Phase 9 Training
The following is a description of the Phase 9 training program. Each component of the Phase 9 training is described according to the activities that take place and the requirements that educators must fulfill in order to reach the next consecutive phase.
I. Utilizing Standards in the Classroom
In order to be selected for Phase 9 training, teachers must have completed this course.
The Utilizing Standards in the Classroom course addresses the technology objectives outlined in the ISTE/NETS standards and offers practical hands-on computer training for professional teachers. The course is sponsored by the EdVenture Group in conjunction with West Virginia University, Marshall University and Salem International University. The completion of this course ensures that teachers enter Phase 9 training with the skills needed to begin complete classroom integration.
II. Team Application, Commitment and Preliminary Research
Teachers who wish to participate in Phase 9 training must complete an application/commitment form. Three teachers (all county board employees) and an administrator from a school should submit their application as a team. Teams will spend numerous hours working on this project and should be sure they can work together. Teams may cross discipline and/or grade levels.
Team members will be given a Phase 9 Pre-pack, which contains information enabling them to begin preliminary research for the units that they will construct. Upon notification of their selection, team members should collect the necessary data and materials for their units prior to the five-day workshop. They are also expected to review and understand state and national technology standards for education. The units must be interdisciplinary. A template and requirements for the lessons will be provided to guide the teams in their research.
III. Integration Workshop
Teams will have the opportunity to receive tools, strategies and time to develop integrated, cross-disciplinary technology units. This instructor-driven time will be led by teachers who are currently using technology to enhance learning. The five-day workshop will consist of hands-on training, time to compile the technology integrated units, peer review and posting of the materials to the interactive web site. Several opportunities will be made available each day for teachers to discuss how they envision a connection between the applications and curriculum standards, the constructivist forms of learning and the alternative forms of student evaluations.
IV. Validation and Posting of Material to The Solution Site
To ensure the quality or validity of the instructional materials being posted to the web site, each unit will go through an independent validation and verification in matching the instructional goals and objectives. Each team member must allow adequate time to thoroughly evaluate three units of instruction. All units will then be reviewed by an external expert panel.
V. Administrator Training
A principal from each participating school must attend a one-day training, which will focus on basic computer applications and a preview of the teacher-created web site. They will also review current evaluation techniques for effectively evaluating teachers on their uses of technology in the classroom. Evaluation of classroom technology utilization is an important component of the training program.
VI: Classroom Use of Technology Units
After the units have been posted to the web site, classroom use by educators will begin. The teachers who participate in Phase 9 training are asked to report on both the use and the results of their technology-integrated units.
VII: Sharing Technology Integration Ideas
Teams that participate in Phase 9 training will be required to provide ten hours of in-service training to a minimum of 30 teachers in their school and/or district. The Phase 9 teachers will report information detailing the training location, the content of the material covered and the names of attendees. The partners will also work with higher education to share the integration ideas with pre-service teachers as they prepare for and begin to student teach.
VIII: Evaluation of Technology Use in the Classroom
As more emphasis is placed on technology evaluation, principals will be looking more closely at technology use in the classroom. The evaluation team of this project along with West Virginia educators will also be evaluating the teacher created web site (http://www.thesolutionsite.com) materials as instructional materials. In this phase, principals will be required to evaluate teachers on the use of technology in the classrooms. During the principal's one-day training, they will gain knowledge and resources to complete this evaluation in their school.
IX: Full Integration and Recognition
In the final phase, the components of the training are unified. The Phase 9 teachers, the teachers that they have trained, and the pre-service teachers will begin using the technology integrated units in their daily classroom activities. Teachers will share integration ideas at conferences and workshops and the focus of professional development will shift from one of skill-based training to one of integration.
