Designer 5a

5a Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.

Each of the TCEA Directors of Professional Development are in charge of one academy. I have been the Lead for the Campus Technology Specialist Academy from 2015 - 2018. Each director is tasked with developing, launching, and scheduling their academy.

The Campus Technology Academy is a two-day event designed for curriculum specialists, instructional technologists, and tech integration coaches (or one of the other many names this position is called) to help everyone become more effective campus technology specialists. Sessions are designed to empower educators to make a difference in the lives of the teachers, staff, and students they work with.

Academy information can be found at academy.tcea.org/cts

The Campus Technology Specialist Academy is designed to:

Learn best practices for supporting teachers integrating technology

Build integration and training skills to make your PD more impactful

Solve problems and develop relevant solutions to become more effective

Gain resources to share with your teachers

Develop a network of support for ongoing motivation and inspiration

5a artifact

To create an innovative learning environment for the CTS Academy, I scheduled three different types of sessions so participants could personalize their learning experiences that accommodate learner difference and needs.

The CTS Academy provides different types of sessions to accommodate different learning styles: unconference style , Birds of a Feather, and 50/90 minute presentations. The current and past websites:

(See below for a snapshot of the different session types.)

Unconference Sessions

The unconference sessions are determined by the participants at the event during the morning of the first day. The goal is to keep sessions spontaneous, interactive and responsive to everyone’s needs.

Below you will find the 50 minute unconference sessions from 2017:

1 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

Gamification of PD

Room: Dedication

Motivating Unmotivated Teachers & How to Inspire Teachers to Adopt Technology

Room: Inspiration AB

Coding

Room: Innovation

Creating and Scheduling Engaging PD (Face-to-Face or Online)

Room: Transformation

2 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Unconference Sessions

Ways to Get People to Attend Tech PD

Room: Dedication

Flipped PD Best Practices

Room: Inspiration AB

Admin Buy-in

Room: Innovation

Makerspace in Elementary

Room: Transformation

Birds of a Feather Session

The main goals of the Birds of a Feather session is for attendees to network with their “flock” of like-minded peers to share great lessons, topics, and tricks.

Below you will find the 30 minute breakdown Birds of a Feather session from 2017:

1A-3A Districts (Enrollment 1-479 students) Innovation

Facilitated by: Jeannine Freeman, Fort Sam Houston ISD

4A Districts (Enrollment 480-1,099 students) Transformation

Facilitated by: Misty Mitchell, Hudson ISD

5A Districts (Enrollment 1,100-2,149 students) Inspiration AB

Facilitated by: Jana Wenzel, Bryan ISD

6A Districts (Enrollment 2,150+ students) Dedication

Facilitated by: Leslie Torronez, Denton ISD

50 minute and 90 minute Presentation Sessions

The goal of the 50 and 90 minute presentations is to share best practices for supporting teachers integrating technology; help others build integration and training skills to make their PD more impactful; model solving problems and developing relevant solutions to become more effective; exchange resources attendees can share with their teachers; and help develop a network of support for ongoing motivation and inspiration.

Below are my 2017 presentations:

Escape the Routine: Using Breakout Rooms With Staff and Students

Peggy Reimers and Jennifer Bergland, TCEA

Conference Room

Learn how a few simple locks and boxes can help your students breakout from the mundane and achieve new heights in learning in all content areas. All you need is a Google Site and a Google Form.

Eligible for 1.5 GT credits.

The CTS Toolbox

Peggy Reimers, TCEA

Innovation

Discover great Google tools, add-ons, and resources for the CTS. Time will be allotted for a tool swap. Bring your favorite tool, and we will benefit from each other’s tech-expertise.

Eligible for 1 GT credit.

Resource Website for The CTS Toolbox