Professional Development

The Dover, Sherborn, and Dover-Sherborn Regional Districts recognize the potential of technology to fundamentally alter the existing teaching model and improve academic performance. The three districts have put in place and continue to improve a technology infrastructure that ensures access to technology resources. This achievement has been a deliberate effort by faculty, staff, students and the community. Now that access is assured, the focus of efforts must broaden to ensure faculty are capable of using the technology to achieve the goals of aligning classroom instruction with district and state curriculum standards and improving student achievement.

Technology professional development will be instituted as a continuous improvement process in the pursuit of excellence. We will create a community of learners who are proficient in using technology for professional purposes and integrating it into all curriculum areas. The program will have a defined structure of competencies and a support system that nurtures the expectation of continued development.

Using the standards in the Massachusetts Technology Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT) the faculty fall into the falling categories by district: 

 Plan Components and Implementation

There are three critical items to consider when developing professional development models for teachers - time, skill sets, and flexibility.

Time. Teachers must have substantial time if they are to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively and completely infuse technology into their curricular areas.

Dover, Sherborn, and Dover-Sherborn Regional School Districts intend to implement a program that will encourage every teacher to obtain six hours of technology professional development training on average each year. The training will take place outside the school day and existing planned professional development events. The programs would be offered as afternoon programs and summer seminars.

Skill Sets. Staff development sessions on technology must be designed to address the individual strengths and weaknesses of staff.

Dover, Sherborn, and Dover-Sherborn Regional School Districts intend to identify specific technology needs, strengths and desires among faculty as the first element of the professional development program.

An on-line skills assessment survey has been developed for faculty to determine their strengths and weaknesses. The data from one school has already been collected and analyzed. The information from the surveys provides a candid assessment from which the needs and strengths of individuals and the faculty as a whole can be determined.

Flexibility.  Staff training programs designed for the technological development of teachers should offer a variety of venues, schedules, and methodologies to ensure maximum participation.

Dover, Sherborn, and Dover-Sherborn Regional School Districts will offer a variety of training opportunities for faculty. They might be offered four days in one week for 1.5 hours each of the four days; one day each week for four weeks for 1.5 hours each of the four days; or a full day seminar during the summer.

Apart from these core professional development sessions there will also be tailored training for individuals. For example, a faculty member may have a specific need for training in Microsoft Office products. A specific training session may be offered in Microsoft Office for similar individuals; self-paced CD-ROM training programs in MS Office would be given to those who wanted to work at their own pace at home.

Compensation for participation in Technology Professional Development will consist of Professional Development Points (PDPs) and Graduate Credits that can be applied to salary scales.

PDPs would be assigned based on an existing formula. Graduate credits will not be available in all seminars, but some of the Technology Integrators are accredited by a local university, thus permitting the award of graduate credits.