Instructional Technology
Washougal School District has implemented a standardized classroom model for classrooms grades K-12, with teach core classroom receiving a computer, document camera, and a projector. The district’s Technology Director and Assistant Superintendent have partnered with a number of district teachers to provide hands-on staff development opportunities for staff to learn to integrate technology into their curriculum.
Research shows that students learn best when the learning is proximate, relevant, and in context. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has a "Tiers" model which rates classroom uses of technology according to their level of integration. Tier 1 focuses on teacher uses of productivity software, such as typing materials in Word, or using WESPaC for grades. Tier 2 focuses on the teacher using technology tools for Instruction, such as a teacher using a document camera to show students an example problem. Tier 3 focuses on powerful 21st Century uses of Technology, where students are getting real world, project based experiences with technology.
The Tier 3 teacher uses and allows students to use technology as part of their lesson planning. Students learn applications and skills as they need them while working through problems and examples. This method helps students retain the skills they are learning, and makes them better prepared to understand and choose between the technology tools they have available for any given problem. To learn more about the Tech Integration Tiers, please visit the OSPI Tiers page linked in the left sidebar.
This year's technology staff development courses for teachers have focused on topics that teachers identified in a survey of staff at the end of last year. Each class is designed to model the types of instruction we want to see teachers using, and to give them a hands-on, project based experience with technology. Teachers are able to pay themselves from their professional development fund if the classes they choose align with their professional development goals. There are 24 clock hours offered for teaching staff who take all the longer classes.