ASSESSMENT 6

Professional Development Presentation

INST 529 Assistive Technology

Description of the Assessment

Candidates design and deliver a 45-minute professional development presentation to their school or district. The target audience is teachers and/or administrators. The presentation incorporates an evaluation of the presentation at the end.

Alignment to ISTE Standards

ISTE 2012 Standards addressed by Assessment 6 are 1.3, 1.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.2, and 4.3.

See information on standards alignment within the assessment instrument (item e).

Assessment Instrument

INST 529: Professional Development Presentation

This INST 529 project is a professional development presentation that you will design and deliver in your school or district. Your target audience is teachers and/or administrators. The session must be designed as a 45-minute PowerPoint-based (or other visual medium) presentation, including sufficient time for the audience to complete an evaluation at the end. 

The topic of your presentation must focus on an assistive technology solution to a need you identify in your school or district.  The overall purpose of your session should be to provide strategies for addressing student learning needs through the use of assistive technology.  Your topic may be broad (an overview of current and emergent assistive technologies) or focused (e.g., introduction of a specific assistive technology tool).  

Your presentation must be designed to meet the following ISTE 2012 standards:

Standard 1.3. Visionary Leadership: Advocacy

Candidates advocate for policies, procedures, programs, and funding strategies to support implementation of the shared vision represented in the school and district technology plans and guidelines.  What is the “shared vision” of the school or district as that relates to student learning and/or use of technology to enhance student learning? Why do the strategies or strategy you propose help to fulfill that vision? 

Standard 1.4. Visionary Leadership: Innovation and Change

Candidates implement strategies for initiating and sustaining technology innovations and manage the change process in schools and classrooms.  In what way will the strategies or strategy you propose represent an innovation of educational delivery in your school or district? What will need to be considered in order to manage or introduce that change?

Standard 3.3. Digital Age Learning Environments: Online and Blended Learning

Candidates coach teachers in and model use of online and blended learning, digital content, and collaborative learning networks to support and extend student learning as well as expand opportunities and choices for online professional development for teachers and administrators. How will the strategies or strategy you propose be effectively integrated with traditional classroom learning, as well as learning outside the classroom or in group projects?

Standard 3.4. Adaptive and Assistive Technology

Candidates select, evaluate, and facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support student learning.

Standard 3.6. Digital Age Learning Environments: Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools and Resources

Candidates collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources that enhance teaching and learning and are compatible with the school technology infrastructure.  How do the strategies or strategy you propose fit in with your school’s technology infrastructure, or what changes will need to be made to your school’s infrastructure in order to accommodate your proposal? What are the practical considerations, or alternative strategies or choices that might be a better fit?

Standard 3.7. Digital Age Learning Environments: Communication and Collaboration

Candidates use digital communication and collaboration tools to communicate locally and globally with students, parents, peers, and the larger community.  What are the collaborative benefits of your strategies or strategy? Which groups, as mentioned by the standard, will be the recipients of those benefits?

Standard 4.2. Professional Development and Program Evaluation: Professional Learning

Candidates design, develop and implement technology-rich professional learning programs that model principles of adult learning and promote digital-age best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment.  As part of your preparation for this assignment, you will read a minimum of one article or chapter on adult learning theories or practice, as well as one current research-based article that relates to the assistive technology that is the focus of your presentation. In the cover sheet submitted with the final project, you will briefly cite and discuss your research and its application to your presentation.

Standard 4.3. Professional Development and Program Evaluation: Program Evaluation

Candidates evaluate results of professional learning programs to determine the effectiveness on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or increasing student learning.  You will design and implement a brief written evaluation form that will provide participants an opportunity to give feedback on your presentation. The final project will include the evaluation form, a summary of the feedback, and your reflection on that feedback. 

Submission of the Assignment

Your assignment will be submitted in Moodle, and will consist of the following:

1.         A cover sheet that includes the following:

·       Your name and date

·       Title of your presentation, and a one sentence description of the topic

·       Proposed delivery site and intended audience

·       An introduction that addresses ISTE Standard 4.2 as described above   
       (approximately 500 words, plus research citations)

·       Links to the PowerPoint presentation and evaluation form

2.        PowerPoint file. Note that your presentation should be designed for a 35-40 minute session. If you include handouts as part of your presentation (not required), they should also be submitted.  Include notes for applicable slides, if it is not clear from the PowerPoint slides how you addressed standards-based topics.

3.         Evaluation form, results, and reflection.  Your evaluation form must be designed to be completed within five minutes by audience participants. (Be sure to request beforehand that participants complete the evaluation before leaving.)   Tabulate the results on the form itself, including any written comments. Include the “n” of submitted forms, as well as for each question (some participants may not complete all questions). At the end of the form, include a brief summary and reflection on the evaluation results, including any other thoughts you have on the strengths and weaknesses of your presentation and performance.

Scoring Guide

Note that scoring is based on the assumption that the submitted plan has been completed according to directions above, includes all required sections, has been formatted and numbered appropriately, and proofread. Otherwise, the plan will be returned for revision.

Does not meet expectations (1) – Information provided is unclear, partially or completely inaccurate, or does not address all necessary aspects of criteria

Meets expectations (2) – Expectations are adequately met as described, providing evidence that the candidate meets the ISTE standard cited

Exceeds expectations (3) – Expectations for meeting the standard are exceeded as evidenced by attention to detail; consideration of a range of factors such as diverse learners and school context; consideration of optional strategies; clarity of presentation, etc.