Bill Moore
Robert Goddard Middle School
138-30 Lafayette Street
Queens, NY 11417
Using technology as the main focus in teaching and learning as I introduce ninth grade and high school curriculum.
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We hope to continue the successful use of technology to support teaching and learning on the secondary level.
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Because the Department of Education emphasizes the Workshop Model to drive instruction, we plan to infuse technology tools into this structure for the high school.
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A main factor of this challenge is to make this transition. A carefully planned program with realistic goals will be a guide to the implementation of the new high school.
Process
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Carefully prepare both the staff and the administration for this physical and educational change to the building. Grade nine students will be moved into the basement of the building. This step must also address student arrival and dismissal plus movement throughout the building and common use facilities to avoid conflicts with the middle school.
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Begin the school year with technology in the hands of every teacher and subsequently, every grade 9 student.
A request was put into various sources for school funds to help with the cost of outfitting every student with a laptop device to use for daily instruction. Councilman Adabo has agreed to assist with the four year funding of student devices. Also, due to the decreasing number of middle school students many devices can be shared with the middle school which will not interfere with the success of the middle school technology program. The plan is to deploy student devices by the first week in October 2008. This will enable teachers and staff to adequately prepare students for the transition into high school and to acclimate them to the routine, rules and procedures of the school and to the high school environment.
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Ensure that technology is put into the hands of every core content teacher.
I will hire staff that has extensive technology knowledge, and particularly its infusion into the curriculum. They should be willing to attend professional development during the summer and/or throughout the school year. The administrator and technology coach must set minimum requirements for the use of technology in the classroom so that the teachers must use technology to present instruction using a laptop, LCD projector and an interactive Smartboard.
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Build staff capacity in the high school such that they will have significant experience of teaching and learning through technology. They will meet with school partners, Columbia University, Teachers College and Apple Computer to establish goals for integrating technology with the high school curriculum. Once goals have been established a schedule of professional development activities for the high school calendar must be devised.
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Apple Computers will provide a certified training program for the students as they progress through the 11 th
and 12 th
grades of the high school. Students will become Final Cut Pro certified by the time they gradate, therefore providing them with some technology industry experience
Obstacles
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The constricted and unpredictable budget that schools have been faced with recently.
Due to budget cuts we must now look to different avenues that will assist with funding of professional development as well as for updating technology on a large scale. At this point it is important to look to grant opportunities, to the community and local politicians. Networking is critical in the leadership role and knowing where and when to seek outside sources is fundamental in implementing change.
Outcomes
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At present, the plan has been moving forward and there is certainly a short-term realization of the goals at hand.
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We have had several correspondences with Teachers College, Columbia
University on their role in implementing a distance learning plan. The next step in this is to seek funding to provide professional development in the summer for incoming staff.
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