Each half-year, we will provide the CFF board of directors with a summary of what was accomplished in those six months. Generally, the Innovation Office focuses on the priority programs of CFF with occasional support given to the Executive Director and other commitees of the foundation.
One-to-One and Project-Based Learning Environments
This project is the top priority for CFF and has expanded from work with 1-1 technologies at Lemon Grove and Emerald Middle School to include work with the project-based learning initiative at the Santee District.
- Facilitate on-going project planning and implementation at both Lemon Grove and Emerald Middle School, working with Darryl LaGace, Mary Kraus, Terrie Perez, and Superintendent Ernie Anastos.
- Research assessment tools for evaluating twenty-first century skills developed by students within 1-1 programs. Despite many initiatives to promote such skills, few assessments exist and those are located in Britain using technology standards that do not apply to California.
- Conduct and report on teacher focus groups for Santee District on the lessons learned and implementation challenges of applying the project-based learning ideas from the UCLA SEEDS program.
- Prepare inventories of software and instructional applications used within 1-1 learning environments for use by SDCOE.
- Participate in planning and development of a CFF Broadband Access Initiative to enable student access to high-speed Internet at home and in the community beyond school sites.
Teacher Innovation Space
The Teacher Innovation Space project has shifted from work focused on revitalizing the Joe Rindone Regional Technology Center to providing teacher requirements for SDCOE instructional services to districts.
- Facilitate continued use by TIME2Innovate teachers of the CFF Communities web site, and prepare a software upgrade to the latest version of software.
- Initiate an Innovation Wizard blog on the CFF Communities web site
- Collect teacher priorities for instructional applications recommended to satisfy the 44 priority TIME requirements.
Data Intensive Science
- Collaborated with Nancy Taylor for presentation to the SDCOE Board of Education in recognition of the contribution of equipment by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and General Atomics and of the impact on students in middle school from this innovative instructional approach.
- Secured the interest at Santee School District for data intensive science, and support use of DIS equipment by the summer institute of MSSELI, a science teacher-leadership institute funded by The San Diego Foundation.
Innovation in Education Awards
- Updated the CFF web site with program activities from 2008 and with information for the 2009 event, as directed by the Executive Director.
Model Classrooms
The Model Classrooms project shifted to a major focus on the Midway University aboard the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum. At their request, CFF provides expertise in classrooms of the future under contract with the Midway museum. These experiences provide models for learning environments for other informal math and science education facilities, like museums, research centers and technology centers.
- Convened and facilitated an on-going series of collaborative explorations of instructional strategies for Midway educators with select teachers from the TIME2Innovate cohort.
- Participated in on-going design team meetings with Midway educators, Midway facilities and IT staff, shipboard services contractors, educational and studio design architects, and Promethean technology suppliers.
- Prepared specifications and cost estimates for instructional technology for Midway model classrooms.
- Prepared report on the CFF Midway Model Classroom initiative.
Broadband Access for Students
CFF continues to explore ways to use the Educational Broadband Services capabilities to benefit students in San Diego. Under the leadership of Steve Clemons and Bruce Braciszewski, a new initiative is emerging to expand high-speed Internet access to students beyond the classroom at home and in the community.
- Participate in initial convening with SDCOE, CFF, and broadband service suppliers, such as Cox, Time Warner, AT&T, Qualcomm, Sprint.
Cheers
Rick