Demystifying the Tech Standards

by Rebecca Blume & Gayle HopkinsPortsmouth City School District

February 13, 2006

About Our District

• 167 teachers 90 non-certified, 11 admin.

• status of tech experience• equipment issues• new initiatives that encourage tech use• academic status• day-to-day stresses• web site (http://www.portsmouth

.k12.oh.us)

Our Tech Committee

• Tech Coordinator• One technician• 5 facilitators – 2 librarians, Gifted

Coordinator, Special Education Coordinator, Reading First Specialist—all non-administrative roles

Purpose of Standards

• Provide a set of clear and rigorous expectations.

• Provide clarity to Ohio teachers of what content and skills should be taught at each grade-level.

• However, how the material will be taught is a local school district decision.

courtesy of ODE website

No Child Left Behind

ESEA/NCLB• All students will become technology literate

by the end of 8th grade.

Ohio• Basic skills, introductory and foundation

level courses taught by the end of 8th grade.

• No Statewide Tech Achievement Testcourtesy of ODE website

Where we began…• Tech Facilitators put together

presentation (North Canton) http://www.northcanton.sparcc.org/~technology/standards/

• Tech_Standards_Implementation_Tool.xls

• Voluntary 7-12 in service (not all teachers present)

• Met with Administrators• Waiver day with teachers grouped by K-

2, 3-6, 7-12

The presentation itself…

• impossible to present all the standards in the time allotted

• focused on what was tangible and realistic

• asked teachers to implement tech in classroom once a month

• provided them with resources to facilitate this request

Let’s look at what we did…

• Technology skills assessment sheet

• PowerPoint presentations by grade level

K-23-67-12

Listed all the links on a website

Links to resources used in presentation:

http://www.portsmouth.k12.oh.us/GenInfo/staffresources/techtuesdays/standlinksgh.htm

Other resources used:

• Software websites and resources (already purchased by district)Inspiration, Scholastic Keys, etc.

• Infohio Resources:http://www.infohio.org/

Tech Tuesdays

• 3 rd year• Every Tues—1 to 2 sessions-2 hrs long

completely in- house• Instructors are identified or make proposals

to present• Stipends are paid to all who attend—both

certified and non-certified staff are included• Last two years we have based TT on needs

and tech standard implementation.

Tech Tuesday

• Tech Tuesday Course Offerings (2005-06)

• Graduate credit offered LPDC CEU’s offered

Benefits of TT

• TT has become one of the most credible PD offerings of the District—recognized by staff and administrators

• Demonstrates what is possible with the technology we have in-house at the present time—not pie in the sky

• Recognizes the abilities of staff members• Technology becomes a consistent,

weekly offering in which teachers can participate

• Teachers develop an actual “product” to use in classroom

Honest TipsWhat to do and not to do…

• Time is money, make it worth their while• Send teachers (trainers) to conferences and

workshops to enable new ideas and reinforce that you are on the right track

• If you aren’t paying attendees, feed them!• Design PD to meet the teachers’ needs—

whether personal or curricular. Picasa• Needs to be at their level—don’t mix

computers for dummies group with programmers group

More tips…

• Don’t reinvent the wheel!• Keep chipping away—small bits

are easier to swallow.• Continually evaluate and ask for

teacher input.

Webliography(URLS for embedded links)

• ODE Technology Standards-http://www.ode.state.oh.us/academic_content_standards/acstechnology.asp

• Texas Teacher Technology Competencies Certification Teacher Checklist -http://www.msad50.org/to/skills/TXselfassess.htm

• PCD Technology Standards PowerPoints-http://www.portsmouth.k12.oh.us/GenInfo/staffresources/Staffres.htm

• Inspiration-http://www.inspiration.com/standards/index.cfm?fuseaction=state_detail&state=Ohio

Webliography

• Scholastic Keys-http://www.tomsnyder.com/Products/productextras/KEYKEY/

• PCS Tech Tuesday Brochure-http://www.portsmouth.k12.oh.us/GenInfo/staffresources/techtuesdays/techtues0506.pdf

• Picasa-http://picasa.google.com/index.html