Working Together to Achieve in a Digital Age is a new three-year federally-funded grant project which has
been awarded to the Area III Learning Technology Center (Peoria Regional Office of Education as Administrative
Agent) on behalf of participating public and private school districts in west central Illinois. Its purpose is to address
the professional development goals as identified in the technology component of the No Child Left Behind federal
legislation, Enhancing Education through Technology.
In order to develop the project's proposal plan and implement a comprehensive effort a Professional Development
Consortium was formed. Partners include: 1) the 10 Regional Offices of Education within Area III, 2) Western
Illinois University's Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT) 3) the University of Illinois-
Springfield's Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning (OTEL), and 4) the Area III Learning Technology Center.
The consortium invited all districts to participate with 104 public and 41 private schools signing onto the project.
The focus of the project is to provide districts with professional development and technology resources to support
district's school improvement plan and efforts towards effective technology implementation for student results.
Specific areas of focus include:
- baseline and ongoing data collection and analysis related to student achievement;
- support for educators to build a bridge to higher academic achievement and the incorporation of ISTE's
(International Society for Technology in Education) NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) for
Students;
- utilization of technology and high-quality, research-based resources to ensure that students, educators, and the
community are better prepared for Digital Age Learning;
- support for school districts to prepare students to achieve the following Student Performance Goals:
- demonstration of knowledge and skills in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in science and social studies
through the use of appropriate technologies to access, organize, analyze and communicate information;
- utilization of content area reading strategies to improve reading comprehension and effectively use technology
telecommunications, productivity, and resource tools;
- strategies to improve mathematical achievement supported by the use of research-based technology
interventions;
- demonstration of technology literacy skills and effective uses of technology in transforming learning situations
for the four main fundamental learning areas; and
- achievement in reading and/or math, surpassing annual projected progress in the meets or exceeds targeted
levels.
Year One (May - October 2003), each participating district will form a District Core Team that represents
administrators, teachers, and a media specialist/technology coordinator. This team will initially participate in a data
analysis retreat to examine student assessment data in order to identify achievement and program patterns. The
District Core Team will continue to meet periodically during the three years of the project. In addition,
opportunities for participation in Technology Leadership activities through the Administrators' Academy program
will be available.
Learning Cohorts will be selected in each district to address achievement through the use of Inquiry-Based
Learning and Reading in the Content Area. Each district will select a minimum of 9 teachers which will be
randomly assigned to make up three Learning Cohorts. (Note: Refer to the Learning Cohort description for more
information on Cohort numbers.) "Learning Cohort One" will begin training during Summer 2003, "Learning
Cohort Two" will start training Spring/Summer 2004, while "Learning Cohort Three" will start training Winter
AREA III PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM Working Together to Achieve in a Digital Age
2004/2005. All Cohorts will participate in the project evaluation beginning year one. The Cohort groups will
receive professional development, resources, and support to incorporate best instructional practices and researchbased
technology interventions to enhance student academic achievement and technology literacy.
In order to support the Learning Cohorts, each district will identify Technology Integration Mentor(s). This
individual will be a key instructional, curricular, and technology leader within the district and will be given training
and resources to support the Learning Cohorts and other colleagues as the district moves forward to integrate
technology into teaching and learning. Specific training given will be in the areas of research in technology and
education, the keys to mentoring, and ISTE's NETS for Students and Teachers. Mentors will receive support from a
regional coach through the Regional Offices of Education in Area III. Opportunities to collaborate with other
Technology Integration Mentors throughout Area III will be made available through distance learning
technologies.
Additional readiness activities will include installation of distance-learning endpoints in selected 40% low-income
districts with endpoint equipment attaching to a district's existing LAN, allowing for mobility within the building.
The distance-learning delivery system will be readied to distribute needed course content and collaborative projects
to students as well as act as a professional development delivery and networking mechanism during years two and
three. In addition, an Area III Professional Development Consortium website and Track-It PD (an online database of
educator's portfolio work) will be developed and piloted. The website will provide a central web presence for
maintaining research-based technology solutions, instructional units, networking capabilities for grant participants,
links to key resources, and grant training information and registration.
Year Two (2003-2004), Year One Learning Cohorts will continue to participate in professional development
targeted at instructional strategies, including differentiation and research-based technology applications for selected
content areas of focus. Teams will implement a unit of study that incorporates skills and knowledge acquired. A
portfolio of student artifacts will demonstrate the impact of instructional practices and technology interventions
implemented in the classroom. Year Two Learning Cohorts will begin their training in Inquiry-Based Learning and
Reading in the Content Area.
Technology Integration Mentors in year two will be participating in professional development that promotes
effective uses of technology. Training will address research-based applications, strategies for enhanced student
engagement and higher-order thinking skills. Mentors will learn how to help colleagues utilize Track-It PD and
also participate in Inquiry-Based Learning and differentiation training. The District Core Teams and the Mentors
will begin efforts to align the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Nets for Students with the
Illinois Learning Standards.
In addition, all educators will have the opportunity in year two to participate in professional development
opportunities aligned with ISTE's NETSfor Teachers and NETS for Administrators . Track-It PD will begin to
maintain a portfolio of educators' implementation work as evidence of professional development. The distance
learning delivery system will provide course content and networking opportunities to students and teachers/media
specialists. Additional endpoint equipment will be installed based on grant funds. The Area III Professional
Development Consortium website and Track-It PD will be central resources for participating educators.
Year Three (2004-2005), Year One Learning Cohorts will implement action research projects designed to plan,
implement, and evaluate a course of action targeted at improving student achievement in their selected content area.
Year Two Learning Cohorts will continue to participate in professional development targeted at instructional
strategies, including differentiation, and research-based technology applications for selected content areas of focus.
The Cohorts will also implement a unit of study that incorporates skills and knowledge acquired. Year Three
Learning Cohorts will begin their training in Inquiry-Based Learning and Reading in the Content Area and
implement a unit of study.
Also, all teams will plan and implement activities that incorporate NETS for Students within the curriculum. Minigrants
will be available to support district plans in this area. All educators will continue to participate in professional
development aligned with the ISTE's NETS for Teachers and NETS for Administrators. Support resources for Area
III educators will continue to be reviewed and enhanced to best support educators' needs for improving academic
achievement and support 21st Century Skills.
A comprehensive formative and summative evaluation design has been planned and includes the utilization of ISAT
and local achievement data and Illinois NextSteps instruments as part of a district evaluation of the project. In
addition, an outside evaluator will develop instruments and protocols for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the
program. It is hoped and expected that the evaluation results will demonstrate the following conclusions:
- There is an increase in knowledgeable, competent educators who are committed to digital age learning as a result
of their training.
- There is an increase in the knowledge of the technology literacy standards and their classroom implementation.
- Classrooms are transformed to environments where all students have equitable access to rich, diverse, and highquality
learning opportunities through technology.
- An increase is shown in collaboration among students, teachers, schools, community, and the global community
via distance learning opportunities.
- The potential to reach every district in a twenty-county area has been realized.
Deadline for Participation Agreements
Agreements should be returned by April 30, 2003.
Please return to:
Area III Learning Technology Center, One Technology Plaza,
211 Fulton, Suite 207B
Peoria, IL 61602
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