The goal of the Project Share Support Center (PSSC) is to provide support for Project Share, a collection of Web 2.0 tools and applications that provides high quality professional development in an interactive and engaging learning environment. Project Share leverages existing and new professional development resources for K-12 teachers across the state and builds professional learning communities where educators can collaborate and participate in online learning opportunities. Project Share is a collaboration among the Texas Education Agency, The New York Times Knowledge Network, Epsilen, and Texas Education on iTunes U.
To learn more about Project Share, go to www.projectsharetexas.org.
The Texas Education Agency launched Project Share to explore the development and delivery of high quality, sustained, and ongoing professional development for educators so they can meet the needs of our 21st century learners. The professional development encompasses topics such as leadership, assessment, standards-based core instruction, effective instructional frameworks, reporting and accountability, and sustainability. In 2009, Rider 42 of the General Appropriations Act, Article III of the 81st Texas Legislature appropriated $152 million each fiscal year for the Student Success Initiative (SSI) with a particular emphasis on Professional Development (PD) Academies and an online platform, Project Share, to extend teacher professional development opportunities.1 The Project Share Strategic Plan Phase I primary goals were to:
- Provide awareness of the Project Share initiative and opportunities for Texas districts, educators, and students.
- Create teacher accounts and provide access to Project Share resources.
- Develop and disseminate face-to-face and online professional development.
- Form Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) around professional development and/or shared educational interests.
- Provide access to rich digital content from a variety of sources.
- Plan for ePortfolio and ePortfolio Assessment pilots.
As of summer 2011, over 300,000 Texas educators were provided Project Share online access and support for retrieving existing and developing new online professional development resources.2
1 Texas Education Agency (January, 2011). The Student Success Initiative 2009-2010 Biennium Evaluation Report: Executive Summary http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147489836&menu_id=680&menu_id2=797&cid=2147483656
2 Texas Education Agency (2011). Project Share Booklet.
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TEA’s official Project Share web presence is maintained by the Project Share Support Center. Announcements, marketing, support materials, videos, Epsilen log in, and course catalog provide users a singular location for accessing Project Share resources.
To learn more about Project Share, go to www.projectsharetexas.org.
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The Project Share Support Center developed a marketing and information booklet that outlines the goals and achievements of TEA’s Strategic Plan (Phases I and II) for Project Share.
Download the booklet here.
TEA commissioned the Project Share Support Center to provide a 34-page guide for educators in summer 2011 that outlines the preliminary steps for accessing Project Share resources.
Download the teacher guide here.
During the winter of 2010, the Project Share Support Center published both an English and Spanish version of a student guide to online etiquette (netiquette) and safety for accessing resources in Project Share.
Download the English student guide here.
Download the Spanish student guide here.
A four part series on navigating the content repositories in Project Share as powered by Epsilen were developed by the Project Share Support Center and are available through the Texas Education on iTunes U portal.
To access iTunes U through the Project Share website, go to www.projectsharetexas.org.
Two online courses (NYT Lessons for Secondary and NYT Lessons for Elementary) are currently under development by the Project Share Support Center to provide sample lesson plans and student lessons that utilize digital assets from the content repository tool in the Epsilen platform. These courses will be available through the Epsilen platform in winter 2011.
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In spring 2012, the Project Share Support Center will coordinate with TEA and SXSWedu to provide a face-to-face professional development training-of-trainers event for the 20 Texas Education Service Centers (ESCs) and the largest school districts. The training will incorporate a blended model with both an online course in the Epsilen platform as well as supporting materials for accessing resources on Project Share.
For more information about SXSWedu, click here.
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Karen Nelson |
Director,
Academic Foundation Initiatives |
|
Daryl Michel, Ph.D. |
Assistant Director,
Academic Foundation Initiatives |
|
Terri Pérez |
Project Manager,
Academic Foundation Initiatives |
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