Integrating Technology in Education
At a Glance | Services | Significant Work | Products
Examples of Significant Work
National Center for Quality Afterschool: SEDL’s National Center for Quality Afterschool uses Web-based technology to provide digital resources and professional development that help afterschool and expanded learning instructors develop high-quality, balanced programs. The Center’s online Afterschool Training Toolkit contains a section on technology that provides promising practices, sample lessons, and illustrative videos.
Connecting Kids to Math and Science: SEDL staff are working with six high-need schools in the Austin Independent School District in Texas to strengthen student engagement and achievement in math and science during grades 5–8. Staff are providing teachers with professional development in designing and implementing engaging and conceptually challenging problem-based learning activities in math and science as well as in integrating technology into instruction. The professional development created during the project will be shared with other educators and schools. The Educational Foundation of America, the KDK-Harman Foundation, and the RGK Foundation are funding the project.
Mosaic: An Integrated Approach to Mathematics, Science, Technology, and Language: SEDL staff are updating and expanding Paso Partners, a popular supplemental instructional program for boosting math and science achievement among Spanish-speaking students. Funded through the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, the new Mosaic program will cover grades K–5, reflect current standards and expectations in science, and address the achievement gap between English language learners and other students as well as the challenge of learning a language and academic content at the same time.
MyMoon Program Evaluation: In partnership with the Lunar Planetary Institute, SEDL is evaluating a new educational portal, MyMoon: The Public’s Portal to Lunar Science Exploration Through New Media. The portal will provide science and lunar content, media exhibits, and opportunities for the public to interact with lunar scientists and experts. Funding is through the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences-2008 (ROSES-2008) program at NASA’s Education & Public Outreach for Earth & Space Science.
Past Work
Ysleta Independent School District: Vision 2020: Virtual School Evaluation: SEDL conducted an evaluation of the Vision 2020: Virtual School project for the Ysleta Independent School District in Texas. The project built district capacity to enable students to complete courses online through the Texas Virtual School Network. R&E staff are evaluating implementation and outcomes, and providing feedback for improvement. Funding was through a Texas Education Agency (TEA) Vision 2020 Cycle 2 grant.
New Mexico Rural Partnership for Technology: In a subcontract with the Magdalena Municipal School District in New Mexico, SEDL worked with four rural school districts to help elementary language arts teachers use technology to improve students' literacy skills and knowledge of traditional Navajo culture. Staff also used technology to link the schools, provided technical assistance and professional development to help teachers integrate technology into literacy instruction, and modeled parental-involvement activities to support the use of technology in students' homes.
Ysleta Independent School District: Integrating Technology, Academics, Leadership & Knowledge (iTALK) Project Evaluation: SEDL is the external evaluator for this Texas Education Agency STaR grant-funded project. The project is a district-wide initiative designed to advance the technology leadership, knowledge, and proficiency of collaborative teams of campus and district administrators, district academic and support administrators, and campus technology coordinators and teacher leader cadres.
Explore! Program Evaluation: SEDL conducted an external evaluation of Explore!, an interactive science and space program for use in afterschool and library settings. In this primarily formative evaluation, SEDL provided information through participant and trainer surveys and interviews on the development of new modules and the use of Web-based versus in-person professional development. The work, done in partnership with the Lunar and Planetary Institute and Goddard Space Flight Center, was funded through the International Polar Year Program, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Partnership for 21st Century Skills: SEDL served as an affiliate professional development provider for the nationwide Partnership for 21st Century Skills, an initiative formed by major U.S. technology corporations and the U.S. Department of Education to teach skills that students need to succeed in the 21st century.
Models of Implementation and Dissemination of Environmental Health & Science Across Subjects (MIDAS) Program Evaluation (2001–2006): SEDL conducted a multiyear evaluation of the MIDAS training program. This program sought to improve K–12 science instruction in a Texas school district through the use of online courses, seminars, and summer field experiences. In its evaluation, SEDL conducted surveys and focus groups with faculty and students to provide feedback to the program developers.
SouthCentral Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SCRTEC) (2000–2005): SCRTEC, 1 of 10 consortia funded by the U.S. Department of Education, provided research-based professional development and electronic tools to help educators in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas use technology to improve teaching and learning.
Regional Educational Laboratory: Applying Technology to Restructuring and Learning (1996–2000): As part of the Regional Educational Laboratory contract for 1996–2000, SEDL’s Applying Technology to Restructuring and Learning project developed models of learner-centered classrooms supported by appropriate technologies, particularly in schools with highly diverse student populations.
Southeast and Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium
(1995–1999): SEDL was one of 16 partners in the Southeast and Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium. The partnership consisted of national, regional, and university-based organizations that worked collaboratively to help communities of learners effectively use technology.
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