Achieving+21st+Century+Teaching+and+Learning+in+GISD

=**Achieving 21st Century Teaching and Learning in GISD **=

Members of this wiki:
//After joining, please add your first name and your position.//
 * Kim - district instructional technology coordinator
 * Sandy - district instructional technology specialist
 * Roland - district network administrator
 * Lalena - district computer technician
 * Brian - district technology director
 * Lynn - district lead computer technician

Purpose of this wiki:
The [|Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020] describes the importance of providing students with a 21st Century education, where teaching is relevant and engaging, and learning is collaborative and creative. Students should utilize rich content, communicate and collaborate with peers and experts, and use critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems using technology.

Our goal is to provide 21st Century tools and quality professional development to every teacher, so they can provide every student with a 21st Century education.

In this wiki, I have chosen to focus on GHS STaR Chart data. In 2007-2008, GHS Campus STaR Chart data indicated that Teaching & Learning and Educator Preparation & Development are two areas in greatest need of improvement. In this wiki, we will discuss ways to improve technology use and integration at GHS, with emphasis on improving Teaching & Learning and Educator Preparation & Development.

More information about GHS STaR Chart results and the Texas STaR Chart:
[|GHS 2007-2008 Campus STaR Chart results.pdf] - downloaded from TEA STaR Chart website [|GHS STaR Chart presentation] - This slideshow is aimed at GHS administrators and teachers. It explains the purpose of the STaR chart and lists some goals for improvement. [|Texas Campus STaR Chart] - Official TEA site

Please give your suggestions on the two questions listed below.

 * //Click the edit button in the top right corner of the page, and type your suggestion(s) below each question. Then click Save to save your changes.//**


 * Preface:** In a 21st Century learning environment, teachers use technology to create a student-centered learning environment, where students are active participants in their learning and the teacher acts as a facilitator. Many teachers are accustomed to a teacher-centered learning environment, in which teachers are the providers of knowledge and students are passive recipients of knowledge.

**Question 1: What can we do to help GHS teachers use technology to create a more student-centered learning environment? ** (e.g. Do we need to provide a specific type of professional development, buy more specific hardware, buy more specific software, etc?)

Sandy: I think we should partner with the administration and teachers as they analyze TAKS results from the 2008-2009 school year. Look at the areas of the TAKS test where students did not perform at the level GHS hoped for, and then help the teachers design engaging, student-centered, technology infused lessons that target the TAKS areas which need support.

Lalena: Analyze the data as Sandy states above and then find cool stuff the kids like to hook them. Since we block all the stuff the kids like like twitter and IM, we should provide safe in house versions of those.

Nick: Technology is used to solve problems. I, as a technology specialist, don't actually know the kinds of problems that teachers have in teaching. So for me to say that we need more specific hardware or software is a bit too broad - I would need to know what the problem is or what the challenge they're facing is, and then I could try to come up with a technology-based solution. For example, are they having a problem communicating with the students? Or are they having trouble helping a student visualizing a concept? These are two different problems - if it's a communication issue, a social networking environment might be one in which students feel more comfortable asking questiong; if it's a visualization issue in math, you might be able to show the student different steps to solving the problem in Excel.


 * Question 2: What current technologies do GHS students use outside of school that could be used in the classroom to make learning more relevant and engaging? How do you think a teacher could use that technology in lessons? **

Sandy: Outside of school, GHS students are probably on iTunes and YouTube more hours than we can count. We should encourage GHS teachers to use audio and video podcasting. For example, in a history class, students could do an audio or video interview with a historical figure. They would need to thoroughly reasearch their subject to find out what pertinent questions to ask and how the historical person would answer them. Students in a history class could also seek out people who were eye-witnesses to 20th and 21st century historical events and interview them. Events could include WWII (it's getting harder to find survivors of that one), Vietnam, Desert Storm, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Operation Enduring Freedom, etc. Language arts teachers could have students give a speech from the perspective of a literary character. Science students could document an experiment. Math students could "be the teacher", explaining a problem-solving process they understand, then posting it to a location where fellow students could access it for reteach or review.

Suggestion from Roland: I think it would be interesting if a teacher were to create an interactive website for the classroom with each student becoming a social networking member of the class. Assignments would be given and discussed in class but the students would turn in their assignments on the website where they would be allowed to collaborate with eachother. Depending on the course, the students could be allowed to use multimedia to support their turned in assignments. I think that creating an environment that resembles the sites that our youth enjoy spending their time on might entice them to spend some additional 'fun' time with their studies.

Lalena: Definitely find a way to use personal media players!

Brian: In addition to social networking websites, students are using blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, and twitter. Teachers could begin by asking their students how these technologies could be incorporated into the daily lesson plans and school day. The students just might have a few ideas. In fact, the teacher should do this online in the form of a collaborative wiki. Hopefully, the teacher will receive effective feedback to utilize in her classroom.

Brian: Students love to text and seem to have a desire to inform others of what's going on in their lives. Twitter is basically digital texting in a collective format. A social studies teacher could promote Twitter for a WEB 2.0 social customs essay. The students could submit their essays in the form of a blog requesting other students to comment on their perspective.

Thank you for participating in this collaboration! I appreciate your suggestions and feedback.

=Interactive Meeting Agenda=


 * Please contribute your ideas for the meeting agenda below, and comment on agenda items already posted by Sunday, June 28 at 12:00 pm.** The meeting agenda will be developed from the suggestions proposed below.


 * The agenda will be posted by Monday, June 29 at 7:00 pm.**


 * The meeting will take place from Tuesday, June 30 at 8:00 am through Thursday, July 2 at 10:00 pm.**

__Purpose__
Using GHS STaR Chart data from 2007-2008, we will discuss ways to improve technology use and integration at GHS, with emphasis on improving Teaching & Learning and Educator Preparation & Development.

__Objective__
Using the specific suggestions provided by the group, we will develop a plan for helping GHS teachers use current technologies that students use outside of school to create a more student-centered learning environment.

__Grade Level__
10-12

__Facilitator's Name__
Kim, Instructional Technology Coordinator

__Community Members__
Sandy - district instructional technology specialist Roland - district network administrator Lalena - district computer technician Brian - district technology director Lynn - district lead computer technician

__Activities__

 * Activity 1** - Develop a shared vision
 * Purpose:** Allow all members of the community to contribute to the vision for improving technology use and integration at GHS
 * Description:** Community members contribute their ideas and develop a mission statement.
 * Steps:** Community members brainstorm ideas, collaborate to determine major goals of the group, develop a mission statement.
 * Estimated Time:** 1 hour


 * Activity 2** - Assess resources available to GHS teachers
 * Purpose:** Determine which technology resources are available in the classroom and for checkout to GHS teachers.
 * Description:** This activity will help us determine which resources we can help teachers leverage for more technology integration.
 * Steps:** List technology resources available to all teachers, list technology resources available for checkout from the library and campus technology facilitators
 * Estimated Time:** 1 hour


 * Activity 3** - Discuss technologies students are using outside of school
 * Purpose:** Determine which technologies students are using outside of school would be a good fit inside the classroom.
 * Description:** Discuss technologies students are using outside of school, and discuss the pros and cons of each technology.
 * Steps:** List technologies students are using outside of school. Then, for each technology, discuss the pros and cons of using it inside a classroom. Identify technologies that are feasible to implement this school year.
 * Estimated Time:** 2 hours


 * Activity 4** - Identify technology integration leaders at GHS
 * Purpose:** Determine how we can arrange for technology integration leaders at GHS to coach their peers.
 * Description:** Determine which teachers are already integrating technology into instruction and learning, and how we can use them as part of our ongoing job-embedded professional development plan.
 * Steps:** List teachers who regularly integrate technology into instruction and learning, identify teachers who are leaders on campus, discuss plans for having these teachers coach other teachers in their subject area on technology integration.
 * Estimated Time:** 2 hours


 * Activity 5** - Identify other professional development requirements
 * Purpose:** Determine which other methods of professional development may be neccessary to help teachers integrate technology.
 * Description:** Determine which other methods of professional development will help teachers use current technologies and create student-centered learning environments.
 * Steps:** Discuss other options for providing professional development, determine which options are most effective for training teachers to use current technologies and which are most effective for training teachers to create student-centered learning environments, determine which other methods of professional development will be offered this school year.
 * Estimated Time:** 2 hours

__ Collaboration on Agenda Activities __
1. Develop a shared vision for technology use and integration at GHS (Kim) 2. Assess resources GHS teachers have. In addition to one computer and projector per classroom, what other technology resources can we help them leverage for more integration? (Sandy) 3. Discuss which technologies students are using outside of school and which would be a good fit inside the classroom. Discuss pros and cons of each technology. (Brian) 4. Identify tech integration leaders at GHS. Who is already integrating and how can we arrange for them to coach their peers? (Sandy) 5. Determine what other methods of professional development may be neccessary to help teachers use current technologies and create student-centered learning environments. (Kim)

Brian - I really like the objective of this meeting. Should we add an activity to discuss which technologies that students utilize outside of school would be a good fit inside the classroom including the pros & cons of each? Examples: cell phones, texting, IM, gaming systems like PlayStation, XBOX, DS, PSP, etc. Kim - Brian, this is a great idea! I have added this to our agenda as Activity #3. Everyone, great suggestions for meeting activities! I am looking forward to our meeting!

=Interactive Meeting Timeline=

To begin developing a plan to improve technology use and integration at GHS, we will hold an interactive meeting on this wiki.

First, we will collaborate on an agenda for the meeting.

 * Please contribute your ideas to the agenda by Sunday, June 28 at 12:00 pm.

Brian - I'm busy through Saturday. Can we make the deadline Sunday at 12:00 PM? Sandy - I can have my ideas contributed by Saturday at 10:00 PM. Kim - Brian, that sounds great. I have changed the deadline for contributing to the agenda above.

Finally, we will hold an interactive meeting to begin developing our plan.

 * The interactive meeting will take place beginning Tuesday, June 30, at 8:00 am, through Thursday, July 2, at 10:00 pm.

Brian - This meeting time works for me. Sandy - I thought we were going to all agree to be online at the same time. Sorry I misunderstood that. Can we set a window for everyone to be online together? I prefer bouncing ideas off of others "live". However, I'll work with what works best for the majority. :-) Kim - Sandy, this is a great question! What is everyone else's opinion? Would you prefer to be online together during a specified window of time, or would you prefer to add your comments to an ongoing meeting over a few days?

Do these proposed timelines work for everyone? Please add your comments and suggestions below the proposed date and time.
For more information about using a wiki for collaboration, please watch the video "Wiki in Plain English": []

//Note: This wiki has been created to satisfy course requirements for the Lamar University course Concepts of Educational Technology in Summer 2009.//