Loyola University Educational Technology Internship Proposal

Gina Cullison
Baltimore Highlands Elementary School
2017-2018

Internship Goals:
For teachers and students to effectively use classroom recording booths for the use of guided
reading assessments and as a result improve technology skills, reading skills, and provide for
more direct instruction.

Internship Objectives:
 To provide more time to teachers for small group instruction and assessing student’s
running records by implementing classroom recording booths.
 To expose students to more technology opportunities, responsibility, and freedom while
expanding their technology skills by recording their own guided reading assessments.

Internship Overview:
During my internship, I am piloting to solve a problem within my school. Teachers have
a difficult time completing small group interventions while also completing running records to
assess students for guided reading. Students also struggle using technology effectively in
innovative ways. I am proposing to solve both problems by implementing classroom recording
booths. Teachers, who are willing to participate, will incorporate a recording booth studio in
their classrooms. This could look different in each room, some teachers may have a designated
area whereas others may have a traveling recording booth which appeals to those who are using
flexible seating. Students will be able to use the recording booth with their devices to record
themselves reading a guided reading book. They will be instructed to save their recording for
teachers to complete their running record later. This enables teachers to have more time during
small group interventions and gives them flexibility to complete their running record at a
separate time to ensure they are scoring it correctly. Students will be able to have more
responsibility and freedom to complete their reading record while improving their technology
skills. With the use of these recording booths, it should allow for more direct instruction and as a
result improving reading skills overall.
I will begin by piloting the recording booth in my own classroom. I will survey students
on their comfortability with completing a reading assessment with their teacher and another
survey after they used the recording booth. Once the effectiveness is documented in my own
classroom, I will present the idea to the staff with a professional development. When presenting,
I will show how successful the recording booths were in my classroom, survey current
comfortability with completing running records, gauge interest in using recording booths in their
classroom with surveys, and showcase possibilities for recording booths in their own classrooms.
Once I understand how many teachers are willing to participate, I will help those teachers set up,
or create, their recording booths. I will hold several voluntary meetings with the STAT teacher to
assist any teachers with their recording booths once they are implemented. I will also provide
additional professional development via screencasts on how to record and save students’
recordings. I will constantly keep notes, reflect, and document the process within a blog on my
internship website. I will provide Likert scales to teachers and students before and after they used
the recording booths to see how it is improving reading instruction. I will use this information to
assist teachers and make myself available for any assistance they may need.
The ultimate goal is to provide teachers with more flexibility and comfortability with
running records, increase reading skills with more time for direct instruction, and increase
student’s and teacher’s technology skills. The recording studio may look different in each
classroom and teachers may find others ways to adapt it as well. I am providing flexibility and
suggestions as the process continues. I will be there for support and assistance as needed. I am
looking forward to piloting this new program while showing leadership skills in my school.

Rationale:
When looking closely at Ely’s conditions of change, I believe my internship plans will
address some of these conditions. When these conditions are in place, it is ideal for the
successful implementation of a technological innovation. My internship will address the
dissatisfaction with the status quo right now because teachers are expected to complete guided
reading assessments while engaging students in small group reading groups. Often, when
teachers are assessing students, it does take away time and attention from the other students in
the guided reading group. Most attention is focused on the student who is reading to see if they
can move up to the next guided reading level, as the teacher records that student’s running
record. It is up to the discretion of the teacher, if the student is going to be tested for guided
reading, based on their ability to read sight words and use their reading strategies. However,
students may challenge themselves more if they know they will be using the recording studio
during their scheduled time. This could be an incentive for the students while helping the teacher
stay engaged and focus their attention solely on each small group.
The knowledge and skills exist for teachers to assess students’ guided reading levels. This
innovation would just allow them to assess them in a new way. The main resources are there to
create this recording studio for each classroom because students in grades one through five have
their own devices. Teachers would have to provide the materials to set up and design their
recording studio in their classroom. It could be as extravagant or simple as they desire. It would
require the training for the teachers and students. This would have to be done during some
instructional time for the students. Teachers could receive training at a Monday faculty meeting,
grade-level planning, or a voluntary meeting before/after school. There are built-in rewards for
teachers to participate because once students are comfortable using the technology, they will
have extra time during small groups.
In terms of the diffusion theory, I strive for other teachers in my school to adopt this
innovation to better meet their needs and their student’s needs. I am considering the factors that
influence the adoption of an innovation as I plan for my internship. The trialability of this
innovation could differ on each teacher’s interests. It can be tried out for a short or long amount
of time. If teachers are willing to try it, they may like using the innovation and use it throughout
the whole school year. There will be observable results based on how frequently students are
recording themselves and the quality of each recording session. The relative advantage for this
innovation would be the students reading in an engaging, new way and the teachers being able to
use these recordings to assess their students. Their recordings would be uninterrupted and
teachers can provide meaningful feedback to students in a timely manner. The complexity of this
innovation does involve some dedication and patience from the teachers who would be willing to
participate. They would need to teach students how to use it and set up their recording studio.
This innovation would be compatible with all grade levels because it will only require one
device.

Internship Timeline Action Plan:

Action Person/Group Responsible Date to be Completed By

Meet with principal to discuss Me/ Principal End of September
proposal and connection to
SPP
Begin implementing Me Beginning of October
recording studio in my own
classroom
Provide staff with Me End of October
professional development
introducing recording studio
Survey teacher’s Me End of October
interest/availability in
recording studio/ Determine
who will implement
Hold voluntary session with Me/STAT teacher November
teachers before/after school:
introducing recording studio
in their classrooms, provide
Likert scales for teachers &
students
Provide teachers with Me November
screencast/webinar on how to
record/save sessions
Hold voluntary session Me/STAT teacher December
before/after school:
Implementation check to see
how they are doing,
reflections going forward
Survey for teachers on Me January
recording studio effectiveness
Present updates to staff on Me January
effectiveness of recording
booths and gauge any
additional interest
Meet to discuss plans for Me/Principal February
recording booths for the
remainder of the school year