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PTI310: Tech Leader Comm (2012-2013)

CURRICULUM PROGRAM: Career and Technical Education
COURSE TITLE: Tech Leadership Community
CALENDAR YEAR: 2012-2013
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
CODE: PTI310
TYPE: GC,GV
CREDITS: 1.00
COURSE LENGTH: 36 weeks

About the Program:
Recommendations: Experience with PCs, strong working knowledge of applications used in school and capacity to learn newest technologies, interest in education and teaching. Students must be self-motivated and have a high level of personal responsibility.

Major Concepts/Content: The TLC class merges learning the newest computer technologies with learning how to effectively teach others those technologies. Students collaboratively study and learn new software packages and computer skills while learning how to become effective trainers and educators. In addition to raising the technological knowledge of the school community, TLC students examine their own roles as teachers and learners, increasing their learning abilities in all other classes.

Major Instructional Activities: This course is designed to train students to become effective teachers and learners by complementing the technology support in their school community.

Technology study includes Internet navigation and searching, web page creation, server management, desktop publishing and graphics applications, GIS, CAD, and other specialized software. Pedagogical study includes methodology of teaching, materials preparation, presentation strategies, evaluation techniques, and formalized self-reflection activities such as log-keeping and using videotape to observe, analyze, and improve their own teaching efforts.

Teaching activities include weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions with faculty, staff, students or community members; teaching in larger group situations (such as another classroom learning a single application); and preparing manuals and other instructional materials for their “clients.” Other activities include regularly assessing the school’s technology learning needs and developing strategies to effectively meet those needs.

Major Evaluative Techniques: Student will create their own assessment rubrics and goals. Doing so enables them to set learning objectives and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. They do this individually with the teacher. The students will also be graded on completion of tasks, participation, and take-home essays that reflect what the student has learned at different points in the semester.

Assessment will be based on:

• How well they learned to identify, analyze, and improve their teaching abilities through their video and writing work. This will be based on survey and writing assignments, comparison of pre/post surveys, and essay writing.
• How well their mentees learned the technology material. Teachers and other mentees are asked in survey form to assess their experiences with the TLC students. The TLC student assesses himself and a combination of this data describes how the student performed.
• The degree in which a student’s technological knowledge improved.

The TLC teacher, along with the student, will examine the pre/post surveys and determine how much of the technological knowledge the student learned. Students are expected to attain a high level of competence in one or two applications, rather than learning only a little about as many applications as possible.

Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to

• Demonstrate how teaching others enhances one’s own learning abilities and styles, in any subject.
• Demonstrate technological competency on at least one application. Competency is defined as thorough knowledge of the program, fluency with operation, and ability to explore with the tool.
• Design a teaching unit or activity, including an assessment piece about a specific software or technological application.
• Demonstrate growth in communicative, developmental and social areas. For example, students learn how to become articulate, develop confidence to communicate clearly with adults and youngsters, become methodical in their learning styles, attain a very high degree of responsibility.
• Help the school use the complex technologies already in place, working with and complementing the training tasks of the Education Technologist, and also develop new training programs to meet changing demands.
• Demonstrate that work of this nature is directly tied to real-world workplace skills.