Nancy Barba

1
JOURNEY TO SUCCESS
A Roadmap of How One K-12 School District
Implemented Online Professional Development

• Presented by
• Nancy Barba
• Vicki Fegers
• Mary Beth Johnson
• Laurie Jones
• Dawn Sturdy

April 14, 2005
2
Session Objectives

• Participants will examine how Broward County
  school district implemented the Blackboard
  Learning System based on the districts Sterling
  model Plan, Do, Study, Act.
• Participants will gain an understanding of how to
  begin an online professional development program
  in their district.

3
Innovation Why We Began the Journey

• Broward County Public Schools, Florida has
  272,691 students, 17,000 teachers, and 30,000
  employees. We are the nations sixth largest
  fully accredited school district (251 schools).
• Our district needed a viable alternative to
  face-to-face professional development for
  teachers that would limit their time out of the
  classroom.

4
Before the JourneyMapping Out the Trip

• A committee was formed and charged with
  researching learning management systems that
  could potentially meet the needs of Broward
  County.
• The district received a Goals 2000 grant that
  provided start-up funding.

5
Year 1 2000 - 2001Proceed With Caution

• 2 full time designers, 2 system administrators
  (add on to current job), 1 tech guy
• Core group of designers trained, learned how to
  design courses (using Netscape Composer)
• Server was locally hosted

6
Training Designers
Train curriculum based personnel in technology
use not the other way around
7
Year 1 2000 - 2001Proceed With Caution

• Five courses were piloted, course designers
  served as the first facilitators
• System administrators provided technical support
  for designers
• No formal procedures in place

8
Finding Facilitators
Invite stand out participants to become future
facilitators.
9
Policies and Procedures
Establish committee(s) to determine policies and
procedures to ensure consistency across all
departments.
10
Year 2 2001 - 2002Bumpy Roads

• 2 full-time designers, 2 system administrators
  (add on to current job), 1 tech guy
• Paper registration forms, created database of
  participants and facilitators
• Participants solicited via e-mail to principals

11
Advertising Courses
Plan for a systematic method for advertising your
courses.
12
Year 2 2001 - 2002Bumpy Roads

• Course template designed to standardize course
  components
• Course designers were trained in house
• Additional facilitators were trained
• Global database was created
• Service Level Agreement continually evolved
  around our stakeholders needs

13
Recruiting Facilitators
Actively recruit people for your facilitator pool.
14
Year 2 2001 - 2002Bumpy Roads

• Packet for online course writers developed
• Needs assessment conducted with curriculum
  department to identify future course needs, used
  grant money to pay for the writing of additional
  courses
• Course designers provided technical assistance to
  all participants facilitators

15
Year 3 2002 - 2003Speeding Along

• 4 full time designers (paid through Title II
  funds), 2 system administrators (add on to
  current job), 1 tech guy
• Broward Virtual University website established so
  participants can Browse Our Courses
• Customized courses were offered for schools and
  innovation zones

16
Course Information
Provide detailed, easy-to-access information
about your online courses.
17
Year 3 2002 - 2003Speeding Along

• Courses were advertised via e-mail and post cards
  mailed to schools
• Courses continually being improved (e.g.,
  updating information, adding video, adding
  student samples)
• Facilitators attended a 1-hour training meeting
• Paper registration and data base maintained by
  additional clerical staff

18
Set a Schedule
DONT try to start courses without an established
schedule. Set 6 - 7 start dates throughout the
year.
19
Growing Pains
Plan for growth in regards to registration
system, clerical support and system support.
20
Year 3 2002 - 2003Speeding Along

• Other school districts became interested in
  purchasing courses
• Contracted with third party to provide technical
  support for 10 designers
• Comprehensive research of other learning
  management systems began
• Planning committee and design committee formed to
  develop policies and procedures

21
Year 4 2003 - 2004Traffic Jam

• 4 full time designers (paid through Title II
  funds), 2 system administrators (add on to
  current job), 1 tech guy
• Migrated to Blackboard Learning System.
  Blackboard
  Learning System was selected based on its ease of
  use, multi-platform functionality, local
  university partners and client support
  infrastructure.
• Online registration system created

22
Year 4 2003 - 2004Traffic Jam

• Yearly schedule card distributed to schools
  (public, private, charter)
• Comprehensive facilitator training developed
• Incentives for participants and facilitators

23
Comprehensive Training
Train your facilitators well and provide a
consistent source of information and support.
24
Year 4 2003 - 2004Traffic Jam

• Creation of collaboration conferences using
  districts e-mail solution
• Designer Support Site created
• Documentation, policies, and procedures, process
  flowcharts, links to resources
• Automation of Course Request procedures

25
Year 5 2004 - 2005Open Highway

• 4 full time designers (on Title II funds) 1
  part-time designer, 2 system administrators (add
  on to current job), 1 tech guy
• Expansion of online course offerings courses of
  study, administrator courses
• Reading endorsement courses brought online to
  help teachers meet NCLB highly qualified teacher
  requirements

26
Fulfilling Needs
Provide courses that satisfy state or national
teacher requirements.
27

Year 5 2004 - 2005Open Highway

• Improvements to the registration system
• 24/7/365 branded technical support for Broward
  County added for 500 users (includes facilitators
  and participants)

28
Registration System
Create your registration system to include ALL
possible data fields you might want to access
down the road.
29
Technical Support Expansion
Recognize that as you grow, so must your
technical support grow.
30
Future StepsThe Journey Continues

• Collaborate with other departments for
  data integration
• Review new products and services to
  enhance the online experience
• Review service level agreement as it continually
  evolves around our stakeholders needs

31
Innovating Together in 05 Pack Your Bags

• Find the money!!!!
• Get the backing/support
  of your district (find a strong visionary leader)
• Find the money!!!!

32
Innovating Together in 05 Pack Your Bags

• Hire and train the right people (curriculum
  background, system and user support)
• Find the money!!!!

33
Resources Available

• www.sbbc-vu.com
• www.broward.k12.fl.us/bcpsbboard
• www.broward.k12.fl.us/bcpsbboard/buc (two BB
  Users Conference presentations)

Follow-up Contact

• Nancy Barba
• nancy.barba_at_browardschools.com

34
If you only remember one thing
35
Well, really..two things

• The journey of a
• thousand miles must begin
• with a single step.
• Chinese Proverb

Enjoy the Journey!!