TECHNOLOGY CENTER PLAN

TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Pacoima Skills Center provides vocational, academic, basic skills and English language education to the community of Pacoima and the neighboring communities of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Sun Valley, North Hills, Van Nuys and Panorama City. The 7^th Council District of the City of Los Angeles, home to Pacoima Skills Center, has the highest percentage of Hispanic-Latino residents in the city (80.4% according to the 2000 Census). The area has the highest rate of unemployment in the San Fernando Valley (9.6% compared to 5.6% in the San Fernando Valley as a whole) and, a 30% poverty rate compared with 22.1% countywide. The annual per-capita income is $9,266 (about 57% of the per-capita income of the city of Los Angeles as a whole). The Pacoima Skills Center is located in a Federal Empowerment Zone as well as a State of California Enterprise Zone, a City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency Zone and a City of Los Angeles Targeted Neighborhood Initiative.

Adult ESL students in Literacy thru Advanced Low ESL classes are the specific targeted population. The central strategy of the Technology Center will be a “Technology Help Desk” consisting of instructors and staff available for training and assistance in the implementation of technology in the ESL curriculum.

TECHNOLOGY FACILITATION (TF) STANDARDS MATRIX
Technology Facilitation Standard I. (TF-I)
Technology Operations and Concepts. Educational technology facilitators demonstrate an in-depth understanding of technology operations and concepts. Educational technology facilitators:

TF-I.A. Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology . Candidates:

1. Assist teachers in ongoing development of knowledge, skills and understanding of technology systems, resources, and services that are aligned with district and state technology plans.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will survey teachers to determine baseline data on teachers' knowledge, skills, & understanding of technology resources using available survey tools such as the CTAP² (California Technology Assistance Project http://ctap.k12.ca.us/ )

Implement Staff Development Series consisting of at least 6 3-hour workshops focusing on integration of both computer-assisted language learning and other technologies into the language classroom. The first four workshops will be: 1) Integrating Microsoft Word Projects into the ESL curriculum, 2) Integrating Microsoft PowerPoint Projects into the ESL curriculum, 3) Integrating Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Paint Projects into the ESL curriculum, 4) Using the Overhead Projector, Video, and Card Reader Technologies with ESL students, 5) Integrating the Internet into the ESL curriculum, 6) Effective Use of Commercial ESL software in the ESL computer lab.

2. Provide assistance to teachers in identifying technology systems, resources, and services to meet specific learning needs.

Implement “Technology Help Desk” program with email, phone, and classroom visit capability so that individual instructors can obtain prompt assistance as needed.

TF-I.B. Demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies. Candidates:

1. Model appropriate strategies essential to continued growth and development of the understanding of technology operations and concepts.

Technology Help Desk instructors and other staff will maintain current membership in related professional organizations such as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) Interest Section, Technology Mentor Network, Computer Using Educators, etc.

Technology Help Desk instructors and other staff will maintain current participation in CALL related email discussion lists (TESLCA-L, Technology Mentor Network, etc.)


Technology Facilitation Standard II. (TF-II)
Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences. Educational technology facilitators plan, design, and model effective learning environments and multiple experiences supported by technology.
Educational technology facilitators:

TF-II.A. Design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners. Candidates:

1. Provide resources and feedback to teachers as they create developmentally appropriate curriculum units that use technology.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will be available to observe teachers in the classroom as well as to “team teach” or teach a demonstration lesson for teachers who would like a more concrete experience with a technology lesson as implemented in their own classroom with their own students.

2. Consult with teachers as they design methods and strategies for teaching computer/technology concepts and skills within the context of classroom learning.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will be available to consult with teachers in the classroom as well as to “team teach” or teach a demonstration lesson for teachers who would like a more concrete experience with a technology lesson as implemented in their own classroom with their own students.

3. Assist teachers as they use technology resources and strategies to support the diverse needs of learners including adaptive and assistive technologies.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will have a wide-range of adaptive and assistive technologies and strategies available for demonstration to teachers working with special needs adults and will assist in converting or adapting classroom or computer lab technology as necessary to meet the needs of those learners.

TF-II.B. Apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences. Candidates:

1. Assist teachers as they apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will be familiar with current research on teaching and learning with technology and have Internet or other resources available for teachers to read or view via email, video, a training website or 1-hour staff development training sessions during the semester.

TF-II.C. Identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability. Candidates:

1. Assist teachers as they identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability based on district and state standards.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will use various evaluation rubrics for software and Internet websites to assist teachers in identifying appropriate computer-based materials and Internet resources for adult learners.

For an example of two such evaluation worksheets see the “Technology-Based Material Evaluation Checklist" and the “Web Site Evaluation Checklist” (appendices B and C of the ESL/CBET & Citizenship Technology Guide of the Division of Adult and Career Education, LAUSD) found at http://adultinstruction.org/administrators/handbooks/esl_tech_guide.pdf

2. Model technology integration using resources that reflect content standards.

Incorporate reviewed software and websites in staff development workshops as needed.

TF-II.D. Plan for the management of technology resources within the context of learning activities. Candidates:

1. Provide teachers with options for the management of technology resources within the context of learning activities.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will provide training on technology resource management techniques such as rotation of students to computer stations using timers or other strategies when there are more students than computers available, training students to help set up laptops and other technology equipment instead of taking “teacher time” to do it, identifying students who can serve as “technology assistants”, etc.

TF-II.E. Plan strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment. Candidates:

1. Provide teachers with a variety of strategies to use to manage student learning in a technology enhanced environment and support them as they implement the strategies.

In addition to providing training on resource management techniques such as those mentioned in TF-IID above, Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will observe and assist teachers in the classroom as they implement those strategies initially.

TF-II.F. Identify and apply instructional design principles associated with the development of technology resources. Candidates:

1. Assist teachers as they identify and apply instructional design principles associated with the development of technology resources.

Technology Help Desk instructors and staff will be familiar with instructional design principles as they relate to technology resources and be available for design of lesson plans and curriculum as needed.