Project Overview
It began with four friends and instructional technology specialists who were looking for a way to train teachers on technology in a timely and cost-effective manner. Free tools, tutorials, any-time training meeting the national technology standards were the goal. The site was originally created in 2008 by (l-r) Melissa White (Ingham ISD), Dr. Jennifer Parker-Moore (Macomb ISD), the late Frank Miracola (Macomb ISD) and Carolyn McCarthy (Shiawassee RESD/Clinton RESA). Jan Harding (Macomb ISD) was added to the project team in June of 2011.
Free Is Good! and the 21things4teachers
The project began with the 21things4teachers.net site and an idea of creating a site where teachers could get FREE technology training and learn about FREE resources. The late Frank Miracola was nationally known for his "Free is Good" series, available on iTunes and widely accessed on the web. From there the resources grew to include new technology and resources used for educators worldwide.
Each year, 30+ Partner Agencies send their instructional technology specialists (Agency Coordinators) from across Michigan to provide critical review. Additional consideration comes from feedback around the globe from teachers, administrators, and educational leaders. New tools, a modified list of "things", and improved assignments lead to improved technology skills for all visitors to the site.
Each year, 30+ Partner Agencies send their instructional technology specialists (Agency Coordinators) from across Michigan to provide critical review. Additional consideration comes from feedback around the globe from teachers, administrators, and educational leaders. New tools, a modified list of "things", and improved assignments lead to improved technology skills for all visitors to the site.
It All Began with 21things4teachers
Establishing a Baseline in Technology Education for Teachers
21things4teachers came about due to a need to find a creative way to educate teachers on the core technology skills they needed. The need also included a desire to find a way to deliver professional development just-in-time and at anytime teachers needed it. Along with that there was a need to have everything aligned to the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers.
With this mission in mind four Michigan technology trainers, Carolyn McCarthy, Frank Miracola, Dr. Jennifer Parker-Moore and Melissa White, came together in September of 2008 to develop 21Things for the 21st Century Educator. Their initial charge was to develop a website that would be used by constituents from their individual agencies and incorporate online trainings to assist those who wanted a more in-depth review of each element on the website. The site was also designed with three levels of professional development in mind. The basic level would allow teachers to pick and choose the elements they wanted to know more about. Teachers would be able to access both the linked tutorials and the more in-depth recorded training sessions whenever they wanted them. The second level would have teachers sign up for a scheduled cohort that would train in sequence on each element. The cohort would take place over a three month period. Participants would also be given options to obtain both, On-Line State Board-Continuing Education Units (SBC-EU) or graduate level credits from various universities in Michigan. The last option would allow principals to use the site to assist teachers in their district level personal professional development plans.
From this collaboration 21Things for the 21st Century Educator (also known as 21things4teachers) was created. It has now grown to include 21things4administrators and 21things4students.
With this mission in mind four Michigan technology trainers, Carolyn McCarthy, Frank Miracola, Dr. Jennifer Parker-Moore and Melissa White, came together in September of 2008 to develop 21Things for the 21st Century Educator. Their initial charge was to develop a website that would be used by constituents from their individual agencies and incorporate online trainings to assist those who wanted a more in-depth review of each element on the website. The site was also designed with three levels of professional development in mind. The basic level would allow teachers to pick and choose the elements they wanted to know more about. Teachers would be able to access both the linked tutorials and the more in-depth recorded training sessions whenever they wanted them. The second level would have teachers sign up for a scheduled cohort that would train in sequence on each element. The cohort would take place over a three month period. Participants would also be given options to obtain both, On-Line State Board-Continuing Education Units (SBC-EU) or graduate level credits from various universities in Michigan. The last option would allow principals to use the site to assist teachers in their district level personal professional development plans.
From this collaboration 21Things for the 21st Century Educator (also known as 21things4teachers) was created. It has now grown to include 21things4administrators and 21things4students.
The 21things4teachers Project Grows
Agency Coordinators - Project Partners come on board!
In the fall of 2009, the program to expand this across the state to other Instructional Technology Trainers (RITS - REMC Instructional Technology Specialists group) began with a day-long training session to become an 'Agency Coordinator'. Each agency provided their logo, and developed a separate web site for their own area of schools, but linking to this main site. This avoided the costly duplication of service, and saved time. You will see the links to partner agencies on a separate tab. These partner agencies rolled out their first courses during the 2009-10 school year.
Continuous Improvement Process and Feedback
In June of 2010, these partner agencies sent their Agency Coordinators to provide feedback on the tools, instructional strategies, and content of the site and revisions were made in August of 2010. This process was repeated again in June of 2011 with revisions completed in August of 2011 using a variety of technologies. Adobe Connect, Google Docs, Buzzword, and a variety of other web tools are an integral part of 21things. Updates and revisions in the tools and technology has become an annual event for "all things 21".
The Project Expands to 21things4administrators
The project partners wrote a grant to fund a new project titled "21things4administrators" during the 2009-2010 year. With the funding in place, we invited a group of 9 school administrators, representing different grade level schools, to join in helping consult on the project. Netbooks with webcameras and headsets were provided to the administrator consultants at the first in-person meeting. The remaining meetings were held virtually using Adobe Connect. Beta tested in the fall of 2010, the course has now trained hundreds of school administrators. Again, the Agency Coordinators from across the state were asked for feedback for summer updates. The first official Cohort launched in the Spring of 2010.
Expanding Again -- 21things4students
During the delivery of professional development with the teacher training, some of the teachers taking this program indicated their desire to have a similar project done which could be used in the classroom for their students. A grant was submitted to the state REMC organization, and was funded to begin development July 2010-June 2011. This time the REMC Instructional Technologist group from across the state (RITS) was engaged in helping to develop the resources. Different pairs of educators worked together to create the content for the 21things4students pages. In the Winter of 2011, 44 teachers from across the state of Michigan piloted this within their classrooms grades 6-12. These resources were designed for middle school (grades 6-8) to meet the 8th grade technology proficiency requirement, however high school teachers and some elementary teachers elected to use the site as well. After the pilot period the RITS group met to evaluate the feedback provided by students and the piloting teachers. This began a summer of revisions in 2011. Three pilot teachers joined the 21things team to create additional engaging activities for students, along with some accompanying lesson plans. The site was formally launched to the state in the fall of 2011. An exciting addition to the site was the step to build a repository of 'student activities' and 'teacher lesson plans' which will include those donated by teachers from across the globe.
Contact the Project Partners
Janice Harding, Macomb ISD; Carolyn McCarthy, Shiawassee RESD; Dr. Jennifer Parker-Moore, Macomb ISD; and Melissa White, Ingham ISD.
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