So,+What’s+It+to+You?++(Building+your+personal+plan+to+transform+teaching+&+learning+with++technology)

Session Description:
Presentations and workshops at the MICDS Summer Teacher Institute 2010 are designed to inform, inspire, challenge and amaze you with innovative classroom practices utilizing state-of the-art instructional tools. But what happens when the institute is over? Which of the myriad technologies, applications, projects and pedagogies will YOU implement in YOUR classroom? Come to this workshop to tie it all together and develop a PLAN including S.M.A.R.T. goals YOU can actually ACCOMPLISH in 2010. Participants will choose 3 or 4 SPECIFIC tools/technologies, and, working in small, collaborative teams, develop objectives, activities, timelines, resource lists, and more – all intended to ensure that when you start the new school year, you will have a personal plan to transform teaching and learning with technology in your classroom.

You will learn 1. how to create S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Time-Bound) goals for efficient and effective technology integration in your classroom. 2. which tools, technologies, projects and pedagogies YOU should adopt and WHY. 3. how to build and maintain a personal learning network to ensure successful implementation of your plan at your school.

Presenter Bio: Kevin Jarrett, Northfield, NJ
Kevin has been a K-4 Technology Facilitator at Northfield Community School in Northfield, NJ USA since 2003. In this role he is responsible for technology instruction in a lab setting for the entire elementary student body (540+ students as of 2009-2010). Rather than just “teaching computer class,” Kevin delivers engaging, informative, challenging and enjoyable lessons that integrate with content being taught by his classroom-teacher peers while leveraging state-of-the-art Web 2.0 and social media technologies. In addition to his classroom instructional duties, Kevin mentors his fellow teachers on the integration of technology into their teaching practices and has designed & lead technology professional development workshops in his district and around the country. A Google Certified Teacher, Kevin was named Northfield Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year in 2008-2009. He also received the International Society for Technology in Education’s “Making It Happen” Award in 2008 in recognition of his efforts supporting ISTE’s presence in Second Life. Kevin is a firm believer in the value of social networks for learning and is very active on Twitter. He is an active member of the New Jersey Education Association and has assisted the NJEA with a range of technology initiatives and played a substantial role in planning and organizing the the 2009 NJEA Convention’s “High Tech Hall”.

Outside of school, Kevin is the advisor for Northfield Community School’s student newspaper/media club, The T-Bird Times (which is powered by the Ning.com social networking engine). Kevin also teaches online, part-time at Walden University in the Master’s program at the Richard W. Riley School of Education & Leadership specializing in Integrating Technology into the Curriculum. Kevin left a 17-year career in the private sector (most recently I.T. project management & consulting) to pursue teaching as a second, “dream” career, a change that was the basis for this Education World article. He lives in Northfield, NJ with his wife Mary and two daughters, Jamie and Holly.

You can view some of Kevin’s past presentations & workshops here. You can explore his digital footprint here.