Teacher Collaborati

onMath + Technology

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Collaboration

• The process of communication between individuals with common or similar goals, communication that may be informal or systematic” (Schneider, p. 7).

• Schneider continues to highlight “systematic” the continuous cycle of sharing knowledge thus creating a more successful learning environment for students.

• “Powerful catalyst for enabling teachers to improve their practice.”

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Problem:

•No cross district communication

•No sharing of best practices

•Little opportunities for collaborative experiences

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Problem:Technolog

y •No support for technology devices

•Assessment versus creation

•Limited Usage

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Current Collaborative

Practices

• Weekly PLC meetings with grade level partners

• Focal collaboration (assessments)

• Analyze of data/successful teaching strategies

• Technology vs. Assessment tool vs. Supportive

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Next Steps for Collaboration

• Develop cross district communication

• Establish a cohort = Community of Practice

• Employ a wiki to support communication + collaboration

• Share + discuss effective best practices

• Incorporate supportive technology centered learning environment

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Purpose

Benefit:

• …educator is armed with plausible solutions …(Sheehy, p. 56).

• CoP = Improved Quality of Instruction

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Plan

Phase One: The First Meeting

• Find participants

• Set meetings norms

• Determine a common math goal

• Brainstorm possible project ideas

• Find supportive technology

• Agree upon completion date of the project

• Scheduling

Current Participants

Plan for Second Meeting Following Project

Completion: • Discussion

• Technology utilized to support learning

• Provide feedback and recommendations

• Next Steps for the project

• PUT IN A CIRLE THINGY!!

Plan for the First Phase: Wiki

• Goal = ✔ Extending the PLC meeting

✔ Plausible solutions/projects/teaching strategies

✔ Usage of technology

• Discussion Threads

• Blogging with supportive ideas

• Extension of the PLC collaborative sessions

Benefits of a Computer Mediated

Collaborative Sessions

Connection to Teachers

• Creating an improved quality of instruction for students

• Developing continuous professional development to support best practices

• Creating high-level learning and more student centered classrooms

Connection to Students

• Improved quality of instruction

• More student centered

• Opportunities to develop as critical thinkers and innovative designers employing technology as assistance in learning

Where I have been

• Recruited educators to be part of the smaller collaborative CoP from my school = very important to have participant buy-in on this project (Buy in = More collaborative contributions)

• Collected ideas on plausible math projects and focal standards

• Brainstormed discussion threads for the wiki

•

Next Steps:

How it Relates to RVCS

• RVCS recognizes the necessity for cooperative collaboration sessions

• Provides weekly opportunities for collaboration with one early dismiss day

• Projects this through scheduled meeting times, monthly in-services, twice a year grade level scoring sessions for writing

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RVCS Vision• Educators participating in PLC among grade

level partners within own school

• District goal = strengthening and improving best practices through collaboration

• Technology

• Project Based Learning

• Focus on particular focal students within Language Arts

• Rigorous core academic program