Historical Information - Demonstration Site Schools

Purpose for the Demonstration Sites:

Provide Maine teachers with opportunities to see a professional learning community; one that is essential if this project is to be successful within each middle level school in Maine. These schools will show how to build on existing expertise, pool resources, provide moral support, create a climate of trust, confront problems and celebrate successes, deal with complex and unanticipated problems. The sites will demonstrate effective integration of technology tools in the middle school curriculum. The sites will also continue to serve as a solution test site for the provider.

Knowledge Building

For Information to become knowledge requires a social process.

1) Establishing knowledge sharing practices is as much a route to creating collaborative cultures, as it is a product of the latter. (Fullan, 2001)

2) Teachers will be able to observe project work that is student centered, rich in content, of high quality and engaging to all students.

3) Teachers will be able to observe teachers and students using the new laptops as a tool to communicate, create quality products, solve problems, make decisions and collaborate.

4) Teachers will have an opportunity to reflect with colleagues about their work, planning and staff development

5) Educators will have opportunities to see and better understand the use of the wireless network infrastructure. This network infrastructure includes file server access, backup process, and the collaboration/conferencing environment that are wirelessly accessible from the laptops.

Demonstration Site expectations:

• The Demonstration Schools began the first week of March 2002.
• Schools were open for other districts to visit for a minimum of two days every other week starting in March 2002.
• Schools will be expected to work with the vendor and project manager in testing and prototyping equipment, the network and use of devices throughout the term of the project.
• Schools will share experiences and student products with visiting teachers from the region and at regional and state conference sessions.
• Involved teachers from the site will participate in actual and virtual regional/ state meetings and networking opportunities.
• A Regional Integration Mentor located in each site will provide on-going assistance, training and mentoring for all involved teachers at the site.