Grant Proposal for Professional Development for Google Classroom

FRIT 7232

Visionary Leadership in Instructional Technology

Dr. Lucas Jensen

Spring 2020

Abigail Goldin

Natania Riley

Stephen Roper
 Abstract

Our grant proposal is to provide professional development for teachers to implement Google

Classroom into their classrooms. Teachers in Buford City Schools will have training in using

Google and Google Apps before implementing them into their classrooms. The goal of this

development is to have all teachers integrating and using Google Classroom and Apps in their

classrooms by December 1, 2021. In order to successfully do this, teachers will have onsite and

online learning training on the usage and implementation of Google Classroom and their Apps

by Certified Google Classroom Trainers. The overall outcome of this professional development

is for teachers to implement this into their classroom assignments and for students to successfully

use their own Google accounts and Google Apps.

Our project’s expected outcomes are:

Teachers will learn how to effectively implement Google Classroom and Google Apps into their

classroom instruction.

Our project’s expected goals are:

A selected group of teachers (one representative from the Elementary, Academy, Sr. Academy,

Middle and High School), school librarians, and local school technology coordinators (for a total

of 15) will be selected to become Certified Google Classroom Trainers. Certified trainers will

deliver a series of professional development classes to teachers at their local schools as outlined

in the goals and objectives.

 Demonstrated Need

Buford City Schools’ technology coordinator, in an email requesting his suggestions for needed

professional development, stated that “Google Apps has ever-changing capabilities and is one

area any school could always have professional development in.” According to the district’s

curriculum director, “Last spring, teachers told us they wanted PL centered around technology.

Based on that information, we included tech PL in our District Improvement Plan and

planned/conducted the IT Summit.” In a March, 2019, survey given to all district faculty

members, question number sixty-nine asked survey-takers to “select two professional

development topics listed below you think are needed to meet your school improvement goals

and/or your professional growth needs.” Seventy-three respondents (23.01%) chose

“Instructional technology trends that balance classroom instruction.” It was the third-highest

response. (See full results in Appendix A). In the District Improvement Plan, Action Step Three

states that teachers “will receive professional learning on the effective use of evidence-based

instructional strategies, technology, and differentiation.” (See Appendix B). Given the results of

the teacher survey, the emphasis on technology in the District Improvement Plan, and the

suggestions of the district’s instructional technology and curriculum departments, there is a clear

and present need for professional development in effective technology integration. While the

district has held some PL opportunities on technology integration, instructors have been able to

choose what technologies they focused on. At this point, there needs to be a focus on one

comprehensive platform that would encompass effective utilization of instruction, which makes

Google Classroom, with its myriad of Google apps that integrate in Google classroom, the

logical choice for professional development in the area of technology integration going forward.
 Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: By August 1, 2021, Buford City School System will provide onsite and online training

on Google Classroom and its features to model and strengthen technological leadership to their

teachers and staff throughout the district.

Objectives for Goal 1:

• Teachers and staff will attend a 4-hour training on Google Classroom and its features

during the two back-to-back professional learning days in May.

- Teachers and staff will attend 2 hours of training on each professional learning day with a

Google Classroom trainer.

• Teachers and staff will complete one online training module on Google Classroom and its

features.

- Teachers and staff will complete the online training module on Google Classroom

offered through BlackBoard.

Goal 2: By August 1, 2021, teachers and staff in the Buford City School System will be trained

on Google Classroom and its features using both onsite and online training in order to be

successful 21st-century educators.

Objectives for Goal 2:

• Each teacher and staff member will develop a lesson plan that integrates the use of

Google Classroom and its features.

 - Teachers and staff will be in groups and present their lessons during the staff

meeting on the last professional learning day in May.

Goal 3: By December 1, 2021, teachers and staff in Buford City System will integrate Google

Classroom and their features into their lessons on a regular basis.

Objectives for Goal 3:

• Teachers who are trained will demonstrate effective use of Google Classroom and its

features in the classroom.

- Teachers will provide weekly lesson plans that include the use of Google

Classroom and its features.

Goal 4: Students will use Google Classroom and its features for their assignments on a regular

basis. The features include Gmail, Google Docs, Slides, Drive, and Sheets.

Objectives for Goal 4:

• Students will submit assignments that demonstrate the use of Google Classroom and its

features.

- Teachers will provide and submit copies of at least one assignment from students

that include the use of Google Classroom and its features.

 Plan of Operation

The Google Classroom and its features training is scheduled to take place over a two day

period during the professional learning days in July. Training will take place in the collaboration

room and will be led by a certified Google trainer with assistants. The training will focus on

using Google Classroom in the classroom to enhance instruction and increase collaboration

between teachers and students.

In order for goal one and two to be met, the two days will consist of a thorough report of Google

Classroom and its features. Teachers and staff will attend each day and learn how to use Google

Classroom and learn more about its features and tools like Google Slides, Google Docs, etc. At

the end of the second day, teachers and staff will need to login into Blackboard and complete a

module that contains information that they learned in the training. Teachers and staff will receive

credit for completing the course. They will have until July 31, 2021 to complete the module. At

the end of the second professional learning day, teachers and staff will be put into groups and

collaborate to create a lesson that integrates Google Classrooms and its features. Teachers and

staff will share their lessons among their colleagues. Each lesson plan will be put in a shared

drive for reference.

In order for goal three and four to be met, teachers will have all the necessary tools and skills to

integrate Google Classroom and Google Apps in the classroom to increase student engagement.

Teachers will submit weekly lesson plans and work from students that incorporate Google

Classroom and its features into lessons and assignments.

 Evaluation Plan

● By December 1, 2021, teachers should have fully implemented Google Classroom

in their classrooms, and should be using clear, defined guidelines in order for them to

manage instruction and engage students in their learning.

● Administrators will conduct brief classroom observations to determine if teachers

are utilizing Google Classroom appropriately. This will determine if the professional

development training was effective or ineffective.

● Students will access and use their Google account and features like Google Docs,

Slides, and Sheets in all subject areas in the school. Teachers will determine if students

are using it effectively or not.

 Budget
Timeline Activity/Coordinating Goal
January 2020 Identify & Select Candidates
to serve as Google Classroom
Trainers
February - April 2020 Google Classroom Trainers -
Complete Google Classroom
Certified Trainer Series
May 27- 28, 2020 Professional Development -
Initial Google Classroom
Training w/Certified Trainers
(4hrs)
July 29 - Aug 4, 2020 Complete On-Line Training
Modules -
● Google
Classroom & Features
● Google
Classroom through
BlackBoard
Sept 4, 2020 Professional Development -
Google Classroom
w/Certified Trainers (2hrs)
Sept 8 - Oct 5, 2020 Teachers and Staff - Develop Included in teacher weekly planning
lesson plan integrate use of
Google Classroom & Features
Budget
N/A
Trainer Stripend -
per teacher $250 x 15
(1 per local school)
5 Librarians
5 Technology Specialists
5 Teachers
Total $3,750
Training Cost -
Trainer Certification Assessment -
$15
Level 1 Certification Assessment -
$10
Level 2 Certification Assessment -
$25
Total -$50 x 15 = $750
Post Planning Days - Included in
190 Work Schedule
Pre-Planning Days - Included in 190
Work Schedule
Professional Learning Day -
Included in 190 Work Schedule
Oct 12, 2020 Professional Development - Professional Learning Day -
Google Classroom Included in 190 Work Schedule
w/Certified Trainers (2hrs)

2nd Semester - 4th Evidence of Student Use - n/a

Semester Curriculum Coordinators will
receive weekly reports from
Curriculum Meetings with
evidence of student use of
Google Classroom and
features

*Technology Coordinators
will pull weekly data reports
of Student Google Classroom
use of all teachers/staff

Jan 4, 2021 Professional Development - Professional Learning Day -

Google Classroom Included in 190 Work Schedule
w/Certified Trainers (2hrs)

*Teachers provide
documentation of student
mastery of submitted
assignments using Google
Classroom & features (will
share in break out meetings
by curriculum or grade level)

Jan 5-8, 2021 Teachers complete survey on n/a

IT Summit Presentations by
Google Classroom Trainers

Jan 11, 2021 Google Classroom Trainers - Stipends for Presentation

Assess Survey Results and Develop & Present at IT Summit -
Develop Weekly Lesson or $150 per teacher x 15
Google Classroom Feature to Total $2,250
present at IT Summit

Feb 14, 2021 IT Summit - Google IT Summit Breakfast -

Classroom Trainers $750
Presentations

March 14, 2021 Professional Development - Professional Learning Day -

Google Classroom Included in 190 Work Schedule
w/Certified Trainers (2hrs)
*Teachers provide
 documentation of student
mastery of submitted
assignments using Google
Classroom & features (will
share in break out meetings
by curriculum or grade level)

May 27, 2021 Professional Development - Professional Learning Day -

Vertical Team Presentations: Included in 190 Work Schedule
K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12
(Teacher & Staff present
lessons developed through
year)
 References

Buford City Schools District Improvement Plan. (2019). Retrieved from

https://www.bufordcityschools.org/

Buford City Schools Staff Survey. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.bufordcityschools.org/

Google For Education Teacher Center. (2020). Retrieved from

https://teachercenter.withgoogle.com/certification_trainer
Appendix A: Professional Development Survey Results
Appendix B: District Improvement Goals