School+District+of+Lancaster

SDoL Team Members:

Michael Slechta, Central Office Administrator Barbara Rule, District Instructional Technology Coach Linda Cummings, Burrowes ES 5th grade teacher Chris Maiorino, Burrowes ES 4th grade teacher Andrew Wulfkuhle, Burrowes, Library Media Specialist


 * Established in 1836, the School District of Lancaster is the second oldest district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The School District of Lancaster serves a diverse population of approximately 11,000 students: 56.7% Hispanic, 22.1% African American, 18.2% Caucasian, 3.2% Asian/other. The District's thirteen elementary schools, four middle schools, one high school campus and two alternative schools are home to approximately 1,620 staff members, including administrators, teachers, counselors, and support staff. (http://www.lancaster.k12.pa.us/View_Page.aspx?id=4rS5095c91s=)
 * Established in 1836, the School District of Lancaster is the second oldest district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The School District of Lancaster serves a diverse population of approximately 11,000 students: 56.7% Hispanic, 22.1% African American, 18.2% Caucasian, 3.2% Asian/other. The District's thirteen elementary schools, four middle schools, one high school campus and two alternative schools are home to approximately 1,620 staff members, including administrators, teachers, counselors, and support staff. (http://www.lancaster.k12.pa.us/View_Page.aspx?id=4rS5095c91s=)

Last year, an EETT grant funded a interactive whiteboards and laptops at Burrowes Elementary School. This year the project has funded similar technologies at three other elementary schools. We are working toward integrating technology and 21st Century skills into our curriculum.

**Action Research Project - Template**
//We want to be able to share and post your Action Research Projects on the PLP website so that others may learn from you. We want to brag on you! We will be making web pages from these projects, so to make the projects a little more uniform and easier to flip through we are asking that you fill out this form. Don't worry - it's not nearly as daunting as it looks. This is meant to be a snapshot of your project with artifacts and links should a reader wish to dig deeper into your research.//

//For your convenience we have copied and pasted this information into your school's team page. Please delete the directions that are *in asterisks* once you are finished.//

**Team SDoL**
Michael Slechta, Central Office Administrator Barbara Rule, District Instructional Technology Coach Linda Cummings, Burrowes ES 5th grade teacher Chris Maiorino, Burrowes ES 4th grade teacher Andrew Wulfkuhle, Burrowes, Library Media Specialist

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//The purpose of our project is to use 21st Century Learning techniques to promote teacher growth and transformation based on inquiry, classroom application and critical reflection. Through the creation of a safe learning environment, we hope to enable teachers to break down the walls that isolate their classroom practice and develop a collaborative community dedicated to exploring professional development topics that they have identified as important to their professional practices and collaborate with others. By exploring topics of need/interest and through the use of 21st Century learning techniques, teachers are supported by their peers as they learn to implement new ideas and technology in their classrooms.//=====

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//Our Strategic Plan sets a goal for on-going, job-embedded professional develompent to develop and retain excellent and diverse administrators, teachers and support staff and improve instruction and support for students. While we are aware of the need to have specific initiatives at the district and site levels, there are limited opportunities for teachers to participate in collaborative practices outside of the top-down PD structure. In addition, teachers are given few opportunities for self-selected learning outside of college or other coursework or a professional options plan election in the OSE process. These, too, are often done in relative isolation from colleagues.//=====

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//Our research projects centers on peer-driven, teacher collaboration to provide opportunities to collaborate on issues related to curriculum, education and professional development. In addition, we hope to promote student learning by developing the capacity of the teachers to function in a learning group and engage in 21st Century Learning techniques.//=====

//Objectives://
//1. Identify a collaborative tool for use in the online professional learning.// //2. Define the purpose, membership, norms, terms of use, participation measurements and guidelines for inappropiate use.// //3. Select a test group for the NING.// //4. Create and survey about collaboration and professional learning needs.// //5. Identify collaborative topics for the NING.// //6. Communicate the availability of the NING to a wider audience.//
 * //We selected a mini-NING sponsored through Pearson Education. [|http://sdlpln.ning.com]//
 * [[file:Purpose and Contract]]
 * //The group was invited in a face-to-face meeting.//
 * //We will use the survey as a pre- and post- survey to determine changes in attitudes and practices.//
 * [|www.surveymonkey.com]
 * username: burrplp
 * password: burrplp
 * //Based on the survey results, we will see what content the group is interested in pursuing.//
 * //This step is beyond the scope of this project. Revisions to the NING and the action research components will be undertaken after the test period. Once this takes place, we plan to add additional teachers and grow the project.//

//The success of the project will be indicated by regular and productive participation by the members of the NING.// //We will also look for changes in the participants' survey answers after the post-project survey is given.//

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//December, 2010 to March 2011 - Research review, idea formation, development of the NING, practice posting and admin features, beta group identification, presentation of ideas for feedback// =====

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//April, 2011 - Invitations to the group, first roundtable discussion regarding the project, survey creation, formation of the purpose, membership, norms, terms of use, participation measurements and guideliness for inappropriate use, establish profile questions for NING membership// =====

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//May, 2011 - intial content posts, admission of members to the NING// =====

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//At this point in time, our project is just beginning with a small group of teachers. We will not have evaluation data and results for a few months.// =====

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//In the course of developing this action research project, we heard enthusiasm for the project from the teachers we talked with. However, this enthusiasm was tempered with concern about NING membership and how participation may impact their yearly evaluations. These concerns were discussed with our LEA President, Dave Calender. It was his recommendation to clearly define the purpose of the NING, membership requirements as well as overall terms of use.// =====

//In addition, there are a variety of concerns, we as a group, have expressed. These issues will need to considered as the project moves along. Here is our list to date://
//1. Who will manage the NING beyond our PLP experience?// //2. How will District budgets impact this project?// //3. Creating content - How will we gradually release control of creating content to the NING members?// //4. How can we create an environment that is sensitive to the privacy concerns and professional needs of educators? This idea is partially addressed in our Purpose and Contract document. Others issues may arise that have not been considered yet.// //5. Who will control the membership of the community? Currently, the PLP team are administrators for the NING.// //6. Should the NING membership remain only SDoL?// //7. What role will the LEA need to play in the project beyond their current involvement?// //8. Were the results of the beta group what we wanted to see?// //9. What changes need to be made.// //10. What suggestions does the NING membership have for the project?//

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//*Please share any and all materials developed throughout the project. Artifacts can include videos, meeting notes, surveys used, presentations, pictures, supporting documents, URLs, slide sets, etc.*// ===== ||