AEL >> RTEC >> Teachers >> Integrating Technology to Support Teaching and Learning

SEIR*TEC is pleased to announce its third School Leadership in Technology Academy, a professional development opportunity for teams of educators from the southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Scheduled for June 13-16, 2000, at the Holiday Inn and University at Central Florida in Orlando, the academy will host up to 10 teams from schools and districts, helping them achieve goals they have set for using technology to support teaching and learning.

The goal of the School Leadership in Technology Academy is to support teams of teachers and administrators as they work together on an issue they have selected as important to technology integration in their school or district. The team establishes the focus of their work at the academy and develops a product aimed at resolving the problem they identified.

The academy is based on the Authentic Task Approach (ATA), developed by SEIR*TEC partner Learning Innovations, Inc. ATA is a task-oriented, professional development experience designed to get results! This makes the School Leadership in Technology Academy different from a typical conference where participants attend many sessions to sample approaches and obtain information.

Using the ATA approach means that once a team's application is accepted, the team is matched with a SEIR*TEC facilitator. Prior to arriving at the academy, the team, assisted by the facilitator, works to answer to these questions:

• What technology teaching and learning issue or technology-planning challenge do we want to concentrate on at the academy?
• Within that issue or challenge, what is the specific problem we want to address?
• What kind of product or result do we want as an outcome of our work at the academy?

Sample activities at last year's academy included

• redesigning existing curriculum to incorporate technology
• updating district technology plans
• developing effective plans for professional development

There is no registration fee for teams selected. SEIR*TEC provides materials and resources; school teams must, however, arrange and pay for transportation, meals, and lodging. A block of rooms is reserved at the Holiday Inn at the rate of $87.00 per night, single or double. Because space is limited, teams must apply to attend. A maximum of 10 teams will be accepted. Hotel reservations must be made by May 1 to obtain academy rates.

A Team Application Form and Individual Team Member Application must be submitted by April 10. For additional information regarding the SEIR*TEC School Leadership in Technology Academy and registration, go to http://www.seirtec.org/academy or contact Vicki Dimock at 800-476-6861, extension 219, e-mail at vdimock@sedl.org.