Have you ever wondered what school technology specialists and library media educational technology specialists do on their Friday trainings? Heidi Meenen, one of our Educational Technology team leaders, gives some insights into our department’s Friday professional learning in the video above.

In this meeting, technology specialists learned about a new technology tool, the Explore feature in Google Sheets, and then had the opportunity to engage in a lesson that integrates that tool into learning. They experience first-hand how the lesson works, then take it back to their schools to share with students through co-teaching opportunities, modifying when necessary to meet specific classroom needs.

Additionally, technology and library media specialists spend time at Friday meetings in collaborative groups creating original lesson plans. Each month they focus on one or two specific topics or tools from our Technology Integration Progress menu. The goal is to create and amass a library of lesson plans aligned to specific core standards that integrate innovative technology use and 21st century learning practices such as those described in the ISTE Learning Standards. Technology and library specialists share what they create with each other and bring these lessons back to teachers and students at their schools.

You can see snapshots of some of these shared lessons in action in classrooms by browsing our @EdTechGSD Twitter Feed. As time passes, selections from these shared lessons and resources may also be shared publicly on our Technology Integration Progress Resource Pages.

Spotlight Created by Heidi Meenen, Educational Technology Specialist and Team Leader.