1.3 Policies, Procedures, Programs, & Funding
Candidates research, recommend, and implement policies, procedures, programs, and funding strategies to support implementation of the shared vision represented in the school, district, state, and federal technology plans and guidelines. Funding strategies may include the development, submission, and evaluation of formal grant proposals. (PSC 1.3/ISTE 1c)
Artifact: Action/Evaluation Plan
Reflection
The Action - Evaluation Plan was a required class assignment for ITEC 8440. My completed project, an individual effort, was submitted in the spring of 2013. Meeting the requirements for this assignment, I used my skills and my understanding of the ISTE’s Essential Conditions to support access to digital learning and learning that is reflective of the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards. As a result of the Action-Evaluation Plan, I targeted a key component of the Fernbank Science Center’s building mission. This component had the potential to better extend our county-wide services of professional development. A learning community platform that was convenient and targeted on-going professional development, my design was built on a blended and face-to-face professional learning (PL) model. Although not fully adopted, a portion of this action plan was implemented and the evaluated results were positive.
The portion of the plan that was implemented targeted content knowledge in Earth’s systems for middle school teachers. Utilizing available resources to implement the plan, I bridged our building’s relationship with the county’s PL department. The close relationship of our buildings enabled me to act as a liaison between building staffs and have limited access to the PL department’s online interface, Desire-to-Learn. I designed and established the first PL course ever offered by the staff of Fernbank Science Center.
Having capitalized on the availability of opened and unscheduled time periods of the instruction staff, and the use of the county’s established online instructional program interface, adoption of this project was possible. The program had little impact on the established budget, and it increased PL participation, a School Improvement Goal (SIP) goal. The portion of the plan implemented and its participants were evaluated. The results, from observations and pre-&-post-tests provided a summative conclusion that online PL was convenient and effective.
While strategically practical, program change and its adoption faced resistance. In the current model teachers are not compensated to develop online content. Funding to establish an online instructional model is key. Not having monetary incentives for content developers and program facilitators largely prevented my plan from being adopted. While the participants did receive PL credits, I would also seek monetary incentives for program participants.
The feedback from the program participants was positive. Many of the teachers commented that the online program allowed them to apply what they were learning while they were teaching the subject in the classroom. Teachers also valued the convenience of online PL. A second course project based on my action model was offered shortly after the implementation and facilitation of my first project.
Candidates research, recommend, and implement policies, procedures, programs, and funding strategies to support implementation of the shared vision represented in the school, district, state, and federal technology plans and guidelines. Funding strategies may include the development, submission, and evaluation of formal grant proposals. (PSC 1.3/ISTE 1c)
Artifact: Action/Evaluation Plan
Reflection
The Action - Evaluation Plan was a required class assignment for ITEC 8440. My completed project, an individual effort, was submitted in the spring of 2013. Meeting the requirements for this assignment, I used my skills and my understanding of the ISTE’s Essential Conditions to support access to digital learning and learning that is reflective of the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards. As a result of the Action-Evaluation Plan, I targeted a key component of the Fernbank Science Center’s building mission. This component had the potential to better extend our county-wide services of professional development. A learning community platform that was convenient and targeted on-going professional development, my design was built on a blended and face-to-face professional learning (PL) model. Although not fully adopted, a portion of this action plan was implemented and the evaluated results were positive.
The portion of the plan that was implemented targeted content knowledge in Earth’s systems for middle school teachers. Utilizing available resources to implement the plan, I bridged our building’s relationship with the county’s PL department. The close relationship of our buildings enabled me to act as a liaison between building staffs and have limited access to the PL department’s online interface, Desire-to-Learn. I designed and established the first PL course ever offered by the staff of Fernbank Science Center.
Having capitalized on the availability of opened and unscheduled time periods of the instruction staff, and the use of the county’s established online instructional program interface, adoption of this project was possible. The program had little impact on the established budget, and it increased PL participation, a School Improvement Goal (SIP) goal. The portion of the plan implemented and its participants were evaluated. The results, from observations and pre-&-post-tests provided a summative conclusion that online PL was convenient and effective.
While strategically practical, program change and its adoption faced resistance. In the current model teachers are not compensated to develop online content. Funding to establish an online instructional model is key. Not having monetary incentives for content developers and program facilitators largely prevented my plan from being adopted. While the participants did receive PL credits, I would also seek monetary incentives for program participants.
The feedback from the program participants was positive. Many of the teachers commented that the online program allowed them to apply what they were learning while they were teaching the subject in the classroom. Teachers also valued the convenience of online PL. A second course project based on my action model was offered shortly after the implementation and facilitation of my first project.