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PASC Field-Based Projects. Fielding Graduate University Carrie Tortorella Fall, 2006. Vision. Learn, create, embrace, involve, and support a culture where: Families have more educational choices – such as academic progress, growth, teachers, schools, and curriculum
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PASC Field-Based Projects Fielding Graduate University Carrie Tortorella Fall, 2006
Vision • Learn, create, embrace, involve, and support a culture where: • Families have more educational choices – such as academic progress, growth, teachers, schools, and curriculum • Students have an opportunity to master essential skills and knowledge which will prepare them to thrive in today’s society • Families, businesses, and schools team to provide a rich, stimulating, and socially interactive environment for its community
My Needs… • Adaptable in different educational environments from state-to-state • Growth in leadership within a virtual school • Growth in leadership within a traditional school
Two Principal Internships: • California Virtual Academies (CAVA) - California • Mentored under Cynthia Griffith – Assistant Principal • Home-based school, 3300 students grades K-8 • Class size 25-30 • Students taught at home by parent using online curriculum; supervised and guided by teacher • “Virtual” school • Newsome Park Elementary (NPES) - Virginia • Mentored under Dr. Jay Teston – Principal • Title I School of 700 students grades K-5 • Class size 18-22 • Project-based Expeditionary School (ELOB) • “Traditional” school
Two Comprehensive Projects: • CAVA – Conduct research on an aspect of virtual education for students in K-8 (California) • Lead, design curriculum, and evaluate a pilot to teach middle school students in an online synchronous learning environment • NPES – Provide, curriculum, expertise and training to the computer technology curriculum in a new state (Virginia) • Backwards design (UbD) an integrated computer curriculum for a project-based K-5 school in Virginia • Collaborate with entire staff to create curriculum to help meet the students learning objectives • Train teaching assistant to teach students
PASC CPSELs Key • Shared Vision1.1, 1.2, 1.3 • School Culture2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 • Management3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 • Community4.1, 4.2, 4.3 • Ethics5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 • Political, Social, Economic, Legal and Cultural Understanding6.1, 6.2, 6.3
CPSELs 1.1, 2.4, 5.2, 6.2, 6.3 Internship 1: CAVA Needs Assessment • STAR Testing 2004-05: • Low AYP Math Scores – concentration in grades 5-8 in the sub-subject of Algebra • Parent Survey 2003/04 & 2004/05: • Parents felt inadequate to teach subject or needed resources in Math instruction • Student socialization/isolation revealed on school survey
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 Internship 1: CAVACollaborative Projects • Create and implement structures to support students & parents • Kid’s Clubs – interest groups • Virtual Tutoring network – organized teachers on a synchronous online platform to assist students • Family Partners • Parent Share Forums – virtual and in-person • Parent Curriculum Workshops • Organized School Directory • Moderate school’s community board • Create and implement structures to support teachers • Coach & mentor to new virtual teachers • Match curriculum to state test standards with document • Create Outings Assistant to help match outings with standards and curriculum • Participate in Policy Committee • National Charter School Conference Attendance and Presentation
CPSELs 1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 3.2, 5.2, 6.2 Internship 1: CAVAComprehensive Project From data, School Administration decided to use a synchronous computer mediated communications (S-CMC)* platform to address middle school students needs in Math *S-CMC is a java-based web conferencing platform (ie. Elluminate!Live) that features many real-time tools to host a meeting over the internet using your computer
CPSELs 1.2, 1.3, 2.2 Internship 1: CAVAComprehensive Project Research Questions: • Is S-CMC an appropriate mode of instructional delivery for students in the middle school grades? • What pedagogical methods are beneficial using an S-CMC community, specifically to this age group? • What free resources are readily available online to use when creating Pre-Algebra and Geography learning communities using S-CMC? • What considerations and modifications must be made when preparing for S-CMC communities for this age group? IRB Application
Figure 1 CPSELs 2.2 Internship 1: CAVAComprehensive Project • Virtual synchronous learning communities in the middle school using Elluminate!Live • Teaching Tools • Interactive Whiteboard • Instant Messaging • 2-way Audio • Emoticons • Online quizzes • Surveys/Polls • Breakout Rooms
CPSELs Internship 1: CAVAComprehensive Project • Geography Bee Competition Study Group • Total 8 lessons • once a week + competition in November-December • 2 groups, 8 /18 students in each • 50 min instruction, 10 min social or tutoring • Math Small Group Instruction • Total 8 lessons • Once a week March-April • 3 Pre-Algebra groups, 5-11 students in each • 40 min instruction, 10 min social or tutoring
CPSELs 6.3, 5.2, 5.1 Internship 1: CAVAComprehensive Project • Data Revealed: Survey • Older students with prior technological experience and motivation in the subject reported a more gratifying experience within the synchronous computer mediated communication classroom. • More interaction and collaboration if students had prior exposure and if sessions had many interactive activities. • Time to cover material and interactive games required 50 minutes minimum. • Students felt more satisfaction when there was “free” time to socialize in the virtual environment. • More satisfaction with groups large enough to have homogeneity and heterogeneity; that is the same gender and age, and varying gender and age. This seemed to be sustained in groups with attendance of 10 or larger.
CPSELs 6.3, 5.2, 5.1 Internship 1: CAVAComprehensive Project • Data Revealedcontinued: • Students preferring to operate in Sensimotor stage had difficulty adjusting to virtual environment. This tended to be younger students. • Beneficial to start at beginning of year, start sequentially and build curriculum • Lessons that matched what they were doing in actual Math class from week to week • Maximized 1-1 tutoring at end of each lesson • If interested in topic, high attendance and interaction • If typing skills high, high interaction and engagement • If parents were involved and interested, students were more interactive
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 5.2, 5.4, 5.3, 6.1 Internship 1: CAVAOutcomes • improve student academic achievement through the use of technology • technologically literate students • Math instruction support • Student learning communities • Pedagogical implications for future practices in virtual education and in S-CMC • Publicly documented
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.2 Internship 2: NPESNeeds Assessment • Analyzed state’s SOLs*, district’s UbD curriculum and school’s Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound (ELOB) mission to determine standards (for Virginia) • Discussion with principal to determine school’s needs for an integrated computer curriculum and computer training to instructional assistant • Analyzed school SOL* scores to determine grade-level weaknesses • ie. Comprehension in Grade 3 *SOL-Standards of Learning
CPSELs 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6.1 Internship 2: NPESSmall Projects • Shadow principal & vice principal in their roles • Staff trainings • Student Discipline • Student Counseling • Teacher Observations & Feedback • Support administration in their roles • Student Counseling (with Parent Involvement Specialist, Title I Coordinator, and Counselors) • Teacher Observations & Feedback
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3 Internship 2: NPESComprehensive Project • Created integrated curriculum map • Used analyzed SOL’s & Newport News UbD curriculum • Used map to build integrated technology lessons • Shared map with specialist teachers (music, art, etc) to allow them to integrate their lessons • Shared map with parents during Open House
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3 Internship 2: NPESComprehensive Project • Develop integrated technology lessons • Expand on material covered in homeroom class • Use to build culminating expeditionary projects • Build grade level skills in area of Math • Used survey and weekly emails with NPES teachers and staff to collaborate and refine curriculum map and tech curriculum
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3 Internship 2: NPESComprehensive Project • Train Teaching Assistant to Cover Technology Curriculum • Teach and build on assistant’s computer skills • Provide feedback on teaching • Provide feedback on time management • Help assistant to carry out curriculum upon my departure
CPSELs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3 Internship 2: NPESOutcomes • Improve student academic achievement through the use of technology • Technologically literate students • Streamline and unify curriculum • Streamline and unify NPES staff • Empower Technology Teaching Assistant who will persevere with project