 |
| Waldo Pafford Elementary School |
Technology Training at Waldo Pafford Elementary School
LCSS-Hinesville, Georgia
Instructional Technology Use
Liberty
County School System has equipped two high schools, three middle schools, and
eight elementary schools with a vast amount of technology and professional
development in instructional technology. I work as a teacher and intern at
Waldo Pafford Elementary School. Our school is equipped with a mounted SMART Board and projector with
cable connection and video streaming service available in each classroom. The
school has 100% of their classrooms equipped with high-speed Internet
connections. It has multimedia instructional centers in each classroom that are
complete with an interactive white board, a data projector, and a laptop. The
classrooms also have document cameras, digital cameras, video cameras
(available for checkout), and 62% of the classrooms have student response
systems. There is a 2:1 ratio of students to Internet connected computer. There
is also one computer lab staffed by a certified educator and meet quarterly
with the instructional technology staff. Available for checkout from the media
center is a portable Net book lab with 20 wireless laptops and a portable iPad
lab with 17 iPads and a MacBook Pro computer. The teachers have the following software programs available
for use in their instruction:
- ● Pixie ●Word, Excel, PowerPoint ●STAR Reading ●STAR Math ● Timeliner ● Orchard ●Kidspiration/Inspiration ●Harcourt Science and Math programs ●Exam View ●Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) ● KidPix ●Renaissance Place Reading program ● ●Scholastic Keys 4●Study Island ● Online Assessment System (OAS) ● SmartBoard ●Classroom Performance System ● PhotoStory ●Movie Maker ●Adobe Premiere Elements ● NetTrekker ●System to Enhance Education Performance (STEEP) ●School Vue ●School Worksite/OnCourse ● United Streaming ●Atomic Learning ●Audacity ●Camtasia ● Skype ● Tagxedo ● Wordle ● Frames ● Storybird ● Podomatic ●Web Blender/Share ●Image Mate ●Green Screen *OnCourse *Destiny *Power School *My Lunch Money.com
Staff
Development
A needs assessment is used to determine the
county wide professional learning courses to be offered and the target
audience. Funding for technology equipment, software, and training comes from a
variety of sources including Title program funding and local funds. Professional
learning courses are offered by our district’s Instructional Technology
Department. These courses are given at the Liberty County Board Technology
Computer Labs. There are five instructional technology specialists, which are
assigned to schools. These specialists are in charge of training at the
district building and school sites. Site-based training courses are determined
through collaboration between the school administrator and the Instructional
Technology Department. Additionally, schools can request trainings or select
teachers to participate in a variety of technology initiatives. At times the
media specialist may give training to the staff or a small group of teachers
needing various computer skill training. There are also teachers on each hall
that have been thoroughly trained in new technologies in case there is a need
from various teachers. The Liberty County Technology/Media Department website
and each media specialists’ site has training videos, lessons, and training
tutorials for teachers. Each year they train new teachers during new teacher
orientation as well.
Dos and
Don’ts of Tech Staff Development
Do’s
· Let teacher’s practice without fear.
· Show them effective, simple and manageable reasons to use
technology.
· Avoid the glitz. Show them function instead.
· Show relevant examples.
· Practice what you preach.
· Use the appropriate trainers.
· Involve the “senior” team.
· Keep in regular touch with users as a support.
Don’ts
· Pair your strong teacher with your reluctant teacher.
· Set up templates for your reluctant teacher.
· Encourage using technology because of availability.
· Rush them. Give them time to learn in small steps.
References
LCSS Technology Plan http://www.liberty.k12.ga.us/Technology
The Dos
and Don’ts of Supporting a Reluctant Teacher http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/07/26/supporting-reluctant-teacher
Great post and WOW your school has many resources available at your fingertips! You are very lucky to have a great program and technology that can help you guys achieve your goals. I like the idea that your district gives a needs assessment for trainings and programs that teachers and staff would like to see come available. I think that when people get to have a voice the programs are more meaningful and teachers integrate them more into their daily schedules. You also gave some helpful tips for technology staff development. I also believe that peer to peer assistance can help individuals become more involved and more likely to use resources.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you listed in your Don'ts "Don't pair your strong teacher with your reluctant teacher." I have often been in this situation as the person strong with technology working with the dinosaur teacher who doesn't know how to turn on her own computer. We both get frustrated....I have to fight the urge to grab her mouse and she feels like I am moving too fast and not actually showing her how to do anything. We both walk away with a negative experience.
ReplyDeleteI love your do's and don't lists as well. I have found so many teachers are reluctant to learn about new technologies at the schools I have taught in. I have never really understood this as it is very good to me to learn something new. Most tools have value if you learn to use them properly. I think people get way too freaked out about being required to go to training. I know we are often overwhelmed with planning, teaching and grading, but we really should stay current with technology being so prevalent in the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said though, staff development is often rushed and insufficient for many new learners. Our school is notorious for having rushed sessions and teachers leave complaining about it. I also like that you mentioned teachers having a voice in what is brought to them. The Needs Assessment is something I should bring up at my school. I think teachers appreciate having a voice in what they are required to learn about.
The software list available to your teachers is excellent. I am hoping the majority of your teachers are utilizing these vast resources. I know many systems are very limited on their technologies due to budget constraints and various other reasons.
I thoroughly enjoyed your blog on IT and Staff Development!