Overview of Apple Professional Development and Resources for Teachers

Schools and districts today are challenged to employ evidence-based methods. The goals are often complex and demanding: increase student achievement, meet rigorous academic standards, support quality teaching, make data-driven decisions, and implement successful leadership for the digital age. At Apple, we understand this. That’s why our focus is on you and your students’ needs.

The Apple Professional Development (APD) program features an array of offerings hosted onsite via flexible delivery options to help educators create more innovative and effective learning environments and improve student achievement.

Apple Professional Development offerings have earned the ISTE National Education Technology Standards Seal of Alignment and are based on guidelines for effective professional development published by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), the largest nonprofit professional development association, as well as findings from the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) research project. Three fundamental research findings are a driving force within the program:
• Teachers learn best in their own setting
• Teachers need a common language for the use of digital resources
• Teachers go through different stages when applying technology to teaching and learning—from entry and adoption to innovation.

The Apple Professional Development team of outstanding consultants understands the connection between research and the application of that research in your classrooms to support everything from multiple intelligences to brain-based learning. We know your goal is to improve the achievement level of all students and we can help you do just that.

The Apple Professional Development (APD) team can help you meet today’s challenges—by designing and delivering professional development programs that meet your objectives and ensure your success.

A Wide Range of Offerings Onsite and Online Choose from a breadth of options within four strands:
• Digital Literacy offerings provide new and experienced educators the opportunity to learn about new hardware and applications—all from an educational perspective.
• Educators familiar with the basics of technology in the classroom learn how to leverage digital tools to engage students, enhance learning and meet state content standards with the Technology Infused Learning strand.
• School leaders charged with managing change and becoming more innovative are the focus of the Leadership Development offerings.
• Twenty-first century educators tasked with building the optimal professional development plan can maximize resources with Apple Professional Development Consulting Services.

Apple’s Classrooms for the Future offerings encompass three of these four stands and include the following components.

• 2 days “Leader Led” Professional Development for all teachers focused on digital literacy and including ongoing resources - strategies for success

Digital Literacy
The primary goal of the Digital Literacy offerings is for participants to develop basic technology skills from an educational perspective. Participants work on clearly delineated educational activities that teachers can use immediately in their classrooms. In the process, they acquire new technology skills and discover technology’s potential in teaching and learning. Specific topics offered within the Digital Literacy strand include:

Meet Your Mac 
Out of the box and onto the desk—now what? Participants start at the beginning— literally—with their new laptop computer. Time is taken to explain, demonstrate, and explore the following topics:
• The parts of the computer and the accessories that come with the laptop
• Basic operating considerations (sleep, battery life, and so on)
• The use of the Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) or SuperDrive
• AirPort wireless computer use 

Once participants have a basic understanding of the laptop computer, they are given training on the basics of Mac OS X and the variety of applications that ship with their new laptop computer. Throughout the offering, participants are provided with ideas and strategies useful for introducing their students to the laptop computers and using the laptops in a meaningful and integrated manner in a classroom setting.

Mac OS X in Education 
Participants develop a working knowledge of Mac OS X in education, including the following:
• How to locate and organize documents and applications
• Ways to make basic changes to the “look and feel” of the operating system
• How various applications and features interact with Mac OS X
• Educational applications of Mac OS X
• Mac OS X collaboration and sharing features
• Advanced topics as appropriate to the experience level of the group

Time is taken to ensure that teachers have the necessary basic skills in Mac OS X and an understanding of how to make sure students are also familiar with the operating system and its potential.
 
iLife for the Classroom
What happens when you take the five exciting multimedia applications—iTunes for managing music, iPhoto for digital photography, iMovie HD for editing digital video, GarageBand for creating music, and iDVD for creating one's own DVDs—and integrate them so they work together seamlessly? You end up with iLife, the winner of a Technology and Learning Award of Excellence! Participants in this offering explore how to use each of these powerful, fully-integrated applications as they create projects that can be used immediately in their classrooms. Imagination, creativity, and knowledge will soar for teachers and students as a result of this offering.

Technology Infused Learning
With the offerings in this strand, educators familiar with the basics of technology in the classroom learn how to leverage digital tools to engage students, enhance learning, and meet state content standards. Participants will develop effective classroom management strategies and focus on the use of digital resources to increase productivity, enhance research and creativity, and promote communication and collaboration in teaching and learning. Additionally, participants learn how to develop rigorous, relevant lessons that infuse technology, engage students in the learning process and encourage the development of 21st century skills. For the middle school level and higher, an emphasis is placed on supporting the curriculum standards of specific subject areas such as math, science, English language arts, and social studies.

• 2 days of Leadership Development for a 4-person team from each school (up to four schools combined)

Leadership Development
The Leadership Development offerings are aligned with the ISTE Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA) and provide the participants—district, school, and faculty leaders—an opportunity to explore models and best practices for teaching and learning based on the latest cornerstone research. Specific topics offered within the Leadership Development strand include the following:
Leadership for Administrators
Based on the TSSA, this prepares principals, administrators, and school or district specialists to become leaders in modeling, sharing, and supporting the effective use of technology for teaching and learning. Upon completion of this series, the participants should be able to: 
     • Inspire a shared vision for effective use of technology for teaching and learning 
     • Describe the latest cornerstone education technology research and how it applies to best practices 
     • Enhance their own professional practice and the practice of others through the productive use of technology Ensure school-based support structures are in place for maximizing teaching and learning with technology 
     • Identify methods for measuring the impact of technology on student learning and for evaluating and supporting teachers’ use of technology 
     • Describe the social, legal, and ethical issues involved in using technology in the classroom

• 8 days of ongoing “train the trainer” for the “Coach” in each school
Designed to address the need for ongoing continuous improvement, the Technology Professional Growth program helps a group of educators use the infusion of technology to rethink the teaching and learning process. The program consists of a series of four two-day leader-led workshops for 16 people, coupled with ongoing support through implementation, and participation in an online community of learners. Over the course of this program, participants do the following:
     • Explore innovative models of teaching and learning that leverage technology 
     • Reflect on current practice and implement new instructional strategies 
     • Design and implement units and activities that use technology to support student achievement against targeted standards 
     • Address classroom management issues that arise when technology is used to promote a learner-centered classroom environment 
     • Develop new technology skills, including basic troubleshooting

• Online Professional Development - 24 x 7
Apple Digital School Community
Designed to meet the needs of the 21st century educator, the Apple Digital School Community offers online professional development for K-12 teachers, administrators, and university faculty practicing in 1 to 1 and other digital learning environments. A standard feature of each Apple Professional Development workshop, the Apple Digital School Community is also available as a standalone product in a year-long subscription. This community offers tutorials, libraries of articles and resources, and an interactive environment for individualized, collaborative, “just-in-time” professional development.

Here are just a few of the Apple Digital School Community key features:

Conversations  - The Conversations area provides a place for community members to discuss topics of interest organized in useful sections such as:
• 1 to 1 Learning: Creating a Successful Environment
• 1 to 1 Learning: Vision, Planning, and Policy
• Mentoring & Networking
• Leveraging Apple Technology

Member Directory  - The Member Directory is a searchable listing of members with whom to collaborate worldwide.

Learning Center  - The Learning Center contains multimedia tutorials for new and experienced Macintosh users. These tutorials covering Mac OS X, iLife, and other applications include “in the classroom" sections with ideas for how these applications support learning.

Library  - The library contains files and links of interest such as monthly audio journals, expert commentary on ways to use technology to expand the boundaries of the 21st century classroom, and mobile computing tips and strategies for infusing technology in curriculum. The library also includes cornerstone research reports and exhibits for effective use of technology in teaching and learning.

• Principal Institute for ALL schools during 4 days in the summer of 2007
Additional Lesson Planning Resources can be found at:
     • iLife: http://www.apple.com/education/solutions/ilife/ 
     • Pages & Keynote: http://www.apple.com/education/solutions/iwork/lessons/
     • GarageBand: http://www.apple.com/education/garageband/lesson_plans/
     • iChat AV: http://www.apple.com/education/solutions/ichat/lesson_plans/