InTech 2000

Request for Proposals

General Information

Eligible Applicants: District 87 certified staff may submit an application for no more than one of the following InTech 2000 project categories. The categories are 1) an individual classroom application, 2) a collaborative project application. Collaborative project applications must designate a lead teacher.

Previous InTech recipients are NOT eligible.

Project Timelines: This project will begin no sooner than March 1, 2001.

Application Deadline: The application must be sent as an attachment to intech@district87.org by the lead teacher, no later than 4:00 PM on February 1, 2001. Confirmation will be sent via email as the application is received.

Contact Person: For additional information about this RFP, please contact Jim Peterson, Director of Technology, 828-7115. email: jim@district87.org

Fiscal Information

District 87 staff chosen to participate in the project will receive the following equipment, supplies and staff development:

· Macintosh PowerBook laptop or Macintosh Cube

· Digital Video Camera

· CD Writer

· Digital Video Editing Software

· Microsoft Office 2001 Suite

· 30 hours of Staff Development to occur during the timeline.

Collaborative Projects: 2 or 3 certified staff submitting an application from the same or different buildings will constitute a collaborative project. No additional equipment be provided for collaborative projects. Funds will also be provided to no more than one additional person on the team may to attend the spring and summer training sessions at the District 87 rate of pay.

Participant Responsibilities:

- Recipients will complete six 2-hour staff development activities occurring in the Spring and Fall of 2001. (Appendix A)

- Recipients will complete one 3-day (18 hour) staff development

activities during the summer of 2001. (Appendix A)

- Recipients will fully participate in the staff development and assessment components of the project.

- Recipients will implement a learning project during the 2001-2002 school year.

- Recipients will demonstrate the resulting project during a Technology Open House in the 2001-2002 school year.

Failure to comply with any of the participant responsibilities will result in a review by the Technology Focus Group and appropriate action will be taken.

This project is funded by the Bloomington Public Schools, District 87 Technology Plan.

What is the InTech 2000 Program

InTech 2000 is a staff development and technology distribution program funded by the Bloomington Public Schools, District 87 Technology Plan. It is designed to assist District 87 staff with integrating network technologies through the development of student-centered, engaged learning projects.

What is the purpose of this program?

The intent of this program is to accelerate strategies to fully integrate educational technology into the school curricula, so that all students become technologically literate throughout all academic areas.

What are the program goals?

The goals of the program are an accelerated effort to provide:

All staff with the training and the support they need to help students learn through computers and the Internet

All staff and students with modern computers in their classrooms and work areas.

All staff with access to the District 87 network and the Internet.

Effective and engaged learning as an integral part of every school curriculum. The indicators of Engaged Learning are provided in Appendix B.

What is the anticipated impact of this program on the learning environment?

Advances in technology and telecommunications create the potential for learning environments that produce dramatic new ways to communicate complex ideas. Students learn more when they are actively solving challenging problems and testing skills in meaningful contexts. New learning environments encourage teachers to become leaders in a community of engaged learners that includes students, parents, and other educators working with a variety of information resources.

Interactive technology applications have the potential to enrich and improve the learning environment by instantaneously connecting the classroom to outside resources, experts, new curricula and communication avenues. The benefits of these projects include:

· immediate access for learners to up-to-date, accurate, primary source data from a variety of sources;

· more engaged learning, with students taking more active roles;

· increased contributions by students to the general knowledge base;

· increased relevancy of learning activities, relating concepts to real issues and real results;

· new roles for learners in high-level problem solving and in working as teams;

· increased technical skills by learners and educators

· increased communication among and between educators, resulting in exchanges of lesson plans, instructional approaches and curricular designs;

· increased knowledge at the classroom level of the learning potential inherent in telecommunications;

Additional Note from RFP authors: In developing a proposal, it is suggested that the full breadth of tools are taken into consideration. This includes not only the package provided in the grant which allows for digital video projects, but also the tools and resources that are currently available in District 87 – those available on the Internet, email, space to post web projects, your buildings resources (personnel and otherwise), other building/classroom projects in which you are engaged (flower gardens, outdoor education, DARE – to name a few), etc. Therefore, it is advised to develop a proposal with a reasonable and meaningful project that can be achieved by students during the year – a project that will enhance what is being done in the classroom with the newly acquired technologies. We encourage pushing the envelope in how technology can be used in District 87, but we are also looking for projects that are attainable and have a greater chance for success to involve students in learning and creating.

What assistance will be available to help with this RFP?

District Technology will host an InTech 2000 Open Q&A session:

January 12, 3:30 – 5:00 PM in room 45 of BHS

The InTech 2000 RFP will be covered and time will be provided for questions. This is a come-and-go-as-you-wish event. District Technology is also available to answer questions at 828.7115. Or via email at intech@district87.org

Proposal Format

Proposals must be submitted as an attachment or a link to a website in the order and format described below. After preparing the required components, please use this as a checklist in assembling the completed proposal. Incomplete proposals will not be considered by the Technology Focus Group.

1. Cover page (Attached):

- This page must be completed.

- Building principal signature is required of the lead applicant

- Signatures of all applicants must be provided if a collaborative project

2. Proposal Abstract - Provide a summary of the proposal - no more than one page.

3. Proposal Narrative: Follow the narrative requirements listed below. This narrative should not exceed 5 double-spaced pages.

4. Evaluation Design: An evaluation design is required for all applications. Describe an evaluation process that will ascertain the overall effectiveness of the technology project, including criteria to be used and data to be collected. This description should include an assessment of:

- A formative evaluation on how the project objectives have affected student achievement and progress toward meeting the goals of the InTech 2000 program and the school improvement plan.

- Summative evaluation that will provide information about how participation in the project contributed to improvements in knowledge and skills, to changes in classroom organization and/or approaches to learning and teaching, to integration of technology applications into the curriculum, and other information relevant to the project's outcomes.

Narrative Requirements:

An applicant must prepare a narrative for the project that includes all the information requested below. This narrative cannot exceed 5 pages.

1. Describe a need for a project that will use the technology package and how it will assist in achieving learning goals.

2. Describe how the project will utilize current building and district technology resources - this may include but is not limited to existing technologies, including labs, projection units, network services, and staff development opportunities.

3. Describe how the approaches to the learning process will contribute to successful participation in the project. (This description could include evidence of such strategies as use of theme units across curricular areas, cooperative learning approaches, team teaching, or other innovative learning initiatives.)

4. Describe how students will benefit from participation in the InTech project. Use the school improvement plan, the Illinois Learning Standards, and/or classroom and curricular goals to support this description.

5. Include a general timeline of student activities for the proposed project.

6. Describe how the resulting project will be sustained after the end of the 2001-2002 school year.

Criteria for Review and Approval of Applications

The proposals will be reviewed by a group of readers in mid-February. Only the cover page with the applicant information will be removed. It is the intention of the District 87 Technology Task Force to fund projects that reflect the range of grade levels and curricular areas. The Task Force will approve a proposal upon determination of its merit in comparison with other proposals, using the following criteria:

1. The proposal clearly demonstrates a need for the project and clearly relates the anticipated benefits of the project to the school improvement plan, the learning approaches and/or the educational goals.

2. Sufficient evidence is provided to determine that involvement in the project will enhance the applicant's plan for the use of technology and its integration into the curriculum, and that the project will be sustained. This evidence should include the applicant's current and/or past experiences with innovative strategies or initiatives and demonstrate a strong likelihood that the applicant will work successfully to implement the proposed project.

3. The proposal presents well-developed strategies to engage students in project-based activities based upon the engaged learning indicators. The proposal should contain a general timeline for the activities.

4. The proposal includes a formative and summative evaluation plan.

Appendix A

InTech 2000 Project Timeline

December 2000

InTech 2000 Request for Proposals released

January 12, 2001

InTech 2000 Workshop - Opportunity for District 87 staff to ask questions, seek collaborations, and gather technical information.

February 1, 2001

Proposal Submission Deadline. Proposals must be submitted via email as an attachment or reference to a website to intech@district87.org. Proposals received after 12:00 midnight will not be considered.

February – March 2001

Technology Task Force selects participants for InTech 2000

February 15, 2001

Final Selections made - Recipient contacted

Spring Session: April 7, 8:00 AM – Noon

First InTech session – Equipment distributed, training session and project outlines/timelines discussed. Participants must be able to attend the session.

Summer Session I: June 25-27, 2001

First Available Technology Training Session. Participants must choose this session or the one below and be able to attend from 9:00-3:00 each day.

Summer Session II: July 16-18, 2001

Second Available Training Session. Participants must choose this session or the one above and be able to attend from 9:00-3:00 each day.

Equipment allocated during the project must be in the classroom prior to the start of the 2001-2002 school year.

The remaining after-school sessions will be determined during the summer training sessions.

Description of Staff Development

The staff development will correlate directly with the technologies provided to participants. This will include, but is not limited to, training on a variety of network technologies, including electronic mail, video conferencing, video production, web page design , and a host of evolving web-based technologies. Staff development will also include incorporation of engaged learning strategies, evaluation methods and techniques, as well as ethical issues that the integration of technology brings to the classroom.

Appendix B

Indicators of Engaged Learning

In recent years, a strong consensus has been forming from research on the importance of engaged, meaningful learning and on what constitutes engaged learning in schools and classrooms. This emerging consensus on learning, together with a recognition of the changing needs of the 21st century, has stimulated the developmentof specific indicators of engaged learning. Jones, et al. (1994), at NCREL, developed the indicators described below. These indicators of engaged learning can act as a"compass" for reform instruction - helping educators to chart an instructional course and maintain an orientation based on a vision of engaged learning and what it looks like in the classroom and community.

1. Indicator: Vision of Engaged Learning

What does engaged learning look like? Successful, engaged learners are responsible for their own learning. These students are self-regulated and able to define their own learning goals and evaluate their own achievement. They are also energized by their learning; their joy of learning leads to a lifelong passion for solving problems, understanding, and taking the next step in their thinking. These learners are strategic in that they know how to learn and are able to transfer knowledge to solve problems creatively. Engaged learning also involves being collaborative, that is, valuing and having the skills to work with others.

2. Indicator: Tasks for Engaged Learning

In order to have engaged learning, tasks need to be challenging, authentic, and multidisciplinary. Such tasks are typically complex and involve sustained amounts of time. They are authentic in that they correspond to the tasks in the home and workplaces of today and tomorrow. Collaboration around authentic tasks often takes place with peers and mentors within school as well as with family members and others in the real world outside of school. These tasks often require integrated instruction that incorporates problem-based learning and curriculum by project.

3. Indicator: Assessment of Engaged Learning

These assessments involve presenting students with an authentic task, project, or investigation, and then observing, interviewing, and/or examining their artifacts and presentations to assess what they actually know and can do. This is called performance-based assessment. This assessment is generative in that it involves students in generating their own performance criteria and playing a key role in the overall design, evaluation, and reporting of their assessment. The best performance-based assessment has a seamless connection to curriculum and instruction so that it is ongoing. Assessment should represent all meaningful aspects of performance and should have equitable standards that apply to all students.

4. Indicator: Instructional Models & Strategies for Engaged Learning

The most powerful models of instruction are interactive. Instruction actively engages the learner, and is generative. Instruction encourages the learner to construct and produce knowledge in meaningful ways. Students teach others interactively and interact generatively with their teacher and peers. This allows for co-construction of knowledge, which promotes engaged learning that is problem-, project-, and goal-based. Some common strategies included in engaged learning models of instruction are individual and group summarizing, means of exploring multiple perspectives, techniques for building upon prior knowledge, brainstorming, Socratic dialogue, problem-solving processes, and team teaching.

5. Indicator: Learning Context of Engaged Learning

For engaged learning to happen, the classroom must be conceived of as a knowledge-building learning community. Such communities not only develop shared understandings collaboratively, but also create empathetic learning environments that value diversity and multiple perspectives. These communities search for strategies to build on the strengths of all of its members. Truly collaborative classrooms, schools, and communities encourage students to ask hard questions, define problems, lead conversations, set goals, have work-related conversations with family members and other adults in and out of school, and engaged in entrepreneurial activities.

6. Indicator: Grouping for Engaged Learning

Collaborative work that is learning-centered often involves small groups or teams of two or more students within a classroom or across classroom boundaries. Heterogeneous groups (including different sexes, cultures, abilities, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds) offer a wealth of background knowledge and perspectives to different tasks. Flexible grouping, which allows teachers to reconfigure small groups according to the purposes of instruction and incorporates frequent heterogeneous groups, is one of the most equitable means of grouping and ensuring increased learning opportunities.

7. Indicator: Teacher Roles for Engaged Learning

The role of the teacher in the classroom has shifted from the primary role of information giver to that of facilitator, guide, and learner. As a facilitator, the teacher provides the rich environments and learning experiences needed for collaborative study. The teacher is also required to act as a guide, a role that incorporated mediation, modeling, and coaching. Often the teacher also is a co-learner and/or co-investigator with the students.

8. Indicator: Student Roles for Engaged Learning

One important student role is that of explorer. Interaction with the physical world and with other people allows students to discover concepts and apply skills. Students are then encouraged to reflect upon their discoveries, which is essential for the student as a cognitive apprentice. Apprenticeship takes place when students observe and apply the thinking processes used by practitioners. Students also become teachers themselves by integrating what they've learned. Hence, they become producers of knowledge, capable of making significant contributions to the world's knowledge.

Reference: Jones, B., Valdez, G., Norakowski, J., & Rasmussen, C. (1994), Designing Learning and Technology for Educational Reform. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.

Rating the Proposals

Background

The intent of the InTech program is to accelerate the integration of technology into the school curricula, so that all students become technologically literate, with the academic skills essential for their success in the twenty-first century.

This technology program has four goals. They are 1) all certified staff will have the training and support they need to help students learn through computers and the Internet, 2) all certified staff and students will have modern computers in their classrooms / work areas, 3) every classroom / work area will be connected to the Internet, and 4) effective and engaged learning will be an integral part of every school curriculum.

Please refer to pages 2 to 5 of the RFP for additional information regarding the background and program specifications.

How to Rate an InTech Proposal

Using the following scale, circle the value that best describes the applicant’s response to each criterion in this RFP review.

10 Excellent The proposal completely addresses the RFP specification. The

response is clearly developed, highly detailed and shows that

exceptional planning has occurred for this specification.

8 Above Average The proposal addresses the RFP specification very well. However,

the response has been developed to a lesser degree for this

specification.

6 Average The proposal minimally addresses the RFP specification. The

response is missing several of the key planning details needed for

this specification.

4 Below Average The proposal only alludes to the RFP specification. The response

does not include details for this specification.

2 Poor The proposal’s response is not related to RFP specification, and it

is unacceptable.

0 Omitted The proposal does not address the RFP specification.

In addition, please consider each response carefully and write appropriate comments in the space provided for the specification.

InTech

Bloomington Public Schools, District 87

Cover Page

Name of Proposal ______________________

Type of Proposal

_____ Individual ______ Collaborative

Applicants

Name:___________________ Signature:___________________ Building: ___________________

Name:___________________ Signature:___________________ Building: ___________________

Name:___________________ Signature:___________________ Building: ___________________

Building Principal's Signature for Lead Applicant

Signature:___________________ Building: ___________________

Summer Training Date

_____ June 25-27, 2001 _____ July 16-18, 2001

This document is also located on the web at

http://www.district87.org/intech