Bill- Mineral county has used a variety of Professional Development Techniques in order to integrate technology into instruction- with varying degrees of success. We, of course use Compass trainers in grades K-8. They are good and knowledgeable, but suffer from the restrictions of time- even when we can get the teachers free. They are there several days and then gone. The train the trainer model also suffers because the trained teachers must return to their classroom after some training event. By far, the most successful PD we have comes through technology specialists hired for the teacher support. They train and then return at least a day each week. We managed to place two with ED Tech and Title II funds. We haven’t had funding that would provide similar support to high schools and I worry about salary after Ed Tech goes away. Results from these specialists is outstanding, as supported from teacher survey and principal evaluation. The only continuing demand is MORE! When specialists are at the school, it is their job to identify the needs and schedule the times. We provide after school compensation to teachers when that time can be used. We schedule the specialists with flexible schedules that allows them to decide the hours that best suit their schools. Hope this helps. It’s really the only way to do it. Mike Burke – Mineral County Technology Coordinator
I agree with the priority on PD for teachers.
The main problem recognized by almost everyone, can probably only be addressed by legislation:
There is little to no time in the calendar in which to hold PD sessions. If they are held after hours, teachers must be paid stipends and cannot be required to attend. At the same time, due to the overwhelming current climate which strongly discourages teachers from missing instructional time, they cannot miss during the day even if subs are available, which they often are not, or are unaffordable.
The obvious solution is that the Legislature needs to build in several more days to the teachers' employment term, which would provide time for additional staff development. This would obviously incur a major cost, therefore the feasibility of its happening can only be measured by the will of the legislature to improve technology competencies and utilization. The WVDE's recognition of these technology-related issues, while a start, cannot solve the problem despite the best of intentions; ultimately it is a matter of money--- money for teachers' time, so that they may receive the additional training and professional development.
Second, I agree strongly about the need for technology resource persons in every school; we technology people have pushed this for over a decade. Nothing has happened because money is required to implement it, either in direct funds or a change in the funding formula. I would like to see a day when lawmakers and politicians were as proud to say "we put technology people in the schools" as they have been to say, "We put computers in the schools". Mo Kittle - Randolph County Technology Coordinator
Phone Conversation with Nancy Napolillo Without question, a Technology Information Specialist is needed as a permanent fixture in each school to facilitate teacher integration of technology. More Offerings of Technology Staff Development needs to be delivered online through such applications as: Video Streaming, Connected University, etc. Teachers need much more time for collaborative interaction in the use of technology in the curriculum. Providing adequate time is crucial to meaningful integration. Nancy Napolillo – Monongalia County Technology Coordinator
Here are my ramblings regarding staff development: - The biggest barrier for these goals is funding. Adequate personnel (TIS), staff development programs, substitutes, etc. can be provided if the money is there.
- One of the best ways to measure success is to see principals reporting technology integration taking place as they do evaluations and walk-throughs.
- We have done mostly skills-based (applications) staff development in the past but we're moving toward more integration training. This has all been face-to-face training and frequently has been train-the-trainer. We find that train-the-trainer doesn't work very well because the trainers do not have the time to pass along their knowledge.
- I think one of the best ways to assist teachers in technology integration is to provide full-time technology integration specialists. In the one school where we have a person in that role, tech integration takes place in more classrooms than at any other school. This person also helps with troubleshooting PCs and the network. As a result, the technology works to a greater degree than in other schools.
- One of the keys to successful PD is the ability of teachers to immediately apply what they have learned and the ability to consult with a local "expert" in a timely fashion. Hence, the employment of TISs.
- I firmly believe that more teachers would integrate technology if they had on-site support and training. (Do you see a common thread in my responses? Can you spell TIS?)
David Kenny – Technology Coordinator, Berkeley County
Teacher Feedback… Teacher Interview----High School Level technology savvy teachers Professional Development Comments for Governor’s Advisory Council A laptop program for every teacher in the state would is a good idea if strict guidelines for the program are established. Include Tech Standards (Utilizing Standards Course USIC) **Be sure to include proper usage and care of the laptop to make the job of the tech people at the school easier. **Be sure to emphasize that the laptops are property of the county. Like USIC because it is based on ISTE Standards and is already in place. Recommend purchasing a jump drive for the laptops and also using Deep Freeze to eliminate tech support issues. Feel strongly that USIC need to be offered in levels. Complete a pre-test to select levels. Offer the course in 3 levels. The advance level would include blogging, digital imaging, etc. Should do a critical mass pilot! Second Phase ---Integration Options Option 1 PD on integration options ---this might be offered to those that are happy to use resources that are already developed. Option 2—Phase 9 program ---would need to add another incentive such as a white board Must include Leadership and accountability. Feel strongly that principals must step up and mandate the integration of technology. Current PD offerings are sometimes too restrictive – need to allow for flexibility Focus on hooking younger teachers Bill, Thank you for the opportunity to provide input into this committee. I am excited that the committee is actually in existence and that you are our representative. I think it will make a big difference in technology education in the state. I have read the attachment you sent and can agree with most of it. I have found that training is also a big issue. Our teachers want training but they don’t want to take the time to actually attend. They don’t want to do it after school unless they are paid for it and we both know that that is not always an option. I am fortunate in that I have money available to provide sub coverage but then the teachers and principals complain that they are out of the classroom. We have one school that really stands out with the use of technology and training for teachers – Bridgeport Middle. It is the only school where we have a teacher who can take two days a week and work with others in her building in the use of technology. She is there to walk them through step-by-step and the help solve any problems that may show up. As a result, teachers in the building fight over who gets to use the 6 computer labs. I think that a full time TIS is an absolute necessity in every building. Of course this would require a change in the state aid formulae to allow for such positions. I have found that the majority of the new teachers that I interview are very technologically literate and have great ideas as to how to integrate technology into their subject area - Even PE. There is a serious lack of qualified substitutes available to cover for the TIS or local level computer teacher. Many times, it is an older teacher who doesn’t even know how to turn a computer on. It would good to have a training program developed to provide for a pool of qualified technology substitutes. I can agree with all the problems listed also. While we are fortunate to have 4 full time techs and two network engineers on staff, we still have problems with service. We simply can not keep up with 5000 computers and the related problems. While other counties have had success in utilizing student technicians, I have concerns about students having administrative access to XP workstations. Outdated computers are a major problem. It will cost me over $3,000,000.00 to replace all the non-Windows XP workstations in Harrison County. (That’s based on an average price of $1,000/computer.) So far, I have been able to replace about 1/3 of them through six different funding sources. I have concerns that by the time I am able to replace all of them, XP will be a non-supported operating system. Bandwidth is an extremely critical issue. We are paying for a full DS-3 line to WVNET however, once it reaches them, our connection is shared by over 600 other entities. We are seriously looking into obtaining our own Internet access so we have sufficient bandwidth. Thank you again for the opportunity to provide input. Please feel free to contact me for additional information if you so desire and I will be glad to help in any way needed. Jim Jim Eschenmann – Technology Coordinator, Harrison County Schools | 
