Running head: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FACILITATOR PLAN 1

Professional Learning Facilitator Plan

Kendall Middlecamp

Towson University

ISTC 702 Educational Leadership and Technology

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FACILITATOR PLAN 2

Professional Learning Facilitator Plan

Executive Summary

Technology in education is continually evolving. Teachers are constantly finding new

and innovative ways to integrate technology into their instruction. Since the Covid-19 Pandemic,

technology has expanded even more rapidly. At the start of the pandemic teachers were forced to

quickly adapt to online instruction. This required them to learn various digital platforms without

proper training. While some teachers were able to teach themselves, others were left confused.

Some platforms were already available through Baltimore County Public Schools, but many

features were not being utilized to their fullest pre-pandemic. This professional development

plan was developed for the purpose of educating teachers on the digital platforms that are already

available through Baltimore County Public Schools. This plan will give teachers the tools to

utilize Schoology, Raz-Plus, and Wixie in a highly effective way to support the needs of all

diverse learners. This professional development will allow teachers to expand their knowledge of

digital resources that they are already using. This professional development plan is aligned with

both the ISTE Standards for Educators and ISTE Standards for Coaches. Further details as to

how this plan aligns with the standards are provided below.

Introduction and Background

Prior to the pandemic, each classroom only had five student computers for a class of 20-

30 students. After the Covid-19 pandemic began in the 2019-2020 school year, Baltimore

County Public Schools worked quickly to ensure each child in the school system had a personal

student device. Since the pandemic, teachers around the country have been able to utilize the 1:1

device in the classroom to deliver effective instruction. Some teachers are more comfortable

utilizing computers than others. With the proper training and support, we can ensure that the
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students are reaching their full potential. This would allow all students to expand their learning

and begin to utilize technology to prepare them for our future digital world.

The focus school for this professional development is Orems Elementary School. Orems

Elementary School is located in Baltimore County, specifically Essex. Our current population is

363 students in grades PK-5. There are about twenty-five teachers, not including additional

adults and instructional assistants. We have about ten additional adults and instructional

assistants. We have one principal, and one assistant principal as well has two secretaries. We also

have one guidance counselor, an occupational therapist, school psychologist, social worker,

school nurse, and speech pathologist. Our building is two stories with grades 1, 2, 3, and 5

upstairs, grade 4 in the trailers, and Pre-K and Kindergarten, office, gym and cafeteria on the first

floor. Our school building is old, initially built in 1863. Our building does have updated

bathrooms as well as heating and air conditioning, although the temperatures in the building are

often difficult to regulate.

Our school population is made up of 49% white, 20% black, 16% Hispanic, and 14%

other. We are a Title 1 school. We are a school that receives financial assistance due to high

percentages of poor children in order to support the academic achievement of disadvantaged

students. Every student has FARM (Free and reduced meals) available to them. We serve

breakfast in the classroom daily as well as lunch. The overall testing rank is bottom 50% in

Maryland with 10-14% math proficiency and 15-19% reading proficiency. Every student and

teacher in our school has a computer, or device. The age of staff in our school building varies.

There are many teachers who are new to the teaching profession, but many veteran teachers.

Given the variety of teachers in our building, there is also a variety of technological experience

of staff. We are lucky enough to have an amazing STAT teacher. She is readily available to
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assist teachers and help them navigate through any technological platform. There are a few

teachers who have Promethean Boards in their classrooms. If you do not have a Promethean

Board, you have access to an ELMO and a projector.

Literature Support

One major issue revolving around technology use in the classroom is the lack of

knowledge from the teachers. Many teachers from older generations do not consider themselves

very “tech savvy”. They are set in their ways and feel overwhelmed when asked to implement

lessons that involve a great amount of technology use. Teachers do not feel comfortable, which

then does not leave room for the children to be immersed in technology. My plan focuses on

effectively teaching teachers how to use the digital platforms that are already provided by the

county in a less demanding way. Smith, Ralston, et. al. discuss how to deliver effective

professional development in their article, “Team Teaching and Learning: A Model of Effective

Professional Development for Teachers” (Smith et. al., 2020). They discuss the importance of

collaborative learning, apply learning in an authentic environment, and then peer and personal

reflect. This model is something that I took into consideration when planning. Effective

professional learning takes place when it is content focused. Meaning, when teachers attend a

professional development or meeting, they want it to be purposeful. They want to leave with

concrete examples of what to implement immediately. This is achieved through active learning,

where teachers team plan, teach, and reflect with one another.

Learning Needs

This plan will focus on four specific ISTE Standards for Educators. I believe putting a

major focus on these four standards will have the greatest impact on students learning. The four

standards are the learner, collaborator, facilitator, and analyst. During the Covid-19 pandemic,
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teachers were forced to quickly learn how to effectively utilize digital platforms. While many of

these platforms were already in place and adapted by Baltimore County, teachers were not using

them effectively. Teachers lack comfortability and proper training, as well as accountability

when it comes to effectively using these tools. Schoology, Wixie, and Raz-Plus are highly

effective platforms that would have an extremely positive impact on children’s learning if

utilized effectively and often in the classroom. Teachers need more time and proper resources to

learn how to use these tools.

Indicator 1A will emphasize the teacher as a learner focusing on professional learning

goals in order to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made possible by technology and

reflect on their effectiveness. Often times, new professional development is pushed out during

stressful times. For example, during preservice week before the children come back, teachers

have information overload while they are trying to get their classrooms ready for the children. By

taking the pressure off and allowing teachers to narrow down exactly what’s important, teachers

will be able to more effectively carry out the new ideas as presented. Indicator 4A will dedicate

time for colleagues and students to improve their practices, discover new resources and solve

problems. This standard will specifically focus on dedicating planning time in order for

colleagues to effectively collaborate with one another to better meet the needs of their students.

Indicator 6B focuses on educators facilitating learning with technology in order to

support student achievement. Teachers and administrators will manage the use of technology and

student learning strategies in digital platforms. This will be achieved with the help of teachers

who create mini lessons to support teachers in teaching their children how to effectively navigate

Schoology, Wixie, and Raz-Plus. Lastly, indicator 7A the analyst will allow educators to

understand and use the data to drive their instruction and support students in achieving their
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learning goals. When teachers feel comfortable and confident using these platforms after

professional development through this professional learning facilitator plan, it’s important that

data can be analyzed on a higher level. This will allow them to use the data in order to drive

future instruction for their students. Through this plan, my hope is that there can be less pressure

and stress on teachers when asked to use technology. By not demanding a great change

immediately, it may give teachers the willingness to work to try at least a few new things each

month, or quarter of the school year. Eventually, they will learn how wonderful these platforms

can be, which in turn will allow their instruction to become more rich, authentic, and effective.

ISTE-C Leadership Reflection

The ISTE Standards for coaching involve characteristics, activities, philosophies, and

dispositions of today’s instructional technology coaches. These standards focus on the

importance of ensuring that learning with technology is high impact, sustainable, scalable, and

equitable for all. The change agent coaches inspire educators to use technology to create

equitable and ongoing high-quality learning. This is why it is essential that the teachers know

what they’re teaching in order for high-quality learning to take place. This is done through

connecting leaders and educators in order to maximize the potential of technology for learning.

This is demonstrated throughout my plan. This is possible through collaboration. The use of

technology should not feel like a daunting task, although it is often viewed in that way. By

having a professional learning facilitator plan, we can provide and evaluate the impact of

professional learning for educators and leaders to use technology to advance teaching and

learning.

By dividing and conquering, the capacity of educators putting the ISTE Standards into

practice is possible. By facilitation active learning and providing meaningful feedback, the entire
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county as a unit can be successful. Being a digital citizen advocate means to model digital

citizenship and support educators and students in recognizing the responsibilities and

opportunities inherent in living in a digital world. While learning about digital citizenship is not

specifically written out throughout the plan, content will be delivered with best practices in mind.

These will be communicated during the professional developments to ensure that technology is

used for its correct purpose. The presenters will model their use of technology in appropriate

ways which will then transfer to the other teachers and then their students.

Project Plan

Standard 1: Learner
Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring
proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning.
Performance Indicator 1.a.
Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made possible
by technology and reflect on their effectiveness.
Action Steps & Person(s) Technologies Benefit(s) Assessment
Timeline Responsible Employed Method(s)
July-August 2023- Teachers and Schoology Teachers will Knowledge
2026 Support Staff Raz-Plus feel less checks
Wixie pressure in the
Provide paid, Administrators summer to Learner
optional, Computers and learn and participation
professional projectors for expand their
development in the presentations knowledge on Create examples
summer for various digital to report back
teachers looking to Schoology learning and share
expand their discussion board systems.
knowledge with
digital platforms:
Schoology, Raz-
Plus, and Wixie.
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School years Administration Folder created Teachers will Teachers can be

September-June on Schoology be more required to try at
2023-2026 Selected teachers group where inclined to least one new
teachers can attend faculty tool every
Quarterly faculty post their new meetings quarter. Have
meetings for staff learning all in when the teachers post
to share ideas, one place for content is their new tool or
tools, and other teachers to purposeful and new learning
strategies with one view. This will meaningful. (within a
another based off allow teachers to platform) each
of their own go back at their quarter during a
learning or leisure to get faculty meeting.
learning from the innovative ideas
professional to implement in
developments their classroom.
offered in summer
Creation of “lead Selected teachers E-mail Teachers will STAT teachers
teachers” where have staff that can join
other colleagues Digital they feel teachers’
can consult and ask STAT (Students platforms comfortable classrooms to
questions. and Teachers (Schoology, approaching offer support or
Accessing Wixie, Raz- for questions teach new tools
Utilize STAT Tomorrow) Plus) or concerns. to the students
teacher in school or teacher that they can
tech liaison to help utilize.
and support
teachers.

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.
Performance Indicator 4.a.
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)
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Preservice week Teachers who Schoology Teachers learn Staff commits to

2023-2026 attended summer Raz-Plus from one at least one new
PD Wixie another and technology-
Teachers who are able to based
attend summer PD Teachers willing PowerPoint or start utilizing instruction new
report back to to share various Presentation new tools at learning to
summarize key digital tools that Platform the start of implement at the
points during they utilize each new start of the
preservice week. school year. school year.
Pick only a few Administration Post new
new tools to share learning and
to avoid teachers tool that will be
becoming used on
overwhelmed with Schoology
new learning. discussion
board.
September 2023- Teachers who Schoology Teachers can Complete
ongoing attended summer Raz-Plus set personal feedback forms
PD Wixie goals for from
Monthly sessions themselves to presentations
held in place of Teachers willing PowerPoint or try new things submitted to
faculty meetings to to share various Presentation with their administration.
revisit new digital tools that Platform class
learnings. they utilize throughout the
school year.
Administration

Staff
Video recordings Office of Various Teachers give Feedback
of a teacher Instructional time during provided to
implementing Technology pre-service classroom
resources and tools Teacher specialist week to view teachers
in their daily videos. Videos
instruction. posted on Teachers submit
Schoology for reflection from
Two videos per teachers to videos to
grade level (K-5)- revisit/get new administration.
one Reading and ideas
one Math. throughout the
school year.

Standard 6: Facilitator
Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE
Standards for Students.
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Performance Indicator 6.b.

Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual
environments, hands-on makerspaces or in the field.
Action Steps & Person(s) Technologies Benefit(s) Assessment
Timeline Responsible Employed Method(s)
September 2023- Teachers Screencast to These lessons Classroom
ongoing create videos will include teachers observe
Administration practice within their students
Pay teachers who Schoology each digital utilizing the tools
feel comfortable to Staff Wixie platform. This to see if they are
create mini-lessons Raz-Plus allows the beneficial to
that teachers can use children to learning.
in their classroom to practice and
immerse their takes planning
students in off of the
Schoology, Wixie, teachers. Once
and Raz-Plus. the students are
clear on how to
utilize the tools,
the teacher can
effectively
utilize them in
the classroom.

Standard 7: Analyst
Educators understand and use data to drive their instruction and support students in achieving
their learning goals.
Performance Indicator 7.a.
Educators provide alternative ways for students to demonstrate competency and reflect on
their learning using technology.
Action Steps & Person(s) Technologies Benefit(s) Assessment
Timeline Responsible Employed Method(s)
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FACILITATOR PLAN 11

September 2023- Administrators Employee Feedback to Informal and

ongoing Evaluation teachers on formal write ups
System via how their from
Administrators BCPS Apps assessments administrators
check for use of portal are being used
technology during
formal and Room for
informal improvement
observations.

Summer 2025 Curriculum Schoology Assessment Data can be

writers data easier to reviewed by the
BCPS creates track across higher ups
online assessments Administrators grade levels
in place of all and county Next steps can
written levels be determined
assessments across for
subjects. administrators
and teachers
moving forward
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References

International Society of Technology in Education ISTE. (2017). ISTE standards for educators.

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

Orems Elementary School (2023). School Messenger Presence. Retrieved from

https://oremses.bcps.org/

Public School Review (2022). Orems Elementary School. Retrieved from

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/orems-elementary-school-

profile#:~:text=How%20many%20students%20attend%20Orems,students%20attend%20

Orems%20Elementary%20School.

Smith, R., Ralston, N. C., Naegele, Z., & Waggoner, J. (2020). Team Teaching and Learning: A

Model of Effective Professional Development for Teachers. Professional Educator, 43(1),

80–90.