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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Headlines
Scottsdale Plans Hinge on Grant
A one-to-one laptop program is part of a Scottsdale, Arizona, elementary school’s plan to refashion itself as a school focused on science, technology, engineering, math and geography.
Pueblo, Colorado, to Equip High Schoolers with Laptops
When school starts next fall, every student in the three high schools of Pueblo Colorado’s Rural District 70 will have a laptop for the school year.
Arizona's First One-to-One Elementary
When Scales Elementary School in Tempe, Arizona, reopens as Scales Technology Academy in the fall, it will be the first one-to-one elementary school in the state.
Laptops Succeed in Juneau Alternative School
At risk high school students in Alaska are benefiting from a program that places computers in their hands 24/7.
Intel's Chairman Comments on the Future of U.S. Education
In recent commentary for Forbes magazine, Craig R. Barrett addresses the crisis in American education today and what we can do about it.
A Vision of Students Today
Two simple but powerful videos posted on YouTube paint a profile of today’s students and the gap between the way in which they learn best and the way in which our schools attempt to educate them.
Palm Springs Adds More Training
District leaders in Palm Springs, California, recognize the need for increased professional development.
Maine Newsletter Valuable to All
MLTI's quarterly publication offers tips, resources and profiles of interesting projects.
Louisiana Begins Laptop Pilots
As part of the launch of a new statewide one-to-one initiative, 3,530 Louisiana sixth-graders recently received laptop computers.
Seventh Graders Get Laptops in Cameron, TX
Cameron is one of 22 school districts to get laptops – and some great support services – for the 2007-08 school year through Texas' statewide TIP program.
Professional Development Webinar
How do you move beyond PD that focuses on the technology itself and replace it with seamless and ongoing training and support for technology integration? Visit the archives from the recent Blueprint webinar on this crucial topic.
Keeping the Home Network Safe
Advice on securing a wireless network.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development is an ongoing process. Training and support make all the difference. How to achieve an exemplary professional development plan takes planning.

The Process…

  • Prepare staff to see issues as challenges rather than obstacles, and offer encouragement for improvement.
  • Create an environment that fosters risk-taking and allows for mistakes.
  • Allow instructors to take laptops home.
  • Provide teachers and administrators with laptops approximately one year prior to an implementation and begin development early. Early access to technology creates possibilities for users, even if they begin with personal and recreational use.
  • Provide teachers guidance to enhance and evolve pedagogical repertoires with technology. Help can take many forms, from software training by IT staff to teachers’ pedagogical and methodological exchange.
  • Create a learning environment offering informal opportunities for administrators, staff and teachers to share best methods.
  • Train teachers to address connectivity interruptions during class.
  • Create master usage guidelines to help teachers identify when the technology becomes a distraction. Offer solutions.
  • Provide hands-on training and online instruction for basic computing skills.
  • Don’t make assumptions about users’ skill level, even with the simplest functions, such as keyboarding.
  • Post a Q&A session online that helps teachers incorporate online instruction into classes.
  • Save time by using electronic templates for administrative details and routine reporting.

Examples From the Metiri/National science foundation Profiles:

Virginia

Henrico County Public Schools’ professional development package offers teachers and staff college credit, tuition reimbursement, and financial incentives for attending professional development offerings outside of the school day (at $18 an hour).

Every middle and high school in the county has full-time technology trainers on staff who help teachers integrate technology into curricula.

Henrico County Public Schools offer technology integration workshops during the academic year and the summer.

Evidence of informal professional development is seen in frequent teacher collaboration, usage discussions and idea exchange at departmental meetings.

Michigan

Michigan ’s Freedom to Learn program views adequate professional development as a necessity to achieve success. This approach encourages reluctant teachers to be proactive learners, while enabling enthusiastic teachers to explore the vast potential of one-to-one access.


Professional Development for Technology Integration
This archived Webinar looks at effective professional development for 1:1 computing and other technology-intensive environments.



Testimonials…

“The students are riveted now — even the ones who couldn’t sit still!”

~Teacher, Riddle Middle School, Lansing School District, MI

“Teachers are now talking the talk and walking the walk. I think this is going to make a real difference in our schools.”

~ Teacher, Lakeshore Middle School, Berrien ISD, MI


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