1.3 Policies, Procedures, Programs & Funding
Candidates research, recommend, and implement policies, procedures, programs and funding strategies to support implementation of the shared vision represented in the school, district, state, and federal technology plans and guidelines. Funding strategies may include the development, submission, and evaluation of formal grant proposals. (PSC 1.3/ISTE 1c)
Artifact: Technology Integration Grant
Reflection:
This artifact is a technology integration grant proposal that was written to acquire funding for a STEAM program at my school. The grant proposal was written to level the field among all students, focusing on female students who tend to have a low-self esteem when it comes to STEAM challenges in the classroom. The focus of the grant proposal was to receive funds to purchase two STEAM makerspaces that would offer a great opportunity to expose the female groups from all grade level into the fascinating world where science, technology, engineering, art, and math come together.
The artifact demonstrates the mastery of standard 1.3 though different ways. For example, research took place in order to find an effective way to write a proposal that will later be approved at the Georgia Educational Technology Consortium (GAETC). GAETC is the suggested strategy to use when it comes to finding funding for a technology-based grant proposal. The grant proposal will receive full funding through GAETC in order to be implemented at Dug Gap Elementary. The grant proposal also includes other methods the project can receive funding. It is explained that the project proposal will also be submitted to a local teacher foundation by the name of Whitfield Education Foundation, in case additional funding is required.
The artifact also aligns with the standard because additional research was necessary in order to identify a research-based idea for the grant proposal. The list of references that support STEAM education for female students and all students can be found at the end of the proposal. Some of the research comes from NGC Project.org (National Girls Collaborative Project,) Edutopia.com and Teach Outside the Box.com. All references provide the positive outcomes STEAM can offer for all students, in particular, female students that do not often get exposed to STEAM until middle or high school.
The project also demonstrated the procedure on how the project would be implemented. Section four of the grant proposal shows the steps that will be followed once the grant receives full funding. The project begins with first being submitted for approval, following with meeting with the technology committee at school to discuss the timeline needed to begin implementation of the project. The steps end with the introduction of the STEAM makerspaces to each grade level, starting with modeling lessons on how to use them, and later moving to offering sign-ups for each homeroom to use as needed. If possible, the makerspaces will also be part of the Library rotation that students attend on a weekly basis.
Overall, the grant proposal aligns to the technology plan created by the school and that of the district. The artifact also connects to the policies and goals that can be found within the technology plan and vision of the school. The district in particular has a five-year plan where technology and STEM/STEAM play a key role in order to prepare students for 21st century jobs. The grant proposal also supports the mission and vision of the school where engaging, yet rigorous opportunities are offered for our students at Dug Gap. The grant proposal was recommended to the school in order to increase the support for STEAM education and gravitate the interest of female students into future jobs that will require this type of knowledge.
While completing this artifact, I learned that the cost to implement a technology idea can be very costly. I also learned that in order to write a grant proposal, references must be included in order to prove the research that supports the project. Another thing I learned was understanding how to properly train the staff for something as new as a makerspace. Although makerspaces have been the talk in education, not many teachers are still familiar with what they are or what are the benefits they offer to students. One change that I would make to this artifact is adding a staff suggested project. I based the project for the grant proposal on what my students enjoyed and my own research on makerspaces. I think it may have been more beneficial to send a survey to the staff and even the students to have them choose the project idea for the grant proposal.
The work that went into creating the artifact has impacted the improvement of my school by offering them with simple ways they can integrate STEAM/STEM into their classrooms until we receive approval for the grant to obtain the makerspaces. The work also helped me reach out the technology committee in my building to fully understand the effects the makerspaces will have in our students and how we can add it to our specials rotations. The artifact also opened conversations between the technology and leadership committee to seeing if the makerspaces can even be an option when classes attend the science lab, an option teachers have if they want to immerse the students into the state of the art lab that already offers great resources for classroom teachers.
Reflection:
This artifact is a technology integration grant proposal that was written to acquire funding for a STEAM program at my school. The grant proposal was written to level the field among all students, focusing on female students who tend to have a low-self esteem when it comes to STEAM challenges in the classroom. The focus of the grant proposal was to receive funds to purchase two STEAM makerspaces that would offer a great opportunity to expose the female groups from all grade level into the fascinating world where science, technology, engineering, art, and math come together.
The artifact demonstrates the mastery of standard 1.3 though different ways. For example, research took place in order to find an effective way to write a proposal that will later be approved at the Georgia Educational Technology Consortium (GAETC). GAETC is the suggested strategy to use when it comes to finding funding for a technology-based grant proposal. The grant proposal will receive full funding through GAETC in order to be implemented at Dug Gap Elementary. The grant proposal also includes other methods the project can receive funding. It is explained that the project proposal will also be submitted to a local teacher foundation by the name of Whitfield Education Foundation, in case additional funding is required.
The artifact also aligns with the standard because additional research was necessary in order to identify a research-based idea for the grant proposal. The list of references that support STEAM education for female students and all students can be found at the end of the proposal. Some of the research comes from NGC Project.org (National Girls Collaborative Project,) Edutopia.com and Teach Outside the Box.com. All references provide the positive outcomes STEAM can offer for all students, in particular, female students that do not often get exposed to STEAM until middle or high school.
The project also demonstrated the procedure on how the project would be implemented. Section four of the grant proposal shows the steps that will be followed once the grant receives full funding. The project begins with first being submitted for approval, following with meeting with the technology committee at school to discuss the timeline needed to begin implementation of the project. The steps end with the introduction of the STEAM makerspaces to each grade level, starting with modeling lessons on how to use them, and later moving to offering sign-ups for each homeroom to use as needed. If possible, the makerspaces will also be part of the Library rotation that students attend on a weekly basis.
Overall, the grant proposal aligns to the technology plan created by the school and that of the district. The artifact also connects to the policies and goals that can be found within the technology plan and vision of the school. The district in particular has a five-year plan where technology and STEM/STEAM play a key role in order to prepare students for 21st century jobs. The grant proposal also supports the mission and vision of the school where engaging, yet rigorous opportunities are offered for our students at Dug Gap. The grant proposal was recommended to the school in order to increase the support for STEAM education and gravitate the interest of female students into future jobs that will require this type of knowledge.
While completing this artifact, I learned that the cost to implement a technology idea can be very costly. I also learned that in order to write a grant proposal, references must be included in order to prove the research that supports the project. Another thing I learned was understanding how to properly train the staff for something as new as a makerspace. Although makerspaces have been the talk in education, not many teachers are still familiar with what they are or what are the benefits they offer to students. One change that I would make to this artifact is adding a staff suggested project. I based the project for the grant proposal on what my students enjoyed and my own research on makerspaces. I think it may have been more beneficial to send a survey to the staff and even the students to have them choose the project idea for the grant proposal.
The work that went into creating the artifact has impacted the improvement of my school by offering them with simple ways they can integrate STEAM/STEM into their classrooms until we receive approval for the grant to obtain the makerspaces. The work also helped me reach out the technology committee in my building to fully understand the effects the makerspaces will have in our students and how we can add it to our specials rotations. The artifact also opened conversations between the technology and leadership committee to seeing if the makerspaces can even be an option when classes attend the science lab, an option teachers have if they want to immerse the students into the state of the art lab that already offers great resources for classroom teachers.