Research and Development Grant - I'm Participating.

I am so excited to share I am able to participate in a research and development project just being started in our school district.  This was sent out in a district email earlier this school year.

"TRECA, Apple, Houghton Mifflin, and Battelle for Kids are offering a research and development opportunity for one teacher in every building in our district to create an innovative learning environment.

The purpose of the TRECA Research and Development Program is to fund action research projects focused on effective integration of technology to support instructional behaviors designed to personalize student learning. You may use the attached application to identify your plan to implement an innovative learning environment and to identify your approach to action research in your classroom."

My interest was peaked and I tried to talk myself out of taking on one more thing.  I then did some asking around and from what I could tell, no one else applied.  Then I was talking myself into applying because this has great potential for my students, my own learning and I didn't want our building to miss out.  I was notified this week, I am participating.  Hip, Hip, Hooray!

I am a planner and right now there are a lot of unknowns, I'm not even sure what this will involve.  I think this project is being developed step by step from what I can tell or from what is being released.  I do know there is some travel involved and I had to supply my travel information so a flight could be booked.  We are going to innovative schools to observe and begin our research, nothing close to the Midwest.  My choices for elementary schools are CA, AZ, or GA.  I find out this week where I am going and when.

My own next step is to explore this collection of videos which is going to lead to some innovative thinking, I can already tell with just a brief skim.  You might find something of interest too.  The grant I wrote may not be my final project.  I've heard our visits and working with an Apple Representative will help create a framework for my grant and action research.  I hope I find great things to share with you.  Stay Tuned.