empowerED Archives • TechNotes Blog

Today’s educator has a lot on her plate. Besides knowing all of the key concepts of the content area she is assigned to teach, she must at times also be a: counselor, disciplinarian, coach, motivator, parent, nutritionist, listener, advocate, mediator, scholar and researcher, assessor, leader, manager, environment creator, role model, protector, trouble spotter, prompter, tech user, resource, and organizer.

I could keep going, but you get the idea. Today’s educator has an unbelievable amount on her plate. To make the job of teacher even more difficult, she has literally no time to become better or learn how to manage all of these roles. That’s where TCEA can help.

The empowerED Program

TCEA recognizes that dedicated educators need help in the form of time and opportunities for innovative learning and practice. To help meet those two needs, we created the empowerED program, designed to provide teachers and their leaders with the resources and tools needed to affect change at the classroom learning level.

The year-long program provides a proven methodology and process by which districts and campuses can create purposeful teaching and learning that accelerates student learning and is based on the latest research and the effective use of technology. Through a pre-assessment, two full days of onsite professional development tailored to your needs, full TCEA membership for all participants for one year, a community of practitioners sharing questions and insights, and post-assessment and planning, program participants can learn the latest on effective teaching strategies and technology integration. This gives your entire team a unified set of instructional techniques, as well as a school or district-wide game plan for future success.

empowerED

Dr. John Hattie’s Research

Based on the proven research of Dr. John Hattie over the past 25 years with more than 3,000,000 students, the program gives educators specific strategies that increase achievement in all grade levels and subject areas. Hattie found that, while there are a number of instructional strategies available to use, there are specific ones that are the most effective and provide the maximum results in the same amount of time. Strategies such as reciprocal teaching, teacher clarity, and the jigsaw method are just a few of these. The empowerED program establishes a basis for using them and then provides educators with hands-on practice in using them, regardless of the content or the grade level they teach.

In addition, teachers learn how to best integrate technology so that the tools support and enhance the learning and the content being studied. Instead of technology being an add-on or, even worse, taking over the lesson, the devices and resources compliment the instructional strategy being used to maximize student focus and learning.

“The overall information related to Hattie’s work, as well as the presentation and practice related to reciprocal teaching, was incredible! Many of our teachers are “practicing” what you “preached” and the current culture reflects the excitement that quite a few are experiencing in their classrooms!
-Dana E., empowerED Participant

Program Costs

Because TCEA believes so strongly in the power of this program and in the need that exists for it across the country, we provide it at very little cost. For up to 50 educators on a campus, school, or district, the total cost for one year is just $2,800. (Additional teachers can be added at a reduced rate.) That price includes the following:

Pre- and post-assessment to determine where the campus/district is currently and how much it improves
Strategic plan to fully implement the strategies that are taught
One full day of onsite professional development for administrators and leaders
One full day of customized, onsite professional development for teachers
One year of TCEA membership for all participating educators within the district/campus (to ensure that the learning continues all year)
Access to a cohort group of participants to share ideas, questions, and insights
Access to a library of pre-recorded webinars and online resources
Complimentary registration for 10 individuals per enrolled campus/district for the TCEA Innovative Learning Strategies Conference, September 26, 2020 in Austin
Complimentary registration to the TCEA 2021 Convention & Exposition for the district superintendent or campus principal
A 20% discount on all other TCEA events and additional professional development

If you have questions about the program and how it can fit in with other initiatives, please contact Executive Director Lori Gracey. Then register your campus/school/district today and help your teachers master the instructional strategies that will ensure success for both their students and themselves.

It’s important for educators to stay current on best practices in teaching and learning. Every day, new research articles appear with the latest findings. Let’s take a look at what the most recent studies have found regarding the use of technology for learning. I’ll be referring to the report “Will Technology Transform Education for the Better?” from MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab’s North America office.

Access to Technology Isn’t Enough

The latest research is clear: Providing greater access to technology and the Internet don’t make any difference in learning UNLESS the teaching is also changed. While having more access to devices does improve student proficiency using computers, it does not automatically equate to a rise in test scores. In order to see greater learning, how teaching is structured must change to include student voice and choice as well as a redefinition of what must be learned to be successful.

Online Learning Must Include the Personal, Too

“We found that relative to courses with some degree of face-to-face teaching, students taking online-only courses may experience negative learning outcomes,” the report says. This report found that the teacher/student relationship is key to long-term learning. So if students are enrolled in online-only classes, there must be opportunities created for them to really get to know their teacher and each other. This is why blended learning is such an effective strategy. It combines both the power of face-to-face interaction and the personalized aspects of online study.

“Nudging” Parents and Students Can Help

Text and other technology-based messages to students and parents can be an affordable way to make a meaningful difference, the J-PAL North America team concluded. This could include tips of helping with reading for parents of elementary children and information about grades, attendance, and work that is due for secondary students. To be most successful, the nudge must encourage specific, one-time actions.

If you would like to learn more about these research findings and others, consider having your campus or district take part in the empowerED program with TCEA. The program is based on conclusive findings of what works best to accelerate student achievement and includes a component on how best to implement blended learning. It is extremely cost effective, starting at just $56/educator and includes hands-on professional learning, online resources, and the opportunity to network and share with your peers. Registration is open now for the fall.