Internship Proposal

Moving up the SAMR Model

Sarah Jacobs

Rationale
I have worked at Sandy Plains Elementary for 8 years, 6 of which have been as a
classroom teacher. During my time at the school, I have seen many changes in the curriculum,
staffing, and materials/technology we have access to. Sandy Plains is a Title 1 school, giving us
funding for many materials/technologies that other schools might not have funding for. An
example of this would be the Promethean boards. More recently, our school has become a one-
to-one device school, giving our students direct access to technology daily. As new programs or
technologies are introduced, we receive introductory professional development so that
implementation can take place immediately. However, we often don’t have time to dig deeper
into these new tools and really get to develop lessons that go beyond traditional learning. This
results in staff members on varying levels on the SAMR model, as well as varying comfort levels
where technology is concerned. As a result, use is inconsistent throughout the building, which
makes it difficult for both staff and students to get a grasp on these tools. By working
collaboratively and providing staff with the comfort and skills they need, we are sure to help
staff move along the SAMR model and meet the needs outlined in the School Improvement Plan.

Proposal
For my educational technology internship, I plan to lead a Technology committee at my
school. The purpose of the committee will be to gather technological skills that will be of use to
all staff members. These leaders will be available to assist staff with basic troubleshooting needs
but will also help give professional development courses and help to plan lessons that use
technology for enhancement. The committee will meet monthly and work together to address
the technology needs of staff and students. As a team, we will design professional development
courses that help staff dig deeper into the tools that are available so that they are more
comfortable with utilizing them in teaching. The team would also help staff to see how students
can use the tools to further their learning to foster a community of collaborative and inquisitive
learners.
At the first staff meeting of the year, the Technology committee will be formed as I
introduce my vision and mission for the school year. I also plan to survey staff to find out their
feelings on technology and where they feel they fall on the SAMR model. After the Technology
committee has been established, we will meet separately to discuss our first steps and how we
can organize our skills so that they are the most beneficial to staff. Part of the committee’s job
will be troubleshooting with the Promethean boards and one-to-one devices. The committee will
talk about how we can split these responsibilities so that these issues can be immediately
addressed without too many disruptions. Another part of the committee will be discussing which
types of technology would be most beneficial for staff do delve deeper into, and then to
coordinate a schedule for professional developments on these tools. We will also work with staff
to develop lessons and materials needed to implement the tools. Many of these sessions will take
place as “Tech Tip Tuesdays”, in which we will hold micro session professional developments.
Throughout the year, staff will reflect on their learning and implementation of technology
tools. These reflections will be given through Survey Monkey, as Google Forms are not
supported in Baltimore County Public Schools. The results will be discussed during Technology
Committee meetings to help us reflect upon our teaching and give us a clear path of where we
can continue to go. All the results will be accumulated in a shared document so that members
can continue to reflect upon findings.

Learners
The number of learners for this internship total 55 participants, which include teachers in
grades PreK-5, as well as support staff, special educators, and special area teachers. Staff will
have the opportunity to get to know technology tools that are available to them, as well as
brainstorm and develop materials to use in their classrooms right away. Providing opportunities
for hands-on, interactive sessions will help staff feel more comfortable and supported as they
continue their journey of change with technology.

Objectives
Each session will have its own set of objectives. These objectives will be developed as
the Technology Committee meet to discuss needs and develop learning sessions. However, there
are some objectives that will encompass the whole of this internship:
 Teachers will be able to identify their current technology use through the SAMR and
ACOT Models.
 Teachers will utilize the Technology Committee throughout the school year as a means of
support to help with their personal and professional growth.
 Teachers will be able to reflect on the need for continued growth and how they learn best
 Teachers will be able to rate their use of technology tools and their comfort level in their
ability to maximize student engagement and learning.

Change Research
Throughout my Master Program at Loyola University, I have gained a thorough
understanding of the adult learner and process of change. To implement change and become an
effective leader, I must provide a level of comfort and understanding that will allow staff to
transition into the change smoothly and effectively. Ely proposed eight conditions of change,
stating that these are the conditions that would need to be met or overcome to allow for the
change to be successful (Ely, 1990). Our school currently has dissatisfaction with the status
quo, as teachers feel as if new tools and changes are constantly being introduced to them, but
only on a surface level. Teachers are not given the time to explore these changes in a way that
they feel comfortable enough to implement them in the classroom, causing the consistency of use
in the building to be wavering. Some staff end up not using these new tools or technologies at all
in their classrooms, choosing to stick with what they know rather than what they only sort-of
know. However, there are several teachers with the knowledge and skills that can adopt these
changes and dive right into use. It will be my job as a Technology Leader to round up these
skills and utilize them through the Technology Committee to help other staff acquire the skills
they need for the change to happen.
As previously stated, we are a 1:1 school, meaning that every staff member and student
has access to a laptop device. Thusly, we have the resources available to make this change
happen smoothly. Being a Title 1 school also provides us with many other resources that can be
utilized in this new learning, such as a 3D printer, a Makerspace, and Ozobots. Time is always
the biggest complaint for adult learners in the educational field. As a Technology Leader, I will
devote my personal time to help my learners achieve growth and will work with learners to find
times that work best for them. I will encourage learners to use time outside of school to become
more comfortable with technology tools (in Tech Tip Tuesday sessions, and individual
meetings), as well as work with administration to provide time for learning walks during the
school day.
I will work closely with administration and the Technology Committee to provide
incentives for staff that will motivate them to keep pushing forward in their growth journey.
Intrinsic rewards will be a major component of the learning sessions, providing staff the
knowledge that this new learning will benefit their students and change their classroom for the
better. However, I would also like to provide tangible rewards, such as materials and lessons
created that they can take back and utilize right away. At the end of each session, I will give
teachers a goal to pursue (for example, introduce a new feature to your class and have them
complete an introductory assignment – tweet out a picture of the session) and I will offer a
reward for those who participate. This incentive will encourage teachers to transfer their
learning right away, which will help them retain the knowledge learned during the session. I will
make sure to be supportive of staff who participate by retweeting and giving shout outs in the
staff weekly newsletter, along with “thank you” notes. I will then work with the Technology
Committee and administration to come up with participation rewards in the form of a lottery
drawing (examples could be snacks, gift cards, or extra planning time). I would also like to work
with administration on a system where participants can work towards earning a CPD credit for
year-long participation.
Along with these incentives making participation strong, staff members will also want
to participate because they have choice in which sessions best suit them and the times of which
sessions will be held. Learning sessions will be backed by my administrations and will align
with our School Progress Plan. Staff members will continue participation outside of these
learning times by utilizing the Technology Committee as their coaching team, as well as a buddy
on their grade level team to continue to reflect and build upon the learning. I will use coaching
and the buddy system to foster a long-term commitment from staff to give them the knowledge
that they are supported throughout this process of growth and change. The Technology
Committee will provide the leadership needed through PD experiences and coaching
opportunities. I will also make myself available for participants to meet and plan individually as
needed, as well as provide a communication space where staff can communicate with myself and
others in the building. This communication space (Schoology) will allow staff continual
reflection, but also the opportunity to become a leader and support for others in the building.
In relation to the ACOT model (2007), our staff would fall in between the adoption and
adaption stages. Some staff members have gotten passed initial struggles and are using
technology on a basic level, and some staff members have begun to increase productivity with
technology. Although we are collectively past the point of entry, there are staff members who
have never even turned on their 1:1 device and aren’t sure how to utilize it past checking their
email. The overall use of technology seems to be to replace worksheets or textbooks within
lessons, to make it a little more engaging for students. I would want to move staff members up
at least one more stage, to appropriation, where they are using technology to meet student
needs and using technology for other purposes, such as data collection and
individualized/personalized instruction. With continued learning and reflection, as well as
coaching and support, I think that this transition will be seamless.
It is important to think about Surry’s Diffusion Theory (1997) and how perceived
attributes could impact the diffusion of change so that I can think about how they can be
overcome and plan action steps that will need to be taken. There is triability because staff will
have the opportunity to try out technology tools during learning sessions, but also in their
classrooms. Due to the way learning sessions will be given, the tools will not be overly
complex, and staff will be able to continue to tinker with the tools and utilize supports to
continue to reflect and grow. Observability will be present because staff will be able to observe
how it is used in the learning sessions, sharing pictures and videos of the tools being used, and
participating in learning walks to observe the tools in use. Although advantage might take a
while to be seen, it will be present in the active engagement of students and the ease and
comfortability of use for staff. Participants will also be able to see how these tools can help with
differentiation and data collection. Finally, these tools are compatible with our school because
they will help us achieve what is outlined in our School Progress Plan, and all the tools shared
will work easily with BCPS’s server and with the 1:1 devices.

Overview of Learning Activities

In August, staff will participate in an introductory screencast that will provide them with
my vision and mission for the year, as well as an engaging activity to learn about the SAMR and
ACOT models. Staff will view the screencast with their grade level teams in the comfort of their
classrooms. They will be given a week to complete the session at their leisure. This session will
also provide a survey for staff that will give me insight as to where they feel they are on the
SAMR and ACOT model, as well as how comfortable they are with utilizing technology. It will
also help me to put together a Technology Committee. After this session is complete, I will form
and meet with the Technology Committee to discuss learning and coaching opportunities for the
school year, and we will begin to piece together a timeline of sessions. I will then communicate
with staff through email to give them directions on upcoming learning sessions.
“Tech Tip Tuesday” sessions will begin in mid-end September and focus on technology
tools discussed with the Technology Committee. Sessions will be every other Tuesday, unless
participants request another time. Sessions will be led by me, and members of the committee
will be on hand for help and coaching. Each session will also be recorded through Schoology so
that all staff members have access if they could not attend. Following each session, staff will be
given a goal to implement before attending the next session. Participants will then begin the next
session with a brief reflection and troubleshooting period so that they can really become
comfortable with the technology tool. Also, I will be developing a spreadsheet to keep on our
shared drive that participants can access that gives them the basic information needed to access
each tool that we discuss. In late October, I will send out another survey for staff to complete to
act as a mid-point of the internship. In this survey, staff will reflect on their learning and their
comfort level with utilizing technology. This will also be a place where staff can provide input
as to what professional development offerings or supports they still need.
Along with these sessions, participants will be given opportunities for learning walks, as
well as opportunities for one-on-one help as requested. At the end of my internship, staff will be
presented with a final screencast that provides takeaways from the internship, as well as a
reminder of the SAMR and ACOT models. Staff will then be asked to complete a final reflective
survey to rate themselves on these models, but to also rate how they feel these sessions went and
where they feel they need to go from there.

Tech Tools & Online Learning

Since teacher week back to school can be hectic and jam-packed with things to do, I will
be making a screencast presentation for my introduction to the learning experiences that will be
taking place this year. I will use survey results to help plan the learning experiences that follow
and begin compiling a list of tools that staff can utilize throughout the year. I will also provide a
screencast for my final Macro session at the end of the internship (in late November). These
screencasts will allow participants the choice of when and where they participate (although a
week deadline will be given), which will make them more likely to participate willingly.
Throughout the year, I will also utilize our new LMS System (Schoology) to provide a
coaching and learning space that is continuous and readily available. Through Schoology, staff
will have the opportunity to interact and collaborate, as well as provide continued support to each
other. I will also place photographs and videos on Schoology of Micro sessions for staff to refer
to for a smoother learning transfer, as well as for staff who missed a session.

TPACK/SAMR
This internship is designed to help staff realize where they fall on the SAMR model so
that they can continue their professional growth. The design of this plan will help staff redefine
how they previously viewed and used technology to help them create new learning opportunities
for their students. This plan will also help teachers to redesign their teaching in a way that
makes it run smoothly and makes differentiation and data collection second nature.
All elements of TPACK will be met through this plan as well. The technological aspect
will be met through use of the devices and tech tools that will be presented to staff (Schoology,
Makerspace, Ozobots, Seesaw, etc.). The pedagogical aspect is met through my teaching
experience, as well as through my Master program at Loyola. The content is met because these
tools will be utilized in enhancing the teaching of their content areas through collaboration and
planning sessions.

Evaluations & Documentation

While I have a timeline of how I would like to implement my plan of change, I must take
into account the adult learners and the knowledge and opinions they bring to the table. After
each session, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the learning in a variety of ways
(informal sharing, through Schoology, or polling). This input will then help me to adjust my
instruction and my timeline as needed. Staff will also participate in two major surveys: one at
the beginning of the year to help initiate the change, and one at the end of the internship to reflect
upon the change. I will be documenting my progress through reflections, timelines, and surveys,
which I will keep in a folder on my device, which is also linked to my One Drive. I will also
make sure to keep any created documents, such as Screencast presentations, pictures, and this
proposal, in that folder as well. This allows me to keep my data organized and all in one place.

Conclusion
It is my hope that this internship will guide staff into continuing to grow as professionals
and to deepen their understanding of technology and how it can be a strong ally in the education
field. I look forward to seeing staff begin a journey of collaboration and change, as well as the
positive impact it will have on student growth and achievement, differentiation, data collection,
and confidence in both students and staff.

References
ACOT. (2007). Apple classrooms of tomorrow. Retrieved June 2018, from
www.apple.com/education/k12/leadership/acot/.

Ely, D. P. (1990). Conditions that facilitate the implementation of educational technology

innovations. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 23(2): 298.

Ely, D. P. (1999). New perspectives on the implementation of educational technology

innovations. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED427775). S

Surry, Daniel W. (1997). Diffusion Theory and Instructional Technology. Retrieved June 2018,
from http://intro.base.org/docs/diffusion/.