LTC Partners with Grant Project to Provide Teacher Professional Development - May 4th, 2010

The Learning Technology Center (LTC) is proud to announce its partnership with LEARN, a Connecticut regional education service center, and three innovative charter schools in Connecticut and Honduras. The LTC will provide professional development for teachers on the use of technology tools for 21st Century teaching and learning.

The project is funded by the Connecticut Department of Education as part of an Educational Technology Entitlement Grant authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“The Connecticut partners sought out the LTC’s participation because of our expertise in the 21st Century classroom, computer-supported collaborative learning, and online professional development,” says Paul E. Resta, Director of the Learning Technology Center and Professor of Instructional Technology in the College of Education. “We look forward to contributing to this exciting project, as it builds an international community of teacher practice for the 21st Century.”

The LTC will work with the teachers of the Regional Multicultural Magnet School and the Dual Language Academy in Connecticut, as well as the Progreso International School in Honduras. These schools have dual language immersion programs, in which classes are taught alternately in Spanish and English.

Beginning in August 2010, the LTC will provide two onsite workshops with the Connecticut teachers, focusing on topics such as the National Educational Technology Standards, interactive whiteboards, computer-supported collaborative learning, and the World Language Standards. Participants will “learn by doing,” using the various technology tools as they are covered in the instruction. Teachers at the Honduras school will take part via online collaborative tools. Between workshops, teachers will use with their students the learning activities they have created.

These workshops will be followed by six online workshops. A variety of technologies will be used, including videoconferencing, webinars, virtual whiteboards, and discussion boards. The teachers will also receive ongoing coaching and technical support in their classrooms.

The online workshops will be held through August 2011. For more information about the project, contact Karen French.

—Laurie Caldwell, LTC Communications Coordinator