Artifact #2- Professional Learning Facilitator Plan and Presentation

Description:

            This project was created in collaboration with Drake Stockett (6^th grade social studies) and Jeffrey Kirkpatrick (middle school band). Drake, Jeff and I developed this plan and presentation for our Fall 2024 course ISTC 702 Educational Leadership and Technology with Professor Li. The purpose of this course was to investigate current research and theory related to change in education and technology with a focus on planning and leadership in the educational setting. The Professional Learning Facilitator Plan and Presentation involved creating a 3–5-year plan to address school or district technology integration issues.

            For this project, my group members and I had a shared vision of how Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be integrated into the school district in a way to provide educators with a better understanding of how AI is being used, responsible use associated with AI, and how it can be utilized. This became our topic of interest due to recent surveys that were conducted throughout the counties, and the results indicating that there was still a huge lack of knowledge associated with AI and its usage. For this project, we developed a 3–5-year professional learning plan with a focus on how it would be implemented to educate teachers in Annapolis Middle School where Drake teaches. We collaborated throughout the project with each of us taking responsibility for a section of the development. My main contributions to this plan involved the development of the executive summary, literature support and articles. For the presentation, I developed the introduction, professional learning facilitator overview and the anticipated results. Drake, Jeff and I were able to communicate our ideas throughout the development of this project, giving each other feedback and ideas throughout. Overall, we felt that this plan would be very beneficial to educators in providing them with the knowledge and confidence to use AI to enhance their practices.

 

Standard Alignment:

Standard #1-Change Agent

1a. Create a shared vision and culture for using technology to learn and accelerate transformation through the coaching process.

This plan was developed to help educators advance with AI technology. Surveys showed that educators were aware of the growing significance of AI technology but were unaware of how exactly it could be used for the benefit of themselves and their students. This plan helps to create the shared vision and culture associated with the benefits of AI. Through its implementation, teachers can coach others on AI tools as part of their PDP and to enrich their classrooms and overall student learning,

 

1d. Recognize educators across the organization who use technology effectively to enable high-impact teaching and learning.

This plan or professional development is aimed at recognizing educators who are already familiar with AI and tools like ChatGPT to train others on how they can effectively use these tools in their lesson planning and development to enrich classrooms.

 

Standard #2: Connected Learner

2a. Pursue professional learning that deepens expertise in the ISTE Standards in order to serve as a model for educators and leaders.

The professional learning plan outlined in this project was developed based off of the ISTE standards for educators. After the needs assessment was given to gauge educators and their understanding of how AI can be used to enrich the classroom, the areas of need were addressed through the plan using the standards. The development of the professional learning using the standards helped to deepen the understanding of the standards for educators and provided a professional learning experience throughout the project.

 

Standard #5: Professional Learning Facilitator

5a. Design professional learning based on needs assessments and frameworks for working with adults to support their cultural, social-emotional and learning needs.

A professional learning plan was designed based on the needs assessment of a survey given to staff in regards to their general knowledge of AI as well as its tasks of setting professional goals, advancing a shared vision, collaborating with colleagues, and designing authentic learning activities. The priority areas indicated from the assessment will be addressed in the plan using the ISTE standards for educators.

5b. Build the capacity of educators, leaders and instructional teams to put the ISTE Standards into practice by facilitating active learning and providing meaningful feedback.

The ISTE standards are used to address the lack of knowledge educators have related to AI. A 3-year plan was created through this project to facilitate active learning and meaningful feedback throughout. The ISTE standards addressed in the plan consist of learner 2.1a setting professional goals, leader 2.2a advance a shared vision, collaborator 2.4a collaborate with colleagues, designer 2.5b designing authentic learning activities. Follow-up training occurs throughout the plan to gain feedback, as well as a post assessment to gauge overall learning.

5c. Evaluate impact of professional learning and continually make improvements in order to meet schoolwide vision for using technology for high-impact teaching and learning.

Follow-up training occurs throughout the 3 year plan to evaluate the impact of the professional learning to continually make improvements to meet the schoolwide vision for using AI for high impact teaching and learning. A post assessment is also given at the end of the 3 years to gauge the impact and overall learning that occurred.

 

Standard #7- Digital Citizen Advocate

7a. Inspire and encourage educators and students to use technology for civic engagement and to address challenges to improve their communities.

As part of the professional learning plan that was developed through this project, educators are encouraged to take on training that is outlined to learn how to use AI for setting professional goals, advancing a shared vision, collaborating with colleagues, and designing authentic learning activities. Learning how to use AI for these tasks can help educators to address challenges to improve their communities.

 

Reflection:

              This plan was aimed to be implemented in Annapolis Middle School which is part of Anne Arundel County Public Schools with students of varying backgrounds and most students coming from families of lower income including 95% of students who are eligible for Title 1 status. Additionally, this school has targeted groups of students who are English Language Learners, have IEPs and 504s. When knowing this, educators must provide a lot of differentiation in their lessons to accommodate the different needs of the learners. This is where educating teachers on AI can be beneficial. This plan provides educators with general knowledge on AI and tools like ChatGPT to generate content for lessons. Participants in the plan will be coached on using the tool to create community messages, authentic lesson materials, setting professional goals, collaboration, etc. and will save time by doing so.

            The Professional Learning Facilitator Plan aligns with the ISTE change agent standards by helping to create a shared vision and culture for using technology involving AI. Teachers will be educated by coaches and will be provided with the general knowledge needed to benefit from new AI technologies. Also, this plan recognizes educators who are already using AI technology tools to enrich the learning of students in their classrooms. These educators will have the opportunity to coach others.

The Professional Learning  Plan also aligns with the ISTE connected learner standard. The plan was developed based off of the ISTE educator standards to address the areas of need indicated by the pre-assessment. This allowed the time to pursue professional learning in the ISTE educator standards to gain deeper understanding.

In addition, the Professional Learning Plan connects with the ISTE professional learning facilitator standard. The plan and presentation meets all of the indicators for this standard because the design of the plan is based around the needs assessment that is given out to staff in the form of a survey. The ISTE standards for educators is used to address the needs of the staff  and put into practice through the facilitation of the plan allowing for active learning. Then, feedback is given through follow-up trainings and an evaluation is given in the form of a post assessment survey. 

Last, the plan connects with the ISTE digital citizen advocate standard. The professional learning plan encourages the training of educators to learn AI tools to help them with setting professional goals, advancing a shared vision, collaborating with colleagues, and designing authentic learning activities. Learning how to use AI for these tasks can help educators to address challenges to improve their communities.

            This plan has not been implemented but could be shared with school leaders going forward to help educators gain a better general understanding of AI and how it could be used. I am sure it would be effective in just allowing time to explore new tools associated and would make a great PDP for teachers who are looking for helpful ways to incorporate differentiated materials to their students.