PSA T3 YBP Descriptor 5/11/14
The Opportunity:
Communication Technology is in the midst of a comprehensive revolution in
capability, and because of various factors, the pace of change is likely to continue to
ramp up. Communication tech and “cloud tools”(for learning) already provide great
capability to address learning potentials and learning achievement. Where we are
today is only the beginning of what will be possible in the next five to ten years. This
capability should be, and can be, brought to bear on regional educational challenges.
Technology has to be “done right” but it’s a potential game changer for a state mired
in worst educational rankings across the board.
Dr. Rodriguez has shown correlations between learning resources availability in
DAC, and the educational outcomes for various neighborhoods and schools. Cloud
based Ed Tech has the potential to bring access and resources to the places where
they are most needed, and most lacking. We need to turn that potential into reality.
Communication Technology is empowering, and it supports collaborative learning
where the grass roots can take the initiative. It brings capability to the end user, and
creates Do It Yourself tools and resources. This trend complements well the family
and group cohesiveness and mutual support systems notably present in the DAC
region. We can be leaders in developing methods where Familismo is the ground
upon which collaborative DIY learning can be enabled and created. That opportunity
is present now; and will continue to develop in the near and mid term.
The Project:
Public Services Alliance (501c3) has conceived a project to fulfill one of the essential
needs to support enabling Ed Tech/ Cloud based learning tools here in DAC.
“Training the Trainers” (T3) will develop grass roots community organization
based “Facilitators” for DIY and Familismo based learning activities.
It focuses on the next generation of youth in their late teens who are ready to learn
how to become cloud-learning-tool-enabled “learning circle leaders” or facilitators.
The model is to train advanced and mature youth as a foundational group, who
would then be part of training the next circle of facilitators, who would then be part
of training a successive group of facilitators. Imagine a ripple of Promotores
propagating through a pond in a self sustaining expansion.
This PSA T3 Youth Brigade Project will teach the initial group in Online Teaching
and Learning methods, principals, theories, practices, and will work closely with
other PSA resources as a PSA T3 Learning App is created. Various resources will be
combined to support the success of the project, which will produce both learning
tools based on regional learning needs, and a cadre of trainers who can work with
local organizations to train up staff, and work with helping move local programs
“into the cloud.”
Other potential projects exist, with variations on the above theme, which we can
address in further discussions.
The Organization:
Public Services Alliance (PSA) is a 501c3 incorporated in Las Cruces in 2008 with a
mission statement to serve the interests of regional non profit organizations in
moving important parts of their programs and services online. Our most notable
project to date was a 18 month program to create a community wide ARRA BTOP
and Broadband Infrastructure grant application for DAC, and El Paso. This involved
organizing all the educational, governmental, and private entities who needed to
come together and jointly apply and compete for a share of the $8 Billion available
nationwide.
While this was an enormous challenge, and while the effort evolved into two
separate grants for DAC and El Paso, the El Paso BTOP grant did receive funding of
approximately $8 million which has been supporting community computer access
and learning in the last couple years all across El Paso.
Today, PSA is led by 3 BOD who have all completed the 15 credit graduate level
course in Online Learning and Teaching (OTL) offered by NMSU. We maintain a
website with over 800 quality links to present research and concepts, and we
continue to develop our own foundational ideas and tools for a cloud based or
mobile app to “Train the Trainers”. We continue to have community wide contacts
and interests.
Colleagues (short representative selection!…)
Melanie Goodman Sen. Udall rep
Earl Philips former LCPS Ed Tech Innovation Leader (State Ed Bond Leader)
Ruben Castaneda ED El Paso Libraries, El Paso BTOP grant implementation
Adam Cavotta NMSU Training
Maria Flores LCPS BOD
Nathan Small CLC Council
Josh and John Diven Youth teachers/ learners
Estella Reyes, Antonio Santos La Fey
Julia Parra, Susan Bussman NMSU Online Teaching and Learning, RETA
Mary Carter WIC
Lisa LaRoque CLC Sustainability
Ed Lappin former tech development leader for LCPS, and At Risk Youth teacher
Gary Gomes, former practicing Attorney before FCC, present “Tempo” training for JC Penny
employees and other enterprise training.
John Munoz
Tracey Byrne former “The Bridge” Ed
Christina Little
Jeff Steinborn
Dr. Larry Brown
Present PSA BOD officers
John Griffith Pres,
Kris Witte Vice Pres,
Liz Brown Sec
(see attached resumes)