Making the Connections

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Making the Connections (MC) grant provides innovative teaching and learning technologies combined with educator preparation and development specifically designed for English/Language Arts teachers. Teachers will receive equipment such as laptop computers and multimedia projectors along with training to help teachers attain the capacity, skills, competence, and confidence necessary to integrate technology successfully into everyday classroom life. The program has been made possible through the Technology Applications Readiness Grants for Empowering Texas (TARGET), a statewide grant funded by the No Child Left Behind Act.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The MC program will enhance student achievement by improving teacher competencies, providing innovative language arts and interdisciplinary curricula, and promoting the active involvement of parents and community organizations in the learning environment. The program will be implemented with a series of classroom modules developed by a team of teachers, educators, university leaders, representatives from governmental and non-profit agencies as well as private sector partners. These modules will be fully grounded in fulfilling TEKS requirements and preparing students for TAKS tests. In addition, participants will be involved with leading professionals through innovative conferences such as SXSW and the Austin Film Festival/Heart of Screenwriters Contest.

COMMUNICATION/COLLABORATION

An innovative bilingual website, www.4empowerment.com, will facilitate communication between all program participants and provide a vehicle for ensuring that teachers and students can integrate technology into their classroom activities. This website will include internal communication systems for both teachers and students, as well as provide a public showcase for student achievement through the program's e-zine, an online magazine publication. One of the fundamental ideas behind the MC program is that the Internet and MC technologies can be used to broaden the availability of educational resources. To this end, the program includes collaboration through both asynchronous channels such as discussion boards, email lists, and web collaboration tools, and fully synchronous methods such as videoconferencing and online chats.

TECHNOLOGY TRAINING

The goals of the No Child Left Behind Act have shown that there is an undeniable need for technology training and professional development for teachers to be able to successfully integrate technology into everyday classroom life. MC proposes a proactive, ongoing, multi-level professional development plan that trains teachers to integrate technology into Language Arts curricula, at the same time maintaining flexibility for individual teachers. The program is designed to fulfill the goals of TARGET and the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology in ensuring that teachers and students receive the training and resources necessary to enhance students' acquisition of knowledge through technology.

Making the Connections

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

THE OPPORTUNITY

COMMUNICATION/COLLABORATION

TECHNOLOGY TRAINING

The MC Consortium