University of Missouri- PT3

1. University of Missouri- PT3 Jan Mastin Joseph L. Polman Katherine Beyer

2. Background • Three years working with the MINTs project (Multimedia Interactive Networked Technologies ) • Teaching thirteen 4th and 5th grade teachers how to integrate technology into their classrooms in a constructivist environment

3. Initial Training • Laptop operation • Dial up connection to a remote server • Email • Netscape basics • File Management

4. MINTs Ongoing Support • Monthly meetings • Weekly classroom visits • Listserve – sharing of resources • Email activity • Trouble-shooting support from MOREnet

5. Student Outcomes • Students • no longer looked to the teacher for answers • Gained understanding instead of memorizing facts • Analyzed problems • Worked cooperatively • Organized and synthesized information • Produced creative solutions to real-world problems

6. Outcomes of the MINTs Project • More professional work by students • Fewer absences • Increased parental involvement • Fewer behavioral problems • Increase in test scores

7. National Percentile Growthas measured by the California Achievement Test 5

8. Teacher Comments • “I would never go back to teaching without technology” • "My students are more independent workers now." • “The students can explain their answers, unlike when they just memorized things.” • "I have seen a lot more transfer of skills from one subject to another."

9. UMSL College of Education • One class in Microcomputers in Education • Faculty members had computers but used them mainly for word processing • Some faculty used email

10. The Need • Workplaces are computerized and networked • Skills Needed • Problem-solving • Information gathering • Communication • Schools need to prepare children • Teacher education institutions need to prepare teachers to integrate technology in daily instruction • Reform must be a high priority

11. New Leadership • Dean sent out weekly updates by email • Commissioned a curriculum redesign team • Secured funds for an endowed professorship in Educational Technology • Opened position for one Ed Tec professor • Sought funds for building a educational technology center

12. Curriculum Redesign • Courses grouped by three levels • Exploration • Analysis • Professional • 40 hours of observations required for core classes, some of it in technology-rich classrooms

13. PT3 Project • Opportune Timing • Hiring of two technology professors • New Technology & Learning Center • Proposal based on the knowledge we gained by training and supporting the MINTs teachers

14. The Goal Change the “scene” at the College of Education to include the expectation and reality of using technology as teaching tool throughout the program

15. The TLC

16. Cadres • First Semester from Level I – Exploration • Introduction to American Schools • Introduction to Teaching • Introduction to Learners and Learning • 5 full-time instructors • 5 part-time instructors • Instructors would begin modeling and teaching technology integration when our students began their education courses

17. Member Selection • Like the MINTs program we selected people who • Were open to change • Were not frightened of technology • Thought technology could benefit their students and better prepare them for schools of the 21st century • No technology knowledge required

18. Technology Menu • PT3 participants & MINTs teachers suggested ways to integrate technology • Selected Menu Items from those ideas • Lack of accountability • Following Semester • Technology Integration Menu • Commitment Paper

19. Menu Items • Email • Asynchronous discussions • Web based resources • Posting syllabus to web • Collaborative projects using PowerPoint to share results • Web page creation

20. MINTs Teachers • Attended meetings and met with our faculty • Held panel discussions about technology integration in their K-12 classrooms • Presented student projects • Opened their classrooms for observations • “Managing a Technology-Rich Classroom” article on our web site

21. Faculty Support • Initial one-on-one meeting to discuss teaching methods and course content • What did the instructor want to do? • Suggestions of integration ideas • Small informal workshops in the TLC • One-on-one coaching • Resource page of appropriate web sites • TLC support staff available 9:00am-7:00pm daily

22. Technology Component in one Foundation Course • Creation of web sites about child development topics • Goals • Learning about psychological development • Gaining an appreciation of resources available on WWW • Learning how to find those resources • Learning how to make web resource pages

23. Ambitious Project • Student Reactions • Considerable trepidation –“learning how to create a web page was very stressful to even think about” (student reflection paper, Winter 2000) • Student reactions related to levels of experience

24. Support Services • Winter 2000 class meetings held in computer classroom with two PT3 staff as guest facilitators with instructor • Web page editing basics using Netscape Composer introduced • Web page template on disk to assist groups in adding and modifying text, inserting their group photo, and links to resources on the Internet. • Variety of technology skill levels in the class

25. Support Services (continued) • Some with web page editing skills to several with little experience with computers at all and a great deal of fear. • Instructor created groups of 3-4 students placing at least one student in each group with stronger technology expertise as measured by a skills survey administered online (http://profiler.scrtec.org)

26. Results (from student reflection papers at end of semester) • In-class orientation and handouts were of use to students • Many desired more in-depth background and detailed written reference materials • Multiple facilitators and expert peers helped • More in-class time with facilitators desired • Difficulties experienced by groups trying to meet outside of class time (largely commuter campus)

27. Results (continued) • Most students expressed agreement with the notion that teachers should be prepared to integrate technology. • Some expressed frustration with tech assignment they did not expect in psychology of learning course. • As participants in first section of the course integrating technology, they knew other students weren't faced with this task. • Despite frustrations, most students were pleased with their accomplishments.

28. Fall 2000 • Three sections of the course integrate web page assignment with the new Technology & Learning Center (TLC) in full operation. • TLC opened mid-way into Winter semester of first course and therefore unavailable for introductory lessons… • As opposed to computer labs TLC offers at least two staff available on the floor to help at all times. • Class meetings to introduce project held in TLC with facilitators present to assist.

29. Fall 2000 (continued) • Similar student reactions - a mixture of excitement at using technology and some trepidation at the newness and complexity of the task. • Students made more use of staff support in TLC after spending time there during their class introductions to web page design. • No requests were made for additional support staff at end of semester per final reflection papers.

30. Technology Challenge • Professor could not attend class • No assignment was posted • No knowledge of CourseInfo’s Blackboard • Walking professor through process

31. Success • Availability of immediate help • Advisement by PT3 staff • Blackboard easy to understand interface • TLC space

32. PT3: Lessons Learned • Coordination of classroom visits • Resistance to change • PT3 Listserve • Relationship with the MINTs teachers • Lack of time to visit faculty classrooms • Scheduling of PT3 Meetings

33. Rewards • Our students are excited about assignments using technology • Instructors are getting to know their students better through Blackboard discussion groups • Removing the “mystery” of technology

34. Summer Plans • Webquest workshops for faculty • Create a Matrix • Foundation class objectives • ISTE Standards • Create appropriate assignments using technology