Instructional Technology Practicum Action Plan

Instructional Technology Practicum Action Plan

GCU Student      Leslie Pralle Keehn Date     2/14/12

Project or Service Activity:      Community Connectivism

Professional Standards(s)      NETS-T, NETS-S (defined later)

1. Other faculty or staff involved in the project/activity: (1 point)

     Dr. Scott McLeod, Supt. Andy Woiwood, Principal Pat Hocking, “Trojan Tech Team”, NEH staff members, Steve Landuska, parents/community members. 

1. Statement of a need for the project/activity: (1 point)

     As the Northeast Hamilton school district moves toward a one-to-one initiative, not only have teachers felt an administrative push to use more technology in the classroom, but parents have felt slightly left behind in the quickly changing world of educational reform. While students generally see the importance of mastering skills essential to the 21st century, few students understand what it is about those specific skills that makes them so important. As a whole, the district will benefit from from an organized effort to communicate, collaborate, and advance connectivist-themed education. 

1. Project Goal: (1 point)

My project goal is three-fold

1. Provide students with growth opportunities including:
1. Instruction in connectivist theory and practice - applied to their own coursework
2. Leadership skills providing teachers with individualized instruction
3. Communication and collaboration skills working on a wiki, podcasts, advertising, and event planning (21st century skills)
2. Provide teachers with instruction in connectivist theory, to include
1. All staff professional development
2. One-on-one instructional time with new educational technologies, focusing on collaborative and connected technologies (Twitter, Skype, Google Apps, Wikis, Blogs)
3. Round table discussions aimed at brainstorming instructional strategies and opportunities using the newly learned technology
3. Introduce parents and the community to a “connected” world in a Community Tech Expo that will include both instructional opportunities and a showcase of student work
1. Ideally the student work will stem from instruction received as a result of this project
2. Provide an opportunity for parents and community members to learn to use new technologies      

1. Resources needed/available: (1 point)

    Trojan Tech Team Teacher cooperation/participationg

Teacher laptops Meeting space (ICN room)

Wiki             Blogging

Google Apps

Skype

Twitter

iPads

1. Timeline: (2 points)

       Week 1: Develop teacher hand-outs, student hand-outs, and presentation for student and teacher introductions to connectivism

Week 2: Student training/meeting to establish guidelines, parameters, and goals for first teacher instructional meetings (Google Apps), teacher instructional sessions, teacher round table, lead all-staff professional development in connectivist theory, attend regional training in educational technology - what can we use and implement in the coming weeks?

Week 3: Evaluate teacher and student feedback, repeat week 2 instructional sessions with new technology (Twitter)

Week 4: Begin teacher observations, repeat week 3 with new technology (Skype)

Week 5: Continue teacher observations, repeat week 4 with new technology (Wikis), begin planning community night (April 13th)   

1. Evaluation methods: (2 points)

       Teacher Feedback (Survey)

Student Feedback (Survey)

Community/Parent Feedback (Survey)

Observation of newly developed lessons

1. Professional standards addressed: (2 points)

     

NETS-T NETS-S

1 a, b, d 2 a, b, d

2 a 4 b

3 b - main, c 5 b, d

5 a, b, d 6 a, b, c, d

1. Project/activity summary: (2 points)

     My project will provide a unified vision, definition, and goal for teachers, students, and community members. The focus will be around connectivism (theory based in students’ need to be able to locate, share, and store data) and take part on multiple levels within the district.