NWP @ Rutgers University New Jersey
Technology Matters Minigrant
Progress Report
October 2007-September 2008
Technology Matters Minigrant
Progress Report
October 2007-September 2008
TECH MATTERS INITIATIVE
Money from the Technology Matters minigrant will be invested towards the Technology Team initiative. Over the course of the next year, the tech team will research, plan, and work on three projects.
First, members will read and discuss current literature on Web 2.0 applications for the classroom, implement a Web 2.0 project. Secondly, integrate and document experiences using Web 2.0 technology in the content area classroom. Finally, this information will be geared towards the hosting professional development in the areas of technology and literacy for our current teacher consultants, and again at our midwinter writing conference in 2009.
All active Tech Team members will be financially compensated from the Technology Matters minigrant for their contributions towards the initiative:
- Tech team stipend to physically attend meetings & participate in two scheduled online book talks (one year incentive)
- $25 per book talk
- $50 attend meetings
- Tech team bonus to document use of technology in classroom through narrative summary and student samples, work to be shared with tech team through online discussion (one year incentive)
- $100 to use and document Web 2.0 technology w/ student samples
- Tech team bonus paid upon presentation of Web 2.0 based demo at Brown Bag Saturday or 2009 Midwinter Writing Conference (will continue beyond first year)
- $200 to present tech-based demo
Not including Susan and myself, eight other TC’s replied to my invitation with a letter of interest. This caused some concern, as the original TM proposal budgeted for a total of eight participants. The site director and I discussed the matter; she outright offered to cover additional participants through the NWP Rutgers budget. We both agreed that it was in the site’s best interest to take as many people as were willing to participate—especially considering the possibility of attrition.
Another notification was sent out invite teacher consultants to attend the inaugural Tech Team meeting scheduled for November 3rd. Overall the meeting was well attended. Two tech members could not attend due to prior commitments. One tech team member had a family emergency the morning of the meeting. There was only one “no show” without any given explanation. Three teacher consultants attended out of curiosity—including one TC who traveled from a neighboring NWP site. These TC’s made up for the Tech Team members that did not attend. Altogether there were ten attendees.
The meeting kicked-off with a discussion centered on technology and literacy needs of the 21st century. Participants then viewed and discussed the Shift Happens 2.0 video and discussed further implications for the future of education. The meeting concluded with a discussion of the NWP Rutgers Tech Matters Minigrant Proposal. I created a pocket-sized version for the participants to keep handy. Seven Tech Team members received a copy of Will Richardson's book "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasting... "The agenda, minutes, and synopsis of the meeting are also available on my blog:
In reviewing the Tech Team proposal and timeline, it came to my attention the initiative was already behind schedule. How could we be behind schedule in late October, especially considering Susan and I didn’t receive notification regarding grant status until late September? Apparently Susan and I were overly ambitious in planning what would be accomplished right away—we front loaded the timeline leaving little activity the year. This was most likely due to feeling hyped from the Tech Matters Institute. I still strongly believe the goals outlined in the proposal are achievable within one year; therefore the timeline was adjusted to even the pace of the tech initiative. For example, the technology retreat was moved from May and postponed until August. This adjustment should most benefit tech team members, giving them more leeway to participate in book talks, implement technology, and document the results.
Beyond the Tech Team, technology has infiltrated how the executive committee communicates. Upon Susan and my recommendation, the leadership team agreed to collaboratively write the 2008 Continued Funding Application narrative through Google Docs. The endeavor proved successful. In another area, I’m looking to guarantee continued use of the E-Anthology during the Summer Institute. Susan and I wrote the position of E-Anthology Facilitator into the minigrant proposal. Our original proposal defined the role to register participants to the Anthology, and respond to NWP Rutgers postings on a daily basis. As per the feedback of Shirley Brown and Paul Oh, the Anthology facilitator is now responsible to plan alongside the summer facilitator to ensure the place of the Anthology during the institute.
REDEFINING WEB PRESENCE
Buried deep within my minigrant proposal, I proposed to redevelop the static HTML-based http://nwprutgers.org website using dynamic CMS software. The Tech Matters ’07 website inspired me, but I was also interested to learn about other CMS such as Joomla. After reading several blogs reviewing CMS’s (ex. http://www.nicklewis.org/mambo-vs-drupal), I decided to give Drupal a try.
I used Fantastico to install Drupal 5.1 in all of a button click. Although the installation went quickly, the software was loaded into the main directory and therefore conflicted with the pre-existing homepage. Following the advice given on the Drupal forums, I've opted to install Drupal under a subdomain. This allows me time to fully develop the site, and have my tech team run through the environment to check for bugs. Once the new site is tested, it will be moved from the subdomain into the main directory, replacing the old, static website.
I started the Drupal development site way back in October. Shortly thereafter I became frustrated by the steep learning curve. Cron jobs? Customizing themes? Editing CSS? Running PHP tables? Building a core site module by module? To top it off, the administration panel overwhelmed me. It took me the better part of three weeks before I learned how to post to the front page. The project was temporarily put on the backburner while I prepared to attend the NWP Annual Meeting. I’ve documented my struggles with Drupal on my blog:
I’m pleased to say a session hosted by Jason Shiroff and two other TC’s inspired me to resurrect the Drupal project. Shortly after the New Year I decided to run the beta version of the next major release; Drupal 6.1 RC (Release Candidate); it feels so much more powerful and user-friendly in comparison to it's 5.0 brethren. Since Drupal 6 is still Beta, there are fewer themes and modules available. This means less time sorting through hundreds of third-party add-ons. Less time tinkering with plug-ins means more time with the core module. Given my initial frustrations, the second round proved more productive. I’ve managed to properly customize a theme, establish core modules, modify blocks, and bring users into the environment. Check out the development:
- http://www.nwprutgers.org (old static site edited with Dreamweaver)
- http://rodeo.nwprutgers.org (new dynamic site using Drupal)
In order to remedy the lack of participation in the online book talk, I first plan to approach tech members at the upcoming Midwinter Writing Conference on February 2nd. This will give me an opportunity to encourage each tech team member in person to join the online conversation. Secondly, I plan to extend the book talk deadline to February 29th; participants will need to contribute their first post by then to qualify for the $25 book talk incentive. In addition, I’ll schedule another face-to-face meeting to follow up the online book talk, get a progress check to see how (or if) members are implementing a Web 2.0 technology in their classroom, and to give attending members a copy of David Warlick’s book Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century.
UPDATED MINIGRANT TIMELINE
November / December:
- Switch web hosting services and install Drupal in a subdomain of nwprutgers.org as a development site.
- First face-to-face meeting with Tech Team.
- Provide an overview: establish first project goal for the team, delegate responsibilities, & present the timeline.
- Provide members of the Tech Team with Will Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasting…
- Tech Team members participate in a book talk of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasting... through the NWP Rutgers Drupal development site.
- TCs pilot technology tools and pedagogy in their classrooms and document evidence of students using technology in the classroom.
- Documented evidence will be used towards the creation of new technology demos for Midwinter Conference 2009.
- Tech team members will read Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century by David Warlick, and participate in an online book talk.
- TC’s to pilot technology tools and pedagogy in their classrooms and document evidence of students using technology in the classroom.
- Advertise/recruit for the position of E-Anthology facilitator.
- Organize & plan Tech retreat. Decide which technologies will be presented to the leadership.
- Work with leadership team to plan to offer a series of "Tech Saturdays" and tech strand at the upcoming Midwinter Writing Conference.
- Prompt tech team members to participate in a discussion of successes & setbacks they’ve faced attempting to implement a Web 2.0 technology.
- Train E-Anthology Facilitator.
- Coordinate the Summer Institute and E-Anthology Facilitators to plan for technology & writing during the upcoming SI.
- Gather data from TC pilot technology programs.
- Encourage TC’s to consider or begin working on a technology demo based on their current knowledge/experiences.
- Consider planning a face-to-face tech team meeting during third week of SI to collaborate on technology demos.
- Maintain contact with E-Anthology facilitator as needed.
- Technology presentation at the SI?
- Host a Tech Retreat for the site’s leadership to unveil Drupal site and discuss the future of tech initiatives beyond the Tech Matters minigrant.
- Work with leadership team to plan to offer a series of "Tech Saturdays" and tech strand at the upcoming Midwinter Writing Conference.
- Consider possibility of Advanced Institute in Technology for summer ’09.
- Joe & Susan submit a final report.
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