A Collaborative Effort in Planning

Teachers, administrators, and representatives from regional educational service agencies met on two days in June to plan how the diverse professional development needs of school districts throughout this region can best be met. The following is an outline of the strategy they developed.

• Mission Statement

• Goals and Objectives

• Proposed Delivery Systems

SchoolNet Professional Development Mission Statement

SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region is a collaborative venture focused on learners, teachers, and schools. Its guiding philosophy is that teaching and learning assisted by technology underpin our meeting the demands of the twenty-first century.

As a collaboration among representatives of the school districts and educational support agencies from the thirteen counties served by the Southeast Regional Professional Development Center, this effort will build capacity for applying technology to the curriculum, support innovative practices and create a path for continuous improvement among its members. Recognizing that successful professional development accounts for the needs of pre-service as well as inservice teachers, SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region will work closely with area teacher education institutions to ensure a seamless transition between training and practice.

SchoolNet Professional Development Goals

SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region has these goals and objectives:

• To build members' capacity to apply technology appropriately to all aspects of teaching and learning

• To support innovation among member districts as they search for best practices

• To create a path for continuous improvement by supporting open paths for communication, "just in time" training, and a network of "critical friends"

Capacity Building

Members of SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region seek to build capacity through the following means.

We will -

• Create and make available a database of regional resources
• Develop a network among educators for planning and training
• Affirm the advantages of applying technology to proven practices
• Stimulate creation of new environments for teaching and learning that integrate technology for all learners

Support for Innovation

Members of SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region seek to support innovation by these means.

We will -

• Realize a broad based regional collaboration to develop resources, perform action research, communicate problems and successes
• Provide a path for pre-service teachers to participate in exemplary applications of technology to teaching and learning
• Include students as part of our planning and training

Continuous Improvement

Members of SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region seek to mark routes for continuous improvement in application of technology to teaching and learning by these means.

We will -

• Conduct on-going research on current practices
• Create standards for validating materials
• Develop a network of critical friends and peer coaches

Professional Development Delivery System

Members of SchoolNet Professional Development for the Southeast Region envision a delivery system for the activities outlined in their Goals and Objectives comprising three components:

• Fiscal Agency

• SchoolNet Advisory Team and Its Mission

• Service Delivery Action Teams

Fiscal Agency

An ideal fiscal agent should offer

• Low overhead costs
• Political acceptability to the collaborative and the state
• Experience in delivering such services
• Quick turn around of reimbursements and efficient paperwork management
• Provision of adequate support staff

SchoolNet Advisory Team

• OECN A-sites, RPDC, ETSEO, SERRC, Higher Ed., County Education Centers, Local School Districts, City School Districts, Vocational Schools, SchoolNet Prototypes (1 each)

• One Technology Coordinator from each of 3 RPDC subregions (3)

• One at-large teacher representative from each of the 3 RPDC subregions (3)

The SchoolNet Advisory Team's Mission is to

• Support collaboration
• Guide implementation of the SchoolNet Professional Development program
• Establish funding priorities that ensure equity and that support innovation
• Hire personnel
• Contract services
• Monitor ODOE and RPDC requirements
• Represent and advocate for the needs of Southeastern Ohio

Service Delivery Action Teams

Planning and decisions of the SchoolNet Advisory Team will be supported by specific input from Service Delivery Action Teams. During the first two year cycle of the collaborative there will be eight such teams having the following responsibilities:

• Curriculum
  • Identify teaching and learning goals supported by technology
  • Develop appropriate technology strategies to meet curricular goals
  • Organize training opportunities for hands-on training in the application of these strategies to achieve these goals

• Architecture and Networked Equipment
  • Offer advice on Lans, Wans, and Wiring and Hardware Standards
  • Assist districts' getting access to the Internet
  • Address other Hardware Issues

• Technology Plan Development and SchoolNet Proposal Review
  • Provide writing assistance
  • Read and review districts
  • Offer assistance to districts in meeting conditional approval recommendations

• Best Practices
  • Identify these practices that promote engaged learning
  • Address issues of accessibility, dissemination, and replication

• Networking
  • Create networked resources
  • Create and maintain a database of people and other regional resources
  • Develop appropriate technology strategies and use of media resources

• Research and Evaluation
  • Define and understand technology needs
  • Map strengths and weaknesses of regional resources
  • Validate effectiveness of implemented programs

• SchoolNet Prototypes and Model Development
  • Disseminate and replicate these strategies
  • Nurture innovations

• Communication and Marketing