Kansas Distance Mentorship Project

1. Kansas Distance Mentorship Project A Bridge to Better Teaching

2. Organizational Partners • Kansas State School for the Blind • Kansas Deaf-Blind Project • National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness • Dr. Anne Nielsen (KSSB) • Robert Taylor (KSSB) • Megan Cote (DB Project) • Jon Harding (NCDB)

3. Change is Hard!

4. Traditional model of TA • Crisis • Request for Help (Immediately!) • On-site visit by “expert” from outside • A crowd gathers and waits for the epiphany • “Assessments” are conducted (sometimes randomly) • Reports are created • Recommendations are made • Life goes on (Best of Luck!)

5. Why adopt a new TA model? • Increased demand for Technical Assistance • Expense of on-site TA • Limited resources (time, money, personnel) • Teachers need time to practice, observe, and reflect • OSEP encouragement • Limited effectiveness of traditional models • Innovation is necessary!

6. Goals of DMP • Bring agencies together to build trust and respect • Create an innovative model • Determine effectiveness and acceptance of model • Create ‘springboard’ for systems change in respective agencies • Develop rapport with primary teacher, team, family • Increase teacher skills (observation, wait time, communication development, etc.) • Narrow focus of TA via “routines” • Increase communication among school team • Create long-term impact (generalization of new skills to new kids and environments)

7. The DMP “Package” • Video Capture and Posting • Electronic Repository (Wiki) • Web Conferencing DMP combines these three elements into one TA ‘package’ that is designed to promote accountability (for both consultants and recipients).

8. DMP essentials (beyond big 3) • Existing relationship with teacher/team • Explanation of DMP beforehand: expectations articulated • Administrative commitment: ie: teams permitted to use wiki and meet monthly with consultants. • More than one consultant (relationships must be secure!) • Videos of routines must be captured weekly. • Wikis must be updated weekly. • Single point of contact • Confidentiality forms • Teams must come to web conferences prepared (questions, etc) • Outcomes targeted in advance • Action Plans • Person-Centered Plan

9. VIDEO EXCHANGE/POSTING • Short clips (5 mins or less) • Flip cams are used (easy, easy, EASY!) • Uploaded to video hosting site (Vimeo, drop.io) • Video hosting site linked to wiki • Focus is on “routines” (eating, circle time, PT time, etc) • Teacher/student interaction is essential • Clips captured at least 1x per week • Teachers need to provide context (ask questions, make comments, etc).

10. Video hosting sites • Concern about ‘security’ and inappropriate content. • YouTube and/or Facebook are not ideal sites for that reason. • TeacherTube, other hosting sites are more secure, but often costs $ to join. • Drop.io has been a good choice for security, but is going out of business. • Dropbox • Vimeo • Box.net • MediaFire • ZumoDrive

11. Video 1

12. Video 2

13. Video 3

14. Video 4

15. Wiki Sites • Electronic repository for discussion, resources, video • Serves as permanent record for TA consult and progress • Eliminates emailing and lost files • Consultants can post observations, suggestions, or pertinent tools (assessment forms, observation forms, etc) • Team members who are not part of routine can keep tabs on progress. • Family members can follow along and/or participate. • Requires minimal skill to set up

16. Wikis we’ve used Google Sites: • every team member needs google ‘account’ • Password required • Fairly robust (widgets, add-ons) Wetpaint: • Very simple • Lots of adds on ‘free version’ • Embedding video not as easy Weebly: simple website and blog

17. WEB CONFERENCING • “Face to Face meetings” between consultants and team. • Held once a month for 1.5 – 2 hours • This is venue to address issues: “How are things going?” “Are you satisfied with suggestions” “What questions do you have?” • Action plans are created at end of web conference • Better than phone conference because nonverbal cues are visible. • Once “bad hair day” syndrome is addressed, most teams become comfortable with it. • Requires consultant team to confer in advance and prioritize suggestions. • Good to have a “backup plan” (ie: phone)

18. Web Conferencing tools we’ve used • SKYPE (point to point only) • Adobe Connect • Polycom

19. What about Video Editing? • Keep it simple!! • Example: Quicktime Pro vs Camtasia. • Smaller clips are much easier to share and manipulate. • Adding text is a nice way to emphasize content. • Make sure you get permissions!

20. Tips to ensure commitment • Take the innovation where it is wanted!!! • Explain DMP process and expectations early • Have a relationship with teacher/team BEFORE you try this • Create action plans and write down “to dos” • Explain that DMP is free TA and much more intensive that “traditional” TA • Move quickly to “routines” and show progress early. • Start small (limit video to specific activities/routines) • Find specific things teachers are doing well and recognize that! • Get team using Wiki EARLY • Agree on web conference days in advance • Use forms and ask team to complete

21. Excuses you will hear! (and our response) • Our school (IT person, principal, etc) will NEVER allow this! (Have you asked?) • Are these sites secure? (Secure is a sliding scale. The wikis we use are password protected and not attractive to typical ‘hackers’) • I’m not any good with technology! (We aren’t either, let’s learn together!) • We can’t get everyone together at that time (no problem, lets choose another time). • We can’t access wiki sites at school. (We might be able to convince the IT guy, can we meet with him/her?) • Mom/Dad/family doesn’t have internet. (Maybe they can use school/library/friends computer? Is there another way we can share progress?) • Etc etc.

22. Outcomes Service Provider Increases in: • Understanding impacts of DB • Use of strategies to improve communication • Use of strategies to improve choice making • Use of object symbols • Use of scheduling/calendar systems Child Increases in: • Active engagement in instruction • Use of sensory systems • Social interactions

23. Best Practices shared in DMP (examples): • Routines • Person Centered Planning • Building trust with child • Observational skills • Choice-Making • Calendar Systems • Communication Assessment • Vision Assessment • Wait Time strategies • Object Symbol selection • Hand Under Hand and importance of touch • Touch Cues • Self-Determination strategies • Data-Collection

24. What consultants like about DMP: • Shared responsibility • Collegiality • TA “in the trenches” • Allows documentation of progress over time • Building relationships with providers • Constant stream of feedback via wikis • Building capacity and communication of teams • Increases accountability of TA recipients • Allows for family involvement and input

25. DMP FORMS

26. DMP FORMS:

27. Brochure

28. Brochure

29. DB Perspectives Article Vol 17, Issue 2

30. Next Steps • Steppingstones Grant Application • New Teams for 2011 • Refining process • Expanding Outreach and Dissemination