants will use the tools garnered from Summer Institute: Part 1 to create replicable units of study. Participants will gather resources, plan activities, research websites, and collate the unit into a user-friendly tool that will be shared with their grade levels/teams.

The Destination: Navigators will share and implement their integrated curricular units with their colleagues and present their successes to the Instructional Technologies committee.

Requirements: Interested voyageurs must attend Summer Institute: Part 1 as well as complete the attached application for participation in Summer Institute: Part 2 and return it via email to Kathy Bowen. Resources from the GOALS 2000 grant will support teams of two members per grade level (K-5) or curricular area (6-8 and specialists). Applications should be submitted on or before March 28, 2002.

Title II, Part D- Educational Technology

CURRENT GOALS:

Goal No. 1

Integrating Technology into Curriculum and Instruction: All Montana teachers will be effective and efficient integrators of technology into their curriculum and teaching

OBJECTIVE 1.1 Eighty-five percent (85%)of district teachers will rate themselves as a “3” or better as measured by the Teachers' technology Use in Teaching and Learning section of the Taking a Good Look at Instructional Technology online assessment (TAGLIT) by Spring 2007.

Goal No. 3

Increasing the Ability of Teachers to teach: All Montana teachers and principals will be technologically proficient .

OBJECTIVE 3.1 Eighty-five percent (85%) of district teachers will rate themselves as “3” or better as measured by the Teacher's Technology skills section (basic tools, multimedia tools, communication tools, research/problem solving tools) of the Taking a Good Look at Instructional Technology online assessment (TAGLIT) by Spring 2007.

ACTIVITIES

OBJECTIVE 1.1 (effective tech integration)

1) Selected teachers from each building attend technology related workshops offered in the Billings area and in turn offer staff training and support.

2) Selected teachers from each building attend regional technology conferences and in turn offer staff training and support.

3) Provide a forum to share insights and ideas gathered from workshops and conferences. Promote the “train the trainer” model where practicing teachers share their tech expertise with others.

4) Focus on technology integration as a vital step in the curriculum review process. Provide time for teachers to develop technology supported curriculum and infuse technology within the currently reviewed curriculum.

OBJECTIVE 3.1 (increasing technology proficiency)

1) Offer technology related training as PIR day sessions.

2) Continue the TLC program (Technology Literacy Coaches) where selected teachers act as coaches or mentors to their respective grade levels and teams. These coaches provide “just in time” support and tech training for classroom teachers and other staff.