VTcite Phase II

Phase I of the “Statewide Technology Integration Grant” set out to establish a professional learning community that would allow participants to support each other and other Vermont educators. By creating the Vermont Commons for Information Technology Educators, Phase I provided a rich experience for thirty Vermont educators. It was clearly effective in increasing participants understanding of the critical connection between effective teaching practices and technology integration, in expanding each individual’s “human network” through the use of electronic communication tools, in creating and identify resources that would support this learning community as it strove to support Vermont educators in effective technology integration, and in expanding participants leadership skills as they investigated the critical role that leadership plays in successful technology integration. There is evidence from the Phase I participants commitment to the project, where thirty participants were initially involved and thirty participants were still involved in the end, that we can count on them for participation and leadership in Phase II.

However, this newly organized professional learning community is still in its infancy and needs leadership and structured support to continue and expand its mission of providing assistance to Vermont educators to appropriately integrate technology to impact student learning. Further, it must construct a self-sustaining capacity that allows it to flourish and expand in the future without the benefit of monetary incentives but rather built on the realization that we can make greater and faster progress by adopting the idea that the whole possesses much greater power to effect change than the sum of all its parts.

During Phase I of this grant it became very evident that electronic networking alone would not meet the needs of the participants. Again and again, they articulated the importance of face-to-face contact between participants. In fact, the more the participants connected in person the greater became their communication in using the VTCITE web portal. This Phase II proposal will address this critical issue of combining face-to-face meetings with on-line communications to more broadly support this endeavor.

Phase II of VTcite

The program will...

Re-engage the original participants while giving them more direct ownership in the project.
Use the experience and expertise of the original participants to move the project forward and recruit new educators into the project for the purpose of expanding the knowledge and resource base available.
Promote the VTCITE site as a valuable networking and resource tool for all Vermont educators by making linkages and connections with other educational organizations and entities in a variety of ways.
Make direct and meaningful links to the Riverdeep Learning Village and promote the use of this tool for all Vermont educators.
Utilize the existing Vita-Learn regional structure, human resource, and network to promote expanded participation in the professional learning community through the use of regional meetings and to foster regional leadership around the VTCITE work.
Develop an effective plan for sustainability
Continue the technical and human interface development of the VTCITE portal

Re-engaging the Original Participants

In Phase II of the “Statewide Technology Integration Grant,” the investigation between effective teaching practices and successful technology integration must continue for the original participants. They must continue to expand their own ability to support effective technology integration, continually increase their leadership skills, continue to identify resources, and actively participate in the professional learning community. They will accomplish this by leading other educators in their VITA-Learn geographic regions of the state in a process of building their local communities and then impacting the VTCITE community at large. This process will allow past participants to lead new participants through learning and sharing experience somewhat similar to those they experienced in Phase I. This grant will support them by providing opportunities to increase their capacity in these areas through structured regional and on-line activities. This will continue by having them provide leadership to participants in the project. They and those they work with will continue to create and identify resources to support technology integration specialists as well as Vermont classroom teachers.

Vermont Grade Expectations and NCLBA Requirements

The linkage between Phase II and the Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities and requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) should be evident. The database of resources being built in VTCITE is directly linked to the Vermont Standards and are being referenced by a variety of criteria, including linkages to the Vermont Grade Expectations in Information Technology. In accordance with NCLBA expectations that all students be technologically literate by the end of eighth grade, this resource base categorizes and recommends technology-rich resources and activities that are both field tested and age-appropriate. By building the capacity of those who support technology integration in their schools, we support Vermont teachers in using technology to both improve student performance in all areas including the attainment of both basic technology 21st century literacy skills.

Professional Development Experiences

Led by one or more of the leaders of the Phase I grant, original participants will engage in a series of professional development activities dependent upon the role they wish to play. These will include...

Offering an on-line learning experience similar to what they participated in during Phase I to new participants from their VITA-Learn regions and developing a regional project for new VTCITE participants that builds on the professional learning community.
Become experienced users of the Riverdeep Learning Village and assist in promoting its use by Vermont educators.
Planning for and leading regional face-to-face meetings
Develop a program that allows them to promote and sustain on-line forums organized by state-wide participant interests.
Develop a program that supports the addition, screening and dissemination of resources.
Create a program that allows participation to build connections to all Vermont educators and establish linkages to other Vermont educational organizations in a variety of ways.
Continue to develop the VTCITE functionality and interface.

Expand Active Participation

Phase II will involve new participants in this professional learning community and provide them with professional development experiences in the use of educational technology that will strengthen their capacity to support teachers in their schools, expand their “human support network,” and create/identify high quality resources. While expanding their human network through participating in this professional learning community, they will (learn how to) use electronic communication tools to collaborate between themselves and provide assistance for others. They will examine the role of leadership and seek to expand their own ability to provide appropriate leadership themselves while at the same time providing information and support for other levels of leadership (instructional leaders, teacher leaders, student leaders, etc.) in order that they may expand their vision and increase their capacity to support the use of technology for improved student performance.

The full proposal is attached below.

Community Projects

VTCITE Phase II Community Projects

Community Projects are one way to get more people involved in the Community. During Phase II of this building a professional learning community project we hope to bring up to 50 additional people into the VTCITE community through project participation.

If you are interested in participating in a project or just want to learn more about it, please contact the Project Facilitator.

Listed below is a brief description of some of the projects. Others are still under development and will be posted on the VTCITE web site when they are ready.

Learning in a Virtual Environment – VITA-Learn in Second Life

Facilitator: David Wells

Second Life is an engaging virtual environment that promotes learning and collaboration across geographic boundaries.  Our group will establish a presence for VITA-Learn in Second Life where members can collaborate and learn both among themselves and with leading educators from across the globe.

Contact Information: dwells@ejhs.k12.vt.us

Number of Participants Needed: 5 additional ones welcome but no stipend.

Compilation of Professional Development Contacts to  Support Technology

Integration Facilitator: Joanne Finnegan

Professional development is crucial for implementation and integration of technology in education. I propose to form a team to gather resources that other technology integration specialists have used/are using when they offer professional development in their schools and districts. Many of us tend to create what we need as we need it. If we have a central database of materials to choose from, including handbooks, tutorials, outlines for classes and workshops we have taught, reading materials we have used, and links to online resources, it would save us all time and effort as we prepare for our own in-house offerings. I also propose that we form a list of Vermont educators who are “experts” in one area of technology integration upon whom we could call for ideas, information and help.

Contact Information: Joanne.Finnegan@cesu.k12.vt.us

Number of Participants Needed: 5

Mapping Implementation of Tech GEs

Facilitator: Eric Hall

Our goal is to collect Vermont examples of integrated units and projects aligned with Tech GEs. Teachers who are just beginning to incorporate technology into their instruction need strong peer models and concrete local examples of successful and effective integration.

Contact Information: ehall@wdsdvt.org

Number of Participants Needed: 4

Professional Development to Go

Facilitator: Lucie deLaBruere

Mobile, flexible technology has increased our ability to participate in professional development where we participate from different locations and even at different times of the day.

This project is for the Teacher on the Go, who is looking for a way to distribute and receive professional development without the constraints of participating at the same time and from the same location as everyone else. We will learn to use I-Tunes, I-Pods or alternative mp3 players, and Web 2.0 tools to organize, distribute, and receive professional development. We will learn the tools and strategies, as well as develop a series of "playlist" around professional development topics that can be used by others who chose to offer professional development using these "PD To GO" strategie. Participants who don't already own an IPOD can apply their stipends towards the purchase of a a new I-Pod.

Contact Information: ldelabruere@gmail.com

Number of Participants Needed: 5

TANDBERG Video Systems Professional Development

Facilitator: Jerry Piette

The ORLEANS CENTRAL SUPERVISORY UNION (OCSU) become part of a USDA for Distance Learning Technology grant in collaboration with the University of New Hampshire. (documents detailing more specifics of the grant are available). It is my proposal to create a team of teachers from the various schools in this Supervisory Union to develop and implement a strategy plan that will best utilize this video system among teachers as well as members of the community.

Contact Information: jpiette@ocsu.org

Number of Participants: 3

GEOSS: Grade Expectations using Open Source Software

Facilitator: Bob Sargent

A group of teachers will work together to produce activities that address the Vermont Information Technology Grade Expectations (VITGE) using free and open source applications (FOSS). These might be pre-existing activities, like those made at the Milton school, that are adapted to open source applications, or brand new activities. The main idea behind the project is to develop a library of activities that support Grade Expectations using Open Source Software, GEOSS activities. The GEOSS activities would be posted as resources on VTCITE in the form of ISO CD images that could be downloaded and burned to make a project CD with everything a teacher would need in the way of support materials and computer applications to implement the activities on the CD. A project forum would be established for threaded discussions concerning the coordination and development of activities.

Contact Information: rsargent@wrvs.us

Number of Participants Needed: 5

Turning Data into Information

Tommy Walz twalzbsu@u61.net
Rob Stalling rstalbsu@u61.net

Click here for to download presentation given at Dynamic Landscapes, May 16, 2008

Core Expectations

VTcite II Core Expectations

The following core expectations must be considered an integral part of all Phase II work. As appropriate, these beliefs must be integrated into all program development. Professional development will be provided in these areas as deemed necessary by Core Team and Phase I leaders.

Successful technology integration occurs when teachers use effective teaching practices. Activities must include professional development in this area.
Teachers themselves must have/develop 21 Century Skills. Activities must include professional development in this area.
Teachers must be knowledgeable and skilled in Media Literacy. Activities must include professional development in this area.
A key to successful technology integration is to provide leadership and/or support for school leaders in all of the above areas. Activities must include professional development in this area.
Riverdeep Learning Village is a powerful tool that will be available to all Vermont educators. VTCITE participants must be actively engaged in using the site by adding resources, and promoting effective use locally.
A Learning Community in Vermont must “connect” both in-person and through electronic means. Projects & activities will be developed around the use of the VTCITE Forums to promote the core expectations. Participants will promote the development of this Learning Community through the use of VTCITE in their regions and local schools. Further, participants will commit to meeting at least 3 times a year in a face-to-face situation during professional development meetings developed and led by VTCITE core leadership team.
Vermont has defined technology literacy through the Vermont Technology Grade Expectations. Projects and activities will promote & support effective and deeply embedded integration of the Grade Expectations into the content areas.

Phase II Cohort

VTcite Planning Team

Ed Barry	Milton School District
Jon Bellum	University of Vermont
Peter Drescher	Drescher Educational Technology
Paul Irish	VITA-Learn and Burlington School District
Sandy Lathem	University of Vermont
Joyce Morris	University of Vermont

Team Leaders

Ed Bianchi	Chittenden South Supervisory Union
Sally Bisaccio	Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union
Teresa Caron	Orleans Essex North Supervisory Union
Vinnie Covino	Rutland Southwest Supervisory Union
Lucie deLaBruere	Franklin Central Supervisory Union
Joanne Finnegan	Chittenden East Supervisory Union
Eric Hall	Washington West Supervisory Union
Cecelia Hunt	Addison Rutland Supervisory Union
John Minelli	Hartford School District
Susan Monmaney	Montpelier Public Schools
Jerry Piette	Orleans Central Supervisory Union
Robert Sargent	Orange East Supervisory Union
Christina Scheindel	Orange Southwest Supervisory Union
Amy Truchon	Burlington School District
Tommy Walz	Barre Supervisory Union
David Webb	Orange Windsor Supervisory Union
Steve Webster	South Burlington School District
David Wells	Westford Elementary School
Jane Wilde	Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union

Phase II Photos

VTcite strives to build a human network of Vermont educators through both face-to-face and virtual connections. The following are pictures of the many people involved in this work.

March 07 Meeting
March 2007 Meeting