Embedded Files
Ongoing professional development supports effective teacher use of technology through the use of instructional technology coaches, teams of teacher leaders, or other systems of support.
Teacher Survey
Teacher Survey
Guiding questions:
Reflect on the Teacher Survey data. How has the data guided the support provided to teachers?
During the fall semester, prior to having access to our TTS data, I relied heavily on my TIM-O walkthrough data. I concentrated my efforts on observing all content teachers of a specific subject in a short period of time to analyze trends across the department. I then met with the content based directors to share my findings and derive action steps to support further technology integration within the department.
One example was when across the math department I noticed most lessons were almost entirely composed of direct instruction and technology was being used at the substitution level. The math director and I brainstormed several ideas before landing on using Zearn to turn the teacher into the facilitator, provide students with more independent practice time, and when appropriate work with small groups. To pilot this effort we approached TLC member and 5th grade math teacher, Barbara Blackwell. I worked with Barbara to plan the tech portion of the lessons and co-taught to help support students with the Zearn tech platform. After a few weeks of this coaching support, Barbara then shared best practices with the rest of the math department!
How have the results of the survey impacted student learning?
The results of the TTS survey impact student learning by informing my coaching and determining what technology pushes need to occur across the school. Right now, nearly every teacher is having students use their device for instruction, assessments, to create content, and to complete work outside of school. While we have experienced changes to our VILS staff roster, I am extremely proud of the directors hard work in getting all staff members to embrace the incorporation of VILS devices and digital programs. This impacts student learning by increasing student tech proficiency, student engagement, and ultimately student achievement.
TIM WaLKTHROUGH DATA
TIM WaLKTHROUGH DATA
Guiding questions:
What does your TIM data show?
Our TIM data shows that 35% of teachers have taught a lesson at the adaptation level or above during this years first TIM-O cycle. While this is down from where we were at the end of the year, it is still an 11% increase when compared to this time last year. When further looking at the data of who has taught lessons at these levels this school year, it is clear that teachers who have been in a part of the VILS program have continued to grow in their ability to integrate technology in meaningful ways.
The TIM-O data that shows level prevalence (at which level are teachers most often working) continues to show a pressing need for more digital collaboration in our classes. This year we have written our STEM PLP goal to target this specific need. With this year's VILS PD Pathway focusing on Digital Collaboration, I expect to see much more collaboration amongst students during my TIM-O cycle 2 walkthroughs and for the data to reflect that.
How has TIM data reimagined the support for teachers at your campus?
Our TIM data has reimagined the support for teachers at our campus by being able to partner those looking to learn a new app or strategy with a staff member who has already mastered it. For example, during my walkthroughs it was made apparent that our Social Studies director, Delilah Scott had become highly skilled at designing HyperDocs in a way that leveraged technology to allow students to take ownership of their learning, monitor their progress, and freed her up to support students through out the lesson - a strategy that hits at the adaptation and infusion level! A new staff member, Paige Broussard, mentioned during a debrief that she was interested in designing similar lessons, so Mrs. Scott met with her to explain her process, share a few of her HyperDocs as templates and discuss best practices. This equipped Paige to hit the ground running with a new tech strategy knowing that she had the support of myself and Mrs. Scott to succeed!
COach Support
COach Support
Guiding questions:
How do you support your teachers individually and in small groups?
I support teachers in small groups by providing professional development trainings on various digital programs that we use here at Tubman. These trainings are sometimes for all VILS teachers, new VILS teachers, content based teams, grade-level based teams, and any other group that requests a tech PD! I support teachers individually through observation cycles, co-teaching and co-planning lessons, curating content or strategy based resources, connecting them with other teachers who are proficient with a tech strategy or app. My coaching menu is posted all over the school with a helpful QR code for staff to quickly schedule a session with me via Calendly!
How do your supports align with PLP and campus goals?
These supports align with our PLP and campus goals by meeting teachers where they are at and giving them the tools needed to leverage technology to increase student achievement. Teachers are able to customize the support they receive from their VILS coach based on their needs and the needs of their students. Some teachers prefer templates that they can grab and go, others prefer to co-plan and have me co-teach a few lessons until they are savvy with a new strategy. Regardless of the support they choose, all of them lead to improving teacher tech proficiency and student achievement.
How are learning experiences implemented in the classroom?
Tools and strategies from the VILS Learning Experiences are quickly adopted by our most tech savvy teachers - usually TLC members. After trial and error, these teachers are able to share their challenges and success. As the VILS coach, I work with teachers after each training to incorporate what they learned into their lessons. While working with them, if they express hesitation or want a better idea of what it looks like in action I am able to partner them with one of the early adopters! See the image carousel on at the bottom to see how:
Our Dean of Intervention, Adam Lownik, implemented Digital Collaboration in with his 7th grade intervention group. After reading the book, Uglies, student used Canva to collaborate on designing propaganda posters, videos, brochures or whatever two mediums of their choice!
Our ELA Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Jen DelGreco, implemented Digital Collaboration in her 7th grade ELA class. She used the student selector option in Google Classroom to assign groups of students to work together on a joint Google Slides presentation on an influential POC of their choice.
Our 6th grade Social Studies teacher and former TLC member, Louis Karpinski, implemented digital collaboration with his students. Similar to Ms. DelGreco, Mr. Karpinski also used Google Classroom to facilitate group collaboration in Google Slides presentation to research different West African civilizations and design a digital brochure.
Do you leverage TLC members to lead peer observations? If not, how can you leverage their expertise?
Although peer observations are on my VILS Coaching Menu, there haven't been any requests for peer observations this school year. However, our TLC members have found other ways to share their expertise! They've led trainings for their content teams, co-planned with peers, demonstrated how to use various tech platforms, and shared templates they've designed.
Digital Collaboration LX 3 implementation by Adam Lownik 7th ELA Intervention
Digital Collaboration LX 2 implementation by Jen DelGreco in 7th ELA
Digital Collaboration LX 2 implementation by Louis Karpinski in 6th Social Studies
STUDENT TECH TEam
STUDENT TECH TEam
Guiding questions:
How are you increasing capacity in your student tech team members?
Over winter break, students will be assigned and begin completing course work through Google's Applied Digital Skills series. They will start with the basics, Google Workspace Training, and move on from there. The Google Workspace Training covers Google Docs, Sheets and Slides in 10 separate lessons. While most of our 5th-8th grade tech team students are familiar with these applications, these lessons will ensure they become proficient to where they can further support their peers, teachers, and families. In the Spring, Tech Team students worked together to build inventions with Sphero's littleBits and how to code with Sphero Minis.
How has the student tech team supported teachers, students, and families?
Although our Student Tech Team didn't launch until October, they quickly got up to speed to support the Tubman community! Tech Team students took ownership over the loaner system in which they deliver spare devices to students whose VILS device is not sufficiently charged or is out for repair and collect them at the end of the day. The tech team quickly compiled a lists of video tutorials they wanted to make and decided who would be responsible for which one. They learned basic troubleshooting tips to support their peers and teachers during class. They voted to divide the team up by grade-level to have more personalized meetings. Our Student Tech Team also began brainstorming ideas on how to encourage students to be more consistent in bringing their VILS device to school charged.
Tech team students worked together to build inventions with Sphero's littleBits and how to code with Sphero Minis.
Page updated
Report abuse