Running head: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FACILITATOR PLAN 1

Professional Learning Facilitator Plan

Sydney Gennuso

Towson University

ISTC 702
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Executive Summary

Digital citizenship is an important component of technology incorporation in the

classroom and teaches are expected to teach students how to be better digital citizens (Martin,

Gezer & Wang, 2019). However, students will not become better digital citizens if educators are

not teaching them what they can do to better themselves. Educators cannot teach digital

citizenship properly if they do not incorporate those concepts in their beliefs (Tondeur et all,

2017). My professional learning facilitator plan is meant to help teachers better understand the

importance of teaching digital citizenship in order to create more well-rounded students that are

able to succeed in the 21st century. This plan while include specific ISTE Standards for

Educators.

Standard 2 : Leader:

“Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success

and to improve teaching and learning.” (ISTE Standards for Educators)

Most teachers understand the importance the role of technology plays in the classroom

and that various web 2.0 tools can empower students and increase student achievement.

However, there is a lack of teaching educators how to use the technology in the classroom

(Yuen, Yaoyuneyong & Yuen, 2011). It is apparent that teachers learn how to embrace and use

various web 2.0 tools and other technologies in their classrooms in order to help students grow

into better and successful digital citizens. I plan to use my role as a leader in the school to help

educate my colleagues on the proper use of various web 2.0 tools.

Performance indicator 2a:

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“Educators shape, advance and accelerate a shared vision for empowered learning with

technology by engaging with education stakeholders.” (ISTE Standards for Educators)

Most teachers believe that incorporating web 2.0 tools in the classroom is beneficial for

student achievement (Hew & Cheung, 2013). However, teachers lack the skills on where to find

the approved tools for Baltimore County Public Schools. Many teachers also do not know to use

these tools properly in their lessons.

My plan is to have the technology liaisons, which includes myself, work with the STAT

teacher to create a professional development opportunity that would take place at least twice a

year for teachers. This opportunity must be approved by the administrators at my school before

we can present. Teachers will learn what web 2.0 tools are approved to use in Baltimore County

Public Schools. We would also categorize those tools by function (Hew & Cheung 2013). For

example, categories would include collaborative tools, presentational tools, etc. In order to

assess learning, teachers will participate in a group discussion on how these tools could be used

in the classroom and create an activity that will use the tools being taught. Teachers will then

take a survey on how useful the information presented was and whether they would be interested

in learning about a different tool that was not showcased in a future presentation. This would

take place during the 2021-2022 school year in order for the STAT teacher and technology

liaisons to work together, research specific tools, create a presentation, and get it approved by

administration.

Standard 3: Citizen:

“Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital

world.” (ISTE Standards for Educators)

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Rationale:

Students are expected and assumed to know how to be proper digital citizens in the 21st century,

however that is not the case. Educators must incorporate meaningful ways for students to learn

how to navigate the online world in their classes (Preddy, 2017). By teaching students how to

participate in the digital world, we are setting them up for success (Martin, Gezer & Wang,

2019)

Performance indicator 3b:

“Educators establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online

resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.” (ISTE Standards for Educators)

Rationale:

Students turn towards Google and Wikipedia to complete assignments. They do not

know how to properly examine credible online media sources. Our school library media

specialist does do a presentation through Language Arts classes so all students can learn how to

examine online media sources. However, this is done towards the beginning of the year and

students are expected to remember the information throughout the school year.

With the library media specialist once a quarter in the core classes of Language Arts,

Science, Social Studies, and Math, students will complete a hands-on activity evaluating the

credibility of four online articles similar to the study Damico and Panos completed in 2017.

These researchers had the students analyze portions of four different online sources and the

participants had to answer questions on what made the articles more credible or less credible.

What was found was that it is helpful that students have more opportunities provided to them

analyzing resources to help shape their credibility spectrum (Damico & Panos, 2017).
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The library media specialist will first show students how to use Gale Power Search so

that they can use it to find sources for research purposes. Then she will present the students with

limited parts of four resources and have the students analyze the resources based off of source

credibility and message credibility. The students would answer questions about the articles and

participate in a group discussion where everyone shares their opinions on the credibility of each

source. After the discussion, the students are allowed to change their answers on how they view

each source (Damico & Panos, 2017). What I would add at the end of this activity is for the

library media specialist to include examples from each text that show how credible each source

is. This will start at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. The library media specialist at

my school already does a presentation about online media sources, however I will work with her

to help amplify her presentation and create a plan for four lessons for each grade level.

Standard 4: Collaborator

“Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice,

discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.” (ISTE Standards for Educators)

Rationale

Collaboration is an important factor for success for all educational stakeholders. By

collaborating, other educators are able to see the importance of using various web 2.0 tools in

their classrooms and teaching students how to be digital citizens. We are also able to work and

navigate together when the technology changes (Preddy, 2017).

Indicator 4a:

“Educators dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to create authentic learning

experiences that leverage technology.” (ISTE Standards for Educators)

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Rationale

When educators lack knowledge on how to use and implement a concept in their

classroom, they tend to think negatively towards that concept, especially when it comes to web

2.0 tools. In fact, teachers will not find a tool useful if they cannot see the importance it has in

their own content (Yuen, Yaoyuneyong & Yuen, 2011). In order to improve morale and

knowledge towards web 2.0 tools, each teacher needs not only an after school professional

development opportunity that showcases general web 2.0 tools, but a specific tool that will be

especially useful to their own content.

Along with the after school professional development, I would work with my

administration, the STAT teacher, and each department chair so that they can implement at the

monthly department meetings a showcase of one web 2.0 tool that can be used in a specific

department’s classrooms. All teachers will be encouraged to use the tool that the department

chair will showcase to their department in their own classrooms. At the following meeting, there

will be an update on whether or not the tool was successful in their classrooms or not. The

department chairs will report back to the STAT teacher and myself the feedback so for the

following meeting, we can find another useful tool for the department. This will begin during

the 2022-2023 school year as it gives the STAT teacher and I enough time to observe each

classroom teacher and identify which web 2.0 tools would be useful to meet their contents’

specific needs.

Introduction

At my school, Loch Raven Technical Academy, some staff members are extremely

knowledgeable in regard to technology and are open to trying new tools in their classroom
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regularly. The majority of the staff have enough technology experience to get by in the

classroom, but still use the bare minimum when it comes to technology. There are a few staff

members who do not know how to use technology and choose to not use it at all. Often times,

teachers do not use technology in the classroom because they are not knowledgeable on the tools

that are commonly used and struggle with basic troubleshooting skills. I want to help improve

the morale of my colleagues with their technology use. I believe that my plan will help them

become more comfortable with technology by using a slow, comfortable pace at implementation

so that they are not overwhelmed with the changes.

Background

My school is Loch Raven Technical Academy which is located in the central area of

Baltimore County Public Schools. It is and older facility, built in 1961. The school contains 823

students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. There are 51 teachers in the building and 29% of those teachers

are minorities. The building contains 52 classrooms. Our school has 4 administrators, a

principal and one administrator for each grade level (Loch Raven Technical Academy).

Eighty-three percent of the students that attend Loch Raven Technical Academy are

minorities. One percent of the student population is made up of English language learners.

Fifteen percent of the student population are special education students. Sixty-one percent of

students receive free and reduced meals. The majority of the students come from middle to

lower class socio-economic statuses. We are not a Title I school. Loch Raven Technical

Academy is a magnet school. Students can apply to join the magnet programs, which are

performing arts, visual arts, law and finance, and conservation sciences, and are accepted based

off of a lottery system. Students can also be placed in Gifted and Talented or standard math,

language arts, science, and social studies classes. We are below academic achievement levels
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and are not meeting standards. Per standardized test scores, 28% of students are proficient in

English and 9% of students are proficient in math (Msde).

ISTE-C Leadership Reflection

I believe my project plan demonstrates various ISTE Standards for Coaches including

change agent, professional learning facilitator, and digital citizen advocate. Coaches are always

looking for new ways to improve their practice, present what they have learned to spread that

information so that others can gain knowledge, and advocate for everyone to be better digital

citizens.

Standard 1: Change Agent: “Coaches inspire educators and leaders to use technology to create

equitable and ongoing access to high-quality learning.” (ISTE Standards for Coaches)

Indicator 1e: “Coaches connect leaders, educators, instructional support, technical support,

domain experts and solution providers to maximize the potential of technology for learning.”

(ISTE Standards for Coaches)

I believe the third step of my action plan demonstrates this specific standard and

indicator. By observing the teachers in each department, researching web 2.0 tools useful for

their content, and explaining to the department chairs how they and their department can use

these tools in their classroom shows that I want to maximize the use of technology in the

classroom and change the mindset that technology can be easily implemented if the correct tool

is used.

Standard 5: Professional Learning Facilitator: “Coaches model digital citizenship and support

educators and students in recognizing the responsibilities and opportunities inherent in living in a

digital world.” (ISTE Standards for Coaches)

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Indicator 5c: “Coaches evaluate the impact of professional learning and continually make

improvements in order to meet the schoolwide vision for using technology for high-impact

teaching and learning.” (ISTE Standards for Coaches)

I believe that I demonstrate this standard and indicator in my second and third actions in

my project plan. I believe this because I am implementing a showcase of general web 2.0 tools

for the entire staff in my building and am implementing a showcase of more content specific web

2.0 tools for each department. I am relying on feedback from the teachers and departments to

help shape my next steps for the following professional development that I wish to facilitate to

the entire staff and to which tools would work in each content.

Standard 7: Digital Citizen Advocate: “Coaches model digital citizenship and support

educators and students in recognizing the responsibilities and opportunities inherent in living in a

digital world.” (ISTE Standards for Coaches)

Indicator 7c: “Coaches support educators and students to critically examine the sources of

online media and identify underlying assumptions.” (ISTE Standards for Coaches)

The first action in my project plan outlines how the library media specialist will work

with each grade level in the core classes on how to determine which online media sources are

credible and which are less credible. By doing this every quarter in the core classes, each

students will continue to practice and shape their credibility spectrum when analyzing online

media sources.
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Project Plan

Standard 3: Citizen
Educators establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of
online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

Performance Indicator 3.
Educators establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of
online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.
Action Steps & Person(s) Technologies Benefit(s) Assessment
Timeline Responsible Employed Method(s)
Hands-on Library Media Gale Power Students will Group discussion
online media Specialist Search shape their
credibility credibility
workshop once spectrum
a quarter in a
different core
class every
quarter starting
in
September
2021.
Standard 2: Leader
Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success
and to improve teaching and learning.

Performance Indicator 2a
Educators shape, advance and accelerate a shared vision for empowered learning with
technology by engaging with education stakeholders.
Action Steps & Person(s) Technologies Benefit(s) Assessment
Timeline Responsible Employed Method(s)
Professional STAT Teacher BCPS Toolbox Teachers will Hands-on
development on Technology Index know where to creation of
useful web 2.0 Liaisons find approved activities by
tools to teachers BCPS web 2.0 teachers
tools and will Group
September 2022 understand how discussion
to use them. Survey

Standard 4: Collaborator
Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice,
discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.
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Performance Indicator 4a
Educators dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to create authentic learning
experiences that leverage technology.
Action Steps & Person(s) Technologies Benefit(s) Assessment
Timeline Responsible Employed Method(s)
Department STAT Teacher BCPS Toolbox Teachers will Group discussion
meetings Tech Liaison Index learn what web Feedback from
showcasing and Department 2.0 tools are for teachers on
encouraging the Chairs their specific whether or not
use of content content and will the tools was
specific web 2.0 create activities useful
tools useful to them. Informal
October 2023 observations
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References

Damico, J. S., & Panos, A. (2018). Civic media literacy as 21st century source work: Future

social studies teachers examine web sources about climate change. Journal of Social

Studies Research, 42(4), 345–359. https://doi-org.proxy-

tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1016/j.jssr.2017.10.001

Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2013). Use of Web 2.0 technologies in K-12 and higher

education: The search for evidence-based practice. Educational Research Review, 9, 47–

64. https://doi-org.proxy-tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1016/j.edurev.2012.08.001

ISTE Standards for Coaches. (n.d.). Retrieved July 06, 2020, from

https://www.iste.org/standards/for-coaches

ISTE Standards for Educators. (n.d.). Retrieved July 01, 2020, from

https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators

Loch Raven Technical Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2020, from

https://www.bcps.org/schools/profile.aspx?OrgID=88

Martin, F., Gezer, T., & Wang, C. (2019). Educators’ Perceptions of Student Digital Citizenship

Practices. Computers in the Schools, 36(4), 238–254. https://doi-org.proxy-

tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1080/07380569.2019.1674621

Msde. (n.d.). Welcome to the Maryland Report Card. Retrieved June 30, 2020, from

https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/

Preddy, L. (2016). The Critical Role of the School Librarian in Digital Citizenship Education.

Knowledge Quest, 44(4), 4–5.

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Steve Chi-Yin Yuen, Yaoyuneyong, G., & Yuen, P. K. (2011). Perceptions, Interest, and Use:

Teachers and Web 2.0 Tools in Education. International Journal of Technology in

Teaching & Learning, 7(2), 109–123.

Tondeur, J., Braak, J., Ertmer, P., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2017). Understanding the

relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and technology use in education: a

systematic review of qualitative evidence. Educational Technology Research &

Development, 65(3), 555–575. https://doi-org.proxy-

tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1007/s11423-016-9481-2