Lessons Learned

From Professional Development Sessions
…as a tool for teacher learning

Program Title: Handy Classroom Tools to Motivate Students' Writing
PD Provider: Adora Svitak

• Future Impact on Student Learning
  "The strategies that Adora shared will equip me to motivate my students to become better writers"
• Increase in Educator Learning
  "Yes. She shared useful information."
  
• Recommend? Yes
• Comments:
  "Without video-conferencing, I would not have had the opportunity to experience Adora's workshop. We live on opposite ends of the country!"
  - Elementary teacher, Florida

Program Title: Introduction to Artful Reading: Using Arts-Based Literature to Promote Reading Comprehension
PD Provider: Collaborative for Teaching and Learning (CTL)

• Future Impact on Student Learning
  "Absolutely! Catherine is a wonderful presenter with brilliant ideas and every teacher there was affected by her lesson. We are looking forward to planning additional workshops with her."
• Increase in Educator Learning
  "Yes. Catherine brought reading pedagogy to the visual art, reading and library teachers in the room in a way that we had never thought possible. She opened our minds and our hearts to the children in our classrooms. We can't wait to learn about using music and theatre to teach reading next!"
• Recommend? Yes
• Comments:
  "This was, quite simply, the best videoconference we've ever experienced here in the District. Her preparation and delivery were flawless. The amount of interactive participation made the time fly and the material was so interesting that it left us all wanting more!"
  - 18 staff members, New York

Program Title: Customized Sessions
PD Provider: CILC Professional Development

• Overview of the two sessions provided:
  • Session A provided a view of the various possibilities of videoconferencing and a quick study of successful videoconferencing models.
  • Session B armed participants with videoconferencing best practice tips for success and offered an abundance of educational strategies for differentiation and engagement.
• Future Impact on Student Learning
  "Participants were excited about giving their students new authentic experiences by connecting them with experts and expanding their classrooms."
  
• Increase in Educator Learning
  "The foundations for success were laid for educators on the use of videoconferencing."
  
• Recommend? Yes
  "Participants left these sessions enthusiastic about videoconferencing and were excited to begin to use it."
  - University Center for Academic and Workforce Development

From Student Programs
On gaining new knowledge from the program…

Program Title: FICTION and NON FICTION READINGS
Content Provider: Hank Fincken: A National Theatre Company of One

• Impact on Learning
  "I think my students will remember several ideas taught, such as the value of correct word choice as well as the need to help a reader visualize whatever they have written."
• Increase in Educator Knowledge
  "Yes. Even though this type of information is very familiar to me, it always helps to have another vivacious person explain it to students in a way that is fresh and helps me to put new vigor into my own teaching."
  
• Recommend? Yes
  "Mr. Fincken was extremely agreeable and helpful to the students. He listened carefully to their questions and responses, and he adequately answered the questions. He was entertaining as well as informative, so students listened and will remember what he said. He listened to my prior comments and teaching needs, and incorporated those into his presentation."
• Comments
  "Having a man who shows great enthusiasm who was not embarrassed to "act" in front of an 8th grade group is so delightful. As I said before, he addressed my teaching needs as I had told him about the areas of need for our future writing assessment, and he clearly developed those ideas in this session."
  - Grade 8 teacher, Tennessee

Program Title: Days of Knights
Content Provider: Philadelphia Museum of Art

• Impact on Learning
  "My students were in awe of the presentation. They really liked being able to interact with someone while the presentation is progressing. Providing the visuals from this program really made their previous learning concrete."
  
• Increase in Educator Knowledge
  "Yes. The virtual field trip was a new experience for me, and I learned a lot about the technology involved in doing this. The presentation was well done and provided wonderful visuals. The program content I was familiar with; however, some aspects of the program were new to me too."
• Recommend? Yes
  "The presenter was very knowledgeable about the material, patient with the students questions, and the props fantastic! Very educational and appropriate for the age level of the students."
  
• Comments
  "This program helped my students view and experience something most of them will never get a chance to do or have. We live in Tennessee and many of them will never have an opportunity to visit Philadelphia or the museum. Being able to see the exhibit through the video conferencing gave them a live view of how things look. Our study on knights and armor along with the time period really prepared us for this presentation; but, have a visual of the armor and other pieces really helped tie it all together and create a lasting memory. The only thing I wish the students were able to see was the video of the man putting on the armor. The DVD player was broken so they didn't get to see it."
  - Teacher, Tennessee

Program Title: Operation Montserrat
Content Provider: Challenger Learning Center (West Virginia)

• Impact on Learning
  "The students got a real understanding about what emergency response teams do. They learned how tornadoes are tracked and were able to successfully track them and monitor the speed and ETA to the island. They also got a feel for what volcanologists would do when looking at possible eruptions."
• Increase in Educator Knowledge
  "Pretty much what my students did and what an ERT would have to do."
• Recommend? Yes
  "I love the critical thinking aspect of the program. I also think it engages the students more than the typical classroom activity."
• Comments
  "I have done operation Montserrat two times now and would really like to try StormE but the age range for that program is a little low for my students. I teach 8th grade. I would really like to see additional programs offered for the age group that I teach."
  - Teacher, Grade 8 Pennsylvania