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technology coaching and community power partners for improved professional development in primary and secondary education an iste white paper special conference release monica beglau jana craig hare les foltos kara gann jayne james holly jobe jim knight ben smith

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executive summary situation effective use of technology is essential for learning and teaching in a global digital age technology is at the core of virtually every aspect of our daily lives and work and we must leverage it to provide engaging and powerful learning experiences and content as well as resources and assessments that measure student achievement in more complete authentic and meaningful ways technologybased learning and assessment systems will be pivotal in improving student learning and generating data that can be used to continuously improve the education system at all levels national education technology plan 2010 when teachers do not effectively integrate all aspects of technology in the educational process today s students are not fully engaged and miss out on authentic learning experiences emphasizing collaboration creativity and innovation this leads to students who are unprepared to be productive digital-age citizens and participants in the highly competitive global digital workplace technology coaching and community 1

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problem many teachers do not know how to design and support technology-rich learning environments a recent study commissioned by the richard w riley college of education and leadership states that teachers who use technology frequently to support learning in their classrooms report greater benefits to student learning engagement and skills from technology than teachers who spend less time using technology to support learning especially in the area of 21st century learning grunwald associates 2010 the report also stated that despite this powerful the international society finding just 34 of the 1000 teachers surveyed use for technology in education technology 10 of class time or less iste® is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in primary and secondary education and teacher education just giving a teacher a technology tool and expecting him or her to maximize its learning potential is a strategy destined for failure a majority of teachers including those raised in a digital age do not have the knowledge or skill set to use technology effectively to maximize student learning additionally as baby boomer generation teachers retire and are replaced by millennial generation educators professional development pd methodologies must adapt to match the learning styles of the millennial teacher researchers wong and wong report a disconnect between the delivery of many lock-step pd models by boomer-aged pd specialists and the collaborative learning style of the millennial finding effective ways to reach all teachers with meaningful professional learning is essential in order to deliver a savvy and competitive workforce able to maximize student learning with technology solution coaching combined with communities of learning is a highly effective job-embedded pd model effective professional learning is intensive ongoing focused on the classroom and occurs during the teacher s workday darling-hammond 2009 additionally michael fullan s work on educational change 2008 emphasizes that we need to connect peers with purpose if we want to see systemic improvement in student learning and professional learning we must allow educators to routinely collaborate with trusted colleagues to solve problems and share ideas iste recently convened a small group of distinguished leaders to share the success they were having with pd models that integrate context collaboration and technology in analyzing their success three essential concepts emerged the most effective pd was 1 technology-rich 2 delivered through a coaching model and 3 enhanced by the power of community and social learning 2 technology coaching and community

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iste believes the convergence of technology coaching and community social learning is essential to model learning and teaching effectively in a connected global society this paper focuses on a synergistic and powerful pd partnership based on these three essential concepts result teachers experience technology as an effective tool for professional learning and develop the skills to powerfully use technology to improve student learning coaching support for teachers is a powerful means of both modeling and harnessing the potential of technology to improve teaching and learning teachers who receive coaching in the use of technology tools to improve student learning and who learn from and collaborate with peers via professional learning communities will develop confidence and effectiveness in designing and supporting technology-rich environments that maximize student learning the transformation of professional development for a new digital generation professional development is a critical element in systemic reform and in enabling teacher success a recent survey of professional development trends reported that the average teacher within the united states received 25.4 hours of pd annually resnick 2010 the survey also stated the average school district invests $225,200 annually in pd projecting that out to the approximate 16,000 school districts within the united states pd is likely at least a $3.6 billion dollar industry with such an investment it is prudent to think about how that expenditure relates to global digital age learning let these three facts guide your thinking · · · teachers are interacting with students who spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media each day primarily outside of the classroom kaiser foundation 2010 the demographics of teachers are shifting rapidly over the past five years more than half of the veteran teachers within the new york city school district have been replaced with teachers who have five years of teaching experience or less wong and wong 2010 social learning and networking features on internet sites have been rapidly adopted and embraced throughout the world as a legitimate resource for learning research and applied practice are giving us a clearer picture of what makes professional learning effective a recent study argues that effective professional learning is intensive ongoing focused on the classroom and occurs during the teacher s workday darling-hammond 2009 context is critical learning in context means learning in the classrooms where teachers practice their craft and focusing on classroom activities technology coaching and community 3

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that will help educators meet their students needs elmore 2004 additionally michael fullan s work on educational change 2008 emphasizes the need to connect peers with purpose to achieve systemic improvement in student learning professional learning is most effective when educators routinely collaborate with trusted colleagues to solve the problems they face in their classroom trends in using social media tools internet transmitted voice and video communication and blogging support informal learning and strengthen human connections these same forms of learning and community building lend themselves well to focused jobembedded professional learning by combining what we know about effective professional learning with trends for using technology for informal community building and learning a sustainable ecosystem will form highly effective engaging and relevant environments for professional learning that were not possible before the rise of readily available access to information and communication technology iste recommends incorporating a three-pronged methodology to achieve 21st-century professional learning experiences which will better prepare teachers to effectively help students learn this methodology embraces · · · an effective coaching model online communities for greater collaborative idea sharing and a fully embedded use of technology by bundling these three factors into a singular professional learning strategy instructional leaders can develop a more powerful ongoing learning environment for teachers that bolsters pd and successfully prepares students when they enter the workforce this white paper explores the synergies among technology coaching and community provides an integrated model for global digital-age pd and offers iste s ten tips to jumpstart the process it showcases technology-related coaching programs throughout the world and builds the case for job-embedded pd that leads to professional transformation through active technology-rich communities of practice transformational professional development pd models that take advantage of the convergence of coaching community and technology support the implementation of technology as described in the united states national education technology plan they · offer teachers an environment in which to practice new skills where they can learn they will be able to design and execute learning opportunities that enable students to have engaging and empowering learning experiences both in and outside of school to prepare them to be active creative knowledgeable and ethical participants in our globally networked society and 4 technology coaching and community

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· support professional educators individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data content resources expertise and learning experiences that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners netp 2010 think of technology innovation as a multiplying factor the national educational technology plan recommends a team-driven approach for professional learning coaches tend to be natural networkers yet many are physically isolated they need support mechanisms to connect technology can provide a multi-tiered support structure for technology integration to strengthen the coaching profession and certainly millennial teachers actively want to learn and coach one another through connected and collaborative learning online support can offer · · · a network of coaching professionals a vehicle for teachers to share with those having similar interests or challenges and aggregated resources that support programmatic and operational excellence in this type of model classroom educators are fully connected to learning data and the tools for using the data to content resources and systems that empower them to create manage and assess engaging and relevant learning experiences and to their students in support of learning both in and out of school the same connections give them access to resources and expertise that improve their own instructional practices and guide them in becoming facilitators and collaborators in their students increasingly self-directed learning netp 2010 online learning communities serve as an interactive extension of a school-based coaching effort the learning ecosystem is organic as each coach and teacher interacts relevant connections emerge iste nets new technology standards to support coaching in an online digital age the iste nets have served as a vehicle for identifying and benchmarking performance for students teachers and administrators they have been adopted or adapted throughout the united states and in more than 20 countries throughout the world just as effective teachers model and apply the nets·s as they design implement and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning coaches will need to model and apply the nets·t as they build relationships and learning experiences for teachers and now iste is introducing the nets for technology coaches the nets·c to benchmark what coaches should know and be able to do to effectively help teachers develop their confidence and effectiveness in designing and supporting technology-rich environments that maximize student learning for a sneak peek of the nets·c see pp 20­21 technology coaching and community 5

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understanding the importance of technology coaching and online communities technology should be like oxygen ubiquitous necessary and invisible chris lehman helping students learn in the digital age requires teachers to understand and leverage the learning sciences and modern technology to create engaging relevant and personalized learning experiences for all learners that mirror students daily lives and the reality of their futures netp 2010 research has shown that educators are more likely to incorporate technology into their instruction when they have access to coaching and mentoring strudler hearrington 2009 teachers who have experienced technology as a teaching tool for professional learning and who in the process have developed the skills for powerful use of technology in the classroom can greatly improve student learning coaching is one model of pd that has shown the potential to improve the knowledge skill and practice of teachers thus enhancing student achievement educational leaders believe a key indicator of a successful pd effort is clear evidence that teachers are implementing what they ve learned resnick 2010 if a technology-rich environment is a given offering jobembedded pd and coaching as a scaffold for ongoing support and growth will allow teachers an opportunity for low-risk practice and lots of feedback and when teachers can work collaboratively to share ideas and improve teaching practices a community of practice can emerge to provide a scaffold for support and growth the effectiveness of coaching for the classroom was demonstrated in a 2004 study by the university of kansas center for research on learning which found instructional coaching significantly increased the implementation rate of newly learned practices that showed promise for improving student performance this study indicated that without support and follow-up teacher implementation of new instructional methods is only about 15 percent joyce showers 1983 but with the addition of coaching implementation increased to 85 percent knight 2007 a further ingredient needed for effective pd is coherence which is defined as a consistency between a teacher s beliefs and knowledge and the actual learning that takes place in the pd process desimone 2009 coaching contributes to coherence by giving teachers a chance to receive additional support helping them to reconcile their pd content with their personal beliefs and knowledge when coherence is combined with a growing population of millennial-generation teachers who are accustomed to collaborative idea sharing the case for the convergence of technology coaching and community becomes clear 6 technology coaching and community

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what is coaching according to harry wong a san francisco bay area educator and coaching expert the responsibility of coaches is to help maximize personal and professional potential while concomitantly upgrading their own professional proficiency coaching is customized and focused on providing instruction on what needs to be accomplished coaches tailor support assess each teacher s progress with observations use interviews and surveys and have follow-up visits teachers feel more motivated and responsible to act on new skills because coaching makes them personalized and customized on an ongoing basis wong wong 2008 for coaching to yield the greatest opportunity for success it must incorporate three essential components 1 context coaching practices must be in context with what can be used immediately 2 relevance coached information must be highly relevant to the lessons currently being taught 3 ongoing coaching support must be provided on a day-to-day basis where teachers can practice newly learned skills and ensure the highest potential for success coaching becomes a more effective model for today s educator because it builds a distinct level of mutual respect and trust with the individual being coached translating into a more effective learning environment the importance of community to create a professional learning community focus on learning rather than teaching work collaboratively and hold yourself accountable for results richard dufour the electronic convergence of resources tools and social networks offers real-time support for individuals and groups and can ably serve as a catalyst for growth this everexpanding network gives us a legitimate opportunity to essentially leverage the world web 2.0 learning environments are now capable of delivering a customized demand-driven approach to professional learning such a presence can offer teachers and coaches an opportunity to develop an online professional learning community plc plcs are active onsite within many school districts yet the majority of teachers have yet to reach beyond the borders of their districts to expand their communities through online plcs social learning has become a legitimate and powerful force in advancing people s knowledge and interests in studies of web-based communities of practice centered on knitting cooking or other personal or professional interests one will find these communities a buzzing hive of activity the knowledge that awaits learners is relevant and readily technology coaching and community 7

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available when they need it the ability to connect with someone who has just finished a project that another individual may want to take on is powerful bandura s social learning theory posits that people learn from one another via observation imitation and modeling and this theory is borne out by these informal social learning has become a communities of practice legitimate and powerful force in advancing people s knowledge and interests what happens when you combine intensive ongoing learning-focused professional development and connecting peers with purpose via social learning you end up with a highly effective professional development model that combines the power of technology with the power of coaching and learning communities the following three coaching models demonstrate this important synergy in action three coaching models that provide highly effective professional development educator-focused pd that leverages technology with the principles of the iste nets requires the inclusion of one or more of three different collaborative-oriented coaching initiatives cognitive coaching instructional coaching and peer coaching let s take a look at each one in turn model one cognitive coaching cognitive coaching is defined as a set of strategies a way of thinking or a way of working that invites self and others to shape and reshape their thinking and problem solving capacities costa garmston 2002 art costa and bob garmston originally developed the model for cognitive coachingsm their intent was to enable participants to alter their mental capacity and in turn modify themselves cognitive coaching is based on four propositions 1 thought and perception produce all behavior 2 teaching is a constant decision-making process 3 to learn something new requires engagement and alteration in thought 4 humans continue to grow cognitively an example of cognitive coaching today are the pd programs at the non-profit enhancing missouri s instructional networked teaching strategies emints national center which is a collaboration between the university of missouri the missouri department of elementary and secondary education and the missouri department of higher education 8 technology coaching and community

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the emints program uses an in-classroom approach based on the original cognitive coaching model outlined by costa and garmston which has taught educators how to use technology effectively since 1999 the emints instructional model has demonstrated positive effects on student achievement in more than 3,500 classrooms across the united states and is one of the few pd programs that has data to support the chain of evidence from the delivery of a specific pd program to changing teacher practice and how it can in turn have a positive impact on student achievement the emints program works with the center for cognitive coaching to implement its model across all programs so that specialists both staff and district have a common language and common methods for coaching and mentoring teachers technology enables the work through a moodle-based community of practice moodle comprises software used to produce internet-based courses and web sites that support a collaborative framework of education and periodic e-conferencing sessions with emints staff or coaches teachers receive coaching and mentoring from emints instructional specialists or staff members who have successfully completed the emints train-the-trainer program called pd for educational technology specialists pd4ets a cognitive coaching case study the emints program a 2010 study conducted by martin strother beglau bates and reitzes used the principles of the emints program to investigate how a similarly designed pd program could leverage extensive in-classroom coaching to impact teacher outcomes and related student achievement in the study teachers taught all subject areas in grades 3­6 they received regular in-classroom coaching over a two-year period where they participated in the emints pd program from a specialist who conducted their pd sessions coaching activities were designed to help teachers translate pd concepts into classroom practice and included modeling instruction lesson planning technology assistance reflective practice and problem solving around program implementation data was collected pertaining to the amount of time specialists spent on each of the activities during their coaching sessions teachers were also required to submit lesson plans with student artifacts upon their completion of the emints pd program lesson plans were rated using a validated rubric that was part of the program fidelity process third through sixth grade students in classrooms taught by emints teachers completed the missouri assessment program map tests in math and communication arts english language arts in the spring of the school year their teachers completed emints professional development as well as the year following completion student assessment scores were matched to teacher fidelity measures in-classroom coaching data and lesson plan quality data demographic information was collected on students including race gender and free or reduced-price lunch status as a measure of students socioeconomic status martin et al reported on the analyses and confirmed many assumptions found in the program specifically teachers who experienced pd that was delivered as intended by emints developers demonstrated greater understanding of the concepts taught the research determined that if instructional technology pd focused on aligning instructional technology coaching and community 9

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problems and key concepts with applicable technology tools then both student achievement outcomes and teacher satisfaction increased it also showed that · · · · pd activities need to make explicit connections between specific types of instruction and technology tools and only then can the technology be linked to increased student learning improvements well-crafted and targeted pd helps educators who attend such sessions connect that learning to their curriculum and standards and then provides a sound pedagogical approach to delivering their course content high-quality instructional technology pd takes a great deal of time to create that time should not be minimized or underestimated one cannot just throw together a set of cool tools to demonstrate to educators and hope that something effective will emerge from such a session the research emphasizes that labor intensive long duration ongoing coaching and support and a close connection to the teaching and learning practice are essential for pd to have an impact houtman 2010 model two instructional coaching the kansas coaching project is working with teachers curriculum and technology directors and principals to impact student learning through the implementation of instructional coaches ics they tackle this enormous issue by helping schools focus on what to target by identifying teaching practices that are likely to have a positive effect on the way teachers teach and the way students learn the result of this inquiry is the big four a comprehensive framework for instructional excellence made up of practices that are both easy for teachers to implement and powerful in terms of effect on teaching and learning the big four framework is built around the following aspects of teaching 1 classroom management 2 content planning 3 instruction and 4 assessment for learning the kansas coaching project uses instructional coaching as a strategic model for how to deliver effective learning for teachers coaches use technology actively within their practice ics are also colleagues friends and confidants who listen with care and share valuable information with teachers at the time when teachers most need it ics help teachers focus on what to target by identifying teaching practices that are likely to have a positive effect on the way they teach and the way their students learn ics use a variety of pd procedures to encourage the widespread high-quality implementation of effective teaching practices including · · holding one-to-one or small group meetings during which ics can identify how to address their most pressing concerns guiding teachers through instructional manuals checklists and other materials 10 technology coaching and community

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· · · · collaboratively planning with teachers to identify when and how to implement effective instructional practices preparing materials for teachers prior to instruction modeling instructional practices in teachers classrooms and observing teachers when they use interventions providing feedback to teachers knight 2004 research being conducted at the kansas coaching project a division of the university of kansas center for research on learning supports instructional coaching it characterizes instructional coaching as a philosophical orientation or the theory that underlies everything found in coaching the ics affiliated with the kansas coaching project adopted a partnership theory to shape how coaches act over the past 10 years the kansas coaching project has identified 7 different practices that ics use to empower teachers to learn and integrate proven teaching practices 1 enroll the teacher chooses whether or not she or he would like to collaborate with the coach 2 identify the teacher chooses the teaching practice that he or she would like to learn with the coach 3 explain the coach and teacher have a shared understanding of the teaching practice and have agreed upon an observation protocol or checklist describing the components of the teaching practice 4 modeling you watch me the teacher is ready to begin teaching with the new practice 5 observe the teacher is comfortable with the coach observing the classroom practice 6 explore the teacher is encouraged to continue using the teaching practice and has identified an area where he or she can improve the way the practice is implemented 7 refine the learned teaching practice becomes habitual for the teacher in a technology-related instructional coaching project for the enhancing education though technology program at the kansas department of education a pilot study was conducted by altec at the university of kansas to integrate technology into math reading and science instruction preliminary evidence suggests that classrooms were more likely to be engaged in higher-level cognitive abilities such as knowledge representation or knowledge construction craig hare et al 2009 technology coaching and community 11

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instructional coaching case studies pennsylvania and wyoming the 21st century teaching and learning/classrooms for the future cff instructional coaching program is based on three sources the work of jim knight with the kansas coaching project the 10 roles of ics as outlined by joellen killion of the national staff development council and levels of intensity of coaching from dr rita bean of the university of pittsburgh participating schools in the cff project are provided with funding to support a half-time instructional technology coach the coaches volunteer to be guides and supports for other teachers and help them to effectively integrate technology in their lessons and create activities that engage and inspire learners the program began as a high school reform program that has expanded to grades 5­12 to date more than 90 percent of the state s eligible high schools have participated in the program this statewide initiative incorporates a blend of face-to-face and online support · · · · · · a three-and-a-half-day boot camp launch event preparing coaches to work in their districts employing pde mentors to provide leadership for cff coach pd throughout pennsylvania the program is also providing virtual support to coaches and regional mentors employing technology integration mentors tims at regional centers throughout the state since instructional technology coaches are often the only instructional technology coach in their building or district it is essential for them to be connected to their peers and others throughout the state support is provided through listservs wikis skype cover it live social bookmarking sites and moodle sites that provide places where they could post ideas participate in discussions and share links webinars are also provided on a variety of topics of interest instructional technology coaches participated in short focused pd segments and listened to speakers from their desktops virtual camps for program teachers and instructional technology coaches during the summer provided an opportunity to learn web 2.0 technologies and develop instructional units and lessons over the course of four years and through an independent evaluation study conducted by dr kyle peck and robin clausen of the pennsylvania state university the program has had an impact findings include · · classrooms are arranged differently fewer rows and more collaborative groupings of desks students are spending less time in lectures and are spending more time working independently and in peer groups working on reports projects or presentations 12 technology coaching and community

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· · there are significant increases in the use of activities requiring higher-order thinking such as project and problem-based learning authentic learning and peer teaching anecdotal stories indicate that teachers are engaged in more professional learning communities and are more collegial and collaborative in 2006 the wyoming legislature passed hb 139 which created a program to augment amounts within the education resource block grant model available to districts for schoolbased instructional facilitators and instructional coaches in fall 2006 instructional coaches were placed at all laramie county schools affecting approximately 2300 certified and classified employees this k­12 district reaches into 33 locations covering 1529 square miles in the southeast corner of wyoming technology integration specialists tis have been instrumental in helping instructional coaching staff develop capacity to integrate technology into all areas of curriculum and instruction with the addition of hb 139 and instructional coaches being placed at each of the school locations a decision was made to have the existing technology coaches directly support the instructional coaches and their use of technology in classroom lesson design the district held the belief that increasing the technology comfort level of our coaches would have a direct impact on the use of technology within the classrooms the tis were required to work with an instructional coach a minimum of one half of their work day and spend the additional half of their time working directly with classroom teachers non-tenured staff support staff and administrators although the district has not collected formal data on the growth of the coaches it has seen dramatic increases in technology use by the instructional coaches and the teachers that they have been supporting model three peer coaching peer-ed created a technology-centered peer coaching approach in 2001 through a u.s department of education technology innovation challenge grant microsoft adopted the program as part of its worldwide partners in learning program in 2004 and has provided critical assistance in implementing peer coaching since that date to date peer-ed team members have trained approximately 1000 facilitators in 49 countries and 250 facilitators in 10 u.s states this particular model of peer coaching focuses on training teachers to help their colleagues integrate technology into the collaborative online classroom of the future since a teacher s needs drive and shape collaboration between teacher and coach the coach s response to the teacher becomes an important part of improving their pd skill-set given the relationship between coach and teacher peer coaching focuses on collaboration as a central component to generate the best possible results a teacher s needs drive and shape collaboration between teacher and coach the coach s response to those needs is what makes coaching so precise and valuable and what is likely to lead to improved teaching and learning precisely this focuses on collaboration to produce results as tran duc thinh a high school teacher in ho chi minh city who technology coaching and community 13

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collaborated with a coach observed using the peer coaching model my colleagues were ready to take me step-by step through a project and answer all my questions gradually i became able to organize a project so that every student is involved in learning and sees how to explore that knowledge by themselves mary knight flagstaff s director of technology agrees with thinh that coaching works because it focuses on the needs of teachers finding time for sustained professional development is always a challenge the job-embedded nature of peer coaching helps also we align peer coaching with other instructional goals so coaches and collaborating teachers don t see peer coaching as a separate goal finally we believe peer coaching is the best way to move towards 21st century skills development particularly because of the peer coaching focus on lesson improvement knight s beliefs about the impact of coaching are supported by a recent assessment of the impact of coaching on student s literacy skills research demonstrates that collaboration among teachers is a key to improving academic achievement and peer coaching is a proven method for promoting collaboration peer coaching brings together facilitators and coaches and focuses on three primary pillars · · · utilize the communication and collaboration skills needed to build trust and effective collaboration strengthen coaches lesson design skills to help colleagues to improve learning activities so they reflect what they know about collaborative online learning for many teachers around the world successful integration of technology means learning to use active engaging instructional strategies understand best practices in technology integration so coaches can assist teachers using technology to enrich and enhance student learning one of the first stages in peer-ed s model is a discussion between coaches and their colleagues known as a peer-ed team to understand their needs and the nature of the collaborative process once completed the peer-ed team transfers ownership for coaching to the schools and the school districts that must ultimately implement the peer-coaching program there are five stages to the model stage 1 assess the first stages in helping teachers develop and implement a coaching project is determining the teacher s technology skills and instructional strategies this information helps the coach and teacher to define a lesson or project that the teacher can successfully implement or to identify the kind of coaching resources or skills the teacher might need to carry out the project stage 2 set goals setting reasonable and realistic goals that are linked to the school s educational goals and curricular standards is a critical first step toward establishing a solid coaching relationship and helping teachers integrate information and communication technology into their classroom activities stage 3 prepare participants learn to use a learning activity checklist to evaluate the strength of a proposed lesson project or unit working in teams coaches use the checklist to assess the lesson design of a series of activities that are often implemented by classroom teachers 14 technology coaching and community

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