Project Goals
This project was developed to assist the administration
at César Chávez Elementary school in
developing programs for teachers that support the
integration of technology into the curriculum. The aims of
the project were to not only train teachers in basic
computer use, but to lead teachers in effective integration
of the computer into the current curriculum. This goal was
successfully achieved, and surpassed expectations by
building capacity within the staff for leadership in the use
and instruction of multi-media technology, software
applications, including Internet and electronic-mail, and
grant writing for technological support and innovation.
The following sections include:
Review of Methodology ~
Methods utilized to develop relevant training materials and
activities
Collaboration Process ~ Summary of
the process which allowed for the support and development of
innovative programs and staff working relationships,
Results of the Project ~ Review of
training models developed and the capacity building and
growth of the staff
Recommendations for the
continued support and development of technology use at
Chavez Elementary.
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Methodology
This project followed a collaborative action research
model, which not only accounts for; but values and requires
the experiences and perceptions of all participants with the
"fundamental aim to improve practice rather than to produce
knowledge" (Elliott, 1991) . In this
manner the project was designed to include the
administrators, teachers, and staff from Chavez Elementary
along with the grant administrators from San Diego State
University in formulating goals, materials, and activities
for technology integration. This was first addressed by
creating an on-site Technology Committee, comprised of seven
teachers, one representative for each grade level, and the
Service Coordinator from San Diego State University. The
committee met monthly throughout the project year to
dialogue about staff and student needs, evaluate software,
design and develop technology support materials, and to
coordinate and implement on-site training activities. The
school staff, with support from the administration,
advocated for on-site technology training that addressed the
specific needs of the school and community.
Needs assessment instruments, taking the form of surveys
and questionnaires were developed and utilized to help guide
the process of developing teacher training models,
identifying immediate needs and future requirements, and
setting goals to ensure quality, comprehensible technology
integration. Continual dialogue and reflection was the key
to this methodology and contributed to the project's
success. To this end the Service Coordinator and Technology
Committee met with teachers, staff, and administrators
regularly to respond to technology concerns and classroom
management issues related to the training and integration of
computer software and hardware.
Needs assessment data were collected throughout the
project via six survey/questionnaire instruments. These
instruments were constructed based on the site network
server, and computer software and hardware available at the
Chavez school site. Teachers and staff were also sent weekly
electronic mail (e-mail) messages informing them of
curriculum related WWW sites and requesting feedback on
their use of these sites. In addition, the Service
Coordinator gathered informal anecdotal data through
classroom observations and conversations with
administrators, teachers, and staff.
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Collaboration
Process
In order to implement not only the new technology, but
training and development it was crucial for the Service
Coordinator, who was not part of the school community, to
establish a collaborative role and to gain the support and
trust of the school administration. According to
DeBevoise (1986), successful
collaboration begins with administrative support along with
the ability of the collaborator to gain trust by discovering
common and unifying interests, while not becoming involved
in the internal politics of the outside institution. At
Chavez this relationship was established by assisting in the
set-up of hardware and networking communications at the
beginning of the school year. Since this was a new school
the computers arrived in boxes and required much physical
set-up. By being available to assist in the hardware set-up
the Service Coordinator established respect and a positive
rapport by sharing in the responsibilities at the outset. In
addition, relationships were developed and maintained with
other staff members through individual coaching sessions
with classroom teachers. Such sessions, lead by the Service
Coordinator and members of the Technology Committee, were
designed to assist classroom teachers in the basic set-up
and use of their classroom computers.
The collaboration process also included visits with the
Principal and Resource Teacher to review in-service
schedules and technological needs, along with two initial
in-services for the teaching staff; one detailing the use of
their e-mail software and the second on the use of word
processing and drawing software as a computer center. These
activities (set-up, coaching, in-services) not only provided
the staff with an introduction to the role of the Service
Coordinator, but also allowed them to see the commitment the
Service Coordinator had to their school and program. The
establishment of commitment and trust early in the project
was a key to the success. As
DeBevoise (1986) points out:
"In the end, collaboration
depends on people on both sides being willing to make it
work. You can have as elaborate a mechanism as you like, but
that won't carry things through. It the people that matter
"(p.12).
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Results
In order to understand the difference in training models
this grant was designed to achieve it is important to review
the training the teachers at this school received in
computer use prior to the implementation of this project.
The Service Coordinator was invited to observe and attend
the required two days (12 hours) school district computer
training classes. In this class the teachers received
computer technology instruction in several software programs
and multi-media hardware. Notes from the observation of this
training can be found in -Table 1-.
What is important to note here is the
vast amount of technological information covered compared to
the experience most of the teachers had with computers at
this point in time. On the initial survey completed by the
teaching staff 70% indicated that their primary use of
computers was for completing word processing tasks, thus
most were unfamiliar with the use of the software being
covered and the regular use of computers in general.
During these two days of training it was observed that of
the 23 teachers attending this in-service 75% had little
experience utilizing computers. The other 25%, in addition
to myself, assisted the technology instructor in coaching
teachers through the required tasks. The majority of
teachers were frustrated and uncomfortable with the vast
amount of information and the limited time they had to
practice and absorb what they were being presented with.
This became a point of reflection for the Service
Coordinator and Technology Committee, it was determined that
while this was valuable training that all teachers needed,
future training needed to be more site-specific and focus on
one software or hardware application with instruction at a
level where teachers would feel comfortable and not
overwhelmed.
To address this concern a needs assessment survey was
developed to assist in the development of on-site training.
The results from items assessing computer experience
-Table 2-
revealed that while the majority of
teachers were comfortable utilizing word processing software
(96%) and basic desktop (95%) applications they also
indicated a desire for more specific training in curriculum
related software such as Hyperstudio (68%) and Storybook
Weaver (60%). Programs that were not part of the district
training and programs that are more project oriented and
student centered. Based on these survey results and
continual contact and dialogue with the Chavez
administrators and teaching staff, the Service Coordinator
and Technology Committee designed and implemented the
following staff development program:
Phase 1: School Wide
In-Service Training Sessions
- Trainers: Technology Committee and
the Service Coordinator
-
- Training Focus:
- -- Using Quick-Mail Pro
- -- Using ClarisWorks Drawing Software in
Classroom Computer Centers
- -- Individual Coaching on Classroom Computer
Use
|
Phase 2: Weekly E-mail
Correspondence & Web Site Development
- Trainers: Service Coordinator &
Technology Committee
-
- Training Focus:
- --Working with E-Mail
- -- Introducing use of the Internet through
Curriculum
Websites.
- -- Development of
Chavez
Elementary Web Site
|
Phase 3: Technology
Training
Trees
- Trainers: Technology Committee &
Classroom Teachers
-
- Training Focus:
- --Quick Mail Basics
- -- Mac Basics
- -- Using Storybook Weaver
- -- Netscape Basics
|
Phase 4: On-Site Workshop
Series
- Trainers: Technology Committee &
Service Coordinator
-
- Training Focus:
- -- Basics ofHyperStudio
- -- Lesson Ideas forStory Book Weaver
- -- Utilizing Multi-Media Equipment for
Classroom Projects
- -- Utilizing the Internet and Classroom TV
for Class Instruction
- -- Classroom Management and Curriculum
based Software
|
To evaluate the effectiveness of these programs teachers
completed evaluation summaries
after completing the workshop series, one held in
March and the second held in
July. Upon completion of the grant
the staff completed a post assessment
survey to evaluate the program. The results of the
evaluation summaries -Table 3
- indicated that after the first
workshop 89% of the teachers believed that the workshops
provided them with new methods and strategies that they
could use in the classroom, after the second workshop 94% of
the teachers agreed with this statement. In addition after
the first workshop 89% of the teachers believed that the
on-site workshops were a productive use of staff-development
hours, and after the second workshop series 100% of the
teachers agreed with this item. Overall, the workshop series
was a great success partly due to the fact that the sessions
were lead by teachers on-site and that participants were
able to choose which areas they wanted training in. The
comments received -Table 4 -
from the teachers revealed that most
felt that the workshops were beneficial because of the
"hands-on" opportunities and the ideas they were able to put
to use "right away".
The comparison of the pre and post assessment data and
classroom observations, revealed trends of increased
knowledge and use of computers in the classroom by both
teachers and students, more classrooms utilizing word
processing software to complete projects and an increase in
the use of HyperStudio, graphics, encyclopedia and CD ROM
software within the K-6 curriculum.
In addition, during Phase 4 the Technology Committee
wrote and received funding for a district grant project that
will support professional development and the integration of
new technologies into local education reform efforts. This
grant will be funded until the year 2001 by the Patterns
Project which is part of the
Triton
Project, a multi-partner educational collaborative that
integrates technology with the standards-based education
reform efforts of the
San Diego City
Schools to create new learning opportunities for
students and teachers. It is towards this end that the
project assisted in capacity building above and beyond
expectations.
The teachers on the
Technology Committee began
the school year with a vision of assisting teachers in
utilizing the computers in their classrooms and by the end
of the project were coaching their peers, leading staff
development workshops, and finally being the first school in
the district to receive a set of Oracle Computers for grade
3-6 teachers. These computers were provided to this site due
to the large number of teachers who utilized technology
within their classrooms and curriculum.
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Recommendations
Upon completion of the project it was noted that
the
Technology Training Trees,
although not as successful as anticipated, would be
implemented again next year with more structure and support.
It should be noted that this was a brand new school and in
addition to setting up and utilizing technology teachers and
staff were also involved in designing and implementing
school wide procedures, establishing school policy and
teaching at a new school site with a variety of technical
and physical interruptions. Thus, establishing the role of
technology was part of a multi-faceted school year with many
goals and challenges.
The workshop series
will continue into the next school
year; however in order to allow for more teachers to attend
workshops the series will be held more often and with less
sessions. This plan provide staff and presenters with the
opportunity to attend a variety of sessions. The plan for
the 1998-99 school year is to offer the six workshops from
Workshop Series II in groups of three sessions over four
staff development days.
Finally, the school site will have, starting with the
1998-99 school year, a computer lab and a full time
technology teacher. This project was successful in laying
the groundwork for site-based staff development and has
become a model for the further development of technology at
Chavez Elementary.
References
DeBvoise, W. (1986).
Collaboration: Some principles of bridgework. Educational
Leadership, February, 1986, p 9-12.
Elliott, J. (1991). Action
Researach for Educational Change. Philadelphia, PA: Open
University Press.
Table 1: Summary of District Computer Training Session
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