SPIRIT - The Professional Development Program for Teachers & Counselors: July 9-20, 2012

If you are a high school teacher or guidance counselor, the SPIRIT program will show you how you can enhance the delivery of your classroom lessons or advising information using a software tool that has been proven to engage student interest. Additionally, you will learn about the wide-ranging opportunities that exist for students who pursue IT careers, including those that support your discipline.

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Description

This year's two-week, residential, professional development institute for teachers and counselors starts on Monday, July 9, 2012, and continues through Friday, July 20, 2012. During the first week, you will learn to use the basic and advanced features of a software tool, Alice, to enhance instruction in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and other disciplines. During the program, you will have the opportunity to develop Alice-based lessons for a specific unit that you teach or animations using Alice that should better engage student interest in career planning information. Then, during the second week, you will practice delivering your lesson(s)/animation(s) to a small group of high school students in order to collect feedback and further refine them. You'll have the opportunity to work with other teachers/counselors and SPIRIT staff to polish your work so it will be ready for use when the school year begins. During the school year when you implement your enhanced, Alice-based lessons into your classes or animations in your advising practice, you will have more opportunities to further refine them. Finally, you will share your experiences and lessons learned with SPIRIT staff and other teachers.

Benefits

Teachers abd counselors selected for SPIRIT receive the following benefits:

1. Educational credit available (Professional Growth Points-PGPs or Continuing Education Units-CEUs)
2. $1000 stipend, subject to completion of all required activities, assessments and forms
3. No-cost lodging in air-conditioned single units
4. Breakfast and lunch are provided
5. Instructional design support for your Alice-based lessons/animations during the school year
6. Technical support, as needed, to install software in your school labs
7. Certificate of completion
8. Software, textbook, and sample Alice worlds

Expectations

Teachers and counselors who apply to SPIRIT should meet the following requirements, if selected:

1. Submit required paperwork and a $75 deposit after receiving acceptance notification to guarantee a spot in the program. ($25 will be refunded after completion of all required SPIRIT activities.)
2. Attend the entire two-weeks of the on-campus program and complete all activities
3. Bring three or more sample subject content that may be converted to Alice during the program
4. Create at least two Alice-based lessons during the program for possible implementation during the school year
5. During the school year, maintain contact with SPIRIT staff. The minimal communication includes reporting on the following activities:
   • Submit reflective logs and lesson plans to SPIRIT staff.
   • Meet individually with SPIRIT staff
   • Possibly attend in-service conference at Purdue
6. Make your Alice-based lesson plans available to SPIRIT staff and other teachers via the SPIRIT website
7. Agree to allow SPIRIT to use your likeness in promotional materials

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