ISTE's Technology Integration Lead Teacher Initative

I saw this over at A Flowing River by Miguel Guhlin. Technology Integration Lead Teacher or TILT, sponsored by ISTE, is an awesome program that is definitely worth mentioning to any innovative teachers you know who teach in grades 4-10, in a core content area and use technology.

Actually, it's worth re-posting Miguel's blog here:

Source: ISTE NET Refresh Powerpoint

Are you a classroom, core-content teacher in grades 4-10? If yes, then you are eligible to participate in the Technology Integration Lead Teacher (TILT) Initiative. The purpose of TILT is to support classroom, core-content teachers as they develop technology applications skills. To facilitate this, the eighteen teachers accepted to the program will participate in ISTE-based NETS Certification program. NETS is described as:

The primary goal of the ISTE NETS Project is to enable stakeholders in PreK-12 education to develop national standards for educational uses of technology that facilitate school improvement in the United States. The NETS Project will work to define standards for students, integrating curriculum technology, technology support, and standards for student assessment and evaluation of technology use.

The NETS are changing to reflect a changing world...watch this classroom video to get an idea of how much. The TILT Initiative is intended to help teachers refine their classroom practice to reflect that changing world. To that end, TILT teachers will receive the following incentives:

• $1300 Dell Computer Laptop*
• $1400 wireless digital projector*
• ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Certification (Note: graduate credit is available at participant's expense)
• Necessary software (e.g. Photostory, Moviemaker, Skype)
• Workshop Projects' Stipends (pending funding availability)

Expectations for Participants:

1. Letter of Commitment

2. Complete a Pre- and Post-TILT Assessment Survey

3. Complete all PBS TeacherLine classes with the intent of earning an ISTE NETS Certificate^. More information regarding expectations will be forthcoming.

4. Provide two campus staff references (e.g. one being your campus administrator) expressing support for your participation in the program.

5. Maintain a learning web log that includes projects, lessons, photos and reflect on practice and engages others in dialogue about what you are learning and teaching for two years after online courses end.

6. Help add links to your created content to the TILT web site (workshop outlines, lesson plans, resources, etc.).

7. Provide 1 staff development session for your campus per 9 weeks; Instructional Technology will provide a project stipend as funds permits.

8. Publish copies of your workshop outlines, student lesson plans, and workshop feedback forms for sessions you facilitate via ePath.

^Note' that professional learning sessions may count towards graduate credit hours. Participants will have to pay for this credit on their own.