Hay Tech Team

In 1995, an NEIU faculty member working with the CLC project began to assess the technology needs and capacities at each of the CLC schools. Contacts were made, surveys were collected, and meetings were held. Dr. Jeff Messerer, a professor of special education and a specialist in technology and education, carried out this work with intentions of identifying how CLC can best serve the schools in this area.

At Hay School, teachers' response on surveys showed clear areas of need and willingness to devote time to professional development in technology. Dr. Messerer had productive meetings with principal Sandra Crosby and with the teachers on how they are currently using computers in the school. A survey of teachers' interest in computer training was conducted. During the summer, a one-hour credit course in _____ was given, at NEIU, for interested Hay teachers.

In September (Year) eleven primary teachers volunteered to be part of the Hay Technology Team and they began meeting monthly, with Dr. Messerer. A teacher leader was identified to help coordinate team activities and communication with CLC staff. In monthly meetings the team

• made a decision to focus primarily on integration of computer work with development of students' writing skills, with particular focus on the use of the KidWorks program (acquired and installed on each team member's classroom computers)
• viewed various software programs that the school could acquire with the help of CLC funds, and made selections of software they wanted to try in their own classrooms
• discussed ways of and barriers to integrating computer work into curriculum

In between meetings, Dr. Messerer visited classrooms, helping individual teachers with hardware and software installation and applications. He worked with students, modeling lessons that were computer-based. In the late spring, he visited classrooms to see presentations of writing projects that students had produced.

At the close of the year the team threw a before-school good-bye party for "Jeff". Also at the end of the year, evaluations of the CLC Tech Team activity were completed, showing that the teachers found Jeff's visits, the meeting with other teachers, and the acquisition of personally chosen software to be "highly beneficial." Several team members said the primary benefit of being part of the team was that they gained greater comfort with computer use in general, and a better sense of the possibilities for classroom use. Said one teacher: "I now have a more positive attitude about computers as a learning tool." Another stated "I really didn't like computers, but now I love them, and most of the students' writing has improved as a result of the computer work." Yet another found that "even my 'reluctant' students have become engrossed in writing activities through the KidsWorks program we received through CLC."

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