Professional Development Transcript
Moving Beyond Basic Project-Based Learning: An Introduction to Authentic, Relevant, and Complex Learning Experiences
Presenter: Dayna Laur, Project ARC
Date: March 13, 2018
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
This session explored ways to build effective project-based learning into classrooms. In this session we also made connections to Design Thinking and the process of solving complex issues. I worked collaboratively with other members of my group to develop a project that served as a visual to promote meaningful learning in classrooms. This session impacted my practice because it allowed me to see practical ways to build project-based learning into regular activities. It also provided me with new ideas on how to use various formative assessment types to provide feedback to students while completing projects. I will use this knowledge to help teachers think creatively about how they can use project-based learning to promote student learning.
Presenters: Various District & Schoology Instructors
Date: March 6, 2018
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
I attended this conference to learn how other districts and teachers were using Schoology to facilitate learning. My district is currently in the process of planning a large-scale deployment of this learning management system. I attended sessions that highlighted districts in their first year of advice, best practices for professional development, and how to use features of Schoology to create a Multi-Genre Research Project for students to complete and share. This conference provided me with many ideas to share with my district as we finalize our plans for our deployment during the upcoming school year.
Coaching Practices Workshop - What Good Coaches Do
Presenter: Terri Lewis, Intermediate Unit 13
Date: November 21, 2017
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
This session provided me with best practices and approaches to instructional coaching. I got an opportunity to reflect and speak with other technology integration specialists about how we can best use our roles as technology leaders to use coaching methods. This session changed my perspective about instructional coaching and provided me with ideas of how I can interact with teachers to serve in more of a coaching role. I believe that I will make a stronger impact on the professional growth of teachers in my district it I use coaching strategies related to questioning and motivating instead of trying to provide answers all of the time.
Discovery Education IMS Spotlight
Presenter: Iannita Demian, Discovery Education
Date: October 17, 2017
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
This session provided me with updates and best practices for using Discovery Education resources. Attention was specifically given towards the Spotlight on Strategies that Discovery Education provides as a part of their subscription. I found this session particularly useful because it provided me with a new set of tools that I can use in professional development sessions with teachers to model effective teaching with technology.
Presenter: Jared Smith & Jonathan Whiting, WebAIM.org
Date: October 4-5, 2017
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
This professional development training provided me with an introduction to web accessibility. This training provided an in-depth look at the meaning of web accessibility and the guidelines that are currently in place. In addition, best practices were shared for various ways websites and documents can become more accessible for all viewers. This training impacted my practice by helping me to play a role in the planning of our district's web accessibility plan. In addition, I will use this knowledge to provide training to teachers, administrators, and other staff that will play a role in posting content online. I will play a key role in making sure that all staff members are trained so that all content posted on the internet is accessible to all viewers.
Below you will find a list of relevant professional development sessions that I attended since the Fall of 2016. I have the unique opportunity to get professional development each month through the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit (IU) 13. Any supporting handouts or flyers can be found by clicking on the title of the session when available! Take a look at the sessions and see how I have used these opportunities to continue to grow professionally.
Protecting Your Students and Yourself on the Internet - What Teachers Should Know About the Law and Technology
Presenter: Mark Cheramie Walz
Date: May 16, 2017
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
This session provided information about recent lawsuits that have occurred in nearby school districts that are related to technology. Several issues were addressed, including Online Privacy, Rights of Districts vs Rights of Students, and Web Accessibility. This session started the foundation for our current district web accessibility plan that I helped to create. In addition, it also provided me with information that I shared with administrators to help out district remain proactive in regards to emerging technology laws and best practices.
Presenter: Rich Kiker, Google For Education Partner
Date: April 18, 2017
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
In this session, I explored the ideas of 10x and Design Thinking. These ideas and ways of thinking promote the need to always make improvements. I learned about several innovations and how products and companies changed over time to remain relevant. This helped me identify ways to try to bring this idea to staff members in my district. 10x Design is the process of taking a current idea and making it 10x better. Design thinking is a process for creating an idea that focuses on getting a full understanding before jumping into a solution. I currently use these ideas in my practice to solve complex problems and am looking to make this a part of professional goal setting for educators in my district.
Presenter: Laura Fleming
Date: March 7, 2017
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
I got the opportunity to see a presentation by Laura Fleming, who is one of the most popular speakers and advocates for Makerspaces in schools. In this session, Laura shared best practices for creating and maintaining student makerspaces within schools. I learned how I can use my role as an Instructional Technology Specialist to support efforts of librarians and administrators in the planning of activities and purchases that need to be made for these spaces.
Flip This Flip That: Taking Your Classroom to the Next Level
Presenter: Aaron Sams
Date: November 15, 2016
Location: IU13 Burle Business Park Lancaster, PA
Aaron Sams is one of the pioneers for Flipped Classrooms. In this format, students do more of the learning at home and spend class time doing collaborative activities and practice. This session provided practical ways to try to get educators to try to use this type of format and move away from traditional teaching methods when possible. In addition, he also shared a variety of tools and best practices for moving towards this type of learning environment. This session helped me support efforts of educators in my district who use this type of format and find ways to ease any frustrations that they may be seeing.