EdTech Teachers’ Meeting

1. EdTech Teachers’ Meeting November 5, 2008

2. Housekeeping & Introductions • Washrooms • Breaks • Lunch • Travel Forms

3. Greatest Innovation of Our Lifetime • Cell Phone • Microwave • Blackberry • Satellites • PVR

5. Today’s Objectives • To understand • the changes that are occurring in education • your role as an EdTech Teacher • To learn • strategies to enhance the EdTech Teacher role in your school • specific activities which can be incorporated into a variety of classrooms

6. Agenda Morning 9:00 – 9:15 • Introductions, etc. 9:15 – 10:00 • A Vision of Learning Today • Includes large group and small group discussions 10:00 – 10:15 • Break 10:15 – 11:00 • Strategies for working with other teachers 11:00 – 11:45 • PVSD EdTech FYIs • IT News - Ron Holtby, IT Manager Lunch 11:45 – 12:45 Afternoon 12:45 – 3:00 • Task Centres • 12:45 – 1:30 – Timeslot 1 • 1:30 – 2:15 – Timeslot 2 • 2:15 – 3:00 – Timeslot 3 3:00 – 3:30 • Conclusion

7. Welcome • Before we get started • Why are you here? • Because… • A. My principal told me to come • B. I want to engage my students with technology • C. I am a geek and go to anything that is even remotely related to technology • D. I am looking for a free lunch

9. Welcome • Before we get started • Where are your interests? • Elementary • Middle Years • High School • All of the above • Don’t know…it’s Wednesday!

11. Welcome • Before we get started • How would you rate your technology skills? • Excellent • Above Average • Average • Below Average • What the heck is technology?

13. A Vision of Learning Today What are students supposed to learn? Traditionally: • Content, memorization • Important to know information or how to do something Now and in the Future: • Instant Information, multi-media • Important to know how to communicate, synthesize, create new information

14. A Vision of Learning Today

15. What is the message? • “Let me use the www” • “Whatever” • “Whenever” • “Wherever” “How do you learn?” “Teach me to think” “Teach me to create” “Teach me to analyze” “Teach me to evaluate” “Teach me to apply” “Engage Me!”

16. How are we doing? How are schools doing? Are we doing enough of what the video is suggesting? 1 2 3 4 5 NO YES

18. How are we doing with all of this?

19. Change • Last year’s focus • Focus on EdTech Teacher

20. Change This year’s focus… • Still on EdTech Teacher Role – but taking it to next level • Transformation in teaching • Collaboration • Focus on student learning • Higher-order thinking

21. Your Role… • “Teacher leadership is the process by which teacher, individually and collectively, influence their colleagues, principals and other members of school communities to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and achievement.” York-Barr & Duke, 2004

22. Your Role…

23. Your Role… Last year…and ongoing • Demonstrating skills of effective instruction • Understanding theory and research about 21st Century teaching and learning This year…and ongoing • Working with/empowering others • Articulating and communicating vision • Demonstrating an inquiry orientation to teaching

24. Your Role… • “The ability to collaborate on both a small and large scale is becoming one of the core requisites of post-modern society.” Fullan, 1993

25. Discussion (Small Group) Based on • “A Vision of 21st Century Learning Today” • Your Role • Discuss at your table: How can student engagement be achieved? • In a practical sense • At your school • Teaching for deep understanding • Refer to Bloom’s .

26. Break

27. Discussion (Small Group) Now we are going to focus this discussion to include: • Specific strategies • Strategies for Encouraging Teacher Growth handout • Examples of activities (on the wiki from last year) • http://pvsd-edtechteachers.wikispaces.com/Meeting+4+-+May+7 (scroll down) • Other examples of activities • How can this be achieved in your school?

28. Your Task… How can you work with other teachers and students? Identify: • Strategy (see handout) • Targeted audience (what teacher or teachers will you work with) • Activity (pick one from the wiki, the handout, or your own idea)

29. Example - #7 That’s a great idea. You know, many of these kids will really enjoy the hands-on nature of an activity AND, I have always taught it this way – using books and maps – this kids just don’t seem to care So, what do I need to do in the meantime? What exactly will you do? Maybe this is what my class needs to become more engaging! Not too bad, but my students aren’t understanding latitude and longitude very well this year. Awesome. I’m looking forward to it already. We’ll chat more after school. See you then. Well, I don’t know much about GPSs or technology at all. Then, say next Tuesday, I will come into your class and together we can lead the students in a GPS activity Maybe I can give you a hand? Did you know that GPS devices can reinforce the concepts of latitude and longitude? Guess what…I have some time each week. I can come into your class and show them how to use GPSs… You continue to focus on the concepts…and don’t worry about knowing about the technology…I will show them the GPSs Let’s chat more after school about what you want them to learn. Hello Mr. Smith. How are you today?

30. Example - #7

31. Your Task… How can you work with other teachers and students? Identify: • Strategy (see handout) • Targeted audience (what teacher or teachers will you work with) • Activity (pick one from the wiki, the handout, or your own idea) • Complete individually – then share with your table .

32. 11:00 am • EdTech FYIs • Smartboard Training • PD Academy • Innovation Grants • TSL • IT News .

33. Lunch

34. Afternoon Task Centres 3 Time slots • 12:45 – 1:30 • 1:30 – 2:15 • 2:15 – 3:00 Various Task Centres • GPS • Acid Express • Digital Photography • Movie Maker • edClass • Senteos • *Open Spaces Each Task Centre: • Has a task card of general instructions • Is self directed (or in collaboration with others) • Should help build your repertoire of activities to offer other teachers in your school …more

35. Afternoon Task Centres Looking ahead, Your Homework is… …to work with another teacher in your school, • (using a strategy from this morning) …supporting his/her class in performing an activity. • (ie. one that you perform/create this afternoon) Report back at the next meeting • December 11 in Regina

36. Afternoon Task Centres 3 Time slots • 12:45 – 1:30 • 1:30 – 2:15 • 2:15 – 3:00 Various Task Centres • GPS • Acid Express • Digital Photography • Movie Maker • edClass • Senteos • Open Spaces Questions • What is Open Spaces? • What if I am an expert at all of these already? • Others?

37. Afternoon Task Centres 3 Time slots • 12:45 – 1:30 • 1:30 – 2:15 • 2:15 – 3:00 Various Task Centres • GPS • Acid Express • Digital Photography • Movie Maker • edClass • Senteos • Open Spaces Homework • work with another teacher in your school • support his/her class in performing an activity • report back at the next meeting .

38. At the End of the Meeting… Teacher Leadership 21st Century Learning Higher Order Thinking Skills Diverse Learning Needs Collaboration Student Engagement

39. So What? “I can‘t possibly make sense of all of that information, let alone take action on it!” Those Ed Tech Consultants are crazy!

40. Student Engagement Higher Order Thinking Skills 21st Century Learning An Effort to Bring it All Together Change in Teaching and Learning Teacher Leaders Effective Teaching (e.g. design of high quality tasks) Collaboration

41. An Effort to Provide Support Ed Tech Teacher Meetings Ed Tech Teacher Time Hardware/ Software/ Peripherals/ Support Renewed Curriculum – Inquiry Deep Understanding

42. Now What? What changes could be made in 5 days? Your Homework (Mission Possible)Dec. 11th What changes could be made in 35 days? What changes could be made in 135 days?