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The true sustainability of digital learning comes from FCSC's investment in strategic planning and professional development with building leaders and teachers.
FCSC’s digital initiative is providing professional development (PD) and support for teachers to allow them to develop digital learning experiences and immerse students in skills of digital citizenship, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Studies have shown greater student gains are noted when teachers participate in adequate professional development and were more confident using technology (Marzano & Haystead, 2009).
In preparation for 1:1 devices, certified trainers provided weeklong PD sessions for teachers over the summers of 2014 and 2015. In the 2014-15 school year, a full-time eLearning Coach was hired to support middle and high school teachers and a Technology Facilitator coaching and supporting teachers in the elementary buildings. These coaches continue to support teachers by providing PD sessions and opportunities for co-teaching and modeling. During the school year, teachers participate in PD during staff, departmental and team meetings as well as a professional development in-service day in February. Teachers are encouraged to seek out extended learning opportunities by attending professional development sessions during the school year and Summer of eLearning events.
A cohort of Lead Teacher Learners (LTLs), comprised of teachers from all FCSC schools, participate in monthly PD sessions and afterwards shares PD topics with teachers in their buildings. The LTLs provide another level of support for staff beyond that of the coaches and function as an embedded instructional technology resource for each school which builds capacity for future digital initiatives. The plan is for a new cohort of LTLs at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.
To provide additional professional development opportunities for all teachers, FCSC instituted two new strategies - Pineappling and Mircolearning.
Pineappling is a systematic approach across the district where teachers post activities on a chart and invite other staff members into their classrooms to informally observe interesting teaching and learning expertise in their classroom.
With Microlearning, staff members earn growth points while participating in short technology oriented pedagogy learning activities according to their own interests and time available.
At the 2017 February teacher in service, LTLs have put together an afternoon mini-summit of presentations. The LTLs are presenters for the block of sessions below.
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