The selection process for the 2009 Keystones Program will open November 1, 2008!Nomination information will be forthcoming through Penn Link in October.
Selected teachers will join previous year’s Keystones to grow this professional network that is currently 3,000 teachers strong. To view the entire Keystones network, please click Keystones List by Year in the left-hand navigation.
To learn more about the program, click on the links below.
We are pleased to announce year five of Keystones Technology Integrators (KTI). KTI is a program that celebrates model practice teachers throughout Pennsylvania. These teachers bring to the classroom content, motivational and management expertise to capture students' imaginations and harness learning in our children. Over 3000 teachers from across the Commonwealth have been identified as Keystones. These Keystones represent over 300 school districts, non-public schools, and CTC/AVTS. Approximately 100 Keystones attend a five-day Summit each year in the summer where they engaged in hands-on workshops with topics such as differentiating instruction and teaching in the 21 st Century. Throughout the years, the Keystones network continues to grow stronger through use of communication tools, learning communities, grant writing competitions and professional development opportunities. Keystones also continue to be featured at the annual Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).
1. To recognize those teachers across the Commonwealth who are successfully infusing technology into their instructional practices for the purpose of improving student learning 2. To share the model lessons, strategies and practices these teachers have developed and make them available to all teachers in the Commonwealth 3. To cultivate the expertise, knowledge and creativity these teachers possess to help state and local agencies develop professional development programs and initiatives to support all teachers in the Commonwealth in mastering these technology integration skills
A Technology Integrator is a classroom teacher who fully utilizes the many benefits technology offers to improve instructional practices across his/her content areas. In doing this,the teacher does not focus on the technology itself; rather, s/he focuses on student learning and uses technology as a tool to support this end.
This teacher integrates technology into his/her design of learning experiences to:
engage students in, and have them interact with, the content
assist students in mastering local and state standards
foster students curiosity, creativity and willingness to take risks
engage students in problem-solving activities that are meaningful, often reflecting real-world tasks
promote collaboration and communication between students
encourage students to take ownership of their work and become more self-directed in their learning
address the diverse needs of learners
This teacher is an individual who:
facilitates learning rather than transmitting knowledge
plans strategies to manage student learning and behavior in a technology-enhanced environment
plans strategies to manage student learning and behavior in a technology-enhanced environment
helps students understand the ethical, cultural and societal issues related to technology
shares his/her practices with peers and seeks out evidence-based practices from others
applies technology in assessing student learning of subject matter
reflects on and assesses his/her practices and uses current research as a framework for improvement
explores creative ways to use technology as a means of fostering a home-school connection
takes an active leadership role in his/her school
Why Participate?
All Keystones will receive a formal certificate of recognition from the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Educational Technology and be publicly identified as a Keystone on the PDE website.
Keystones become part of a statewide network of teacher leaders who share best practices about ways to utilize technology for improving instruction and student performance.
Professional development opportunities such as web-based conferences and grant writing competitions are continually offered through the Keystones.
The selection of Keystones is a 3-tier process: Tier 1: school-level nominations Tier 2: district-level selection Tier 3: a regional selection
School-level nomination Each school principal will use the criteria above to nominate one classroom teacher to represent the school. This teacher will complete a narrative essay to be submitted through the online application process. We realize that selection is difficult because it is tough to choose just one teacher. However, we plan to continue the Keystones Program in the coming years so any teacher not nominated this year will have other opportunities to be nominated. It is important to note that all teachers nominated at the school level are recognized as Keystones.
District-level selection Each district will review the narrative essays of all Keystones in the district and select up to two Keystones as its representative(s). These district-level Keystones will each submit a sample of work to the regional review team.
Regional-level selection Nine regional review teams will select three Keystones per Intermediate Unit area and two additional Keystones from each region. This process will identify over 100 Keystones, and they, with Keystones from nonpublic schools, will be invited to attend the Keystones Summit in July.
Timeline
Activity
Date
School-level selection process
Nov. 1 - 30, 2008
District-level selection process
Dec.1,2008- Jan. 14, 2009
District-level Keystones submit samples of work to regional review team
Jan. 15 - Feb. 28, 2009 (4 PM)
Regional review process
March 1- 17, 2009
All Keystones receive certificates and State-level Keystones receive invitation letters to Summit
April 6, 2009
State-level Keystones deadline to participate in Keystones Summit
School-level Keystones will compose a response to the following prompt:
Literacy
The ability to read and write
competence or knowledge in a specified area
Describe how your students' overall ability to read and write or how their competence or knowledge in a specific area has improved as a result of integrating technology into your instruction.
The response should be no more than two pages in length (Arial font, 12 point size, Double-spaced).
After being nominated by his/her principal, the Keystone will receive an email directing him/her to complete the online application process. The essay will need to be typed or copy/pasted into the online application.
Click HERE to view the narrative essay rubric. This rubric will be used by the superintendent to score the essay to assist the schools in choosing the teachers that will advance to the next tier.
If a Keystone is selected by his/her district to be a district-level Keystone, he/she will have to submit a sample of work to the regional review team.
When submitting your work, please complete the following:
• If applicable, label your submission files with Student Work and Teacher Presentation, • Include a copy of your essay with your submission. The essay must also include your name, school district, building, phone number and email address. • If possible, save your files in a standard file format. • Limit your multimedia submission (video or timed PowerPoint presentation) to a maximum of 10 minutes. If you are submitting a website, please be sure to direct the reviewer to the specific sections you would like them to review. • Remember to follow standard copyright laws.
It should be sent to the review team on a CD-ROM, DVD, VHS or flashdrive. Click HERE for a list of regional review team coordinators.
The sample of work should bring the teacher’s essay to life through the use of multimedia. It consists of two parts:
Electronic Presentation: The electronic presentation could be a PowerPoint slideshow, a digital movie or any other multimedia that can be easily viewed by others. The presentation should illustrate how the Keystone uses technology to enhance his/her instruction and improve overall student performance.
and
Student Work: The electronic presentation could include a sample of student work or the sample of student work can be submitted separately. The student work should demonstrate the result of the teacher’s integration of technology into classroom instruction.
Click HEREto view the Sample of Work rubric. This is the rubric that the regional review teams will use to score the multimedia submissions.
State-level Keystones will be invited to participate in a five-day summit where they will collaborate with colleagues, share ideas and practices, and strategize ways to disseminate model practices across the Commonwealth. Keystones will be immersed in learning experiences that expose them to innovative ideas for teaching with technology and emphasize their role as teacher leaders. This year's Summit will be held at Bucknell University July 27-31, 2009.
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