The Keystones Program

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Harrisburg, PA
 

Introduction/Overview
Organizational Change
Budget & Finance
Professional Development
Technology Infrastructure
Outcomes
Evaluation
Contact Information
 

Introduction/Overview

Keystones is a new program sponsored by the PA Department of Education’s Office of Information and Educational Technology that celebrates "model practices" teachers throughout Pennsylvania. With daily discussion of “highly qualified” teachers as the baseline requirement for instructors in each classroom, we want to recognize those educators who far exceed those specifications. These teachers bring to the classroom all of the content, motivational, and management expertise to capture students’ imaginations and harness learning in our children.

Our first phase honors teachers who are technology integrators. These teachers use technology to foster student curiosity and creativity and engage students in meaningful problem-solving activities. They share the joy of teaching with their colleagues and promote collaboration and communication in their learning communities.

The primary goals of the Keystones Program are:

1. To recognize those teachers across the commonwealth who are successfully infusing technology into their instructional practices for the purpose of improving student learning.
2. To share the model lessons, strategies, and practices these teachers have developed and make them available to all teachers in the commonwealth.
3. To cultivate the expertise, knowledge, and creativity these teachers possess to help state and local agencies develop professional development programs and initiatives to support all teachers in the commonwealth in mastering these technology integration skills.

Keystone selection is handled as a local and regional process. Every school in Pennsylvania has the opportunity to nominate one teacher to be its “Keystone technology integrator.” The selection process evolves from school level to district level and on to the regional level, at which approximately 100 Keystones are chosen to attend a 4-day Keystones Summit in the summer, where they build leadership capacity and explore new ideas and technologies.

Keystones: Technology integrators are also highlighted and have the opportunity to present their work at the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Conference and Expo (PETE&C), the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), and other local conferences and seminars. Throughout the year, Keystones are provided ongoing, professional development opportunities through Web-based seminars and grant-writing competitions.

During the first year of Keystones, approximately 500 teachers were identified at the school level and all teachers involved in the process were formally recognized. The plan is to form a group of the 3,500 or so school-level Keystones to assist fellow teachers in infusing technology into their instruction. This initiative encourages teachers to share their technology-embedded model lessons, strategies, and practices across the commonwealth. It also helps us identify skills needed for preparing teacher candidates and provides content for the creation of a model practices resource database.

We plan to expand the Keystones Program over the next 3–4 years and extend the reach of the current Keystones through development of a peer coaching model.

Organizational Change

One of the major benefits of Keystones is that it requires active participation at all levels of the educational enterprise. Principals and superintendents must take an active role during the nomination and selection process. The core work of Keystones as far as planning and program management is shared between the Bureau of Educational Technology and its intermediate unit partner (Bucks County IU).

Budget & Finance

Keystones is a relatively inexpensive initiative where program expenses can be largely offset through corporate donations.

Professional Development

State-level Keystones are invited to participate in a 4-day summit where they collaborate with colleagues, share ideas and practices, and strategize ways to disseminate model practices across the commonwealth. Keystones are immersed in learning experiences that expose them to innovative ideas for teaching with technology and emphasize their role as teacher leaders. The summit brings together this inspiring group of progressive educators to learn from a distinguished group of administrators, speakers, and facilitators. The Keystones engage in hands-on workshops with topics such as differentiating instruction and teaching in the 21st century.

Throughout the year, Keystones are provided ongoing professional development opportunities through Web-based seminars, grant-writing competitions, and conferences/seminars (e.g., PETE&C, NECC).

Technology Infrastructure

N/A

Outcomes

In addition to the development of a professional network of peers, the Keystones Program provides an assessment of current conditions in schools that enables the department to tailor its policies and practices to seamlessly integrate technology as a classroom instruction tool to help improve student achievement.

Feedback from first-year Keystones as sent through the listserv:

1. This experience has been so rewarding both professionally and personally. Being selected as a Keystone has opened so many new doors for me. Besides making many new friends and collaborative partners, I have also been able to share all that I learned at the summit and continue to learn from the Keystones listserv. I have been asked to share with colleagues, school administration, and board members. I continue to share new technologies with my students, who have made this incredible experience a reality. I feel that we as innovators have finally been vindicated for the work that we do in the classroom. The efforts that we have made to inspire have been recognized with long overdue recognition, not criticisms, for being instructional innovators. Thank you for allowing me to be part of such a rewarding and inspirational event!!!
2. As a veteran teacher, it is often hard to find "firsts." I often think, "been there, done it." This year is an incremental experience with "firsts," and I am excited and honored beyond measure to be a part of you. I am, like you, a lifelong learner, and this group more than any other educational experiment has fundamentally changed my life and the learning of my students.
3. Inspirational! Before becoming a Keystone, I gave 100% to teaching. After the Keystone Summit, I have been inspired to do even more. I have presented at conferences, written grants, and come to work an hour and a half early to learn more about the technologies I saw at the summit.

Evaluation

• Cost-effective.
• Replicable (we have plans to expand the program until at least one Keystone is identified in the 3,500 or so schools in PA as well as extending the work of the current Keystones in training their colleagues at the local level).
• Just the recognition alone was buy-in for the teachers who are often underappreciated.
• All stakeholders (from teachers to administrators to state-level staff) are involved.
• Keystones are teachers who are building leaders and A-type personalities who jump at the chance to do more.

Contact Information

Lance Rougeux
lrougeux@state.pa.us
717-772-3851