The Hull Public Schools, in partnership with Whitman Hanson, have been awarded the DOE Technology Enhancement Competitive Grant 170-B. The grant will provide Hull and Whitman Hanson a total of $100,000 which we will split over a 2 year period.
The focus of the project is to use a one-to-one computing environment and appropriate technologies to enhance the teaching and learning of middle school mathematics.
Project Leap
Laptops Enhancing Academic Proficiency
Technology Enhancement Competitive Grant 170-B
Whitman Middle School, Whitman, MA and Memorial Middle School, Hull, MA
Why the Need for Project LEAP?
- Analyses of MCAS data in math at both schools indicate a need to develop instructional strategies that will improve the level of achievement.
- Both schools are identified as in need of improvement in the subgroups of special needs and low income students on Cycle III Accountability reports.
- As a result of low proficiency scores in mathematics on the 2004 MCAS, both school councils have created improvement goals in mathematics achievement that focus on regular education, special education, and low income students.
Why the Need for Project LEAP?
- Technology plans in both districts address student and teacher proficiency in computer applications as well as in the integration of technology into content areas to improve student achievement.
- 25% of the middle school students in Hull and 16% of WMS students are from low income families, many of whom do not have computers available to them at home. A one-to-one laptop environment will provide these students with additional access time, thus enhancing their technology competencies.
Goal I - Objectives
- To provide professional development training for middle school math teachers in the partner districts who will design and implement high quality mathematics instruction, Project LEAP will use a process that includes the identification of individual learner needs, the articulation of curriculum standards and learner outcomes, the design of measurable assessments, and the development of instructional activities that incorporate strategies, including those that employ technology and elements of universal design, to make mathematics curriculum content meaningful and accessible to all learners.
- To sustain and develop administrative backing and understanding, Project LEAP will engage and support partner school administrators in the work of the project to ensure that they are knowledgeable and prepared to support the goals of the project and teams, evaluate instruction in a technology rich environment, and make policy decisions that will ensure the success of the project.
Goal I - Outcomes
- Each participating teacher will receive training in methods to design, implement, evaluate and disseminate exemplary models of technology rich mathematics instruction that produces high-quality student work and utilizes the one - to - one laptop environment.
- Training for teachers will include the use of VES to promote the appropriate instructional use of online, interactive standards-based tools and applications, the sharing of standards-based curriculum resources and best practices, and discussion forums to facilitate communication and collaboration between partner schools.
Primary Goal II
- To improve instruction, learning, and achievement for all grade 6-8 students in the area of mathematics.
- Students will be provided with seamless and continuous access to a rich array of technological tools and resources, integrated into a standards-based mathematics curriculum that can be easily accessed through a one-to-one laptop learning environment in the classroom. This will enable students to become successful, self-directed, and collaborative learners.
Goal II - Objectives
- To design, implement, evaluate and disseminate exemplary models of technology rich mathematics instruction that produces high-quality student work.
- To train students and teachers to effectively use laptop computing to incorporate new strategies and technology rich resources into their teaching and learning.
- To train teachers in the use of VES to promote the appropriate instructional use of on-line, interactive, standards-based tools and applications and to facilitate collaboration between partner schools for the sharing of standards-based curriculum resources, best practices, and student work.
- To infuse the current math standards-based curriculum resources (Everyday Math, Math Thematics, and Impact Math) used in both districts with technology to provide new ways to individualize, differentiate, and enhance instruction and achievement for all students.
Goal II - Outcomes
- The infusion of a laptop community in the mathematics classroom will allow teachers and students to explore new ways of presenting, absorbing, and utilizing information. Because the technology will be available on a daily basis, students will have instant access to classroom activities in math that enhance the curriculum, foster self-directed learning, and increase time on task.
- With the on going staff development provided through this grant, teachers will be more equipped with content rich Math resources and instructional strategies utilizing technology, and having immediate access to these resources adds more time on learning for students.
Project Leap Strategies
- Comprehensive high quality staff development from outside service providers.
- Comprehensive high quality staff development provided by technology specialists in Whitman-Hanson and Hull
- Staff development that involves the collaboration of teachers from both schools
- The use of VES for online teacher and student collaboration
- Staff development that is specifically tailored to particular school’s needs
- The full implementation of the under-used technology components of Everyday Math, Math Thematics, and Impact Math
- The organization of a Project LEAP advisory board that includes central office administration, middle school administrators, the math curriculum coordinators, technology specialists, and regular and special education teachers.
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