ERIC ED438774: Increasing the Use of Instructional Technology within the K-12 Curriculum through Staff Development.

100 Pages·1999·0.69 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 438 774 IR 019 899
AUTHOR
Ferraro, Salvatore P.
Increasing the Use of Instructional Technology within the
TITLE
K-12 Curriculum through Staff Development.
PUB DATE
1999-00-00
99p.; Ed.D. Practicum Report, Nova Southeastern University.
NOTE
PUB TYPE
Dissertations/Theses - Practicum Papers (043)
Tests/Questionnaires (160)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Computer Uses in Education; Curriculum Development;
Educational Technology; Elementary Secondary Education;
*Faculty Development; Information Technology; *Instructional
Development; *Internet; Questionnaires; Teacher Surveys;
*Training
*Technology Integration; *Technology Utilization
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This practicum was developed to provide faculty and
administrators in a K-12 school system with the necessary skills and
instruction to incorporate Internet technologies into the curriculum using
the existing resources located in the school. The project was divided into
three phases. The initial phase developed staff and community awareness. The
next phase provided training using innovative times, locations, and
resources. The final phase consisted of systematically incorporating training
resources with existing curriculum activities. Six outcomes were achieved as
planned. Teachers were trained to use the Windows 95 user interface to access
Internet technologies. Teachers received training to use World Wide Web
browsers, search engines, and e-mail, and to create Web pages using
traditional and distance instructional delivery models. Appendices include
the faculty survey, outcome checklist, skill checklist, curriculum project,
e-mail checklist, skill analysis for launching Internet Explorer, equipment
sign out letter and form, and student skills chart. (Contains 30 references.)
(Author/MES)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Increasing the Use of Instructional Technology
within the K-12 Curriculum Through Staff Development
by
Salvatore P. Ferraro
ITDE Cluster 2
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Improvement
Office of Educational Research and
INFORMATION
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
CENTER (ERIC)
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE
AND
reproduced as
$1 This document has been
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL
HAS
organization
received from the person or
BEEN GRANTED BY
originating it.
to
Minor changes have been made
S. P. Ferraro
improve reproduction quality.
this
Points of view or opinions stated in
document do not necessarily represent
TO THE EDUCATIONAL
official OERI position or policy.
RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER
(ERIC)
1
A Practicum Report Presented to
the Ed.D. Program in Instructional Technology and Distance Education
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Education
Nova Southeastern University
1999
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
2
APPROVAL PAGE
This practicum took place as described.
Verifyer: Mr.
k G. Cawley
Assistant Superintendent of Staff Development
Title
300 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton PA 18503
Address
February 24, 1999
Date
This practicum report was submitted by Salvatore P. Ferraro
under the direction of the advisor listed below. It was
submitted to the Ed.D. Program in Instructional Technology
and Distance Education and approved in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education
at Nova Southeastern University.
Approved:
nal 4,,
141411
Date o
Approval
final
Marsha Burmeister Ed.D.
of Report
Advisor
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
Her continued
I wish to thank my wife Betsy.
First,
support kept me looking ahead when I wanted to be looking
down.
I thank Monsignor Grimalia, Mr. Pat Cawley, Dr. Ruth
Connolly, and everyone associated with the Diocese of
Scranton Catholic Schools for their confidence and support
of my visions. Thanks to all of the teachers who
participated in my practicum. A thank you goes to Mr. Steve
Hinkle, owner of CyberComm, for the Internet resources
provided to the schools. I thank Sr. Carole Griffin, Mr.
James Redington, Mr. Robert Kaluzavich, Sr. Dorothy Kibler
and Sr. LeRoy for their cooperation. I have a special thank
you for Ruth Bolesta, Dr. Janet Donovan and Nancy Forgash
for their friendship throughout the process.
I wish to acknowledge John Owens and Beth Zimmerman
for their hard work and assistance in setting up the labs
and keeping the networks running. There were quite a few
nights that went beyond midnight. I also acknowledge Mr.
Jim McGill and Bell Atlantic for the donation of time and
wiring for wiring the schools. I wish to thank College
Misericordia, Kings College, Ms. Chris Bedwick and Dr.
Christina Charnitski for the support of the intern and
mentoring programs.
I thank Sr. Davida Morgan for her inspiration and
friendship. Under her guidance I found my purpose in
teaching. I also thank Dr. Mahmoud Fahmy for his continuous
interest and support for my academic career, dating back to
my days at Wilkes University.
4
iii
I thank Nova Southeastern University, Dr. Jeri
Soroski, Dr. Marsha Burmeister, the faculty and all of the
professional acquaintances made there. All have contributed
to my professional growth and prepared me for a leadership
role to serve my students and community.
Finally I thank my wife Betsy-again. I cannot thank
her enough for everything she has done for me to help me
become who I am.
ABSTRACT
Increasing the Use of Instructional Technology within the
K-12 Curriculum Through Staff Development. Ferraro,
Salvatore. P., 1999: Practicum Report, Nova Southeastern
University, Ed.D. Program in Instructional Technology and
Distance Education. Online Services/Internet Integration
into Curriculum/ Staff Development.
This practicum was developed to provide faculty and
administrators in a K-12 school system with the necessary
skills and instruction to incorporate internet technologies
into the curriculum using the existing resources located in
the school. The project was divided into three phases. The
initial phase developed staff and community awareness. The
next phase provided training using innovative times,
locations and resources. The final phase consisted of
systematically incorporating training resources with
existing curriculum activities.
Six outcomes were achieved as planned. Teachers were
trained to use the Windows 95 user interface to access
Internet technologies. Teachers received training to use
web browsers, search engines, e-mail and create web pages
using traditional and distance instructional delivery
models.
Permission Statement
As a student of the Ed.D. Program in Instructional
I do (X) do not
give
Technology and Distance Education,
( )
permission to Nova Southeastern University to distribute
copies of this practicum report on request from interested
It is my understanding that Nova Southeastern
individuals.
University will not charge for this dissemination except to
cover the costs of microfiching, handling, and mailing of
the materials.
(signature)
(date)
V
Table of Contents
Page
iii
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Chapter 1: Introduction
1
Description of the Setting and Community
1
Writer's Work Setting
1
Writer's Role
6
Chapter II: Study of the Problem
9
Problem Statement
9
Problem Description
9
10
Problem Documentation
Causative Analysis
17
Relationship of the Problem to the Literature
20
31
Chapter III: Anticipated Outcomes and Evaluation Instruments
Goals and Expectations
31
31
Expected Outcomes
Measurement of Outcomes
33
Chapter IV: Solution Strategy
37
Discussion and Evaluation of Solutions
37
Description of Selected Solutions
42
44
Report of Action Taken
53
Chapter V: Results
53
Results
56
Discussion
67
Recommendations
69
Dissemination
70
References
Appendices
74
A Faculty Survey
76
Outcome Checklist
B
78
Skill Checklist
C
80
Curriculum Project
D
82
E-mail Checklist
E
Skill Analysis for Launching Internet Explorer
84
F
86
Equipment Sign Out Letter and Form
G
89
Student Skills Chart
H
vi
Tables
Table 1 Summary of Networked PCs on Site
4
Figures
Figure 1 School Enrollment
3
vii
1
Chapter 1: Introduction
Description of the Setting and Community
The diocese of this practicum location covered
approximately one-quarter of a state located in the
Northeast.
The total number of schools within the
Fifty schools were elementary and
organization was 59.
nine schools were at the high school level.
The
organization employed approximately 1,100 teachers to
service nearly 26,000 students.
The diocese covered 11 counties and 8,466 square miles
The county where the schools for this
of the state.
practicum was located had a mixture of rural, urban, and
metropolitan populations.
The family household median
income of the county was $30,349.00
Writer's Work Setting
The work setting where this practicum occurred spanned
four schools that were spread over three municipalities
that were within a 12 mile radius.
According to the
mission statement of the organization, technology was
viewed as an effective and necessary tool that was capable
of enhancing both the communication skills and productive
capacity of its students, staff, and parents.
2
The mission of the organization sought to produce a
learning environment for an ever-changing world. It
perceived the role of technology to enable its students and
staff to access information efficiently, enhance problem-
solving skills, encourage collaborative lifelong learning,
and become effective communicators as well as responsible
citizens.
While the four schools within this organization agreed
to work together in a partnership to promote change and
reform, each school represented a single, unique entity
that ran autonomously from other schools within the
diocesan organization.
They each had their own budget and
strategic plan with which to select resources.
The target population of the writer's practicum was
comprised of classroom teachers from pre-kindergarten
through twelfth grade as well as school administrators from
three elementary schools and one high school. The four
schools were selected by the writer because each had an
existing networked computer lab connected to the Internet.
The first elementary school in this practicum location
provided instruction for students ranging from pre-
kindergarten through eighth grade.
The enrollment for the
1997 school year was 163 students compared to 185 for 1996,
and 210 for the year 1995 (see Figure 1).
10