Committee on Technology in Education
Effective
Practices for Using Technology in Maryland Schools
Why An
Effective Practices Database?
This Effective Practices
database is made available to you as a means of sharing resources and successful
techniques for using technology in schools across Maryland. The Maryland Plan for
Technology in Education has made smart use of technology a top priority for schools
statewide. Through the Technology in Maryland Schools (TIMS) program and other
initiatives, more and more students and teachers are gaining critical access to online
resources in the classroom (click
here to review MBRT’s latest report "Measuring Up: Maryland's Progress in Using
Technology in Schools").
Once access is gained,
however, what matters is the ability to put these tools to their most effective and
imaginative use, particularly as it relates to the integration of effective applications
and content into the classroom. To help you to do this, the Committee on Technology in
Education (COTE) of the Maryland Business Roundtable
for Education began, in 1999, to compile a statewide collection
of schools’ detailed reporting of Effective Practices that make fruitful use of
technology.
What can be an
Effective Practice?
Technology can be, and is being,
applied to virtually all areas of society. Education is no different. Technology can be,
and is being, applied to all areas of education, including curriculum, administrative
tasks, professional development and more. Furthermore, the scope of any technology
application can range from an individual classroom, to an entire school, or throughout a
school district. For the purpose of organizing and categorizing the effective practices,
COTE developed the following effective practice matrix.
The Effective Practices documented
in this report are an initial set. COTE’s intent is to continue to expand this
effective practices database so that each area of the matrix is covered.
How COTE collected
and chose Effective Practices?
In February 1999, MSDE initiated a
statewide "call" for effective practices through each school district. After
collecting submissions from each school district, COTE carefully reviewed all of the
practices submitted. In choosing which practices would be most useful to schools across
the state, COTE used a scoring system that judged practices according to three criteria:
- A clear application of technology
must be present. COTE judged the uses of technology, not teaching methods or philosophies.
- Clear benefits and results from the
use of technology must be evident. These include improvements in student learning, gains
in operational efficiency, and cost savings.
- An innovative and important use of
technology must be demonstrated. For example, the practice must apply to content area
standards and desired MSPAP outcomes, and/or to preparation for the workforce or higher
education.
While portraying benefits and
outcomes in quantitative form is often desirous, it is often difficult. This is
particularly true in the early stages of classroom technology integration. Wherever
statistics were available to document an effective practice, such data were used. However,
in many cases quantitative findings were not available, so qualitative and anecdotal
benefits and results were documented.
What is the future
of the Effective Practices database?
COTE intends to use the Internet as
a tool to disseminate information about the most effective use of technology in Maryland
schools. As with any good Internet application, static information is not preferable. COTE
will periodically call for new submissions to be considered for inclusion in the Effective
Practices database.
As COTE reviews more reports from
schools, we will continue to add to the database, making this a dynamic and evolving
resource. The practices listed here now are not the only success stories -- there are many
-- but they represent the creative use of technology at its very best, and they offer
strategies that other teachers and schools can successfully use. We hope that they are
useful to you.
In the future, we hope to
implement online technology to facilitate the collection of new practices. To inquire now
about submitting an Effective Practice for consideration, please contact Barbara Reeves,
Director of Instructional Technology at MSDE via phone at 410-767-0382, or via email at
breeves@msde.state.md.us.
How can I submit my
Effective Practice?
The effective practices highlighted
here were collected early in 1999. COTE will make a new call for submissions for Effective
Practices early in 2000. Stay tuned to this web page for details.
To inquire now about
submitting an Effective Practice for consideration, please contact Barbara Reeves,
Director of Instructional Technology at MSDE via phone at 410-767-0382, or via email at
breeves@msde.state.md.us.
How To Use The Effective
Practices Database
A quick review of the Effective
Practice Matrix will allow you to determine which practices are of most interest and
usefulness to you. To view any Effective Practice, simply select and click the title from
the Effective Practices Matrix.
Each Effective Practice is
documented in four sections:
- Overview
- Benefits and Outcomes
- Keys to Success
- Contact Information
The Early Childhood Technology Literacy
Project
OVERVIEW
The Early Childhood Technology
Literacy Project (ECTLP) in Montgomery County Public Schools uses technology to increase
reading and writing achievement, to support the Maryland Reading Language Arts Outcomes,
and to help the county reach its goal that every student read independently by the end of
the second grade. ECTLP involves 311 teachers, specialists and instructional assistants
from 35 Title I schools in the development, planning, and delivery of reading and writing
instruction that incorporates technology. Two Early Childhood Technology Specialists
provide staff development, enabling teachers, specialists, and Title I assistants to
develop the skills they need to effectively use technology in instruction. ECTLP also
provides hardware and software to K-2 teachers and students in schools it serves.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
In interviews, teachers say they
have become more proficient -- and less frustrated -- at developing the skills needed to
best utilize technology in teaching reading and writing. Many have purchased home
computers themselves.
- Familiarity with technology has
increased teamwork; many teachers hold training sessions at their schools to share what
they have learned, and act as mentors to other teachers.
- County funds for staff development
and software have increased.
- Three instructional television
programs have been created that demonstrate best practices for using technology in early
literacy.
- The ECTLP web site serves as a
professional development resource for teachers nationwide.
- K-2 students in ECTLP show more
positive attitudes toward reading and writing, and better skills in understanding,
interpreting, and responding to reading materials.
- Parents have become more enthusiastic
and involved in the use of technology for their children’s learning. Many have
purchased computers and software that support school learning goals.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Keys to ECTLP’s success have
been sufficient equipment, staff development, and funding. At least one AV multimedia
computer (on a cart) is required per grade level, as well as television with video in,
connection to the LAN/WAN, and appropriate software. ECTLP sponsors four full days of
hands-on workshops throughout the year, as well as two school visits annually by
technology specialists. Videos, e-mail conferencing and the ECTLP web site extend the
reach of professional development. Funding has been provided by the federal Technology
Literacy Challenge Fund, with in-kind funds and services from the Montgomery County Public
Schools Office of Global Access Technology.
ECTLP’s biggest challenges have
been providing teachers with adequate time for training and skills, giving all classrooms
sufficient access to computers, and securing needed funding. With funding in place for
1999, the program continues to strengthen resources -- including expanding the web site --
and to explore potential partnerships.
CONTACT:
Exploring the Environment Through
Technology
OVERVIEW
The William S. Schmidt Outdoor
Education Center, owned and operated by Prince George’s County Public Schools
(PGCPS), provides students with a memorable learning experience that combines the
excitement of outdoor exploration with the use of sophisticated technologies. During a
two-day, one-night stay, students participate in a variety of instructional activities
that cut across the spectrum of learning.
Students use authentic tools of
scientific inquiry -- microcomputer-based probeware, spreadsheets, data analysis and
graphing tools, modeling software, electronics, and instrumentation -- to conduct real
field analysis of a stream. Using probes, they collect data on critical temperature,
dissolved oxygen, relative humidity, and barometric pressure. They also collect aquatic
invertebrates and study the effects of pollution. Students learn to export their data to
spreadsheets, on which they continue to explore their findings not only at the Center but
back in their classrooms.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
The Center provides hands-on science
education while also helping students to develop vital technology skills identified in the
new Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Technology Skills Framework.
- After a visit to the Center, teachers
observe that students show a heightened, and often sustained, interest in science.
- For many students, the Center is
their first chance to identify career opportunities in environmental protection, natural
resources management and conservation.
- Students contribute community service
hours toward a healthier environment as part of the Center’s program.
- More than 20,000 students visited the
Center during the 1998-99 school year, and more than 1,700 parents participate annually as
volunteers, offering supervision and instructional assistance.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Keys to the Center’s success
have included funding and assistance from the PGCPS Office of Technology Support and
Training (TS&T) and start-up computer training provided by the hardware manufacturer.
The Center, in partnership with TS&T, will offer teacher training on the microcomputer
and probeware; teachers will be required to complete the same tasks and analysis required
of their students. Providing ongoing teacher training remains the biggest obstacle to the
Center’s expansion. Possible solutions include instructional videos and a half-day
training session. The Center is also exploring additional local and grant funding, as well
as a potential partnership with a laptop manufacturer. The Center will also have a web
site, created by The PGCPS Office of Telecommunications, giving students and teachers
24-hour access to data and links.
The Center’s success has
sparked plans for expansion, including a curriculum guide revision and staff development
on the use of electronic probeware. Eventually, the Center hopes to extend to all
fifth-graders in the school system -- approximately 8,000 students annually --the
opportunity to learn first-hand about environmental science.
CONTACT:
The Senior Decades Project
OVERVIEW
The Senior Decades Project gives
students at Worcester Country School a chance to immerse themselves in both history and
the creative use of technology. The school, located in Berlin, Maryland, has made the
project a requirement for seniors in its Contemporary Issues Class. The assignment
accounts for a major portion of a senior’s grade.
The class is divided into small
groups, and each is assigned a different decade of the 20th Century. Using the Internet,
films, television, newsreel and radio archives, videotapes and primary source material,
students plunge into intensive research in all media. The object is to create a PowerPoint
presentation that highlights the most poignant events of the assigned decade. Successful
completion demands that a student master PowerPoint and be able to scan pictures, record
sound, digitize video, and synthesize it all into a 40- to 50-minute presentation
projected onto a large screen. Each "show" can also include oral presentations
and live skits, sometimes with props and period costumes. The project takes about three
months to complete. Seniors are allotted time in the computer lab, and may schedule
additional time before and after school, during study halls, and on weekends.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- The Senior Decades Project has become
a celebrated event at the school.
- Students are highly motivated to
pursue knowledge on their own, and they derive a great sense of self-esteem and ownership
from creating their own multimedia programs.
- Students learn the disciplined work
habits of undertaking a large project. They line up early in the morning for time in the
computer lab, and wait patiently for their turns to use scanners, digital cameras and
other equipment. They even come in on weekends.
- In the course of the project,
students learn a tremendous amount about history and social forces, as well as how to use
sophisticated technologies for research.
- Teachers are still able to set the
guidelines for learning, but are relieved of having to spoon-feed information to students.
- Teachers themselves learn how to use
a broad range of technologies.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
The major key to the success of the
Senior Decades Project, in addition to funding, is in giving students access to the needed
technologies. Students need to be allowed the extra time to come in and work, and having
the appropriate technology person available is paramount. Students also must be given
guidance as to what resources can be found on the Internet, in the library, and in
audio-visual materials. The Senior Decades Project is a remarkable example of how
students, when motivated, can seize upon technology for learning.
CONTACT:
Maryland Virtual High School of Science
and Mathematics
OVERVIEW
The Maryland Virtual High School of
Science and Mathematics (MVHS), funded under a National Science Foundation Research in
Educational Policy and Practice grant, creates and uses dynamic computer modeling to help
students reach the expectations of national and state standards in science and
mathematics. In the project’s five years, MVHS has involved students in more than 35
high schools in 18 districts throughout the state. Students in MVHS schools have used the
Internet to share data comparing local stream water quality, collaborated to pinpoint the
epicenter of a fictitious earthquake, and chatted online with Governor Glendening about
educational uses of
technology. The Internet-based
virtual school uses the "CoreModels" curriculum of graphic modeling and
simulation to encourage student investigations, predictions and hypothesis-testing. It
also enables teachers to continually improve math and science instruction through peer
collaboration.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
In performance assessments and
classroom observations, MVHS has shown notable results. For example:
- Students who use CoreModels materials
meet or exceed the scores of non-CoreModels classes on standardized exams in their content
area
- One MVHS school discovered that its
scores on the Maryland High School Improvement Prototype Test in Biology were higher than
the county average in 19 of the 23 items.
- Teachers and students report enhanced
student understanding of graphs, algebraic concepts, feedback in systems, the scientific
process, and science in general. One student reported that, as a visual learner, he found
that building a computer model of the carbon cycle dramatically increased his
understanding. Another student, having simulated the effect of pH on enzyme reaction
rates, was then able to make unprompted observations about the effects of antacids on
human digestion.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
MVHS’s keys to success have
been effective staff development and easy access to technology. Each CoreModels teacher
receives 70 hours of training, including follow-up workshops during the school year.
Teachers also enthusiastically recruit their colleagues for the MVHS program. Each school
has adequate equipment and a site license to run the software. The project is designed so
that when NSF funding ends, the software and staff development can be absorbed by local
school districts.
One challenge for teachers has been
reserving the needed time at computer labs; on average, teachers require access to a lab
for two to three consecutive days for each of the four models that they use with students.
Another challenge has been persuading some self-reliant teachers to ask for help with the
technologies. Regularly scheduled workshops help teachers to collaborate and to seek
assistance when they need it.
Future plans for MVHS include its
expansion to more Maryland high schools and research to further improve the
teaching-learning process.
CONTACT:
Mary Ellen Verona, Principal
Investigator
Maryland Virtual High School
51 East University Boulevard
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Telephone: 301-649-2880
Fax: 301-649-2830
email: mverona@mvhs1.mbhs.edu
http://mvhs1.mbhs.edu
Online Research Modules
OVERVIEW
The Online Research Modules,
developed by Baltimore County Public Schools, represent an exciting new way to guide
student research toward higher-level thinking that fully utilizes electronic resources.
The modules were developed by teams of library media specialists and teachers during the
1998 and 1999 Summer Curriculum Workshops in the Baltimore County Public Schools. The
concept is based on the work of Dr. Jamieson McKenzie, an international instructional
technology expert. Students who use the self-guided modules are challenged to employ
thoughtful reading, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information to create answers,
not just find them.
The modules are designed as web
pages that present students with a clear research structure, including a research
scenario, a learning task, rubrics and scoring tools, directions for use of various media
resources, and links to useful web sites. Their availability on the Internet also serves
to make curriculum information accessible to parents and the general public.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- By guiding students to think
independently and to solve real-world problems using technological tools, the modules
reinforce Maryland school reform, Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning
(ALA, 1999) and the Educational Technology Standards (ISTE, 1998).
- Students learn to better communicate
their expectations, and to carry out multidisciplinary and collaborative projects.
- Teachers, who already feel that there
is too little instructional time, find that the modules save time while enhancing
learning.
- The modules are user-friendly for
even the most technophobic teacher.
- Availability of the modules via the
Internet helps to promote parental and community involvement, and supports the sharing of
instructional resources and best practices.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
There have been several keys to the
success of the Online Research Modules. One, clearly, is access to computer equipment as
well as to the Internet and web site authoring software. Another key is the fact that the
modules fit in perfectly with the needs of staff technology training: they give teachers
an ideal resource for using technology to engage students, and they are designed to be
easily used by even a technology novice. A third key to success has been adequate funding,
both for library specialists and for teachers.
Future plans include the design of
new modules, a new MSDE in-service course, and professional development partnerships with
other offices.
CONTACT:
Della Curtis, Coordinator
Office of Library Information Services
Baltimore County Public Schools
6901 Charles Street, Towson, MD 21204
Telephone: 410-887-4035
Fax: 410-887-2968
email: dcurtis@bcpl.net
http://www.bcplonline.org/online
(Online Research Modules)
http://www.fno.org
(Dr. Jamieson McKenzie’s Online Technology Journal)
Providing On-Demand Information Via an
Intranet
OVERVIEW
Through their Intranet, named
"CCPS City," Caroline County Public Schools offer one-stop shopping for teachers
and administrators who need instructional, administrative or student management
information or services. CCPS City, created in 1996 through a software partnership with
Claris Corporation, allows a user to do anything from ordering repairs to gathering
student test scores.
For instance, a teacher who wants to
organize a field trip simply goes online to CCPS City, opens the Field Trip Advisor, picks
a region from an electronic map of Maryland, chooses from a list of field trip
descriptions (complete with maps), uses the Trip Calculator option to compute the
trip’s cost, and, after gaining the principal’s permission for the trip, orders
the buses using the online Trip Scheduler. But that is only one example. CCPS City also
allows users to:
- make curricular links for field trips
(planned for 2000)
- request custodial supplies
- submit computer repairs
- submit work orders and building
repairs
- order A/V repairs
- review curricular documents
- search for instructional tasks and
resources
- enroll in staff development courses
- review all district handbooks and
board policy books
- track student discipline occurrences
- gather information about student test
scores, standardized test summaries, and grades
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- CCPS City provides an easy
point-and-click environment connecting all schools, the central office, and the warehouse
and transportation facilities. Its user-friendliness encourages frequent use.
- In comparison with the old paper
systems, the Intranet greatly improves speed, accuracy and communication. Any changes in
school policy, for example, are universally available immediately.
- Curriculum materials are instantly
accessible to all teachers (and to parents) via the Internet.
- Data, such as field trip records, are
easily retrieved for end-of-year budgetary calculations, making projections faster and
more precise.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
One key to the success of CPCS City
has been that training is minimal, since most of the Intranet options have point-and-click
features. This ease of use makes a huge difference in encouraging staff to use the
resource. Another key has been the constant attention of a core technology staff, keeping
CCPS City both operational and responsive to the requests of individual schools.
CONTACT:
Caroline County Public Schools
204 Franklin Street
Denton, MD 21629
Larry L. Lorton, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Telephone: 410-479-1460
Fax: 410-479-0108
http://www.Cl.K12.Md.Us
Using Technology to Illustrate
Mathematics
OVERVIEW
At Perry Hall High School in
Baltimore County, the Mathematics Department has employed a new tool in response to an old
truism: students can often better understand an abstract concept when they can actually
"see" it in a concrete way. Toward this end, in each math classroom the school
has installed a Macintosh computer, wired to a 27-inch monitor that is mounted within easy
view of all students. On this large screen, teachers use a variety of affordable (and
easily available) software packages to present mathematics problems in a graphic form in
which students can actually see the ideas at work. For instance, rather than simply
telling the class that the limit of the sine (1/x) as x approaches 0 does not exist since
the function oscillates as x approaches zero (which draws blank looks from students), a
Perry Hall calculus teacher instead enters the function into a Graphing Calculator program
on the Macintosh. A vivid onscreen image visually displays the behavior of this function,
using what seems like animation. Immediately, the students understand why the sine limit
fails to exist.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- Student enrollment in mathematics
courses is growing. in the 1998-99 school year, more than 175 students enrolled in
calculus. Many students, in fact, take more than one mathematics class during the year.
- Surveys show that students enjoy
learning mathematics more, and the "gender gap" between male and female students
registering for math courses is non-existent at Perry Hall.
- In individual classrooms, students
say they feel much more successful in understanding concepts, particularly in upper-level
mathematics.
- Scores on the Maryland Functional
Mathematics Test are in the excellent category, and in 1999, average SAT math scores
increased approximately 15 points.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
The program has several keys to its
success. One is intensely-focused training for teachers -- through county in-service
programs, workshops and departmental meetings -- to ensure that teachers are familiar and
comfortable with the hardware. Another key factor is providing teachers with the
instruction and practice time to master the wide range of necessary software. Perry
Hall’s math staff also develops prototype lessons as a department, and teachers work
together during planning periods and after school to share knowledge.
Funding for the program was gained
through the Office of Technology, the Office of Mathematics, the Northeast Area Office,
Perry Hall High School, and Math Department fund-raisers. The program’s major
challenge, says the department, is in obtaining sufficient funds to keep hardware and
software up to date. The search continues for additional sources of funding.
CONTACT:
The Baltimore Learning Community
Project
OVERVIEW
The Baltimore Learning Community
(BLC) project in Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) is a unique partnership between
public schools and institutions of higher learning, designed to advance the learning of
students and the skills of teachers through the use of a range of instructional and
communications technologies. BLC was one of the first public school programs to be awarded
a U.S. Department of Education (USDoE) Technology Innovation Challenge Grant. The project
has two portions, both within the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS).
The first is a collaboration between
BCPS and the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) to create the Maryland Electronic
Learning Community (MELC), a multimedia digital library of teacher-generated interactive
lessons and activities for use in middle schools. An indexing system and search engine
created by UMCP connect teachers to a database of more than 1,900 video, text, audio and
graphic resources (correlated with MSPAP and content standards) for creating interactive
lessons. MELC teachers use technology, including distance learning labs and online chats,
to share knowledge with peers as well as to develop their own resources.
The second portion of the BLC
project, the Baltimore Initiative (BI), is a collaboration between Johns Hopkins
University (JHU) and BCPSS. In this program, teachers use TeamTech Learning (an
instructional delivery system) to support high school students learning through
interactive CD-ROMs that simulate actual workplace situations. Major industries in
Baltimore City (e.g., health, tourism, and retail) are mirrored on the CD. Students gain
competencies in various technologies, teamwork, and the Secretary’s Commission on
Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS).
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- Since the inception of BLC,
activities that integrate instructional technology have multiplied every year. Teachers in
both MELC and BI have improved their technological skills in the classroom.
- Everyday use of MELC online resources
and attendance at weekly distance learning lab sessions have given teachers the
flexibility of sustained, personalized, and collegial just-in-time learning, as well as
opportunities for sharing of technological and pedagogical skills.
- The resulting excellence in teaching
has garnered professional recognition and awards for BLC teachers.
- BI students have higher attendance
rates than those in the broader student body and increased time-on-task. MELC students are
also demonstrating increased motivation, time on task, and enthusiasm for learning.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
There have been several keys to
success for the Baltimore Learning Community Project. Technology infrastructure, in the
form of high-speed Internet connections, multimedia computers, and software, has been
essential. Staff development and training -- as provided through summer workshops, weekly
training and sharing sessions, graduate level courses and mentoring of teachers -- is also
central to the BLC project. Having BLC staff from all three project partners -- BCPSS,
UMCP and JHU -- has been critical for ongoing operations and support. Financial backing
from the five-year USDoE Technology Innovation Challenge Grant has created a stable
foundation.
BLC has also faced challenges. Some
teachers resisted adding technology to their teaching style, although most developed the
ability to work with technology. Some of the technologies themselves proved problematic,
and had to be altered to meet the project’s needs. The time constraints of
already-overwhelmed teachers have also been an issue. BLC has worked to develop a sense of
community whereby teachers support one another in using the new technology.
BCPSS has committed itself to
keeping the BLC infrastructure in place beyond the grant funding period, and to expanding
the program to city schools that have the infrastructure to use BLC’s online
resources. Future possibilities include expansion of the BLC model nationally through
other grants or possible commercial partnerships.
CONTACT:
Website: http://www.learn.umd.edu
Michael Pitroff, BLC Project
Director
Office of Instructional Technology
Baltimore City Public Schools
2500 East Northern Parkway
Baltimore, MD 21214
410-396-7607
Email: mpitroff@us.net
Creating a Student Company Through
Business Partnership
OVERVIEW
Centennial High School in Howard
County saw a chance to help students put advanced technologies to work in the marketplace.
Through a partnership between the school and Data Computer Corporation of America, DCCA
employees worked with students to help them create a business that develops Web pages for
clients. The business, entirely run by the students, is an ideal example of how the
private sector can enhance a public school program.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- Developing a company from the ground
up has given students real-world experience in the research, skills and dedication
required to start and successfully run a business.
- Students gain expertise in many of
the most marketable areas of computer technology, including graphic design, HTML and basic
Internet design.
- Creating their own Web page firm has
helped many students to further explore and define their career goals.
- Whatever their future educational and
career plans, students gain universally valuable experience, such as practicing good
communications skills, running meetings, making presentations, dressing and interacting in
a professional manner, and developing disciplined work habits.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Keys to success of the program were,
first, creating a partnership with a company that has the resources and the commitment to
truly work with students in establishing a business; and, second, working continually with
the students to ensure that they develop the skills and disciplines needed to solve
problems and correct mistakes.
CONTACT:
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