Timely Studies Update/ SOLD Project

For those that were curious about the real-world project that I was asked to take last week, here is an update with more details.  The blog entries will be titled 'SOLD', so they are not confused with our grad class entries.

The planning and work has begun on the work-project that my principal asked me to undertake.  I've named it SOLD for Staff On Line Development.  I had an initial planning meeting with *some of the stakeholders last Thursday.  There were supposed to be 6-7 VPs involved in the project and only 3 were at the meeting.  One was not at work, two were conducting interviews for the upcoming school year, and one was filling for our head principal, who was also out of the office that day.  The meeting took longer than scheduled (1 hour versus the actual 2.5).

Although slightly underwhelmed by the VP participation, the meeting went well.  The missing VPs will likely be involved at later stages and when/if additional modules are added to the project.  We're using a series of web tools and resources to create and host the learning modules for the staff.  Since I had used the Coursesites.com LMS for a previous grad class project, my familiarity and the price-point of the site (FREE!), the modules will be hosted on Coursesites.  I've already started setting up the site and creating the content and module pages.

One of the VPs is taking an existing PowerPoint presentation, editing, and adding screen-video narration using CamStudios.org.  Another is using Adobe to create PDF forms.  The LMS will allow quizes and drop-boxes for assignments, ensuring that faculty members 1. complete the module training sessions and 2. allow for assessments and feedback to the project team.

The goal of the project is to convert some standard face-to-face content to the web-based forum.  Converting to the web-based forum will:

1. Improve pre-school time efficiency in preparing for the school year
2. Model technology practices that teachers may use with their own students
3. Deliver mandatory training materials to faculty members without the need for en masse time intensive meetings.

With decreased pre-school prep time and changes to teacher-contract hours, there is a growing need for the school to develop methods of delivering training and content to teachers without impinging greatly on teacher hours.  Previous methods of content delivery in face-to-face environments, either in whole-faculty meetings held after school or in smaller groups during teacher planning periods, have not been effective either in content retention or in meeting time restriction.  By moving the content delivery to a web-based platform, time restriction should be avoided by keeping delivery to smaller time intervals that can be completed over a two-week time period at the learner's convenience.

The school also places heavy emphasis on the use of technology in the classroom and in the school.  Previous attempts at incorporating technology applications have had the best of intentions with lack-luster results.  These results can be attributed to content-intensive learning sessions with little application or practice for teachers to effectively incorporate the technology into their curriculum and plans.  By modeling the use of technology through the Staff On Line Development project and through the content focus of specific modules, teachers will be able to refer to the learning module resources as needed, as well as have examples of the applications that they can conform to their specific needs.

The initial phase of the SOLD project will be to create a two-phase learning module on Substitute procedures (using the Sub Finder system and Creating Sub lesson plans/Emergency Lesson Plans) that will be launched by Aug. 21st, the date that the faculty returns to school from summer vacation.  Should the first phase/module meet expectations, additional modules will be added to include:

• School Money Matters (Field Trips, Fundraising, & Club Money)
• Classroom Management & Instruction (Tips & Tools for CM, Teacher Evaluations, Referral Systems)
• Student Support (Reporting Abuse/Neglect, Tier II Assistance, IEPs & 504s)
• School Website (Intro, Basic, and Advanced applications)
• School Safety (Emergency Drills/Procedures, County Required Safety Training)

Some of the modules will be required of all faculty members, some will be voluntary.  New teachers to the school (those with 0-3 years experience teaching at the school) will be required to complete more of the modules than veteran teachers.  Some veterans will be required to complete modules based on past-performance, at the VPs' discretion.  Assessments and feedback will be collected through a variety of applications, including quizzes, surveys, written responses, and form completion/drop-box submissions.

Key stake holders:

• Me - project manager/web developer/instructional designer
• Principal-client
• 6 VPs-instructional design team
• 1 Technology Resource Teacher
• 1 IT/Network specialist
• 250 faculty learners
• 2300 students/secondary clients
• 1 Financial officer (money matters)
• 1 Nurse (for county required blood-pathogen training)

Budget:

• Non-existant - I *might* be awarded a stipend for the work.  Otherwise, I'm paid in learning experience, resume' building, future administrative experiences, and real-world grad class applications.

Ask me questions, leave me comments.  The more I talk about the project, the greater the chance that I'll remember something important. Cheers!