Educational Outreach

TPS Consortium Web Meeting January 2010

TPS Consortium Web Meeting

AgendaJanuary 28 at 10:00am EST and February 1 at 4:00pm EST

Duration: 45 minutes

The Library of Congress Teacher NetworkReviewUpdate and New DevelopmentsFuture Plans

Further Online DiscussionsSend an email or join the discussion at LearnCentral

The Library of Congress Teacher Network

DRAFT

VisionThe Library of Congress Teacher Network facilitates peer-to-peer collaboration among K-12 teachers who share a commitment to improve education with the effective use of primary sources.

MissionThe Library of Congress Teacher Network provides a means for K-12 teachers to enter into a dialogue with one another and Library staff focused on the educational use of primary sources through mentoring, professional development, creation of teaching materials and strategy sharing.

The Library of Congress Teacher Network

Goals

1. Improve and increase the instructional use of the Library’s digitized primary sources through a network of K-12 teachers

1. Build a cadre of qualified teacher ambassadors who can support the dissemination of TPS methods and materials

1. Provide online and face-to-face forums for members to share effective instructional practices and collaborate on the creation of materials using the Library's digitized collections with peers

1. Offer professional development and leadership opportunities in primary-source based education to members

The Library of Congress Teacher Network

Participants

K-12 Teachers – those already participating in existing professional networks and/or who have had touch points with Library professional development and outreach

Teacher Ambassadors – designated teacher leaders who disseminate Library methods, materials, and share classroom strategies among peers in existing online professional networks where teachers are already collaborating.

The Library of Congress Teacher Network

Research

• Conducted interviews with Ed Outreach staff and discussion groups with Summer Institute participants, TPS teachers and 2008 Ambassador Fellows

• Conducted interviews with educational leaders active in developing online educational networks

• Interviewed most TPS partners in November 2009

The Library of Congress Teacher Network

Overall Findings

• Identified need for connecting teachers across the Library’s professional development touch points

• Teachers expressed interest in connecting with peers and Library staff

• Teachers expressed interest in attaining official recognition from the Library

• TPS directors expressed interest in supporting the teacher network

• Identified an emerging trend in new formats for professional development which support online educational networks

The Library of Congress Teacher Network

Teacher Ambassadors to Teacher Mentors

• Quality control

• More specific function

• Less advocacy, more teacher support

Online Component of the Teacher Network

Social Networks and Tools reviewed:

• NING, FaceBook, Twitter• LearnCentral• TeacherLine, Linkedin• Apple Learning Interchange and MacLearning• Yahoo Groups and Google Groups• Discovery (corporate)• ALA and ASLA online tools, NCSS, and other• Smaller professional networks • TPS Connect (from Metro State)

Online Component of the Teacher Network

Platform Options Considered:

• Build a tool at the Library o cost, maintenance, time, upgrades, lack of existing audience, etc.

• Adapt a tool from a TPS Partnero same as above, plus the lack of features

• Create a branded community on an existing networko full feature product with capacity to grow with our network, has a robust

existing professional educational network, ease of working in partnership – contractual issues, functionality, viability, records retention, etc.

• Utilize several Web 2.0 toolso build a community by using existing social and educational networkso integrate our existing or planned initiatives e.g. RSS, Widmeyer plan, TPSD

1. Target social and educational networks used by teachers through research and partnerships (e.g., ALA, NCSS)

2. Be active in these networks to begin to disseminate and share Library methods and materials, facilitate discussions, help teachers develop classroom activities, and direct them to Library resources

e.g. http://ncssnetwork.ning.com

Phase 1 – Strategies for building audience

Phase 1 – Tools for building audienceTools that can readily be accessed by everyone

• Facebook Fan Page Ed Outreach activities Effective practices Clever uses of materials for student engagement Announcements of webinars Updates to our RSS on our homepage

• Twitter Slightly shorter version of our updates

• iTunes U to publish content (new and repackaged) Webinars Interviews How to demos modeling effective practices from teachers (short) Self paced learning modules

Phase 2 Central and Branded Network

Phase 2 - Create a branded educational network and community/portal for the Teacher Network

Once we’ve built capacity we can investigate future possibilities of providing a home for the Teacher Network

• Invite TPS partners to join and populate the network

• Develop a leadership cadre of TPS directors and teacher that will function as the core membership

• Have a dedicated area for all teachers join

• Invite Library and university scholars to present and create an archive

• Host regular online classroom sessions

• Build a repository of content that can be easily accessed

Online Component of the Teacher Network Phase 1 - Engaging the audience

Teachers can:

• Follow official Library updates by joining a moderated list/RSS, iTunes subscription, Facebook Fan Page, Twitter Feed

• Participate in live leader led webinars with Library, university experts, and expert teachers and view asynchronous archive of live webinars

• Join a discussion/forum group to learn about materials in existing professional networks

• Create a work group and invite a Teacher Mentor

• Be invited by Mentors to access our materials and workshops

• Other?

Teacher Mentor Beta GroupPhase 1 - Develop Cadre of Teacher Mentors

Recruit teachers able to:

• communicate knowledge about best practices in using Library strategies and materials

• demonstrate proficiency with online networking (e.g., already comfortable and participating in online professional networks)

• successfully complete course

• facilitate discussions and help teachers develop classroom activities in existing online networks, in their schools, districts, and other relevant situations

• demonstrate recognized school or district leader

Teacher Mentor Beta Group

Activities:

•Advise on the mentor course, content, strategies

•Act as the first cohort of Teacher Mentors

Teacher Mentor Beta Group

Timeline:

Release application – February 8

Applications due – April 28

Selection decisions – May 17

Mentor course – July 19 – 22

Mentors become active – Fall 2010

Teacher Mentor Beta Group

Consortium Members’ Action Items

• Distribute the application

• Identify exemplary teachers

• Identify online networks and forums

• Send an email to request an invitation to participate in the discussion at LearnCentral

TPS Consortium Web Meeting

Thank you for attending today’s meetingJanuary 28 at 10:00am EST and February 1 at 4:00pm EST

Duration: 45 minutes

Topics for Next Quarter’s Web Meeting?•Email an Advisory Board member or Library staff