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Overview

My Internship was developed out of necessity to keep New Hope Academy open. Schools in Maryland were closing in March 2020 because  COVID 19 and New Hope would have shut down without a plan in place. Thanks to my cohort peers at Loyola University Maryland and my PLN, I anticipated schools’ closing. Working with the principal, I developed a plan to integrate innovative technology and move the school’s instructional method into the 21st century by using Google Suite tools and training in methodology and best practices in using these technologies. The learners for this internship would be the teachers for PreK - 12th grade, including all specialty teachers for Art, Music, P.E., and Foreign Language. Using the ACOT model, I evaluated the learners. I developed a training plan that would address the teachers’ ability and the steps to take to become more comfortable and proficient in utilizing the technology and moving up to the next level of ACOT.

 

The March PD for the teachers will focus on the Substitution level of SAMR, where Google Classroom and Meet will act as a direct tool substitute, with no functional change in how the learners teach their students. During the PD in August, the focus will be on the Augmentation level, where Google Classroom and Meet will act as a direct substitute, with learners using a range of G Suite tools to enhance and improve their virtual teaching. All aspects of TPACK will be met through the PD activities and individual coaching sessions. Throughout the year, I monitored the learning process through informal sharing at the end of meetings, feedback from small groups of teachers, and individual teachers who indicate their need for extra help outside of the training sessions. Surveys and evaluations were used to gauge learner progress following PD sessions.

 

The internship proposal plan outlines how I would use G Suite tools to maneuver from in-person learning to remote learning successfully. I hope this experience will increase teachers’ comfort level in using technology and transform their instructional practices to enhance student learning. The real test will occur when we return to in-person education in our schools.

Objectives

  1. The teachers will create their individual classrooms in Google Classroom, add students, and add the principal, director of education, and the principal’s assistant as co-leaders.

  2. The teachers will use Google Classroom to communicate with students and post, collect, and grade assignments.

  3. The teachers will use Google Meet for synchronous lessons and explain to their students how to present their screen, mute, and chat.

  4. The teachers will use Google Drive to create folders, upload files, create Docs, and Forms.

  5. The teachers will recognize EDpuzzle and Quizlet as appropriate technology tools for use in their classrooms.

Goals

  1. Teachers will use Google Classroom to create, assign, and manage student work and teach virtually through Google Meet.

  2. Students will attend synchronous classes through Google Meet and access and turn in assignments and materials through Google Classroom.

  3. I will become a Certified Google Educator Level 1 and Level 2 to increase my knowledge and skills of G Suite tools.

Final Outcomes

By the end of my internship, all of the teachers at New Hope had created their individual classrooms in Google Classroom and added the appropriate staff as co-teachers. They communicate with their students and post, collect, and grade assignments using Google Classroom. Virtual synchronous lessons are taught via Google Meet and all of the teachers and students are able to present their screens, mute, and chat. All staff members use Google Drive to create folders, upload files with a majority able to create Google Docs and Forms. Over half of the teachers are using EDpuzzle, Quizlet, and Kahoot with others ready to begin learning how to incorporate these tools into their teaching. All of the objectives of my internship have been met. Concerning the goals, I was unable to take the exam for Google Educator Level 1 due to the amount of time spent on individual coaching, teaching classes, and working on my internship portfolio. By the end of January, I plan to take the exams to become a Certified Google Educator Level 1 and 2.

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