Projects
Initiated and led at Oakland Schools
(regional service agency supporting 28 school districts in metro Detroit)
mi PLACE (Michigan Professional Learning and Collaboration Environment)
Problem: Organization was not using technology in a unified, strategic way to provide better, personalized teacher training.
Solution: Designed and developed mi PLACE, a virtual learning platform built on Totara (Moodle-based) with integrated Google apps. Wrote RFP, problem-solved with selected company during the build, marketed platform in local districts, onboarded users, and grew the number of learning offerings.
Soft launch October 2015. Still in use by the organization.
Results in 2016: Users - 3,020, Learning offerings - 203 in multiple formats, User-created collaborative groups - 134
Learning Innovations Group
Problem: Lack of strategic planning, training, and budgeting in organization to increase virtual and blended learning for educators.
Solution: Appointed to lead cross-departmental work group to perform strategic planning, plan training, and disseminate budget information and funds across departments.
Results: 8 training workshops scheduled through the spring, weekly one-on-one design meetings with consultants, allocated $60,000 in funds for virtual learning development, developing micro-credentialing program, disseminated information via monthly department meetings.
Oakland Schools Literacy Digital Presence
Problem: The Literacy Team (9 consultants) had no online presence to communicate with constituents and market learning offerings.
Solution: Designed and implemented an integrated digital presence: website, blog, and Twitter account. Hired a web development firm, co-designed and built site, trained colleagues on Wordpress, continue to manage content and support team-wide editing. Manage 12 teacher-bloggers who post monthly. Hired and manage blog editor. Manage Twitter account. Rolled out spring 2014. Still in use by organization.
Results: Average number of unique monthly website users - 9,135, Twitter followers - 1,350 (2016)
Literacy Webinar Series
Problem: Lack of free, high-quality virtual offerings for literacy educators.
Solution: Created and moderated annual year-long webinar series featuring literacy experts.
2014-15 Reading and Writing in Digital Spaces Series, 2015-16 Revision - the Heart of Writing Series, 2016-17 Word Study, Vocabulary & Grammar: the Toughest Nuts to Crack
Results: Average webinar registration - 202
4T Virtual Conference on Digital Writing
Problem: A lack of high-quality online learning about the teaching of digital writing.
Solution: Organized a virtual conference sponsored by Oakland Schools, the University of Michigan School of Education, and the National Writing Project. Chair and recruit planning team, select presenters, special invited guests, and keynotes. Train and coach webinar presenters in effective online facilitation, maintain website, create and implement marketing plan, secure sponsorship funds from universities and companies.
Results:
2015 conference - 16 sessions over 4 days, 736 registrants worldwide.
2016 conference - 24 sessions over 4 days, 1,020 registrants worldwide.
Oakland Schools Teaching Research Writing Website
Problem: A dearth of resources for teaching research writing in grades 6-12, which the newly adopted Common Core Standards require.
Solution: Enlisted a team of literacy, social studies, and special education consultants to co-design a resources website, including lessons to teach the research writing process. Rolled out summer 2013. Co-facilitated a year-long project with teams from 8 districts to develop interdisciplinary research writing units.
Results: Average number of unique monthly website users - 330 (2016). Interdisciplinary curriculum writing process documented in this article in the Michigan Reading Journal.
Problem: Need for county-wide clarity about and resources for best practices in the teaching of spelling, phonics, grammar and vocabulary grades K-12.
Solution: Joined four-person cross-departmental team researching the issue and consulting with literacy experts. Co-facilitated 40-person work group composed of district literacy leaders.
Results: Publication and county-wide dissemination of the white paper "Helping Students Own Language Through Word Study, Vocabulary and Grammar Instruction," launch of word study-focused webinar series, pilot on effective grammar instruction in two districts using a lab classroom approach.