Doug Johnson

One Step Back Two Steps Forward: the CODE 77 Teacher Technology Program, 1994

Introduction
A computer will be a part of your future in one of two ways, I tell beginning users. One possibility is that it will be there to compensate for your lack of training and skills: the computer in the fast-food cash register will relieve you of the need to compute tax or make change. The computer will also relieve you of the higher pay which comes with a skilled job.

Another future might have you using the computer as a productivity tool to enhance your talents as a diagnostician in medicine or in mechanics; as a researcher in law or in academics; or as a communicator in business or engineering or art. The computer will then enhance your income as well.

If our schools are to produce graduates who can proficiently use the computer as a productivity tool, we first need teachers who are skilled at using technology to enhance their own abilities, and are comfortable enough with these skills to fully integrate them into their classroom lessons.

In the Mankato Area Public Schools, we felt that past technology training for classroom teachers too often did little more than acquaint them with a few easy to open and operate drill and practice pieces of software. These programs, like the small brain in the cash register, asked the student (or teacher) for little higher order thinking or creativity. Learning to use the computer as a productivity tool - for electronic research, for written communication, for assisted drawing or drafting, for database design, or for spreadsheet construction - requires more time for training and more equipment for practice than the district had been willing to invest.

We had to revisit our assumption that students always have first priority for technology. We realized the district needed to take a step back to first train teachers to use the technology as a productivity tool, before any we would see the long term gains in increased student skills.

For the past three years, our district has been conducting the CODE 77 staff development program. This program has as its goal an improved learning environment as a result of teachers gaining computer productivity skills to enhance their professional competence, and as a result of teachers becoming comfortable enough with the applications to integrate them into their curricula.

I. The procedure
In 1992, a team of five teachers and the district media supervisor decided that Mankato Public Schools needed a formal plan for getting computers into the hands of all teachers who wanted them. On that group’s recommendation, the district media supervisor requested and received capital funds from the administrative council and school board for 40 computers (approximately 10% of the teaching staff), printers, modems, carrying bags, and software packages for teacher use. The program was named CODE 77 - Computers On Desks Everywhere in District 77. The project has subsequently been funded for the 1993 and 1994 school years.

CODE 77 has the following characteristics which make it unlike many other staff development efforts in technology:

• The project is long term and far-reaching, eventually giving all teachers in the district computer access;
• Computers are awarded on the basis of a competitive grant proposal - the participants have ideas about what they will do with the equipment before receiving it;
• Computers are assigned to individuals, not buildings, grade levels or departments, and the computer stays with the teacher as long as he/she is with the district;
• 30 hours of inservice for teachers is required, and all inservice is done outside of regular school hours with no pay for the participants;
• Participants have the option getting graduate credit for taking the class through a local university
• All participants a present a portfolio to the school board on the project;
• The current year’s CODE 77 participants recommend modifications to the program for the following year; and
• The current year’s participants serve as mentors to next year’s participants.

Funds are appropriated in April and one page proposal forms are sent to all teachers in the district. A team consisting of the district media supervisor, computer coordinator, and curriculum director choose the participants on the following criteria:

• uniqueness of proposal,
• likelihood of goal achievement, and
• wide representation of grade levels and subject areas throughout the district.

Proposals are received and participants selected in May. Participants receive their “bundles” on the first day of a three-day training session during the summer. Seven weekly classes in the evenings continue through the following fall. Participants receive hands-on training in general computer use, file management, word processing, spreadsheet use, database use, and graphic use. On-line communications and HyperCard are demonstrated to the class.

A board report is given in March. This report in the past has included written evaluations of the program, shared portfolios of computer generated materials, videotape presentations, and formal verbal reports by teacher participants and the media supervisor.

II. Assessment
The program assessments are designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the skill instruction, the attitude of the participants toward the program, and the impact of the program on the teaching and learning environment in the district. Participation in all assessments has been at least 80% of the total individuals. The following methods are used:

Skill Rubrics
A set of nine skills rubrics were written covering a range of basic computer knowledge and productivity competencies . Each rubric describes the abilities required at four skill levels: pre-awareness, awareness, mastery, and expert. Participants do an anonymous self-evaluation of their skills using the competency rubrics before and after the training. Participants keep a copy of the rubrics to help determine the areas in which they are deficient and need to improve. A comparison of pre and post skill levels by participants is made.
 
Portfolios
Participants keep a portfolio of representative work produced with the computer. Participants who are taking the training for college credit are also asked to provide portfolio examples correlating with the skill rubrics.
 
Survey
A survey which asked questions about frequency of hardware and software use and the attitudes of the participants toward the program is given. Participants can reply anonymously.
 
Anecdotal and indirect information
Participants’ written comments are collected and the number of applications to the program for successive years were compared.

III. Evaluation

Skill Rubrics
Analyses of the rubrics have shown that for all skills major upward shifts in all levels occurred. For each skill the first number shows the average level gain made by the group, and the second number shows the percent of participants achieving mastery or expert level.

• Basic computer operation 1.22 100%
• File management .99 80%
• Word processing 1.23 93%
• Spreadsheet use 1.16 49%
• Database use 1.16 51%
• Graphics use 1.26 53%
• HyperCard operation 1.03 31%
• Telecommunications use 1.11 33%
• Ethical use understanding .79 67%

Nearly all areas show either a high percentage of participants who achieved mastery or an average gain of an entire level.

I believe some conclusions about computer skill teaching methodology can be drawn:

• Users need directed learning and hands-on training. Skills which were only demonstrated (HyperCard and telecommunications) were not mastered.
• Clearly stated objectives, recipe-type handouts, and experienced instructors are essential to skill mastery. Allowing the learner to control the mouse and keyboard while being given individual instruction, rather than the instructor taking control, is one key indicator of a good instructor.
• Skills need to be set in the larger context of educational use. While all participants received the same training, and showed the initial ability to use databases, spreadsheets, and graphics, only the participants who continued to use those applications purposely tended to achieve mastery.
• The number of skills which participants are asked to master may need to be adjusted. Nine major skills may be too many to master in the 30 hours of training time available.
• The skills rubrics themselves were good tools for both evaluation and as guides for the learner. The learner has a gauge and guide during the instruction and for future learning.

Portfolios
The teacher portfolios showed a wide range of computer applications and productions. These included:

•     clear and easily modified instructional materials;
•     the teaching of computer productivity skills to students;
•     reviews of educational software;
•     communications with students, parents, the community, other teachers, and administrators;
•     student record keeping, including student portfolios;
•     classroom newspapers;
•     professional newsletters and announcements;
•     on-line information accessed through a modem; and
•     grants, curricula, and continuing education assignments.

The submitted portfolios validated the data gathered from the skills rubrics. Word processing applications were by far the most prevalent samples, but most participants included examples of spreadsheets, databases, on-line searches etc.. Many portfolios showed materials produced by applications and programs not taught in class like greeting card, poster, calendar, banner, test, and crossword puzzle makers. Most examples showed that teachers were “automating” current tasks rather than inventing new teaching methodologies or activities.

Survey
The equipment and software use survey showed that 97% of the teachers were using their computers daily or regularly. Other applications varied in degree of use. The modem was the least used item, and reflects the lack of hands-on training for participants in its use and that additional expenses like long distance and on-line charges would be incurred by participants.

Participants gave a strong positive response to the effect of the computer and training on their teaching. 95% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “The availability of a computer has made me a better teacher,” and 100% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend the program to other district teachers.

Anecdotal and indirect information
The written comments on the evaluation sheets fell into two major categories. Teachers suggested improvements. These included more and continued training, grouping of experienced and non-experienced users, more powerful hardware, and more emphasis on educational software. Participants also praised the program, and expressed pride and accomplishment.

Another indirect way of evaluating the program is to compare the number of applications received in each year of the project. For 1992-3, 73 applications were submitted; for 1993-4, 102 applications were submitted; and for 1994-5, 153 teachers indicated they were going to apply for the CODE 77 program. The numbers continued to grow despite a shrinking pool of potential applicants.
TOC

IV. Interpretations and observations

1) The findings may validate earlier studies

Some common observations from professional literature about teachers and computers seem to be validated by the assessments of the CODE 77 project. (Written anecdotal comments from CODE 77 participants are included in italics)

Teachers with computers expect more from their students, spend more time with individual students, are more comfortable with students working independently or in small groups, and spend less time lecturing and teaching to the whole class.
This computer program has saved me hours of preparation time … I have been able to do many things with children and for the children that would not have been possible before.
 
Teachers are willing to take more risks and see themselves more as coaches and facilitators.
I am no longer intimidated by the computer or by students that have them.I’m not afraid to try different approaches, and very often discover new things.

Collaboration among teachers increases which results in a more productive work settings. Collaboration includes not just computer skills instruction, but course development, classroom procedure development, and administrative tasks.
I have appreciated all the help from former CODE 77 teachers. I am really interested in sharing my knowledge with others.
 
Teachers have a better sense of professional competence as a result of mastering the computer. They believe their students see them as more professional.
Everything I create is so much more professional and takes less time. I keep learning more all the time. Now I feel like a teacher of the 90’s.
 
Team-teaching, interdisciplinary project-based instruction, and individualized instruction become more common. Text-based curriculum is first strengthened by the use of technology, then replaced by more dynamic learning experiences.
(Requests for curriculum specific student software and instruction in using computer based individualized learning plans and electronic portfolio assessments are common among CODE 77 participants.)
 
Teachers save significant amounts of time on administrative tasks.
I’m constantly impressed with the speed and professional documents I can now produce. My (students’) parents have enjoyed my monthly newsletter. This program) is the single most valuable single thing I have been involved with in 30 years of teaching. And I am just getting started!
 
It can take four to six years before teachers become comfortable enough with computers to fully integrate them into their classrooms.
I need only time to master those areas of Mac use which remain a blur or even a mystery to me. I am no longer afraid to experiment, but time is on my side. Time for learning remains a major problem for me with a full day of teaching and a busy family life at home. I feel great about what (training) I’ve received so far.

2) The findings give the project direction

The results of the assessment of this project, especially comments from the participants, help modify the program to maximize skill achievement and choose skills and materials which are of the greatest use to participants. A “second generation” of computer training activities has grown out of these assessments as well. Our district offers a summer technology academy which teaches additional technology skills, and we are piloting a project in which past CODE 77 participants give their current equipment and provide individualized instruction to new participants in return for upgraded equipment.

3) Quantitative analysis can be done on authentic assessment

Accurate, measurable growth of skills and attitudes can be shown using authentic assessment techniques. After compiling several years of assessments, a benchmark for acceptable participant growth can be determined, and the training techniques of groups which deviate from the benchmark can be analyzed for effective and ineffective instruction.

V. Conclusion
Over the past three years, CODE 77 has created a sea-change of teacher skills and attitudes in our district. Teachers now not only accept the reality of technology in their lives and in the lives of their students, but actively pursue training and petition for computer equipment. The use of the computer for increasing educational effectiveness is now the rule in our district not the exception. Mankato schools believe this “step-back” to teach teachers computer productivity skills will lead to giant strides forward for our students.

The district has also gained credibility in the community. While major amounts of time and labor are directed in schools toward staff development activities, too seldom do educators demonstrate the effects of these efforts on school climate, teacher skills or student achievement. The lack of accountability in the use of public funds has eroded the public’s faith in schools, resulting in declining public support. By sharing the quantitative measurements of our CODE 77 program with the board, parents, and community, we are reversing that trend.

Appendix - The CODE 77 Teacher Rubrics (most recent)