iPads at Ramsay

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William Ramsay Elementary School began working with iPads in the Fall of 2012. Seeing a need to improve literacy in the Primary grades, the school improvement team looked to technology to help supplement the wonderful learning already existing in the classrooms. Having used iPads the previous year at Polk, TIS Bobby Offterdinger worked with Ramsay to develop an action plan involving the purchase of 4 class sets of iPads. Since acquiring these devices, students have been primarily using them to engage in think-aloud activities and to extend their literacy knowledge.

TIE

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The Technology Integration Education (TIE) course is a seven week blended course designed to teach ACPS personnel how to integrate technology tools and software available in our school division into the classroom curriculum. In this course, Alexandria City Public School (ACPS) personnel will ascertain the needed knowledge and skills to fulfill the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel (TSIP). Featured learning modules include Utilizing Data to drive instruction and Multimedia and the Flipped Classroom to meet the needs of a diverse population of students.

Visit this page for more information.

Teacher Leadership Project-C (TLP-C)

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The professional development strand in ACPS called Teacher Leadership Program – Collaborate (TLP-C) is an opportunity to build and continue a community of practice collaborating, modeling and implementing relevant, engaging and innovative technologies in the classroom. There will be one online session offered each month. Each online session will be co-facilitated by ACPS teachers through Blackboard Collaborate, an online collaboration platform. Teachers will present virtually on digital topics based on teaching and learning in their classrooms. Teachers will share digital tools and resources, effective strategies and student work. There will be time during each session for discussion, exploration and collaboration. This blog is a venue for continuing the conversation and learning beyond the live, online sessions.

All teachers are welcome to participate in TLP-C. Levels of participation are Drop-in and Committed Participants. Drop-ins will attend sessions as they are able or can listen to recorded sessions posted on this blog. Committed Participants must be active participants in at least 6 of the 8 live sessions (active participants will be engaged in chatting, raising hands, active in polling, etc) and be present for the entire live session. Committed Participants will also complete 3 reflections throughout the year and provide evidence of the implementation of the tools and strategies presented in the sessions.

For more information and to view recordings from past sessions, check out our TLP-C blog!

If you would like to be a Developer for the 2014-2015 school year, please indicate your interest here: Developer Interest Form

If you would like to be a Committed Participant for the 2014-2015 school year, please indicate your interest here: Committed Participants Interest Form

Teacher Leadership Project

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Teacher Leadership Project is a cohort of classroom teachers interested in research, sustained new learning and collaboration on how to engage students in project-based learning using technology. Participating teachers will attend 3 full day workshops in the summer, 3 full day workshops during the school year and 3 after-school meetings. Benefits of this cohort include 120 hours of re-certification credit, necessary equipment to facilitate teaching and learning in your classroom and a $300 stipend.

Teachers spend the year implementing new technology-infused projects into their classroom. Teachers then present their projects at the ACPS Technology Gallery Walk each Spring. In addition to presenting their projects face-to-face, teachers also create an online portfolio explaining their project and sharing student work. Check out past projects here: ACPS Teacher Leadership Project.

Interested in applying to be part of the 2014-2015 cohort? Apply here ACPS TLP Application. Applications are due April 11, 2014.

SMART Boards at Minnie Howard

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SMART Boards are gaining in popularity and are evident in numerous classrooms throughout Alexandria City Public Schools. SMART Boards are praised for their tactile nature, which encourages students to manipulate, experiment, drag, drop, interact with objects and, above all, empower their learning. A SMART Board is a perfect example of a technology tool that also serves as a visualization tool and that allows students to participate in hands-on activities. SMART Boards allow students to do many unique things that traditional methods of teaching do not allow and are overwhelmingly popular with students and staff alike.

During the 2013-2014 school year, the 9th Grade campus of Minnie Howard invested in 14 new 800 series SMART Boards. These SMART Boards were installed in two stages within 14 classrooms and have been in use ever since. Fourteen teachers were selected by the principal, Sara Schafer, to pilot and model SMART Boards in the classroom and these 14 teachers participate in ongoing professional development sessions, led by the high school TISes. The professional development sessions began with a basic skills component, proceeded to an advanced component and a culminating boot camp designed to increase student participation and engagement with the SMART Boards now that teachers are familiar with the practical applications of the SMART Board. The teachers are working with the TIS to create and plan lessons that are designed around integrating the SMART Boards into daily instruction with an emphasis on student participation. Student responses are positive regarding the introduction of the SMART Boards into their classrooms.

NETS*T

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NETS*T Certification is an internationally recognized certification program that engages teachers in a deeply reflective, intensive process to determine if their instructional technology practices meet the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers standards set forth by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

This certification program offered by ACPS is a hybrid course using both face-to-face meetings and online communications to assist teachers through the rigorous submission of 20 teaching artifacts and reflections over an 12 month period.

Teachers who complete the process and become certified will earn 100 recertification points, 3 graduate credits from James Madison University and will be given a choice of pre-selected technology tools for ACPS instructional use. In the past teachers have received an iPad, 3 iPod Touches, or 6 digital voice recorders.

This opportunity is for self-directed learners, confident in their use of technology, and eager to measure their use of technology in the classroom against an international standard.

2014-2015 Information:
Applicants must attend one mandatory Informational Meeting:
Face-to-Face: May 1, 2014, 4-5pm at George Washington Middle School, Room B104
Virtual: May 7, 2014, 7-8pm (Email facilitators for instructions and links)

Applications due: May 16, 2014
Application available: http://tinyurl.com/NETST2014
Participants notified: May 23, 2014

Participants should plan on attending:
NETS-T Jump Start Day: June 24, 2014, 9am—1pm
Plus, monthly meetings on Thursdays throughout the school year

Welcome!

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Welcome to the Alexandria City Public Schools Technology & Learning Blog! This blog is sponsored by the Technology Services Department and maintained by the Technology Integration Specialists (T.I.S) in an effort to raise knowledge about the many diverse programs and services offered through ACPS Technology. Please explore our blog!