EdTech Leaders Online: Building Capacity with Online Professional Development

1. EdTech Leaders Online: Building Capacity with Online Professional Development Barbara Treacy

2. About EdTech Leaders Online (ETLO) • Goal: Build organizational capacity to use online learning • Based in the Center for Online Professional Education at EDC • EDC: Non-profit organization founded in 1958 - over 600 employees • ETLO Origins: • Harvard/EDC Leadership and New Technologies Institutes • Research with several urban & rural districts • Fall 2000: ETLO launched with 14 teams and support of AT&T • Still working with many original teams here today: VA, LA, MA, etc. • Spring 2003: Partnership with SREB -- SC, AL, WV, TN, MD, KY, LA, VA, etc. • Fall 2004: 31+ states; 900 online facilitators and designers trained; over 10,000 online workshop participants • Jan 2005: Celebrating 5 years!

3. EdTech Leaders Online Programs • Two main OPD programs: • Facilitating and Implementing OPD • Designing and Developing Online Courses • Semester-long online training • 26 online workshops: project-based, subject/grade-level specific • New: Reading First, Algebra, Adolescent Lit, Diff. Instruction • Ongoing planning and implementation support • National forum for online instructors and designers – growing! • Graduate credit & Certificate through Antioch University • New: Two main Virtual Schools programs • Online Instructor • Online Designer • New: Partnership with Western Governor’s University

4. EdTech Leaders Online Workshops Workshops for Teachers of All Grade Levels and Content Areas • Finding the Best Educational Resources on the Web • Approaches and Tools for Developing Web-enhanced Lessons • Using Technology to Support Research and Presentation • Special Students in Regular Classrooms (with CAST) • Transforming the Classroom with Project-Based Learning • Designing a Virtual Tour • Using Hand-Held Computers in the Classroom • Classroom Assessment Enhanced by Technology • Differentiating Instruction Workshops for Elementary Teachers • Using New Technologies to Support Literacy in Upper Elementary Classrooms • Using New Technologies to Support Literacy in Primary-level Classrooms • Reading First: Supporting Early Reading Instruction with Technology • Using Technology in the Elementary Math Classroom

5. EdTech Leaders Online Workshops, cont’d Workshops for Middle School and High School Teachers • Using Technology to Support the Writing Process • Technology Tools to Support Inquiry in the Science Classroom • Using Technology in the Social Studies Classroom • Using Technology to Model and Analyze Real Data in the Math Classroom • Getting Ready for Algebra with Virtual Manipulatives • Making the Most of Adolescent Literature • Improving Reading and Writing in the Content Areas • Helping Struggling Readers • Teaching Students How to Conduct Online Research Workshops for School and District Leaders • Special Students in Regular Classrooms: Technology, Teaching and Universal Design for Administrators • Planning for Curriculum Integration of Technology • Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse • Smart Budgeting for Technology: An Introduction to TCO • Data-Based School Reform

6. Online Professional Development Model – Some lessons • OPD incorporates basic principles of effective PD • Content and pedagogy leads; technology follows • Focused on classroom practice • Capacity-building, team approach: collaborative relationships can be formed online • Learning community model: enables engaged, reflective discussions • Complements and extends other PD activities - doesn’t replace • OPD is ongoing and enables follow-up • Flexible programs can adapt to local needs • Specific techniques and approaches are needed for effective online teaching and course design

7. Thank you! Barbara Treacy btreacy@edc.org EdTech Leaders Online http://www.edtechleaders.org Education Development Center http://www.edc.org