Capturing Your Classroom: a Learning Experience
Opt-In Information
Project CYCLE: Overview
City Schools’ Office of Teacher Support & Development is offering schools the opportunity to participate
in Project CYCLE; a project focused on the engagement of teachers and mentors in the cycle of
development through the use of innovative technology and research-based mentoring/coaching
methods. This project is sponsored by the Office of Teacher Support & Development and is being
implemented with the support of thereNow, PD360, and the University of Virginia’s Curry School of
Education (See the Appendix for details on each partner).
City Schools has procured a small number of thereNow’s LiveView camera and IRIS Connect online
platform. These items are being used as tools through which participating teachers and mentors can
more fully engage in the cycle of development through video capture, review, reflection, and feedback
on classroom instruction.
In concert with the thereNow’s LiveView camera and IRIS Connect online platform, participating teachers
will engage in the University Of Virginia Curry School Of Education’s My Teaching Partner (MTP)
coaching cycle. This component of the project will guide mentors in the use of prompts, protocols, and
action plans as they provide meaningful feedback to teachers.
Finally, teachers will also have the opportunity to share their video through PD360, an online platform
for sharing video with other teachers in the district.
Together these supports are designed to improve teaching and learning in the district; including, but not
limited to, improved instruction, classroom management, teacher retention, mentoring, and student
outcomes.
Project CYCLE: School Eligibility
Selecting the Participating Schools and Teachers:
The number of cameras purchased by the district is limited and thus we are only able to offer
this opportunity to 10-15 schools. Therefore, participation in this project will be determined on
an opt-in basis followed by a random lottery to select both the schools and the teachers in those
schools to participate. Additional narrowing of the opt-in pool will occur based on the
technology infrastructure needed for the LiveView camera and IRIS Connect online platform.
Opt-in Eligibility:
This opportunity is being offered to schools that offer grades 3 through 8. Any school with these
grades can opt-in to the project regardless of school configuration (i.e., PreK-5, PreK-8, K-5, K-8, 6-8,
6-12, etc.). Those teaching Math and English Language Arts will be eligible to participate in the
project.
Opting-in to the project it is a signal to the Office of Teacher Support & Development that:
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1
The administration of that school supports the project
The administration has garnered support for the project within the school
The schools and its participating staff commit to follow through with all responsibilities and
requirements1 through the 2012-2013 school year per the project timeline detailed below.
Failure to comply with the expectations above may result in the removal of the technology and support from the school.
Project CYCLE: Participant Roles & Responsibilities
Personnel Requirements:
Administrator/School Leadership:
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Garner support and buy-in from teachers in tested grades to implement the project
Select 1 site-based mentor/coach/support personnel to participate in the project for
every 3-5 teachers that are selected to participate. A maximum of 3
mentor/coach/support personnel and 15 teachers should be selected
Select 1 site-based technology contact person to support the set up of the cameras and
online platform
Protect the time for teachers and coaches to meet during collaborative planning time
each week
Participate in training on the LiveView camera and IRIS Connect online platform(see
below for dates)
Participate in training on the My Teaching Partner coaching cycle (see below for dates)
Participate in evaluation strategy (see below for details)
School-Based Mentor/ Teacher Support Person (See Appendix for details):
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Participate in training on the LiveView camera, IRIS Connect platform, My Teaching
Partner, and the Instructional Framework (see below for details on dates)
Engage in the cycle of development (learn, implement, reflect, share, feedback) with the
participating teachers bi-weekly using the IRIS Connect online platform associated with
the LiveView camera
Meet with teacher bi-weekly to reflect on instruction and develop action plans
Participate in evaluation strategy (see below for details)
Teachers (See Appendix for details):
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Participate in training on the LiveView camera, IRIS Connect platform, My Teaching
Partner, and the Instructional Framework (see below for details on dates)
Record classroom instruction bi-weekly
Engage in the cycle of development (learn, implement, reflect, share, feedback) with the
mentor/coach/support personnel bi-weekly through the IRIS Connect online platform
associated with the LiveView camera
Meet with mentor/coach/support personnel bi-weekly to reflect on instruction and
develop action plans
Participate in evaluation strategy (see below for details)
Technology Set-up and Support:
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Regular set-up and storage of LiveView camera in classrooms
Contact for troubleshooting with the LiveView camera and IRIS Connect online platform
Project CYCLE: Evaluation of the Project
The University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, in concert with the Office of Teacher Support &
Development, will be evaluating this project. The quasi-experimental design is based on a treatment
group (i.e., those who opt-in AND are selected by random lottery to participate in the LiveView Cycle of
Development Project) and control group (i.e., those who opt-in to the project but are NOT randomly
selected to participate).
Opting-in to the project signals consent to participate in the evaluation. Regardless of assignment as a
treatment or control group, the evaluation will be collecting the following data from your school:
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Teacher, mentor, and administration survey data
Teacher and mentor focus groups
Student test score data
Teacher effectiveness ratings
The goals of the evaluation are as follows:
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Understand the implementation of the LiveView camera, IRIS Connect online platform, and My
Teaching Partner (mentor/coach cycle).
Understand teacher and mentor perceptions of the use of the camera and mentor/coach cycle.
Determine the impact of the camera and mentor/coach cycle on key teacher and student
outcomes, such as:
o Teacher retention;
o Teacher evaluation ratings;
o Mentor engagement;
o Mentor goal achievement; and
o Student outcomes on standardized tests.
Project CYCLE: Training & Evaluation Timeline
The timeline below outlines the approximate month in which training of an evaluation obligation is to
occur. Details on the trainings (i.e., time, date, and location) will be made available once schools are
selected to participate.
JulySept.
2012
Training: Instructional Framework (2 days)
x
Training: MTP Cycle of Development (2 days)
x
Training: LiveView Camera & IRIS Connect platform (1 day)
x
Jan.
2013
x
x
x
x
Follow-up Survey: Teachers and Mentors/Coaches
Data Collection: Student Outcomes and Teacher Effectiveness
Aug.
2013
x
Focus Groups: Teachers, Administrators and Mentors/Coaches
Surveys: Teachers, Administrators and Mentors/Coaches
June
2013
x
x
x
Project CYCLE: Opt-In Instructions
If you are interested in this opportunity for your school, please click to complete the online OPT-IN
FORM. Completion and submission of this form indicates that you are opting-in to the project. Thus,
your submission signals that you understand the goal of the project and are aware of all eligibility
requirements, roles and responsibilities, evaluation participation, and project timeline requirements as
noted above.
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Upon review of all submissions
o City Schools’ Information technology Department (ITD) will confirm that opt-in schools
have the IT infrastructure necessary to participate in the project
 If a school does not have the IT infrastructure needed for the project that school
will not be able to participate and will be notified.
o After review of opt-in schools, those that meet the opt-in criteria and have the IT
infrastructure necessary for the project will be randomly assigned to participate as a
member of either the treatment or control group.
o City Schools’ Office of Teacher Support & Development will contact you to notify you of
your project participation and group assignment
o City Schools will provide all treatment group schools with additional information around
implementation. Specifically,
 The LiveView camera and My Teaching Partner cycle details
 Teacher opt-in/selection processes
 Mentor/Coach opt-in/selection processes
 Training logistics
 Evaluation logistics
All Opt-In Forms must be submitted online to the Office of Teacher Support & Development by May
18th. Schools will receive notification of their participation status by June 1st.
If you would like more information about the project or have questions about the opt-in process, please
contact the Office of Teacher Support & Development or indicate on the opt-in form that you would like
to attend the webinar being offered to discuss the project.
Jarrod Bolte, Director
jbolte@bcps.k12.md.us
443-642-4104
Kasey L. Mengel, Program Evaluator
kmengel@bcps.k12.md.us
APPENDIX
Figure 1: City Schools’ My Teaching Partner Implementation Cycle
CYCLE Project Calendar Example
This calendar is an example of the cycle of development to be engaged in between teachers and
mentors.
September 2012
Mon
3
Tue
4
Fri
7
12
13
14
Coach reviews
teacher’s responses
to prompts
Coach and teacher
participate in a
conference to
discuss next steps
and write an action
plan
18
19
20
21
25
26
27
28
Coach reviews
video, selects clip,
and writes prompts
11
Teacher reviews the
video, specific clip,
and responds to the
prompts
17
5
Thu
6
Teacher records
video
10
Wed
CYCLE REPEATS
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Partners of the Project:
thereNow: Provides the camera and software platform to capture live classroom video and execute the
feedback and coaching process. We have purchased 40 cameras and the associated software with Year
1 RTTT funds for use in schools beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.
Iris Connect LiveView Camera
School Improvement Network: Provides a video library (PD360) of over 250 viewable hours of researchbased strategies, proven methods, expert opinion, and real classroom examples. It will also provide a
platform for sharing video with the other 190+ schools and programs that are not part of the group of
10 schools who have cameras and are using the feedback process.
Bob Pianta – Teachstone, University of Virginia Curry School of Education: The My Teaching Partner
process will be used as a foundation for the cycle of development that will be used in conjunction with
the Iris Connect LiveView Camera and sharing of video to the PD360 platform. We have been working
with this partner embed the process in the camera software and use the City Schools instructional
Framework and Rubrics as the basis for feedback and mentoring/coaching. The University of Virginia’s
Curry School of Education will also be leading the evaluation of the LiveView Cycle of Development
Project