District+Technology+Training+Plan

=District Technology Training Plan=

** The District **

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is the largest school district in Virginia, and is ranked 11th largest in the nation. FCPS population is over 1,000,000 students. As of the 2011-2012 school year, there are 194 totals schools. Of the 194 schools, 138 are Elementary Schools, 22 are Middle Schools, 4, are Secondary Schools (grades 7-12), 21 are High Schools (grades 9-12), 2 are Alternative High Schools, and 7 are Special Education Centers. ([]) Currently, technology is rapidly emerging in all of FCPS public schools. Each school within FCPS has access to SmartBoards, laptops and or desktop computers for student uses, and wireless Internet access.

** The Need ** Virginia students in grades 3-12 take the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) exams yearly. These exams are meant to measure the achievement based on the states standards. ([]) In previous years, Virginia administered the SOL exams via paper/pencil. Schools generally received results from the SOL exams within three months of administering the tests. Recently, Virginia has begun to administer the SOL exams online. The use of online assessment has allowed schools to receive results back almost immediately. By the 2013 school year, Virginia will be administering majority of its assessments online. In order for students to successfully take, and pass, these online exams, they must be properly prepared for the exams. In order for students to be prepared for the administration of these exams, they must be exposed to the new format of the exams. Teachers must prepare the students for how the format of the exams. In order for the teachers to prepare the students, they (the teacher) must be trained. The training needed includes creating online assessments, administering online assessments, and analyzing the results of the online assessments. Currently, FCPS utilizes Horizons as a storage place for released SOL questions. Teachers can access Horizons via their 24/7 Blackboard account. This is an extremely useful tool, and the teacher can create assessments, however, there is inadequate training for this resource. Training that may have been done in some instances, has been school based, and not uniformed. Teachers need a uniformed way to create and administer tests from Horizons. There has been minimum training on how to use Horizons, Horizons data analysis, and administering online assessments. Additionally, the use of the Senteos (clickers) will aide in assessments for students. As Virginia movers further into online assessments, FCPS needs to offer universal training to the teachers.

** The Audience ** FCPS employees hold bachelors and postgraduate degrees. English is the primary language for most FCPS employees, with a small group that also speaks a second language. FCPS employees have a vast range of experience, ranging from first year teachers to teachers who have 30 plus years of experience in the field of education. FCPS employees have a range of training experience with Horizon, however there has been little to no training on Senteos. Most of the training teachers are exposed to is school based training by the School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS.)

** Goals/Objectives ** The goal of these trainings is for teaches to utilize technology to assess student learning, prepare teachers to administer and analyze online assessments for students. The objectives of the training program is as follows:
 * 1) Teachers will be able to administer and analyze online assessments
 * 2) Teachers will be able to create online assessments using Horizons
 * 3) Teachers will be able to administer online assessments using Horizons
 * 4) Teachers will create online assessments to be taken using Senteos
 * 5) Teachers will analyze data and plan next instructional moves based on assessment results.

** Content Analysis ** In order to meet the goals and objectives set forth in this training, several workshops and classes will be offered. The workshop and classes will meet the variety of needs of FCPS employees. The classes will also be designed to meet the needs of the novice learner to the most advanced learner. The following workshops will be offered to teachers:

** Using Horizons Ready Made Assessments **
Horizons is a FCPS based tool that is apart of Blackboard 24/7. In this workshop participants will discover how to access pre-made assessments available on Horizons. Participants will discover how to locate the assessments based on stands, objectives, and indicators being taught. Additionally, participants will discover how to assign the assessments to be taken online. Finally, participants will learn how to edit pre-made assessments to suit the individual needs of the learners. Leave this workshop with at least one ready-made assessment for your students.

** Creating Your Own Online Assessment ** In this workshop, participants will begin to write their own assessments using Horizons. Participants will discover how to write questions based on criteria set forth in Horizons. Participants will exam the various question style and methods of answers such as fill in the black, true/false, multiple answers, and multiple choice. Questions written will use Bloom’s Taxonomy. Leave this workshop with a minimum of five questions prepared based on Horizons’ criteria.

“**Clickers”: Using the Senteos With Online Assessments** The SmartBoard is in virtually every school in FCPS. Most schools are now, or will soon be, equipped with Senteos, an interactive response system, by SmartBoard. With the Senteos, teachers will find fun, new ways to assess student learning. Participants will learn how to enroll students, assess student learning, and read the data results from the Senteos. This hands on workshop will have you clicking away easily with wonderful assessments. Leave this workshop with pre-made assessments bookmarked on your laptops.

** “Clickers”: Creating Your Own Assessments with Senteos ** Have you ever said “These premade assessments do not meet the needs of my students.” Or “These Senteo assessments are nice, but how to do I gear them to the SOL?” This workshop will answer those questions and more. Learn how to write questions to be used directly with the Senteo. Learn how to import questions from Microsoft Office into the Senteo software. Leave with at least one assessment ready to deploy with your students.

** Reading Your Results: Analyzing Horizon Data ** After giving your assessments have you ever asked these questions: What do these numbers mean? Did my students pass this assessment? Do my students know the material that has been taught? What do my students know well? What do my students need improvement on? Find the answers to these questions as we read data from Horizons’ reports.

** Now What? Using Data to Plan Instruction ** So you have given your assessments. The results have been analyzed. You now know which students have mastered the skills, and which students need intervention. So how do you plan for these students? This session will show you how to dive further into the numbers and decided how to best instruct students after the assessments.

** Instructional Strategies ** There are numerous learning styles participants will come with when they enter these workshops. It is imperative that instructors work to meet the various needs of the participants. Participants will create online assessments during the training sessions that can be used in the classroom. Additionally, teachers will have a collection of data that can be reviewed, analyzed, and instructional plans will be created based on the results given. The opening day session will begin with an icebreaker activity. Generally, people sit where they are comfortable. Part of the goal of the training is for teachers to grow as educators, and be able to create, and analyze data. While the purpose is not for teachers to “make new friends” it is important for them to grow as educators, and learn from others. Each teacher, and school, comes with a wealth of knowledge and experiences, and it is important to share these experiences. The opening session will begin by getting the participants moving. They will be divided into a minimum of two groups. If there are sufficient participants, more groups can be formed. The participants would then have to line up according to the grade level they teach, and the number of years they have been teaching (including the current year.) This must be done without talking. Example, if a teacher currently teaches kindergarten, they will be in the front of the line. The teacher must now “discuss” with the fellow kindergarten teachers, how long they had been teaching. If this is their first year, they will be in the front of the kindergarten line. The goal is to get the participants to move and interact. This will also be a great way to awaken the brain early in the morning. After competing the icebreaker activity, participants will be grouped based subject and grade level taught. If a school has more than one person represented per grade level, they will choose which subject on their grade level they would like to create assessment for. This grouping will allow for participants to be able to create assessments based on their individual needs. At each table there will be a collection of the same data for participants to review. This data will not have letter, and not names, associated with it, however there will be coding for Race, Socioeconomic class, Gender, as well as assessment scores. Participants are to examine the data, and will have approximately ten minutes to draw conclusions based on the data that is presented. Participants may not to discuss why the scores are, however they are to determine conclusions. Participants will complete the handout based on their analysis of the data. This activity will be a preliminary activity to the fifth workshop, “Reading Your Results: Analyzing Horizon Data” as well as the sixth workshop, “Now What? Using Data to Plan Instruction.”

** SAMPLE ACTIVITY **
**DATA SAMPLE ACTIVITY**
 * Directions: Review the following data worksheet. Make conclusions based on the data that is being presented. Do not discuss why the data is, but rather just the facts. Complete the data questions below based on the data presented.**

//What can you concluded from this data set? Remember, we are drawing conclusions based on what we see. For example, if I look outside and see dark clouds forming and the tree blowing hard, I would conclude a storm is approaching. I am not making an analysis of the approaching storm, but based on the fact I see make conclusions. Complete the questions below based on the data above://

//Based on the data above, I believe that ___. This conclusion is based on the fact that__ __.//

//Answer the above question for each student above. Conclusions can be made based on Race, and Gender// After participants have taken time to review the data, and answer the questions above, we will come together and discuss the findings. It is important to note that there should be a whole group discussion regarding the conclusions drawn from the data presented. This will allow the facilitator to disband any misconceptions that may have taken place within the small group discussions. In addition to the hands on warm-up activity, participants will be presented with the following scenario:

//Ms. Jackson is a fourth grade teacher at Somewhere Elementary, located in the small town of Somewhereville, VA. Ms. Jackson gave a first quarter pre-assessment and had a class average of 50%. Samantha is an ESOL student, who receives assistance from the ESOL instructor, as well as tutoring services for math and language arts. At the end of the quarter, Ms. Jackson gave a cumulative first quarter exam, and found that while the class average increased to 80%. However, she found that Samantha’s score remained relatively the same. Ms. Jackson was concerned about the lack of achievement with Samantha. Ms. Jackson went to the school instructional coach Mr. Dates, and data analysis to see how she could help Samantha. She knew that Samantha had some understanding, but she wanted to dive further into the assessments, and find where the gaps are. Mr. Dates suggested that Ms. Jackson bring Samantha’s assessment so they could review it and see where her areas of weakness were. Within your table group discuss the following questions://


 * 1) ** Why did Mr. Dates suggest that Ms. Jackson bring Samantha’s assessment? **
 * 2) ** What findings may Mr. Dates and Ms. Jackson find by reviewing Samantha’s assessment? **
 * 3) ** What benefits will Ms. Jackson find by reviewing Samantha’s assessment? **

This scenario will have participants begin the dialogue wherein which they will begin to discuss rationale behind analyzing data, and looking beyond the test score. It will be important to note that it is necessary to look beyond the numbers, and see what the students actually know. By completing a detailed question analysis, Ms. Jackson can find what Samantha understands, and what she does not understand. Upon completion of the question analysis, Ms. Jackson discovered that Samantha did well on completing patterns and place value, however, when it came to working with rational numbers (fractions and decimals) she fell short. When Ms. Jackson further looked into the test, she also found that half of her test covered rational numbers, thus explaining the low score that Samantha received. After completing a detailed analysis on Samantha’s assessment, Ms. Jackson decided to compare the analysis on Samantha’s assessment with the rest of the class. Ms. Jackson found that many of her students got the same problems incorrect. Additionally, she found that the answers chosen were almost identical. Upon finding this discovery, Ms. Jackson took a closer look at the questions and the responses, and found distractors, and misconceptions. She knew, while the average score was 80%, she had to reteach certain skills. Ms. Jackson would not have made these discoveries without completing a class detailed question analysis.

** MATERIALS ** Much of this training will be hands on. Materials that will be needed will consist of training handouts and documents for participants to take home and review as needed. One of the handouts that will be provided for the participants will be a detailed PDF file on how to use conditional statements. Please see the attached sheet for a sample of the handout that will be used in this presentation. Other materials, from the previous section, will be used such as Excel spreadsheets, and data conclusion worksheets.

** EVALUATION ** In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this training, a follow up session, or sessions will be needed. Participants will receive questionnaire quarterly, as to evaluate they are following through on the data analyzes and data discussions. Additionally, administrators will be surveyed to determine if there is a notable increase in how there staffs’ weekly Collaborative Team (CT) meetings are going. It is not the intent of follow-up evaluations to become tedious for the participants involved. Rather, it is important to gather useful data that will determine how to proceed in the future with online assessments, and data dialogue. At the conclusion of the training participants will be given the following survey to complete. It is important to note that the survey results will be kept confidential. This will allow participants to feel free to express their feelings on the workshops and training sessions offered.

** SURVEY ** On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being strongly disagree, and 5 being strongly agree, please answer the following statements. Please feel free to elaborate in more detail:


 * 1) I found this work extremely helpful.
 * 2) The topics covered in this workshop met my needs. _
 * 3) The presenter(s) of the workshops were knowledgeable of their subject. _
 * 4) These workshops expanded what I knew about Data Discussions. ___

** SAMPLE LESSON PLAN **
 * Name: ** Sarah Bagley


 * Workshop Title: ** Now What? Using Data to Drive Instruction **Day #5**


 * Subject of the day’s workshop ** : Data Dialogue. Using data collected as a basis for instruction.

Participants will need to have a basic understanding of how to retrieve data that they have collected on student work. It is strongly recommended that this course is taken after the other 5 courses.
 * Prerequisite Knowledge ** :


 * Objectives: **
 * 1) Make analysis and from sets of data that has been collected.
 * 2) Draw conclusions based on a given set of data.
 * 3) Plan appropriate instruction based on data collected


 * How the lesson will be taught: **

This lesson will be taught using sample data that has been collected from students. Participants will begin by creating a questions analysis spreadsheet so that they can draw appropriate conclusion based on what is presented. Participants will work in small groups based on subject and or grade levels they teach. Lessons will be created based on the outcome of the data analysis.


 * Additional materials: **

Microsoft Excel: this will be used to create question analysis and build a test score bank.

Data Conclusion Analysis: this handout will be used to guide participants into what questions to ask themselves while completing data discussions.

Evaluation Strategies: This session will be evaluated based on how well participants analyze and draw conclusions from the data presented. Additionally, evaluations will come from participants at the end of the workshop. Finally, a follow up evaluation will take place after the training to see how well participants are following through and completing data driven discussion and analysis.
 * References **

Virginia Department of Education Testing and Learning Standard []

Fairfax County Public Schools About FCPS []

** SAMPLE SYLLABUS ** ** USING ONLINE ASSESSMENTS TO DRIVE INSTRUCTION **  Fall, 2012   INSTRUCTOR: SARAH E. BAGLEY OFFICE HOURS 8:45-4:15 MONDAY-FRIDAY OFFICE PHONE NUMBER: 703-329-0000 E-MAIL: sarah.bagley@fcps.edu
 * OFFICE: ** Cameron Elementary, Room 110


 * DESCRIPTION: ** This 5-day training session is designed to prepare teachers to administer online assessment for students. These online assessments will prepare students to take the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) exams during the Spring semester.


 * COURSE OBJECTIVES: **


 * 1) Prepare teachers to administer and analyze online assessments
 * 2) Teachers will be able to create online assessments using Horizons
 * 3) Teachers will be able to administer online assessments using Horizons
 * 4) Teachers will create online assessments to be taken using Senteos
 * 5) Teachers will analyze data and plan next instructional moves based on assessment results.


 * COURE TOPICS: ** The topics covered in this 5-day workshop are as follows:
 * 1) Using Horizons Ready Made Assessments
 * 2) Creating Your Own Online Assessments
 * 3) “Clicker” Using the Senteos With Online Assessments
 * 4) “Clickers” Creating Your Own Online Assessments with Senteos
 * 5) Reading Your Results: Analyzing Horizon Data
 * 6) Now What? Using Data to Plan Instruction


 * TEXT AND REQUIRED SUPPLIES: **


 * Fully charged laptops. Please bring a surge protector and laptop charger, as you will be using your laptops daily. **


 * ATTENDANCE: This workshop will give you 60 recertification points. In order to receive all 60 points, you must attend all 6 sessions. These recertification points can be applied towards your state certification. The classes also meet the State technology requirement. **


 * TENATIVE SCHEDULE: **