Mike Charles

What Happens After the Professional Development: Case Studies on Implementing GIS in the Classroom

Case studies illustrate teachers implementing geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing in the classrooms. Each of the teachers had participated in one of a series of professional development workshops at James Madison University. We analyze the classroom implementation using the framework developed by the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) project. We find that teachers with a background and interest in project-based learning are effective in implementing geospatial technologies with their students. We discuss our findings and suggest possibilities for further research.

COATT: a state-wide initiative to evaluate and improve teacher technology education

Abstract Like many other states, Michigan has recently instituted minimum technology standards for pre-service teachers. A group of teacher education institutions decided that that standard needed to be a baseline rather than an end goal. Together they formed the Consortium for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching with Technology (COATT), whose purpose is to set in place a formal process to recognize pre-service, and eventually in-service, teachers for going beyond the mandated standard. Here we discuss both the process of bringing the consortium together and the progress of our students as they applied for the M-COATT certificate. This article discusses the origins of the consortium, the evaluation process, the results of the first rounds of evaluation, and the possible future of the consortium.