Transformation Aims

The aim of this program is a transformation in how teachers understand and view the role of technology in the classroom. After participating in this program, teachers should be able to:

  • Explain the TPACK framework and use it to justify technology integration and how pedagogical strategies and content are affected.
  • Use technology tools effectively and apply this new learning to the curriculum in new ways that align with our mission and the International Baccalaureate framework.
  • Demonstrate understanding of how the technology resources we have at ISB are interrelated and the capabilities of each.
  • Use this understanding of the technology resources at ISB to make decisions in planning for technology integration in unit plans and lessons and rationalize these decisions based on the TPACK framework and the curriculum goals.
  • Demonstrate meta-cognitive awareness by reflecting on individual teaching practice, setting goals for further learning and sharing feedback with colleagues.

Assessments will be designed around each teacher’s context. They will be purposely open-ended and require teachers to “hash out” their own goals for completing the tasks relative to their subject areas and content. This will allow teachers to more effectively apply their learning and use what they do in these PD sessions in their lessons rather than being a one-off experience.

While the transformation goals are mainly around understanding, we must also use this time to teach specific tools and get teachers comfortable with those tools so they can be confident about choosing to use them in a lesson. To this end, the tools we have available will be used and integrated within the lessons.

For example, technology can allow for anytime/anywhere reflection of understanding and communication. The bi-weekly sessions will be short and teachers may not realize they have questions or comments until after we are out of the meeting. Digital tools like Google Docs will give teachers the opportunity to get their ideas and questions together before our meetings. For this reason, each teacher will keep a digital learning log or diary through Google Docs to keep track of challenges, ideas they want to try, problems or questions they may have. They will also have the opportunity to contribute to a shared agenda for the program through Google Docs, exposing them to the collaborative capabilities of the tool. A program blog will be used to post summaries of the session and also pose discussion questions, asking teachers to comment on the blog posts. This will give them exposure to the blog technologies within our school and model ways it can be used in the classroom.

Each use of technology during the program will be made explicit and rationalized so teachers can see my thinking in why a certain tool was used. This thinking routine will be demonstrated for teachers so they can see a model of how a teacher might use the TPACK framework to thoughtfully integrate technology with the aim of cultivating this practice within the teachers.