ARCyclePlan PURPOSE: ThepurposeofmyActionResearchistobuildteachertechnologyskillsandconfidencethrough theuseofpersonalizedlearningopportunities. PROBLEM/SITUATION: Inourlowerschool,instructionaltechnology(computers,iPads,projectors,anddocument cameras)isavailableforteacherstointegrateintotheirinstruction,butthesedevicesareused infrequentlyandineffectively.Professionaldevelopmentinvolvingtechnologyintegrationhasnot beenmadeapriority,andsotechnologyusehasnotincreased.Lastyear,aseriesofwebinars developedbyPLP(PowerfulLearningPractices)weremandatedbytheadministration.The purposeofthecurriculumwastoenlightenteacherstothepoweroftechnologyintheir classroomsandasapersonallearningtool.Unfortunately,theveryformatofthesesessions, presentedinwebinarswithparticipantsfromthroughouttheUSandoverseaswasnotvery accessibleforteacherswhowerenoviceswithtechnology.Theadministrationalsoinsistedthat teachersparticipateindependently,insteadofingroupsastheteachersstronglyrequested.

This leftmanyteachersfeelingcompletelyunpreparedtoparticipate,andsotheydidnot.The teachersstilllacktheskills,andmoreimportantly,theconfidence,tosuccessfullyintegrate technologyintotheirdailypractice. RESEARCHQUESTION: HowcanIpersonalizeinstructionaltechnologyprofessionaldevelopmenttosupportteachersin theircreationandattainmentoftechnologyintegrationgoals? BACKGROUNDRESEARCH: TheresourcesIhavefoundtobemosthelpfulsofarare: Ermter&OttenbreitLeftwichsTeacherTechnologyChange:HowKnowledge, Confidence,BeliefsandCultureIntersect Zhao,Pugh,Sheldon&ByerssConditionsforClassroomTechnologyInnovations Liu&SzabosTeachersAttitudesTowardTechnologyIntegrationinSchools:A FourYearStudy ConstructivistLearningTheory(Bruner,Piaget&Vygotsky) Frommyresearch,Ihavelearnedthatwhiletheworkshop/trainingmodelofcontinuing professionaldevelopment(CPD)ismostcommon,itisoftenineffectiveingeneratinga sustainableimpactonteachingpractices.FortechnologyCPDtoeffectachangeonthe integrationoftechnologyinclassrooms,itmustbeintensive,ongoing,focusedontheclassroom andoccurduringtheteachersworkday.Itmustalsoallowforcollaborationandsharingamongst itsparticipants.WhilepersonalizedlearningiscurrentlydiscussedinconjunctionwithCPD,itis

asanindependentactivityofindividualteachersseekingoutlearningopportunitiesonline. ResearchontheapplicationofpersonalizedlearninginacoordinatedCPDprogramwasnot found. COMMUNITYOFPRACTICE: MycurrentjobtitleisthatofLowerSchoolTechnologyCoordinator.Iprimarilyworkwith elementaryeducatorsandtheirstudents.Thepositionwasnewlycreatedlastyearandits descriptionisstillsomethingofaworkinprogress.Inthepast,ourschoolemployedacomputer teacherwhoranourcomputerlabandfunctionedasaspecialsteacher.Studentswouldcome tothelabonceaweekforthirtyminutestoonehourtoworkonthedesktopcomputerswhile theirteacherhadaplanningperiod.Therewaslittlecoordinationbetweentheclassroom teachersandthecomputerteacher,andtheseclasseswereoftenspentwithstudentsplaying onlinecomputergames.Historically,thecomputerteacherwasnotanexpertinthefield,buta classroomteacherwhowasmovedtotheposition.Withthechangeintitle,cameabroadening ofresponsibilities.Iamatechnologystewardtomycommunityofpractice.NotonlydoIworkto findwaystointegratetechnologyintothelearningactivitiesofourstudents,butmycolleagues looktomeforhelpandadvicewiththeiruseoftechnologyinandoutoftheclassroom.I researchandexplorenewhardwareandsoftwarethatmightbebeneficialtoourinstruction,and Ioffertrainingforteachersontheusesofthesedevicesandapplications. MYACTIONS(CYCLE1): Theresearchquestionis:IfIfocusonindividualrelationshipswithteachersinatechnologyCPD process,willitimpactteacheruseoftechnologyintheirdailypractice? Overthenexttwoandahalfweeks(leadinguptoourholidaybreak),Iwillapproachlowerschool teacherstorequesttheirparticipationinthisactionresearch.Duetotheamountoftimethatwill bespentworkingwitheachparticipant,thesamplesizewillbesmall,butwillincludeteachers andassociatesfromavarietyofgradelevels.Inourconversation,Iwillexplainmyaction researchquestionandmycurrentplansforeachcycleintheprocess.Ifteachersagreeto participate,Iwillgivethemaselfassessment(Iamcurrentlycrafting)tomeasuretheir perceivedtechnologyskills,attitude,andconfidence.Iwillalsoaskthemtowriteaninitial reflectionontheiruseoftechnologyinboththeclassroomandforpersonaluse.Iamcurrently workingonasetofquestionstohelpthemwithafocusforthisreflection.Fromtheseresponses (bothselfassessmentandreflection),IwillbegintodesignapersonalizedCPDplanforeach teacher. UponreturningfrombreakinJanuary,IwillmeetwitheachparticipanttodiscusstheirCPDplan andmodifyitbasedontheirinput.Forthefirstcycle,Iwillfocusonworkingoneononewith eachparticipanttoworkontheircomputerskillsfocusingonaspectswheretheyshowalackof confidence.Duringthisfirstcycle,Iamfocusingonanimpactintheirownuseoftechnologyfor schoolandpersonalapplications.

ARTIFACTSCOLLECTED: Iwillbecollecting: theselfassessment(togenerateabaseline) initialreflectiononindividualtechnologyuse individualpersonalizedCPDplans observations/notesfromweeklymeetings emailcorrespondence listsofapplications/devicesonwhicheachparticipanttrains EVALUATION: IwillevaluatetheoutcomesofmyactionbydocumentingthefrequencywithwhichImeetwith theparticipants.Ourschedulewillbetomeetonatleastaweeklybasis,andIwillnotethese meetingsaswellaseachtimeoneoftheparticipantsrequests/requiresmoretime.Participants willalsobeaskedtowriteasecondreflectionattheendofthecycle.Thiswillalsobeusedto evaluateoutcomes. PLAN(CYCLE2): Whiletheoutcomesandmyreflectionsonthemmaychangemyplansdramatically,mycurrent thoughtsonmysecondcycleofactionaretointegratesituatedlearningintothepersonalized CPDplanstoworkwithteachersintheclassroomtointegratetechnologyintotheirlessons. PROPOSEDTIMELINE: December319: Finalizeselfassessmentandreflectionquestions Determineandfinalizeactionresearchparticipants Collectselfassessmentandreflections December20January5: DevelopinitialpersonalizedCPDplansforparticipants

January6February7:Cycle1 February10March21:Cycle2 March24May2:Cycle3