Draft Schedule of Events

CONTENT

[High School Technology Teacher]

Participants rated the content of the Institute high, both in terms of its interest to them and its value in their jobs (see Figure 1 and 2). For some of the participants all of the topics were new. For others the content was not new, however, the Institute gave them the opportunity to talk at length with experts, to have their questions answered, and to learn how other schools across the state are dealing with issues involving Internet use. Two of the participants described it this way: "Our system has moved slowly toward Internet access. We haven't had professional development. Contractors come during the night and there is no one to explain to us what they have done. The Institute helped us get answers to questions-to understand the technical aspects of Internet access and to begin to think about how to use it in instruction." "[The Institute] gave me access to people I haven't talked to before. I could get ideas and ask questions. It allowed me to put things together-to syntesize."

DESIGN

"This was one of the best professional development experiences I've ever had."

[Middle School Technology Teacher]

The Institute modeled what we know about quality professional development. It focused on concrete classroom applications and exposed participants to actual practice rather than to descriptions of practice. It included opportunities for group support and collaboration and it provided opportunities for participants to reflect on what they were learning.

Participants responded favorably to all aspects of the design (see Figure 3). Three design elements seemed to make this workshop "better" than other workshops they attended: (1)the requirement for them to come as a team, (2)the timeframe for the workshop, and (3)the opportunity for discussion. Participants felt these design elements enabled them to develop a deeper understanding of the content and to internalize what they had learned.

"Having to come as a team was important. When you don't go alone, you learn more. In a group of two each hears something the other person didn't hear. We picked up different things because we had different backgrounds."

The time frame was perfect. It gave us a chance to come back to school and try things out and then come back to UNC and ask questions and share what we had done."

"At most conferences or workshops you have 'canned' presentations for 30 or 40 minutes nad then you move onto the next presentation. You don't have time to talk about issues or to connect with the presenters and other people in the group. At this workshop, we had the opportunity to ask questions and have our questions answered."

Other design elements that were mentionned as important:

1. Requiring teams to complete a final project.
2. Providing opportunities for the participants to meet informally in the evenings.
3. Requiring teams to apply for the Institute.

INSTRUCTORS

[High School Technology Teacher]

The instructors for the Institute were knowledgeable about the content and about good teaching practice. The participants saw them as "experts" in the field and felt fortunate to have an opportunity to learn from them. According to one participant, "I was really impressed that they took the time to talk to us-people of their capacity."

The instructors also modeled good teaching practice. They built on the participants prior knowledge, related the content to the participants needs and interests, included opportunities for practice, and provided opportunities for the participants to reflect.

The participants, however, were most impressed by the instructors' willingness to treat them as professionals-to talk to them as knowledgeable people and colleagues. According to one of the participants, "The best thing was that we were treated professionally. After the sessions I felt refreshed, respected, and challenged."

SUGGESTIONS

The following suggestions are based on the surveys and interviews:

1. Include a panel discussion that allows technology and school library media personnel from central office to discuss issues related to Internet use and to answer questions raised by school technologists and school library media specialists working at the building level.
2. Include homework throughout the Institute.
3. Provide an opportunity for school library media specialists and school technologists to discuss their roles, to talk about ownership and control issues, and to develop strategies for helping teachers and administrators understand the importance of both people to the success of the students.
4. Continue statewide relationships that have developed as a result of this workshop. Ideas: (1)continue electronic communication and (2) sponsor a reunion.

Comments about Content of the Institute:

• We got the nuts and bolts of just about everything. Now, we have the opportunity to be the "screwdriver," work at it and put it all together to effectively and efficiently collaborate with others across the school, county, region, and state.
• Being together with other media people, technologists, network groupies, DPI folks, and other presenters was of tremendous value in providing insight into issues facing our schools, our job descriptions, our expectations for the future responsibilities.
• Exposure to all was challenging, inspiring, rejuvenating!
• Well-organized and integrated content. On target for the needs of the group.
• Very valuable content! I've learned a lot and it gave me so many ideas to bring to other projects for the web and to integrate into the curriculum.
• I learned a lot and it gave me so many ideas to bring to other projects for the web and to integrate into the curriculum.
• I needed this professionally. The opportunity came at the right time for me and I learned a great deal. I also know now what I still need to learn, the difference is, I have allies and resources now.
• Very relevant to areas that I am constantly learning about.
• This has been a virtual candy store.
• The Institute was well-planned and executed-the leaders went out of their way to help answer our questions and adjust the direction of the training.
• [The project allowed me] to use what I had been exposed to and add even more understanding.
• Great experience-We were treated as professionals!
• Invaluable resource people and contacts.
• All the pieces fit together in the end.

Comments about the Design of the Institute

Team Approach

• The variety of the backgrounds of the participants was fascinating.
• Coming as team has increased awareness of other job areas and created more collaboration-It made us more of a team at our school.
• The team approach showed us that as a team we could create a project-that we come from different backgrounds doesn't matter.
• Having partners was wonderful so we could go back and collaborate.
• We really need a reunion to keep us on task and hold us accountable for continuing our projects.
• Overall we are now a state-wide team-we know faces and can readily communicate and share.
• Even though as participants we seemed to be "individualistic", we were able to feed off of our differences to fit our needs.
• It was wonderful how the instructors' content meshed so well.

Instructional Strategies

• You provided well-planned, time-efficient hands-on opportunities that were meanignful.
• The project challenged us and pushed us onward.
• I felt like we needed to revisit some topics, like graphics.
• The variety kept it "spicy."
• Hands-on was by far the most helpful in retaining the information.
• Good variety of activities.
• Having to complete a project made us internalize and practice all the technical "stuff" we heard about.
• Hands-on and discussions were the best ways for me to learn.
• Excellent balance of methodology.

Time Frame

• The extended time frame was a perfect arrangement; 10 days was a necessity.
• I appreciated the design, although 3 day sessions would have been better than 2 days.
• Effective and efficient use of our time, not a moment wasted not even at breaks or meals.
• Next time structure time to include more practice.

Electronic Communication

• Very appropriate methods.
• Email was a great way to communicate.

Materials

• Powerpoint made the long sessions interesting and easy to absorb.
• Just the nature of Powerpoint gets old.
• More articles, books, and URL's!!!!
• Lots of great and valuable "junk" and I did read it all!!!