Running head: [PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 1

Professional Development Orientation Course for Early Childhood Education Teachers

Margo Tripsa

Kennesaw State University

February 2016

Dr. Julie Moore

Term 2015
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 2

Capstone Project Proposal

This project will be implemented at Vision International School (VIS), an American

international school located in Qatar, Middle East. VIS is a proprietary school owned by

Almuftah Group and managed by the International School Services. The school opened its doors

in September 2014 and is located in Al Wakrah, a close suburb of Doha, Qatar. VIS is a separate

gender school, however, the early childhood education classes are mixed gender. The school is

following an American international curriculum that is tailored to the culturally diverse needs of

the students. The student body represents various countries from around the globe, but the

majority of the students come from Arabic speaking countries from the region. VIS serves

students from pre-K (3 year olds) through 9th grade (15 year olds) and is adding high school

classes every year. Currently, the school is serving 496 students, 78% of the student body is

Qatari, 6% Egyptian, 2% Jordanian, 2% American, 12% other nationalities (Miller, D., 2015). A

number of 62 teachers currently operate at Vision international School.

The school aims at developing an IB program, a program that is recognized by most

universities around the world, in order to give the students access to top universities worldwide.

Being a new school, it is pursuing accreditation by the Council of International Schools and the

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (Vision International School, 2016).

Currently, the school has three principals (one middle school principal, one elementary

principal and an early childhood education school principal), a building principal, and a director.

When the school opened its doors in September 2014, the current building principal was the only

principal at VIS. At the beginning of this school year, three other principals joined the

administrative team as the student population almost doubled in its second year. The student

body is expected to double every year, so things change pretty quickly with regard to student
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population and how the school is run. Given the fact that VIS is an international school, the

school experiences a typical high turnover of staff every year. Also, the fact that the school

grows rapidly brings many new teachers every year in addition to the ones who are completing

their contracts.

The technology department is run by an IT director. With regards to technology

equipment, the school has Promethean boards, Macbooks for middle school students, and iPads

for elementary students and for the early childhood education (ECE) department. The school is

trying to implement a one-on-one computing program (Macbooks for middle school students and

iPads for elementary students), but the school has only sporadically reached this goal. For

example, last year, when the student body was smaller, the middle school was 1:1 Macbooks.

The slow bureaucratic system and the significant increase in student population that the school

experiences every year make the one-on-one initiative to be unattainable on the short run.

One of the five tenets of the school vision states that teachers and students will use

technology appropriately as a natural extension to enhance learning opportunities. Students will

be exposed to and engaged in the use of technology on a regular basis as a means to expand their

classroom experience and provide them new opportunities for self-expression and discovery

(Vision International School). Therefore, one expectation for the teachers is that they are fluent

users of technology. Given the fact that the teacher turnover is significantly high, there is a dire

need to provide professional development (PD) that addresses their needs with regards to

technology use.

When the new teachers join the school in mid August, the amount of work they need to

do can be pretty overwhelming. They need to quickly get ready for the new school year, get their

classrooms ready, adjust to a new place where they would live and work, learn about the
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different types of curriculums used at the school, learn about the culture of the school and of the

country, and also start planning instructional lessons using new technology. Not having the

knowledge and the skills required to manipulate the new technologies can bring on a great deal

of frustration. This proposal targets the need for a professional development orientation course

for the elementary childhood education (ECE) teachers. The new teachers would have access to

the orientation course immediately after being employed and would be free to access the course

at their convenience.

Statement of Problem, Need and Rationale

The problem that prompted the design of this proposal was the need for a professional

development orientation course for the new ECE teachers at VIS. A high turnover rate is very

typical for international schools. This factor brings additional challenges for the implementation

of curriculum and instruction. When school starts, teachers and technology leaders need to

embark on a wide variety of tasks and are faced with limited time to start learning new things in

order to prepare for the new school year. This intervention is important because it will equip

teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively integrate technology into their

lessons, be proactive participants in the curriculum design and implementation, and effectively

help VIS meet its vision and mission.

We live in an increasingly interconnected world and what happens in the classroom

should reflect the realities of todays society. Technology can help build global awareness and

enhance teaching and learning in many ways. Learning and teaching with technology is a

nonnegotiable in the digital age. Socio-academic success is rooted in learning that happens not

only in school but also outside of it. Technology is a unique tool that can help eliminate time and

space barriers. Technology can facilitate new forms of communication, collaboration, and
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creativity. It may also provide new venues for enhancing critical thinking. Shaping successful

21st century learners who are active consumers and producers of content require effective use of

existing and emerging digital tools. Technology tools can also facilitate a multidisciplinary

instruction that targets multiple intelligences and diverse learning styles due to the multisensory

experiences provided, it promotes the development of the child as a whole, and it fosters a sense

of belonging in engaging and dynamic learning communities. Teachers place a premium on

student engagement and the use of technology is very effective in getting students excited and

motivated. Motivation promotes initiation of activities and persistence in those activities. (Stipek,

1988). Therefore, when students are excited and motivated, they focus and learn better.

These kinds of 21st century learning environments are critical for building global

understanding, for enhancing teaching and learning, and for providing meaningful, rigorous, and

relevant instruction which is in sync with todays societal realities. Therefore, teachers,

irrespective of the content area they are teaching, need to showcase dispositions, knowledge, and

skills in regards to using instructional technologies and resources for supporting teaching and

learning.

Research has indicated that the most important variable in student achievement is the

teachers (Block, 2000; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Haycock, Jerald, & Huang, 2001). Professional

development is essential because it is a tool that helps teachers remain current on the increasing

amount of pedagogical, instructional technology, and content area research. To address the need

for professional learning, schools use various strategies. The use of coaches is very popular today

because they can provide job-embedded professional development and training tailored to

teachers individual needs. The Institute of Education Sciences conducted a meta-analysis on

1,300 studies on the impact of professional development on student achievement and concluded
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that teachers who receive substantial professional development (49 hours) can boost their

students achievement by 21 percentile points (Yoon, Duncan, Lee, Scarloss, & Shapley, 2007).

Therefore, the project I plan on designing and implementing will most likely have a positive

impact not just on the professional knowledge and skills of the teachers, but on the students

academic performance, as well.

Researchers have also been long interested in the impact of online professional learning

opportunities in education. Many researchers claimed that online PD has more superior benefits

that traditional forms of PD because of its ability to be responsive to the teachers who have busy

schedules, to provide teachers with multiple opportunities to access content of interest, and to

create real-time, continuous, and work-embedded support (Dede, Ketelhut, Whitehouse, Breit,

and McCloskey, 2009; Kleiman, 2004; Davis, 2009; Stanford-Bowers, 2008). The online

professional development represents the anytime, anywhere option that provides flexibility by

allowing the participants to engage in professional learning beyond time and space barriers. In

the 21st century, asynchronous and synchronous learning technologies have provided new

opportunities for improving and expanding teacher professional development opportunities

beyond the physical walls of the schools.

Masters, De Kramer, O Dwyer, Dash, and Russell (2010) conducted a study that used a

quantitative research methodology. The researchers evaluated the effectiveness on online

professional development on fourth grade teachers knowledge and skills in English Language

Arts. A total of 255 fourth grade English Language Arts (ELA) teachers from 8 different states

participated in the study. The treatment group composed of 148 teachers participated in a three-

day workshop. The mean pre-test score of the control group in the three ELA areas was 7.54 and

the mean post-test score was 7.94. Pre-test mean score of the treatment group in the three ELA
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 7

areas was 7.86 and the mean post-test score was 10.88. Therefore, the research findings indicated

that the online PD positively impacted the teachers instructional skills in English Language

Arts.

The study involved a large number of schools and massive numbers of teachers from

various states. Therefore, the outcome of this study could be transferred to other schools that

offer online professional development. The authors did not discuss how many teachers were

native speakers or second language speakers, but it could be assumed that the majority were

native English speakers. At Vision International School, however, a significant part of the faculty

is made up of teachers whose first language is Arabic (and teach Arabic or Islamic Studies). This

brings on additional challenges with regard to online professional development offerings and,

therefore, the findings resulted in the study described above might not be reflected with fidelity

at Vision International School.

In related research, Dash, Kramer, O Dwyer, Masters, Russell (2012) investigated the

impact of online professional development in mathematics on fifth grade teachers pedagogical

content knowledge and pedagogical practices as well as their students mathematics

achievement. They measured the impact of the 60 hours of professional development on 79 fifth

grade teachers. The research findings indicated that teachers who had been randomly assigned to

the experimental group and had engaged in the online program had significantly greater gains in

scores for pedagogical content knowledge and pedagogical practices than teachers in the control

group. Therefore, a main finding of this study was that intensive, sustained, content-focused

online professional development in mathematics could impact positively teachers pedagogical

content knowledge and pedagogical practices. However, the positive outcomes did reflect on

students mathematics achievement. One significant limitation of this study was the high attrition
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rate. The researchers noted even though the number of teachers who completed the module was

sufficient for data analysis, a large number of participants did not complete the entire

professional development module. Being aware of this threat, the instructional technology coach

will try to provide teachers with ongoing support and will redirect them to the online resources

whenever necessary.

The main goal of the capstone proposal being described in this document is to help the

teachers develop knowledge and skills with regard to technology integration. Findings, similar to

the outcomes revealed by Dede et al. (2009) and Dash et al. (2012), indicate that fact that online

professional development courses can help teachers develop the necessary skills for effective

technology integration.

Objectives & Deliverables

By implementing the project I am proposing here, the new ECE teachers at my school

will have access to tutorials and screencasts that will help them build knowledge and skills with

regards to the use of instructional technology tools available at the school (with a focus on the

use of Promethean boards, iPads, and Google Apps for Education). Therefore, the goal of this

project is twofold: (a) to create a PD orientation course that could be used by the new teachers

upon their employment, and (b) to help them effectively integrate the technology tools and

resources available at VIS in their classrooms throughout the year.

The four objectives for the development of the online PD orientation course are:

1. Expand opportunities and choices for professional learning for teachers and

administrators though the design of a technology-based professional development

orientation course that is inspired by teachers needs for technology integration, models

principles of adult learning, and promotes best practices in teaching, learning, and
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 9

technology integration.

2. Strengthen teacher knowledge and skills with regard to technology implementation by

modeling effective integration and use of technology in the classroom and by assisting

them in utilizing technology to improve teaching and learning.

3. Increase teacher collaboration by creating a learning community where teachers could

showcase effective technology integration on the Shout-Out page on the schools

Instructional Technology website.

4. Conduct program evaluations to determine the overall effectiveness of professional

learning on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills

and/or increasing student learning.

Upon completion of the capstone, the following deliverables will serve as evidence:

1. Pre- and post-survey of teacher needs for technology integration, and a data analysis of

these surveys

2. The online professional development orientation course published on the schools

Instructional Technology website (screencasts, tutorials)

3. Peer-coaching documentation reports of the technology integration support provided

throughout the year

4. Teacher showcase page promoting effective technology integration published on the

schools Instructional Technology website (screencasts, tutorials)

5. Mid-year and end-of year survey on the effectiveness of the orientation course

The online PD orientation course deliverables will focus on, but not be limited to, the use
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of the several instructional technology tools and resources. The Promethean board tutorials and

screencasts will cover the following topics: a) Promethean board basics, b) literacy lesson ideas,

c) math lesson Ideas, and d) science lesson ideas. The Google Apps for Education tutorials

and/or screencasts will cover the following topics: a) collaboration, organization and productivity

through Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Calendar and b) publishing opportunities

through Blogger and Google Sites. And, finally, the support regarding iPad integration will be

designed around the following topics: a) creativity through the integration of iPads, b) literacy

apps for young readers and writers ideas, and c) tools for creating multimedia for student-led

conferences.

The first deliverable, pre- and post-survey of teacher needs for technology integration,

will guide me in the design of the orientation course. Through the surveys, I will accomplish the

first objective of the project. I will analyze the data collected via the survey together with the

schools IT director. For the project design, I will take into account the needs expressed by the

teachers via the survey, and well as the anticipated needs that result after consulting with the IT

Director and the school administrators.

The second deliverable, the online professional development orientation course published

on the schools Instructional Technology website, will address the first objective, as well. The

course with consist of tutorials and screencasts that will be driven by the teachers needs for

professional development and their coaching needs and will be published on the schools

Instructional Technology website. The course will expand the opportunities for choices for

professional development, will model the principles of adult learning, and will promote best

practice in teaching, learning, and technology integration.

The third derivable, peer-coaching documentation reports of technology integration

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support provided throughout the year, addresses mainly the second objective. The peer-coaching

report will indicate how often and in what way teachers would have been provided with on-going

support in utilizing technology to improve teaching and learning. The Instructional Technology

coach will model effective use of technology tools and resources both via tutorials and during

face-to-face coaching sessions.

The fourth deliverable, teacher showcase page promoting effective technology integration

published on the schools Instructional Technology website, will address the third objective of

the project. In order to make the most of professional learning, and help teachers create a

professional community where they can learn from each and share good practices, a teacher

showcase page will be created on the Instructional Technology website.

The fifth deliverable, mid-year and end-of year survey on the effectiveness of the

orientation course, will serve the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the course and will

address the last objective of the project. The project will be adjusted accordingly for future use.

PSC Standards

This project addresses two main Professional Standards Committee (PSC) standards:

Digital Learning Environments (3) and Professional Learning and Problem Evaluation (5).

Through the project, the Instructional Technology coach will demonstrate the knowledge, skills,

and dispositions to create, support, and manage effective digital environments (elements

contained within standard three), and will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions to

conduct needs assessments, develop technology-based professional learning programs, and

design and implement program evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the program (as

stipulated in standard 5).

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The first objective of the project is closely related to several Georgia Professional

Standards Commission standards for Instructional Technology (PSC). Before proceeding with

the project, a need s analysis (5.1) will be conducted which will inform the content and delivery

of the technology-based professional learning program. Since this project will target the use of

technology to support face-to-face and online professional development delivery methods, will

model the principles of adult learning, and will promote best practices in teaching, learning, and

assessment, it addresses standard 5.2. By using a variety of tools to design and implement this

project, the instructional technology coach will both manage digital tools and resources and will

model and facilitate the use of online and blended learning, digital content, and learning

networks to support and extend student learning and expand opportunities and choices for

professional learning for teachers (desiderata of standards 3.2 and 3.3). The instructional

technology tools that are to be supported and promoted within the school will be selected and

evaluated for accuracy, suitability, and compatibility with the school technology infrastructure

by the instructional technology department of the school (standard 3.6). The instructional

technology coach will collaborate and communicate with the teachers and the IT department and

will model the use of tools for communication with the larger community (tools such as Blogger

and Google Sites).

The second objective of the project is closely related to standard 5.2. The Instructional

Technology coach will implement the technology-based professional development orientation

course and will assist the teachers in integrating technology effectively to improve teaching and

learning.

The third objective (increase teacher collaboration by creating a learning community

where teachers can showcase effective technology integration on the Shout-Out page on the
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schools Instructional Technology website) is derived from standard 3.1. This project is designed

in a way that fosters and encourages collaboration between teachers. Best instructional

technology practices will be shared on a Shout-Out page on the schools Instructional

Technology website.

The fourth project objective emerges from standard 5.3, which indicates the need to

evaluate the program in order to determine the overall effectiveness of the professional learning

course on deepening teacher knowledge and skills with regards to technology integration. The

teachers will be asked to fill out evaluation surveys half way through the school year and at the

end of the school year. According to the data collected after administering the surveys, decisions

will be made regarding the design and implementation of the online PD course in the future.

Table 1
Standards Alignment
Project Objectives Standard alignment

Expand opportunities and choices for 3.2 Managing Digital Tools and Resources

professional learning for teachers and Candidates effectively manage digital tools and

administrators though the design of a resources within the context of student learning

technology-based professional development experiences. (PSC 3.2/ISTE 3b)

orientation course that is inspired by teachers 3.3 Online & Blended Learning

needs for technology integration, models Candidates develop, model, and facilitate the

principles of adult learning, and promotes best use of online and blended learning, digital

practices in teaching, learning, and technology content, and learning networks to support and

integration. extend student learning and expand

opportunities and choices for professional

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learning for teachers and administrators. (PSC

3.3/ISTE 3c

3.6 Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools &

Resources

Candidates collaborate with teachers and

administrators to select and evaluate digital

tools and resources for accuracy, suitability,

and compatibility with the school technology

infrastructure. (PSC 3.6/ISTE 3f)

3.7 Communication & Collaboration

Candidates utilize digital communication and

collaboration tools to communicate locally and

globally with students, parents, peers, and the

larger community. (PSC 3.7/ISTE 3g)

5.1 Needs Assessment

Candidates conduct needs assessments to

determine school-wide, faculty, grade-level,

and subject area strengths and weaknesses to

inform the content and delivery of technology-

based professional learning programs. (PSC

5.1/ISTE 4a)

5.2 Professional Learning

Candidates develop and implement

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technology-based professional learning that

aligns to state and national professional

learning standards, integrates technology to

support face-to-face and online components,

models principles of adult learning, and

promotes best practices in teaching, learning,

and assessment. (PSC 5.2/ISTE 4b)

Strengthen teacher knowledge and skills with 5.2 Professional Learning

regard to technology implementation by Candidates develop and implement

modeling effective integration and use of technology-based professional learning that

technology in the classroom and by them in aligns to state and national professional

utilizing technology to improve teaching and learning standards, integrates technology to

learning. support face-to-face and online components,

models principles of adult learning, and

promotes best practices in teaching, learning,

and assessment. (PSC 5.2/ISTE 4b)

Increase teacher collaboration by creating a 3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative

learning community where teachers could Learning

showcase effective technology integration on Candidates model and facilitate effective

the Instructional Technology Shout-Out page classroom management and collaborative

on the schools website. learning strategies to maximize teacher and

student use of digital tools and resources. (PSC

3.1/ISTE 3a)
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Design and implement program evaluations to 5.3 Program Evaluation

determine the overall effectiveness of Candidates design and implement program

professional learning on deepening teacher evaluations to determine the overall

content knowledge, improving teacher effectiveness of professional learning on

pedagogical skills and/or increasing student deepening teacher content knowledge,

learning. improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or

increasing student learning. (PSC 5.3/ISTE 4c)

Project Description

After consulting with David Miller, the IT director at VIS, it was determined that there

was a need to provide teachers with job-embedded online training opportunities right after they

are hired. Given the fact that the early childhood education department of the school is the

largest, we identified the need to support this group of teachers in this regard. We performed a

needs analysis and we took into consideration the ECE teachers needs as expressed by the

teachers or observed by the Instructional Technology department personnel during classroom

instruction sessions, coaching, or Professional Learning Community meetings. We concluded

that, in order for the online PD course to be responsive to the teachers needs, it would need to

focus on three areas:

Promethean board integration

Google Apps for Education via Macbooks and iPads (fundamentals)

Fostering creativity and productivity by using iPads

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The course would have two parts: online tutorials designed by the Instructional

Technology coach and one-on one coaching provided to teachers to ensure the project

sustainability throughout the remainder of the year.

First project item/activity.

The purpose of this intervention, the creation on the tutorials, is to provide the new

teachers with online job-embedded professional development resources on the use of technology

at VIS, as outlined in the first objective of the project. In September 2016, the Instructional

Technology coach will create, conduct, and evaluate the results of a survey meant to give the

teachers the opportunity to express their individual needs with regards to technology training and

support. This process would require a total of about four hours. The next step, as indicated on the

project timeline, is the dissemination of the survey results in a meeting with the IT director. As a

result, preliminary decision will be made in regards to the design of the project. This consultation

would require about two additional hours.

During October and November a number five tutorials will be created on the following

topics:

Basics of Using Promethean Boards in the Classroom

Three different tutorials on Literacy/Math/Science Lesson ideas

A tutorial driven on a teacher requested topic

The design of each of the five tutorials will require on average five hours, and the

content-specific research needed to create the tutorials (literacy, math, science) would require six

hours.
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During December and January, the Instructional Technology coach will create seven

tutorials on Google Apps for Education (each tutorial will require on average 5 hours) on the

following topics:

Basics of Google Apps for Education

Collaboration, Organization, and Productivity using Google Drive

Collaboration using Google Docs

Organization Using Google Calendar

Publishing Opportunities Using Blogger

Publishing Opportunities Google Sites

Tutorial based on teacher request with regards to using GAFE in the classroom

During the months of February and March, the Instructional Technology coach will

create the tutorials on the following topics:

Fostering Student Creativity Though the Use of iPads in the Classroom

Best Apps for Young Readers and Writers

Tools for Creating Multimedia for the Student-Led Conferences

A tutorial on a teacher requested topic

Second project item/activity.

The second part of the intervention has two foci: the ongoing guidance and support
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provided to the teachers throughout the year in helping them implement the good practices

shared through the tutorials (second objective of the project) and the creation of a learning

community where teachers will showcase effective technology integration (third project

objective). At the end of November, end of January, and end of March, the Instructional

Technology coach will curate and publish success stories on the Shout-Out page of the schools

Instructional Technology website. This process would require a total of six hours. To assist

teachers with integrating technology in their classroom, the Instructional Technology coach will

use a minimum of five hours to assist teachers with Promethean Board integration, five hours to

assist teacher with using GAFE into their classrooms, and another five hours to use iPads into

instruction.

Third project item/activity.

To address the fourth objective of the project, the Instructional Technology coach will

create and send out to teachers a mid-year survey in order to evaluate the course and ameliorate

it accordingly. The Instructional Technology coach will collaborate with the IT department to

analyze the survey results. In April, the end-of year survey will be created and administered to

the teachers (2 hours). The data will be analyzed (2 hours) and in May the Instructional

Technology coach will adjust the project according to the data collected through the end-of-the-

year survey and the teachers feedback expressed during coaching (10 hours).

Table 2.
Project Activities Alignment
Project Item/Activity Project Objectives Deliverable
Tutorial Design Expand opportunities and choices for Tutorials
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professional learning for teachers and

administrators though the design of a

technology-based professional development

orientation course that is inspired by teachers

needs for technology integration, models

principles of adult learning, and promotes best

practices in teaching, learning, and technology

integration.

Implementation Strengthen teacher knowledge and skills with Tutorials

Support
regard to technology implementation by

modeling effective integration and use of

technology in the classroom and by assisting

them in utilizing technology to improve

teaching and learning.

Increase teacher collaboration by creating a

learning community where teachers could

showcase effective technology integration on

the Instructional Technology Shout-Out page on

the schools website.

Project Evaluation Design and implement program evaluations to Mid-year survey

End-of-year Survey
determine the overall effectiveness of

professional learning on deepening teacher

[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 21

content knowledge, improving teacher

pedagogical skills and/or increasing student

learning.

Evaluation Plan

Professional development is key to meeting todays educational demands. Good

professional development includes initiatives that are job-embedded, sustained, collaborative,

and assist teachers is staying abreast of good practices and current research. (Sparks, 2002)

Professional development needs to be judged on the degree to which changes occur in

instructional habits and the level to which student learning is enhanced. (Sparks & Hirsh, 1997)

The goal of the project is to assist the new ECE teachers in gaining knowledge and

developing skills regarding effective integration of technology into their lessons in their attempt

to design 21st century environments that promote students learning by engaging the students in

dynamic learning experiences. The evaluation of the course is essential because it will be an

important element in helping VIS school grow.

The success of this capstone project will be evaluated through classroom observations,

coaching, and through Google Form surveys delivered to staff. Via a mid-of-year and end of

year- survey, the teachers will express their opinions regarding the effectiveness of the

orientation course and about the one-on-one coaching support received, will compare their

current technology integration knowledge and skills to their beginning-of-the-year technology

integration knowledge and skills, and will make recommendations for improving the course. The

Instructional Technology coach will also informally assess the effectiveness of the online PD
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course though classroom observations, during one-on-one coaching, and by accessing the

curriculum maps posted by teachers in Atlas, which is the required curriculum-mapping tool at

VIS.

First project item/activity.

The success of the capstone project will be reflected by a change in teaching practice and

by the data collected through surveys that inquire about the online learning opportunities

provided, the support received throughout the year, and the degree to which their technology

integration knowledge and skills changed, as expressed by them via the survey and as noted by

the instructional technology coach through observations.

The first part of the project would be the design of the tutorials. The tutorials that would

address the need for specific job-embedded professional development training opportunities for

the new teachers will be developed throughout the year. The effectiveness of these tutorials will

be evaluated formally both in February and upon completion at the end of the year through

Google Forms. The Google Forms will have two parts: one that will inquire about the

effectiveness of the online course, and the second one that will inquire about the quality of the

support received for the implementation of the Professional development initiatives contained in

the online orientation course. Given the fact that most likely the teachers would need a different

amount of help, the assistance provided will be calibrated accordingly. This will make the

evaluation of the effectiveness of the project a little challenging. However, to assess the

effectiveness of the project, not the whole teacher body will asked to fill out the surveys mid-

year or at the end of the year. Those who will receive these two surveys will be determined by

the teachers answers on the pre-survey. The teachers who indicated they didnt need help will
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not get a survey on the effectiveness of the course. The data will be analyzed by the IT

department and recommendations for improvement will be made. The data collected through

teacher observations, as well as during peer coaching will constitute important formative data.

This data will be used to develop and adjust the course throughout the year. Another element that

will be taken into consideration when evaluating the success of the project would be the success

stories shared by the teachers on the schools Instructional Technology website.

The mid-year survey will be developed, conducted, and analyzed in February. The

development of the survey will take two hours, and the administration and analysis of the data

would require two additional hours. The same amount of time will be needed at the end of the

year for the final evaluation of the course.

The project will be considered successful if at least half of the teachers surveyed will

indicate positive results and if the good practices shared through the tutorials will be reflected in

the instructional practices of half of the teachers who initially shared the fact that they were

novice at integrating technology in their classrooms.

Second project item/activity.

The second part of the project includes the assistance the teachers will receive throughout

the year in implementing the good practices shared through the course tutorials. The second part

of the survey will ask specific questions regarding the effectiveness of the support received

throughout the year in regards to effective technology integration. The implementation of the

project will be considered successful if half of the teachers would provide positive feedback on

this component.

Project timeline.
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 24

The project will be designed during the 2016-2017 school year. It will start in September

2016 and will be completed in May 2017. Therefore, the newly hired teachers will not have

access to the course in its entirety upon employment, but they will contribute to the development

of the course throughout the year. The new teachers will utilize the online PD orientation course

as it is developed. You can preview below the projected timeline.

Table 3
Project Timeline
Month Project Item/Activity, or Evaluation Item Hours
Sept. 2016 Create survey of teachers needs 2 hours
Conduct survey and evaluate results 2 hours
Meet with the IT director, disseminate the survey 2 hours
results, and make preliminary plans
Oct. 2016 Design tutorial on Basics of Promethean Boards 5 hours
Conduct research on Promethean Board Lesson Ideas 2 hours
for Teaching Literacy
Design tutorial on Literacy Lesson Ideas Using the 5 hours
Promethean Board
Conduct research on Promethean Board Lesson Ideas 2 hours
for Teaching Math
Design tutorial on Math Lesson Ideas Using the 5 hours
Promethean Board
Conduct research on Promethean Board Lesson Ideas 2 hours
for Teaching Science
Design tutorial on Science Lesson Ideas Using the 5 hours
Promethean Board
Provide one-on-one coaching 5 hours
Curate and publish success stories regarding effective 2 hours
use of Promethean boards at VIS
Design tutorials based on teacher request on the use 5 hours
of Promethean boards in the classroom
Dec. 2016 Design tutorial on Basics of Google Apps for 5 hours
Education
Design tutorial on Collaboration, Organization, and 5 hours
Productivity using Google Drive
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 25

Design tutorial on Collaboration using Google Docs 5 hours

Design tutorial on Organization using Google 5 hours
Calendar
Design tutorial on Publishing Opportunities Using 5 hours
Blogger
Design tutorial on Publishing Opportunities using 5 hours
Google Sites
Provide one-on-one coaching 5 hours
Design tutorial based on teacher request with regard 5 hours
to using GAFE in the classroom
Curate and publish success technology integration 2 hours
stories using GAFE on the school website
Feb. 2017 Create mid-year survey on the effectiveness of the 2 hours
online PD orientation course and evaluate results
Design tutorial on Fostering Student Creativity 5 hours
Through the Use of iPads in the Classroom
Design tutorial on Best Apps for Young Readers and 5 hours
Writers
Design tutorial on Tools for Creating Multimedia for 5 hours
Student-Led Conferences
Provide one-on-one coaching support 5 hours
Design tutorial based on teacher request with regard 5 hours
to effective integration of iPads into instruction for
supporting teaching and learning
Curate and publish success technology integration 2 hours
stories using iPads in the classroom on the school
website
April 2017 Create and administer survey on the effectiveness of 2 hours
the online PD orientation course
Analyze survey results and discuss how this project 2 hours
needs to be adjusted for future use
May 2017 Adjust the orientation course as needed 10 hours
TOTAL:
149 hours
Note: Month = the month during which activity or item will take place. Project Item/Activity, or
Evaluation Item = statement to describe what learners or evaluation plan will do to meet the
objective. Hours = hours necessary to create and implement, or evaluate content.
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 26

Resources

The resources needed for this project are:

Promethean boards

Macbooks

iPads

Camtasia subscription

Internet connection

Human resources:

ECE Teachers

IT director

Administrators

Approval from administrators with regards to the implementation of the project

References
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 27

Block, C. C. (2000). A case for exemplary classroom instruction: Especially for students who

come to school without the precursors for literacy success. National Reading Conference

Yearbook, 49, 421440.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). Teacher quality and student achievement: A review of state policy

evidence. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 8(1), 142.

Davis, M. R. (2009). Creating value with online teacher learning. Education Week, 2(2).

Retrieved June 2009 from http://www.teachersourcebook.org/tsb/

articles/2009/03/16/02onlinepd.h02.html

Dash, S., Kramer, R., M., O Dwyer, L., M., Masters, J. Russell, M. (2012). Impact of online

professional development on teacher quality and student achievement in fifth grade

mathematics. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 45(1), 1-26

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ991837.pdf

Dede, C., Ketelhut, D. J., Whitehouse, P., Breit, L., & McCloskey, E. M. (2009). A research

agenda for online teacher professional development. Journal of Teacher Education, 60,

819. doi: 10.1177/0022487108327554

Haycock, K., Jerald, C., & Huang, S. (2001). Closing the gap: Done in a decade. Thinking K16,

5(2), 322.

Masters, J., De Kramer, R., O Dwyer, L., Dash, S., & Russell, M. (2010). The effects of online

professional development on fourth grade English Language Arts teachers knowledge

and instructional practices. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(3), 355375.

Miller, D. (2015). 2015-2016 Class list and student demographics (school report)

Professional Standards Committee. http://gapsc.com

Sparks, D. (2002). Designing powerful professional development for teachers and principals.
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 28

Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council.

Sparks, D. & Hirsh, S. (1997). A new vision for staff development. Alexandria, VA: Association

for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Stanford-Bowers, D. E. (2008). Persistence in online classes: A study of perceptions among

community college stakeholders. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 4(1), 3750.

Stipek, D. (1988). Motivation to learn: From theory to practice (2nd Ed.). Boston: Allyn and

Bacon.

Surrette, T. N., & Johnson, C. C. (2015). Assessing the Ability of an Online Environment to

Facilitate the Critical Features of Teacher Professional Development. School Science &

Mathematics, 115(6), 260-270. doi:10.1111/ssm.12132

Vision International School. http://www.vis.qa/

Yoon, K. S., Duncan, T., Lee, S. W.-Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. (2007). Reviewing the

evidence on how teacher professional development affects student achievement (Issues &

Answers Report, REL 2007No. 033). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education,

Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional

Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest. Retrieved from

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs

Appendix A

Pre-Survey
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 29

1. How conformable are you with technology use in the classroom?

a) very confortable

b) somewhat conformable

c) somewhat uncomfortable

d) very uncomfortable

2. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being least support needed, and 5 being most support needed,

how much support would you need to integrate following instructional tools

resources/tools into your instruction:

a) Promethean board

b) MacBook

c) Google Apps for Education

d) iPads

3. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the least urgent need, and 5 being the highest urgent

need, how urgent do you need help with the following resources:

a) Promethean boards

b) MacBooks

c) Google Apps for Education

d) iPads

4. Please indicate what other technology tools you need help with.

5. Please share your comments and concerns regarding the use of technology.
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 30

Appendix B

Mid-Year Survey
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 31

1. Did you use the online PD orientation course?

a) Yes

b) No

c) If your answer was no, please explain provide a reason.

2. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being it was least useful, and 5 being the most useful, how

useful were the online PD TUTORIALS?

a) 0

b) 1

c) 3

d) 4

e) 5

3. What changes you would like us to make to the format of the tutorials? Please feel

free to make suggestions!

4. What topics you would like us to cover in future tutorials?

5. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being it was least useful, and 5 being the most useful, how

would you rate the ASSISSTANCE you received in the implementation of the course.

a) 0

b) 1

c) 2

d) 3

e) 4
[PD ORIENTATION COURSE FOR ECE TEACHERS] 32

6. What changes you would like us to make in the way we provide support? Please

make suggestions!

7. Please share your comment or concerns in regards to your technology integration

needs.