Educator Preparation and Development

Technology Applications
  • All Teachers
    Two major levels of staff development are available for Northside instructional staff in grades K-12. Both levels of technology staff development are offered at the campus and district levels.
    Level One - teachers learn basic, intermediate and advanced skills of various technology tools. The tools include the computer and its operating system, word processing, spreadsheet, database, multimedia presentation, Internet research, Internet publishing, concept mapping, digital camera & scanner, and more.
    Wonders of Webbing!, developed by Pease CIT Jan de los Santos. This online tutorial is designed to teach the basics of creating a web page using Netscape's Composer 4.7 and 6.2 web editors.
    Spreadsheets Part I, developed by Instructional Technology staff. This print-based tutorial is designed to teach the basics of creating a spreadsheet in Excel.
    Level Two - teachers learn to guide students in creating products using the tools of technology within the content areas.
    Web-based Lessons, developed by Holmes CIT Ethan Calk. This online tutorial is designed to teach teachers how to create Topic Hotlists, Treasure Hunts, Subject Samplers, and WebQuests to target specific learning.
    Assessment through PowerPoint, developed by Health Careers High School CIT Pamela Bogen. This online tutorial is designed to teach teachers how to use PowerPoint, not only as a presentation tool, but also as an assessment tool for (and by) students.

    FYI: The Texas State Board for Educator Certification Technology Applications Standards have recently (Fall 2002) been incorporated into the new ExCETs for Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities at each certification level. These standards are expected of ALL beginning teachers.

  • Secondary Teachers
    Since there is currently no state ExCET for secondary Technology Applications teachers, Northside ISD "self-certifies" its middle and high school Technology Applications via robust staff development programs. Participating teachers learn specific basic and intermediate skills of various software packages, receive in-depth instruction on the curriculum for specific courses (course outline, timeline with scope and sequence, instructional units, student activities and projects), and learn classroom management techniques for technology lab courses.
Grades 6-8
There are 30 teachers who deliver the middle school Technology Applications curriculum to students at eleven middle schools and three special schools. Computer Literacy teachers (7th grade) are provided 60 hours of staff development and Advanced Computer Technologies teachers (8th grade) receive 18-24 hours of training. Additionally, all middle school campuses teach a 6th grade keyboarding class for 6-12 weeks. Keyboarding teachers participate in 6-12 hours of staff development.

Keyboarding Course Information

Computer Literacy Course Information

Advanced Computer Technologies Course Information

Grades 9-12
Forty-four teachers, representing ten NISD high schools and one special school, have each completed 72 hours of training as part of the Technology Applications Learning & Leading (TALL) initiative since 2001. Upon completion of the TALL program, teachers are eligible to teach any of the high school Technology Applications courses, excluding Computer Science.
Teacher Products from Adobe Illustrator Training
Macromedia Fireworks Training Manual
High School Technology Applications Course Descriptions

FYI: New certificates and examinations for Technology Applications (Grades 8-12) and Technology Education (Grade 6-12) will be available in Fall 2004.

TIFTech

Northside ISD has received a number of grants from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIFB). Part of their requirements for their grants has been staff development for the faculty in the recipient campuses. This extensive 5-day staff development has produced a numerous lesson plans and resources ready to use online and offline that are available for you to use. Please take some time to preview some of the featured products, listed below, created during TIFTech training this summer. Many other teacher products can be found on the NISD intranet at http://odin/index1.htm.

TIP (Technology Integration Projects)

Content TIP is an extensive, ready-made collection of technology integration activities written by NISD teachers for NISD curriculum. The purpose of the Content TIP initiative, which began in 1997, is to promote integration of technology in the core subject areas, give students real opportunities to use technology to learn content objectives, and to use technology to increase students’ learning, effectiveness, efficiency and enjoyment.

Grades K-5

The model that was initiated at the secondary level in 1998 was duplicated with modifications for elementary in 1999. The applications addressed in this first seminar included KidPix, First Workshop, Kid Works, Inspiration, Internet and Graphers. The seminar was again offered in 2000 with intensive professional development in five areas; word processing, desktop publishing, database, spreadsheet and multimedia. Approximately 100 elementary teachers attended these two seminars. The results of this initiative are a collection of 500 lesson plans that integrate the content areas with technology applications. Presently at the elementary level, the focus has shifted to Library Integration Seminar.
Grades 6-12

District and campus level seminars have been conducted to increase teachers' familiarity with Content TIP, and to increase the number and quality of Content TIP projects. In 1998, 89 teachers participated in a 30-hour district-level seminar. In 2000, 102 teachers attended an 11-hour seminar. Decentralized Integration Seminars, utilizing the TIP model, are now offered on most secondary campuses by the Campus Instructional Technologists.

Science TIP, by Jo Eckerman

Teacher Products from Integration Seminars


Campus Webmasters

The Northside ISD website debuted September 1997 and classes for volunteer Campus Webmasters began the following month. The Campus Webmasters began receiving $1,600 annual stipends in 2000. In return for the stipend, each Campus Webmaster must attend 16 hours of training, document 15 hours of work on the campus website every month, and are encouraged to attend monthly Webmaster Support Group meetings to improve their skills and keep up-to-date with web publishing guidelines, policies and standards. There are currently 83 Campus Webmasters.

The primary purpose of a campus website is to promote a positive image for the campus and Northside ISD, and to keep students, parents, and community members informed about campus life. A secondary purpose is to use the site as an instructional tool for students and teachers, with curricula related links and components that enhance courses and subject areas.
Intel

Deborah Noe, Program Coordinator for Intel Teach to the Future from Texas A&M, coordinated a week-long staff development session July 15-19, 2002 at Northside Learning Center. Ten of Northside's eleven master teachers, along with master teachers from other districts, received intensive training on the curricular modules they would be delivering to participant teachers. Master teachers also attended a three-day Teacher Leadership Seminar funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For each of our eleven master teachers, Northside has received a $5,000 equipment grant from the Gates Foundation. Intel Teach to the Future is a worldwide initiative to provide teachers with the skills to effectively integrate computer technology into existing curriculum to improve student learning.

Check out two Intel Master Teachers' portfolio products, below. In addition to a curricular-oriented PowerPoint presentation, master teachers created a curricular oriented web page and brochure.

Masters Online

In November, 1999, the Masters Online (MOL) program officially began in Northside. MOL is supported by the National School Conference Institute (NSCI), Learning 24/7 and Houston Baptist University. The program entailed 39 hours of course work, with 2 courses offered each quarter. The entire effort spanned 7 quarters. Thirty-eight Northside teachers completed the program and received their degree-an M. Ed in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Instructional Technology.

MOL uses a cohort model-something quite unique in education. Participants are members of a cohort that usually meet 7 or 8 times each quarter for a 3 ½ hour class. This class is spent in discussion, research, training, and presentations. Participants are responsible for their own learning, for constructing their own knowledge. Each cohort has an On Site Coordinator who is responsible for the class agenda, and generally acting as a liaison between the participants and the Professor of Record, a professor from Houston Baptist University.

In June, 2001, a second group of teachers began the Masters Online Program as part of the PAVE program. This time more than 150 completed the course requirements by October 24, 2002. Graduation day for this second group is May 24, 2003.

Check out these participants' products:

Online Courses

You’ve undoubtedly heard that opportunities for personal and professional growth abound on the Internet. But, did you know that Internet-based learning technologies are being utilized for adult staff development right here in Northside? This type of online delivery, developed by Northside teachers for Northside teachers, can be a solution for busy employees who need flexible, self-paced learning opportunities. This type of “anytime, anywhere” learning is convenient, tailored to Northside learners and, in some cases, approved by principals as a legitimate method to earn staff development credit hours. Check out the local examples of interactive, Internet-based staff development, below.

Library Integration Seminars

Applications were taken for elementary librarian/CIT/teacher teams willing to collaborate and develop technology rich integrated library units. 18 teams representing 14 campuses participated in 2001-2002. 75 teachers plus their CITs and librarians worked with facilitators, who were librarians already experienced in this concept. The culminating activity was the teaching of the units. The evaluations were so complimentary that the seminars are being continued this year with TIF library grant money. This year's seminars have the additional component of Big6 research. Barbara Jansen, Big6 trainer will meet with the teams to kick off the seminars. She will also return in the spring for reflection and evaluation. This year's seminars added middle school and total 14 teams with 76 participants.

  • Space.
    A media rich integrated library unit on Space developed by Ruth Langford, Librarian, Priscilla Stubbs, CIT, Kelly Fazio, Science Enrichment, Sherri Wagner, 2nd Grade Teacher, Cynthia Saathoff, 3rd Grade Teacher and Linda Eblen, 5th Grade Teacher. The unit explores the complexities of our solar system and the Earth as part of this ever-changing system. The unit is primarily designed for third grade classrooms, but the focus can be adapted for other grade levels that have a related component. The plan is fully integrated and incorporates strong library, classroom and technology collaboration. This unit will satisfy TEKS/TAKS objectives and NISD science and language arts standards.
  • Special Ed. Library Integration.
    The John Glenn Elementary School special education team created this unit involving language arts skills and library skills for the special needs students. The unit includes lesson plans, questioning techniques and a link to the Texas Library Association reading lists.

 

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