Goal: Collect a set of best practices to aid teachers with the implementation of Web 2.0 Technology Tools in the classroom and utilize those for staff development.
Objective:
1) Form a partnership with neighboring districts
2) Create a team within each district
3) Develop a survey and rating tools
4) Collect information from in-service, teachers, team members concerning technology training and use in the classroom
5) Find the best practices to best facilitate teacher professional development to aid in their integration of Web 2.0 Technology tools in the classroom
6) Utilize findings to better training
7) Review and rediscover for future training and success
Steps/ Person/ Timeline/ Resources/ Evaluation
Partner with Peer groups at neighboring districts /Technology Director /August 2010
(First week) /Superintendent Permission /Approval to conduct research
Contact participating superintendents for approval to partner/ Superintendent /August 2010 (First Week)/ Participating districts superintendent approval /Additional districts receive approval to join research
Select team members from each district and campus /All technology directors from all participating districts /August 2010 (Second week) Willingness to participate and eager to learn outcome /Team formed and members actively engaged
Develop survey for teachers for in-service trainings, participation rating inquiry tool developed for team and final survey for teachers for successful technology training /All technology directors and team members/ August 2010 (Second week) /Survey, participation rating inquiry tool, and final survey /Surveys created and the participation rating inquiry tool completed
Compile a list of technology trainings conducted during professional development
activities during in-service /Each team member will compile a list of trainings conducted at their district /August 2010 (Third week) /List of trainings /Compile all lists
Survey conducted to collect feedback from teachers at each district after in-service /Each team member/ August 2010 (week after in-service)/ Survey results /Determine the success of in-service training using the survey ratings and comments
Compile feedback and disseminate to participating districts /Technology Director/ September 2010 (Second Week) /Information collection/ Review of feedback from teachers. Review training conducted during in-service
Monitor teacher classroom technology techniques /Team members, technology directors, principals, superintendent /October 2010 thru March 2011 /Use the evaluation and participation tool developed by the team to rate each teacher as to the level of technology effectively used in the classroom environment /Evidence of technology in the classroom
Conduct inquiry for the team members to submit opinions of staff development effectiveness /Team members /March 2011/ Team members to determine in the past in-service training was effective and there is evidence in the classroom on the Web 2.0 tools /Information collected showing proof of technology in the classroom
Conduct survey for the teachers to submit opinions as to how effective staff development /Team members /April 2011 /Allow teachers to provide feedback as to the effectiveness of the training and the implementation of technology during the school year /Review information from the survey
All team members and technology directors meet to review feedback /Team members/ May 2011/ Compile results of the teacher survey and the rating from the team members /Feedback evidence of a successful year in the implementation of technology in the classroom
Analyze data /Team members/ May 2011/ Decision making/ Were we successful or do we need to change the in-service training
Create a best practices list/ Team members/ May 2011/ Create a list of the best practices from all districts that were success in implementing the technology/ Compile list
Begin to complete staff development material, instruction, presenters for next year /Team members /June 2011/ Begin plans for the next school year in-service training /Next year in-service agenda
Utilize the best practices during staff development /Team members /August 2011/ Utilize the information from the research project to determine the best practices and utilize those practices during in-service/ Present the list of best practices to all participating districts
Survey to inquire as to the difference between last year and this year staff development /Team members/ September 2011/ Gather feedback from teachers as to the changes and the new best practices /Was the in-service more effective this year vs last year?
Survey again to maintain previous efforts /Team members /March 2012 /Gather feedback from teachers and team members as to the forward movement of technology in the classroom /Were we successful?
Action Research Plan:
Focus: In what ways can I, as principal, best facilitate teacher professional development to aid in their integration of Web 2.0 Technology Tools in the classroom?
Goal: Collect a set of best practices to aid teachers with the implementation of Web 2.0 Technology Tools in the classroom and utilize those for staff development.
Objective:
1) Form a partnership with neighboring districts
2) Create a team within each district
3) Develop a survey and rating tools
4) Collect information from in-service, teachers, team members concerning technology training and use in the classroom
5) Find the best practices to best facilitate teacher professional development to aid in their integration of Web 2.0 Technology tools in the classroom
6) Utilize findings to better training
7) Review and rediscover for future training and success
1. The Technology Director requested additional technology training is provided to teachers. The Director and several assistant directors have gathered work tickets showing a lack of technology skills at the teacher level. The question was also asked if this would directly affect the classroom environment and the level of technology skills of the students.
2. A collection of the work tickets, personal testimonies from faculty, skills test and a survey conducted by the technology director will be the methods used to gather data.
3. The collection of data will be evaluated and additional collection of information will be conducted. The technology staff will also inquire with neighboring districts and the techniques used to provide technology training to teachers.
4. Additional questions: 1) how does the technical capabilities of teachers impact the classroom environment when Web 2.0 tools are implemented? 2) What is the best practice for implementing Web 2.0 tools? 3) How can professional development be improved to support the implementation of Web 2.0 technology in the classroom?
5. Changes to professional development maybe needed. Additional training throughout the year may need to be added. Skills test may need to be administered to lend weight to the importance of the teachers acquiring the technical skills needed.
6. Identify the following: 1) does the technical staff understand the direction of the project and will they be able to provide the training needed? 2) Would the neighboring districts like to participate in peer group trainings across our districts? 3) Has adequate time been added to the timeline to allow for the steps of the action research project? 4) How will we know we have been successful? 5) Where will we take this project after these steps?
7. Additionally the groups established will also take part in the project conducting surveys and trainings.
8. Changes to the current policies will allow for staff input as well as technical input to maintain the equity of the two groups. Quarterly the work tickets will be monitored, the phone calls from the faculty will be evaluated, the technical staff on the campus will complete an evaluation and the technology director will reevaluate the professional development provided during in-service.
