Background Information
What is the COR project?
CatalystOhio Resources (COR) is a statewide collaborative initiative
among state agencies (Ohio SchoolNET, Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Board
of Regents, Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science and Reading, Ohio
Learning Network) and representatives of institutions of higher education in
the state that offer teacher preparation. This project is part of catalystOhio,
Ohio's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) initiative.
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What's the focus of catalystOHIO?
CatalystOhio was developed by Ohio Board of Regents, Ohio Department of
Education, Ohio SchoolNET, and Ohio Learning Network in partnership with the
thirteen state universities. The project focuses on providing technology
resources and models of good instructional practice that incorporates
technology to university faculty who prepare new teachers. Funds made available
by a U.S. Department of Education Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use
Technology grant have scaled up the project to include all fifty public
and independent institutions in the state that prepare new teachers.
Focused on professors in education and arts and sciences, the project intends to
improve the quality and frequency of educational technology use by Ohio's K-12
teachers. Increased capacity by college faculty who use and model good
educational technology practices will cascade into classrooms when their
students join the teaching profession. In turn, children in Ohio's classrooms
will benefit by having more technology-savvy teachers.
The keystone feature of the grant is identifying or developing
technology-focused curriculum components based upon the International Society
for Technology in Education (ISTE) teacher technology standards that can be
used to improve technology use by college faculty and their students in teacher
preparation programs. The modules will also serve as resources for agencies
that provide inservice training for teachers currently working in the field.
This collaboration will result in a single system of technology training that
minimizes the duplication of effort among universities, regional state
agencies, and Ohio SchoolNET—all of whom offer significant resources in
educational technology.
Work has proceeded on the four primary goals of the grant:
- facilitating collaboration and communication among institutions of higher
education, preK-12 schools, and state agencies responsible for education
technology through the development of an Educational Technology Congress;
- developing catalystOhio preK-16 teacher technology standards and
standards-based learning resources based on ISTE standards and create access
architecture;
- supporting the integration of appropriate technologies into the ongoing
systemic improvement of pre-service education programs, and
- improving faculty development in educational technology usage.
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How were the COR modules developed?
Development teams, representing a broad range of constituents, including K-12
educators, higher education faculty, state and regional technology service
providers, worked collaboratively to create each of the modules. The teams
developed integration modules around hard-to-teach concepts in mathematics,
science, and reading. Working in small groups, the development teams produced
model lessons that reflected effective instructional practices, appropriate use
of technology, and good pedagogy to engage students in hard-to-learn and
difficult-to-teach concepts.
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How should the modules be used?
The modules have several uses. They can be used with K-12 classroom teachers as
instructional modules. They can serve as models and examples of good practice
by professors in educating preservice teachers. They can be used as examples
for educators interested in creating their own technology integration lessons
or modules. The flexibility of the modules offers a greater range of options
and opportunities to customize the activities to meet the needs of individual
schools, school districts, and universities.
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Who provides leadership for the COR project?
Two leadership groups were organized to provide stakeholder input and guidance.
The twenty-member Executive Committee of Stakeholders, comprised of leaders
from partner institutions and agencies, provides leadership for the Educational
Technology Congress and links its efforts to the broader preK-16 collaboration of
the Joint Council of the Ohio Board of Regents and the State Department of
Education. The Educational Technology Congress reflects the rank of stakeholder
organizations, preK-16, as well as parents and business leaders. The ongoing
efforts of the congress will enable the state to coordinate and deploy large,
systemic projects such as the development of the catalystOhio Resources
for Education as well as other strategic initiatives to align Ohio's efforts.
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Project Staff
Tim Best, Ohio Board of Regents
Ed Hill, Program Manager, Ohio SchoolNET
Margaret Kasten, Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading
Nicole Luthy, Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading
Sandy Paxton, Ohio SchoolNet
Terry Shiverdecker, Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading
Unice Teasley, Ohio SchoolNet
Sigrid Wagner, Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading
Elizabeth Wallace, Ohio SchoolNet
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Technology Integrated Module Team Leaders
Mathematics Development Team
Patti Brosnan, Ohio State University
Allison Goedde, Educational Technologist, Northwest Ohio Educational Technology
Foundation
Science Development Team
Colleen Sexton, Ohio University
Fred Donelson, Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools
Reading Development Team
David Bruce, Kent State University
Abbie Cook, University of Cincinnati
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Technology Integrated Module Development Teams
Mathematics Project Participants
Lynn Ochs, Hamilton County Educational Service Center, Technology for Learning
Center
Pat Ritchey, Bowling Green State University
Tom Robbins, Worthington City Schools
Kathy Tibaldi, Roehm Middle School
Colleen Finegan, Wright State University
Ronald Helms, Wright State University
Neena Giallombardo, Columbus Public Schools
Martine Audeoud, Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Becky Miller, Fort Recovery Middle School
Michael Miller, Worthington City Schools
Laura Moss, Ohio University, Department of Mathematics
Nancy Luthy, Marietta College
Maxine Foster, Columbus Public Schools
Isaac Larison, Xavier University
Mary Wolfe, University of Rio Grande
Jyh-Mei Liu, Ashland University
Joyce Pittman, University of Cincinnati
Alice Tope, Educational Technology Services
Science Project Participants
Richard Rushton, Ashland University, College of Education
Doris Johnson, Wright State University
Rita Schaner, The Ohio State University
Denise Lutz, Hilliard City Schools
Deborah Kelly, Van Wert City Schools
Renee Harper, Adams County/Ohio Valley Schools
John Merrill, The Ohio State University, College of Engineering
Christina Malinowski, Mentor Exempted Village Schools
Teresa Franklin, Ohio University, College of Education
Jeanine Ray, Kent State University
Andria Wertenberger, Ottoville Local Schools
Mark Walter, Lakewood City Schools
John Cindric, The University of Findlay
Natalie Abell, The University of Findlay
Janelle Chiasera, The Ohio State University
Stephanie Records, Worthington City Schools
Janet Bohren, University of Cincinnati
Laura Dell, WCET
Language Arts Project Participants
Rita Bingham, WVIZ
Beth Brown, Columbus State Community College
Rita Colasent, Cleveland Municipal Schools
Thomas Shessler, Hamilton County Educational Service Center
Theresa Minick, Kent State University
Nancy McCracken, Kent State University
John Bennett, Portage Path School of Technology
Kelly Hibbett, Deer Park Schools
Amy Stough, Maumee City Schools
Marilyn Simpson, Marion City Schools
Yolanda Curtis, Canton City Schools
Mary Cunningham, Girard City Schools
Dorothy Erb, Marietta College
Lynette Miller, Columbus City Schools
Delmi Gunawardena, Cleveland State University
Susan Davis, Findlay City Schools
Debra Paputsakis, Paulding Exempted Village Schools
Linda Joseph, Columbus Public Schools
Linda Resch, Columbus Public Schools
Peggy Whyte, ITSCO
Rebecca Nassar, Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc.
Maureen Davis, The Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio
Brenda Daker, Southwestern Ohio Instructional Technology Association, Inc.
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