The Lower Merion School District Technology Mentor Program is a unique model of distributed staff development designed to stimulate individualized, practical improvement of technology skills for professional staff and to promote effective technology implementation throughout the curriculum. Teachers apply to become mentors in the program and, if selected, undertake a rigorous orientation course to facilitate the implementation of technology throughout the curriculum mentoring three to five colleagues in small learning groups during the school year.

Program Goals: (top)

• To develop technology leadership through Technology Mentors
  • Mentor small learning groups (3 to 5 colleagues per year)
  • Share and model exemplary use of technology at the school and district level
  • Provide leadership for staff development programs at the school and district levels and beyond
    
    
• To continually improve the implementation of technology throughout the curriculum and as a professional tool

• Facilitate small, collaborative learning groups addressing individual and group needs with a focus on development of classroom projects
• Facilitate progression through levels of technology implementation through guided use of individual assessment tools and professional development resources

Focus: Although this is a technology initiative, the staff development emphasis is on improving teaching practice to maximize the impact of the technology. Mentors begin the program with a 2-credit, 30-hour Continuing Professional Education course approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Mentors continue to meet together during the school year for periodic round table sessions to reinforce the focus of the program, support one another, develop and refine the program, and share successes. Mentors and their protégés create and implement individualized plans for developing technology skills through practical, applied project work in their classrooms. Ideal projects are standards-based, focus on enduring understandings and essential questions, promote higher-order thinking skills, provide for differentiated instruction, and feature authentic, student-centered learning. (top)

Building Capacity: The program accepts new mentors each year, continually increasing the capacity to provide other staff development opportunities and promote leadership in technology at the building level. The Technology Department offers a series of two-hour after school workshops throughout the year and during the summer led primarily from the ranks of the Mentor program. Mentors are also encouraged to attend and present at technology conferences and seminars outside the district, including the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Exposition and Conference (PETE&C). (top)

• LMSD Tech Mentor Program Description (last revised 5/2008)
  • ProgramDescription08.pdf (512KB)
• Flyer for Recruiting Mentor Applicants (last revised 5/2008)
  • Flyer08.pdf (160KB)
• Complete Information and Application Packet (last revised 5/2008, includes Program Description)
  • ApplicationPacket08.pdf (2.4MB)
• Syllabus for the Mentor Orientation Course
  • MentorCourseSyllabus.pdf (128K)
• Yearly Milestones for Mentor Responsibilities
  • MentorToDo.pdf (19KB)
• Tips for Mentoring Relationships
  • Tips for Mentoring.pdf (349KB)
• Deciding When to Implement Technology
  • When to Implement.pdf (43KB)
• Mentor Project Format
  • Project Format.pdf (10KB)
• Annotatied Project Format
  • Project Format Annotated.pdf (16KB)
• Program References
  • References.pdf (20KB)

Application
Documents
for Electronic
Submission

(The 2008 spring application period is open from May 5 through May 30.)

(top)

• Application Cover Page (last revised 5/2008)
  • PacketCoverSheet08.pdf (96KB)
  LMSD Tech Mentor Program Description (last revised 5/2008)
  • ProgramDescription08.pdf (512KB)
• Application eForm (last revised 5/2008)
  • Application2008eForm.doc (128KB)
• Stages of Adoption (self assessment)
  • TechAdoptionStages.doc (28KB)
• National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (self assessment)
  • NETSteacherAssessment.xls (212KB)

LMSD Tech Mentor Program
Conference Presentations (top)

Seeding the Grass Roots: Preparing and Supporting Technology Mentors

Florida Educational Computing Conference

March, 2006

National Educational Computing Conference

June, 2005

Pennsylvania Educational Technology Exposition & Conference

February, 2005

Co-Presenters:
Bill Dolton, LMSD Educational Technology Facilitator and district coordinator of the LMSD Tech Mentor Program
Jill Greiner, Assistant Director of Information Technology for Manheim Township School District

Seeding the Grass Roots: Preparing Technology Mentors
Pennsylvania Educational Technology Conference, February, 2003

Manheim Township School District
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Program Coordinator: Jill Greiner, Assistant Director of Information Technology
Program Website: http://www.mtwp.net/staticfiles/tech/mentor/