JMU Partnership for 21st Century Skills

NETS*T Standard V:  Productivity and Professional Practice

Rubric V.D elaborated:
 Teachers use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning.
 

√

Following must be included to achieve “meets” on all criteria.
□ Evidence of use of basic communication tools
□ Published web page
□ Evidence of technology based collaboration and professional growth
□ Evidence of communication with parents and the community
□ Evidence of how electronic communication tools improve student learning
   
 
Criterion Meets

Use technology communication tools

Understands how to use basic electronic communication tools and is able to create and publish simple Web pages
   
 
Key Words and Phrases to Include and Address in Reflections:
1. Basic electronic communication tools – email, basic web page, online course software
2. Create and publish simple Web pages – may use any web authoring tool, include URL of a published web page
   
Tips
1. Teachers should demonstrate the technical skills necessary to use email and create simple web pages.  The submissions demonstrate that appropriate content is included in electronic communications.  Email is used to collaborate with peers and inform parents of student progress.  Web pages should be informative and current.  Extensive personal information about the teacher and/or students should not be included in email or on web pages.
2. A link to a teacher created web page should be included.  A Portaportal site will not suffice as evidence that a teacher is able to create and publish simple web pages.
   
Examples of content for reflection:

1.

 Email log
 9/27/04 Emailed parents reminding them that interims reports will come home with students today.

10/22/04 Emailed parents reminding them that report cards will come home with students today.

10/21/04 Emailed parents encouraging them to attend Parent/Teacher Conference night on 10/28/04.

11/08/04 Emailed parents reminding them that interims reports will come home with students today.  Also notified parents of a science project on crustaceans.

 This type of email continues throughout the year.  Beginning next year, upon request, I will email actual progress reports to parents.
2. Web page URL
 http://www.shenandoah.k12.va.us/wwres/Bullock/
 
Criterion Meets

Communicate and collaborate with peers

Regularly participates in technology-based collaboration as part of ongoing professional growth
   
 
Key Words and Phrases to Include and Address in Reflections:
1. Regularly – multiple examples of different collaborations or example of ongoing collaboration
2. Technology-based collaboration – communication tools used to work with others
3. Ongoing professional growth – communication tools used to stay abreast of current trends in technology or evidence of online workshops or courses
   
Tips
1. Through email and the Internet, teachers have the opportunity to share resources from miles away.  The Internet also provides a wide variety of professional development opportunities.
2. Artifacts submitted should be tied to professional growth.  The professional growth opportunities submitted should involve technology-based communication tools such as the Internet and email.
   
Examples of content for reflection:

1.

 Participation in a daily/weekly list serv focusing on educational technology:

 I receive District Administration Daily as an email to my school email account.  I find the summaries of daily happenings keep me up to date on important trends in K-12 educational technology.  If I see an article of particular interest, I can click on the link and read the full text of the article.  I have been receiving these daily updates for about two years.
2. Evidence of online course:

 In the summer of 2005, I took an online course with pbs.teacherline.org on creating web quests.  I wanted to experience an online course as well as become more familiar with web quests.  I believe students learn better when participating in hands-on activities.  I am now able to create web quests to reinforce curricular areas.  I use the wireless laptop cart available in my school when doing a web quest with my students. 
 
Criterion Meets

Communicate and collaborate with parents and the larger community

Regularly uses technology to communicate and collaborate with parents and the larger community on the status, activities, and achievements of students
   
 
Key Words and Phrases to Include and Address in Reflections:
1. Regularly – multiple examples of different parental and community communications or examples of ongoing parental and community communications
2. Communicate and collaborate with parents – use technology to inform and work with parents of our students
3. Communicate and collaborate with the community – use technology to inform and work with our community
   
Tips
1. Regular communication helps to clarify expectations for parents and students.  Keeping parents informed of the instruction that is taking place in the classroom affords them the opportunity to become a partner in student learning.
2. Communication with the community is easier than ever before with increased access to the Internet.  The community funds our schools.  Informing our stakeholders of student successes and school accomplishments lets them know their tax dollars are being spent wisely.
3. Teachers should demonstrate regular communication with parents and the community using technology tools.  This may be demonstrated through the use of email, websites, Word Processing, and/or Publishing software.
   
Examples of content for reflection:

1.

 I send home a classroom newsletter each week.  I use a template to produce the newsletter.  The template makes it quick and easy to prepare.  As the year progresses, I allow students to write paragraphs about what they are learning and feature their writing on page one of the newsletter.
2. I have an online classroom newsletter.  I update it weekly.  By putting the newsletter online, I provide parents and the community with information about the learning in our classroom.  I welcome input from anyone viewing the newsletter.  I am always looking for ways to keep parents and community informed.
 
Criterion Meets

Use communication technology to nurture student learning

Shows evidence that electronic communication with peers, parents, and community members results in development of improved student learning
   
 
Key Words and Phrases to Include and Address in Reflections:
1. Improved student learning – how does electronic communication improve student learning
   
Tips
1. Maintaining regular communication with all the stakeholders in the learning process decreases the likelihood that students will be allowed to fail.  With increased professional development using electronic tools, teachers will become more informed.  With increased parental communication, parents will have more information to assist students.  With more information available to our communities about our students and our schools, citizens will be more involved in our schools.  The result of more involved stakeholders should be improved student learning.
   
Examples of content for reflection:

1.

 With the ability to email progress reports, if I have a student that is struggling I offer to email a weekly progress report home to parents.  The report includes all assignments for the week.  Parents see missing assignments and assignments on which the student has performed poorly.  By doing this, parents are able to assist their child while there is still time in the six weeks grading period for a student to improve.
2. In the past two years, I have had several special needs students in my classroom.  I felt I did not have the skills to address their learning styles.  In the summer of 2005, I took an online course entitled “Creating Units to Support Different Learning Styles.”  I believe this course has helped me understand the learning style of these students better, and I am able to tailor some of my lessons for them.  I believe this course has impacted my instruction and their achievement.