Need

Zionsville Lower Middle School (ZLMS), formally known as Pleasant View Elementary School, was renovated and opened as a middle school in the fall of 1998. Existing technologies from the elementary school remained in the building with some additional equipment being added. Each classroom contains at least one computer, connected to the school corporation network (Internet), a large screen TV and a VCR. There is a computer lab with thirty computers (all connected to the network), ten computers in the library, and eight laptop computers for use on a request basis. The library, adjacent to the computer lab, contains a portable multimedia station, a visual presenter, eight digital cameras, a projection microscope, and two flatbed scanners. All of the technology has been purchased since 1992 with the bulk of the purchases taking place within the past three years.

Twenty one teachers from the original middle school and the three elementary buildings were brought together to form the new ZLMS faculty. As a result, the knowledge and use of technology varies tremendously from teacher to teacher depending upon the building where they originated. A push by the school board and several grants in the early and mid 1990's provided the technologies and staff development to move the Pleasant View staff forward in both their technical skills and implementation strategies. The other schools received what could best described as sporadic staff development opportunities that were neither consistent nor ongoing. The emphasis on staff development, however, has declined considerably and currently constitutes approximately two half days each year. While the amount of professional development opportunities relating to technology has decreased, the district has implemented a comprehensive program for improving both instruction and in curriculum articulation.

Additionally, Zionsville has received an NSF and IDOE supported grant, Project INSITE, which offers a comprehensive three week seminar each summer for teachers in grades five through nine. The project focuses on integrating technologies into the instructional process and implementation strategies. Four of the current ZLMS staff have participated in Project INSITE and three of these individuals have served as facilitators for the project. They possess the combination of skills necessary to successfully move the staff forward.

The creation of a new middle school presents both real challenges and tremendous opportunities. There is a real need for an articulated plan which will serve as the focal point for bringing this new staff together as a teaching unit, to renew efforts in upgrading the technical skills of teachers, and in cultivating innovative approaches for integrating technology into the teaching process to improve both teaching and learning. Zionsville Lower Middle School currently has an abundance of technology. Unfortunately, the technology currently surpasses demand and teacher abilities. On the other side of the coin is our student body.

Approximately seventy five percent of the students at ZLMS have computers in their homes and many of those students possess skills which match or, in most cases, exceed those of the teachers. Unfortunately, there exists a disparity between the students who have computers at home and those who do not. Teachers have indicated a need for them to bring a greater degree of balance between these two disparate groups.

Project Goals and Implementation

First Year Goals:

I. Implement a comprehensive skills development program for eight fifth grade and eight sixth grade students at ZLMS. This program will focus on developing technology skills as a means of improving communication, interpersonal, and curriculum skills.

II. Conduct a series of workshops for all twenty one fifth and sixth grade teachers in technology integration strategies (see rubric).

The project will focus on the software and hardware which will be available at Zionsville Lower Middle School. The project will have two distinct operational components. There will be both a school day and an after school program. Students who are not in band, strings, or choir will be assigned to study halls at various times throughout the day. Study hall students may elect to participate in the program at this time. Those not in the band, choir, or strings are typically the students who do not have computers at home. This will be a great opportunity for these students to learn new skills and assist teachers during the day. An after school program will also be implemented for students who do not have a study hall (or students who have study hall but wish to be in the after school program). There are currently a number of successful after school programs which are being run at the fifth and sixth grade level. An advantage in this school district is the number of mothers who do not work, or who are available to transport their children to and from after school programs.

All students will be given the opportunity to participate in the project. The number sixteen has been set as a minimum number and if more students which to participate in the project they will be admitted. Our intention is to be inclusive not exclusive. There are three Special Education teachers who will be working at ZLMS and it is our intention to solicit students in these classes for this project. Interested students will complete an application form which will include their intent to participate for at least one school year, and a signature of their parent acknowledging their knowledge of and support for their child's participation. Final selection for the students will be made by the Step-up teacher, the three INSITE teacher facilitators, the media specialist, and principal. Once the final group of students have been selected, the Step-up teacher will send the parents a form which

A description of the program will be sent to parents in the packet of materials they receive each summer before school begins. The Step-up teacher will be in the school on the days of registration to discuss the project with both parents and students. Announcements will also be made each day for one week during regular daily announcements once school begins.

An ambitious schedule has been devised for the implementation of this project for several key reasons. It will be critically important for the project to have momentum and if it is delayed, it could loose its impact. Other programs will be initiated and this project would compete directly with these if the timelines are postponed. The staff needs to see that technology is a focus of the new middle school and that there is both a plan and a process for moving teachers forward. Finally, it is very important for the administration, faculty, students, and parents to see progress and this can only happen if the project commences at the very outset of the school year.

It is anticipated that the project will have the following timelines:

WEEK OF: DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY

August 20 Initial mailing to parents, Program discussed at initial teacher meeting

August 27 Announcements of program and information session, Session for interested teachers

September 13 Applications distributed

September 20 Application returned and final selection made

September 27 Training sessions begin, Teachers paired with student(s)

October 18 Teachers begin first technology integration activities

November 15 Student skill development workshops completed

November 29 Teachers begin first short term projects

January 9 Teachers begin mid-term projects

March 12 Teachers begin long term project

It will be important to survey the participating students to determine their strengths and weakness in the four skills levels identified in the first project goal. Initially, the program will focus on technology skills, specifically computer basics, use of the network, and email. The plan is to then move the students to software applications then multimedia programs and finally to the Internet. As a part of each session, the students will work on mentoring skills and technology integration issues. The plan is to involve teachers in this phase of the program. It is hoped that the teachers will get to know the students, learn from them, and help students with the non-technology skills portion of the project.

After school program: For the first three weeks, students will meet with the Step-up teacher twice a week. After that, the groups will meet weekly.

In school program: These students will meet three days each week for the first three weeks. The time available to these students is limited so more contact days will be necessary to maintaining an equality in the two programs. It is difficult to determine the exact number of teachers who will be directly involved in the project; however, at a teachers meeting on March 8 scheduled to discuss this project, every teacher expressed a need for such a project and an interest in participating. Teachers wanted the flexibility of working with students during the school day and after school. According to Mr. Paddock, the principal, approximately 40% of the teachers remain at least one hour beyond the school day. This would give the program a rather large pool of teachers to work with on a regular basis.

Teachers will receive their early technology skill training from the students, with the Step-up teacher in attendance. Once the "teaching ability" of the students is confirmed, they will be given more latitude to work with teachers independently.

It is understood that the students and teachers will come with a broad range of skills and it will be important to understand and meet their individual needs. Knowing this, the project will not depend solely on the Step-up teacher, but those teachers who have expertise in the skill areas to be addressed in this project. If a teacher is well versed in collaborative projects or Project-base Learning, they will be given a leadership role in that area. If a teacher has been using HyperStudio, they can assist the students in learning this software, and giving them an understanding of the importance of this software within the educational setting.

Evaluation

A critical aspect of this type of project is to work with both students and teachers in maintaining the level of interaction. Each month the Step-up teacher will have each teacher and student in the project complete a checklist indicating what they have done, the types of issues addressed in their various interactions, and how well the project is addressing their needs. The success of the program will be determined by several key factors: the achievement of the four skill levels identified in goal I by both students and teachers, the involvement of a significant percentage for the staff (80%), and the degree to which the teachers integrate the hardware into the instructional process.

It will be important to look at the level of technical skills which both the students and teachers master during the school year. A performance test will be developed for each of the skills listed on the left side of the rubric. The project will also look at six areas which are believed to be important in effectively integrating technology into the instructional process. The final aspect which will be assessed is the level to which technology is integrated. The project wants to move teachers from just using technology in autonomous activities to involving students in long term projects which use a variety of technology resources. In addition to the rubric, the project will look equally hard at the improvements in the skills identified in Goal I.