TEACHER PARTICIPANTS

PROJECT GOALS

Urban Dreams Focus on Human and Civil Rights

Integration of Technology and Curriculum

Access to Technology

Chart of References to Key Words in Questions #3 and #4

Integrating Technology into the Curriculum

According to the responses of the participants, the Urban Dreams Project goals are clearly aimed at integrating technology into the English and Social Studies curriculum. Responses indicate that the project focus on human and civil rights is understood and supported by the participants. The emphasis on curriculum embedded technologies that are native and transparent to teaching styles and content delivery has been well articulated through the Urban Dreams professional development curriculum workshops, technology training sessions, and ongoing staff support.

In the interview (question 3), teachers were asked what they believed were the goals of Urban Dreams Project. Responses were focused on human and civil rights, access to technology, and integration of technology into English and Social Studies curriculum.

According to teacher interview responses, the primary reasons teachers gave for participating in Urban Dreams Project were to:

Improve computer literacy for themselves and their students.

Provide equitable computer access for their students.

Learn how to effectively integrate technology into curriculum.

Gain technology resources, training, and support.

Focus on human and civil rights.

Improve English and Social Studies instruction.

References to Key Words in Questions #3 and #4

Urban Dreams Focus on Human and Civil Rights

One of the goals of the Urban Dreams Project is:

Oakland teachers who participate in the Technology Integration Professional Development Program will produce interdisciplinary, multicultural curricula reflecting the themes of human and civil rights.

Nine out of the 21 teachers focused on human and civil rights as a primary goal of the project in question #3. When asked what they considered to be the goals of the Urban Dreams Project (Question #3), most of the teachers responded with reference to both improving technology and student learning.

Teacher Responses:

Introduce the themes of human rights and civil rights to students

Promote awareness and focus teaching about Human and Civil Rights

To incorporate technology and human and civil rights into instructional strategies.

Social Consciousness

To link Human Rights curriculum to the classroom.

To integrate technology into my curriculum, give students opportunities to develop and practice learning skills in social studies and language arts w/in context of social justice and develop products w/aid and use of technology as a learning tool.

Establish a focus on civil rights themes.

To use technology to explore issues of human rights in English and Social Studies classes.

To highlight social justice issues as a curricular focus.

To help teachers work together on curriculum related to social justice issues and to integrate technology into the classroom.

When teachers were asked why they got involved in the Urban Dreams project, teachers referred to their interest in the human and civil rights theme (Question #4).

Teacher Responses:

	I went to represent the language arts department which has a predominantly social science direction. I believe the arts are more than a part of the social justice struggle, they may be the most important part.
	I got involved in the project because I agree with the Urban Dreams goals and because I saw it as an opportunity to gain access to computers for my students and for myself.
	Because I am very interested in all of the goals of Urban Dreams.

In addition to the focus on human and civil rights, teachers made reference to the desire to improve English and Social Studies curriculum through the use of technology in teaching.

English and Social Studies Curriculum

To bridge English to Social Studies to Technology

To develop engaging curriculum that integrates technology and the History-Social Science, English subject areas

Use technology to enhance English and Social Studies teaching.

To improve research skills as students use the internet to research social studies and/or English related topics.

Embellish social science curriculum.

Establish a focus on civil rights themes.

Provide peer curricular support.

To improve student writing skills.

Internet resources for Social Studies and to learn new technology.

Integration of Technology and Curriculum

Primary activities of the Urban Dreams Project included a comprehensive professional development component that integrates best practices, develops historical thinking skills, expository writing skills, project-based learning techniques, and technology skills in the context of content. An intensive two-week Summer Institute focused on the integration of subject matter content and technology. Each cohort of Oakland teachers who participated in the Technology Integration Professional Development Program were expected to demonstrate augmented content knowledge in the disciplines of social sciences and literature, technology uses in the classroom, and constructivist pedagogy. Teachers interviewed were clearly focused on integrating technology into curriculum as determined by their answers to question #3 referring to the goals of the project and question #4 on why they chose to participate.

Teacher Responses:

	To integrate (use) technology in the classroom.
	To integrate technology and curriculum to enhance instruction and get students more engaged.
	To develop teacher awareness and expertise in use of technology in their teaching
	To bridge deep substantive material with technology.
	To integrate technology and the curriculum. Use together.
	To integrate technology in lesson plans.
	Integrate technology into the classroom.
	One goal is to encourage the use of technology in the classroom and to help teachers creatively and effectively integrate that technology with instruction
	To bring technology to academic classes and to deepen academics through technology.
	To learn more about the project; possible way to enhance classroom instruction.
	To learn how to integrate technology into my lessons.
	To explore new forums of learning, develop exciting products, do real work in a classroom setting.
	I got involved because I was excited about expanding my knowledge and use of technology in the classroom. I wanted to be a part of a group of teachers who would be planning and sharing exciting curriculum ideas. I was anxious to have the new technology.
	To help develop new curriculum, work with other educators, and revitalize current teaching strategies.

Access to Technology

One of the chief objectives of the Urban Dreams project was to provide classroom access to hardware, software and other technology tools to support district, state and national standards and increase computer access in high-poverty schools. The goal was to achieve a student-to-computer ratio in high-poverty schools comparable to that in other schools. The first year report indicated that one of the primary objectives was for every high school student in Oakland Unified School District to have consistent access to computer technology as instructional and learning tools in their social studies and language arts classes and classrooms. The project purchased and networked five computers in each of the target social studies and language arts classrooms. Similarly, the project purchased laptop computers and accompanying software for teachers to use as part of the instructional program.

According to the teacher interviews, concern about the lack of student access to technology in the classroom was a motivation for teachers to participate in the Urban Dreams project. Teachers stated that they saw this as a way of getting technology equipment, support, and training that would benefit their students.

To help bridge the technological gap in inner city schools. The Project's goals are to help low-income students become educated with computer technology.

To improve student access to technology and to improve learning in the classroom through integration of technology.

Computer access and literacy - technological fluency.

To teach computer skills to students.

Technology in class - students and teachers both aware and using it.

To help teachers to learn to use new technology in the classroom.

To train/educate teachers in technology.

1) Provide technology for the classroom. 2) Provide training for us of that technology.

Expand computer literacy of teachers and students.

To assimilate teachers and students into the technological world, provide our classrooms with the latest technology, to show teachers what resources are available through technology, etc.

When asked why they got involved in the Urban Dreams Project, teachers indicated the following concerning student and teacher access to technology and computer literacy (question #4).

Teacher Responses:

I became involved because my students do have access to computers. The few computers that are in the school cannot provide enough education to my students. The project can ameliorate that problem.

To increase my computer literacy skills. To attain technology tools for myself and my students.

More access to technology.

I wanted my students to have access to equipment.

Technology training/computers in the classroom

I understand my shortcomings in this area and the need to fit technology into my curriculum. Also, the attraction of 5 computers in my classroom for student use.

To become technology literate

To gain tech tools for my classroom and to use tech tools in my classroom.

To get updated technology for student use in the classroom.

I want to become more informed about using computers beyond word processing. I find using the Internet extremely frustrating and want to learn how to use it effectively. I would also like to use PowerPoint to create units and work on editing with the class

[I want] to "keep up" with my students tech.

	Urban Dreams Focus on Human and Civil Rights
	Integration of Technology and Curriculum
	Access to Technology
	Chart of References to Key Words in Questions #3 and #4

	Improve computer literacy for themselves and their students.
	Provide equitable computer access for their students.
	Learn how to effectively integrate technology into curriculum.
	Gain technology resources, training, and support.
	Focus on human and civil rights.
	Improve English and Social Studies instruction.

	Introduce the themes of human rights and civil rights to students
	Promote awareness and focus teaching about Human and Civil Rights
	To incorporate technology and human and civil rights into instructional strategies.
	Social Consciousness
	To link Human Rights curriculum to the classroom.
	To integrate technology into my curriculum, give students opportunities to develop and practice learning skills in social studies and language arts w/in context of social justice and develop products w/aid and use of technology as a learning tool.
	Establish a focus on civil rights themes.
	To use technology to explore issues of human rights in English and Social Studies classes.
	To highlight social justice issues as a curricular focus.
	To help teachers work together on curriculum related to social justice issues and to integrate technology into the classroom.

	To bridge English to Social Studies to Technology
	To develop engaging curriculum that integrates technology and the History-Social Science, English subject areas

	Use technology to enhance English and Social Studies teaching.
	To improve research skills as students use the internet to research social studies and/or English related topics.
	Embellish social science curriculum.
	Establish a focus on civil rights themes.
	Provide peer curricular support.
	To improve student writing skills.
	Internet resources for Social Studies and to learn new technology.

	To help bridge the technological gap in inner city schools. The Project's goals are to help low-income students become educated with computer technology.
	To improve student access to technology and to improve learning in the classroom through integration of technology.
	Computer access and literacy - technological fluency.
	To teach computer skills to students.
	Technology in class - students and teachers both aware and using it.
	To help teachers to learn to use new technology in the classroom.
	To train/educate teachers in technology.
	1) Provide technology for the classroom. 2) Provide training for us of that technology.
	Expand computer literacy of teachers and students.
	To assimilate teachers and students into the technological world, provide our classrooms with the latest technology, to show teachers what resources are available through technology, etc.

	I became involved because my students do have access to computers. The few computers that are in the school cannot provide enough education to my students. The project can ameliorate that problem.
	To increase my computer literacy skills. To attain technology tools for myself and my students.
	More access to technology.
	I wanted my students to have access to equipment.
	Technology training/computers in the classroom
	I understand my shortcomings in this area and the need to fit technology into my curriculum. Also, the attraction of 5 computers in my classroom for student use.
	To become technology literate
	To gain tech tools for my classroom and to use tech tools in my classroom.
	To get updated technology for student use in the classroom.
	I want to become more informed about using computers beyond word processing. I find using the Internet extremely frustrating and want to learn how to use it effectively. I would also like to use PowerPoint to create units and work on editing with the class
	[I want] to "keep up" with my students tech.