Advancing Professionally Overview

The Learning Space (TLS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide educators with opportunities and tools to develop, implement and share effective uses of technology to improve student learning. The Learning Space has been providing technology integration programs and services to K-12 educators since 1996. Over the past six years The Learning Space has directly served over 12,000 teachers in their professional development needs. TLS professional development programs are based on the International Society for Technology in Education's Teacher Standards (ISTE). The ISTE standards are nationally recognized as the standard for technology in education.

Nine Characteristics of High Performing Schools

The Learning Space Professional Development Program is designed to meet the nine characteristics of high performing schools:

1. Clear Shared Focus
   TLS Concept: Developing Vision for Technology Integration
   TLS programs are designed to be team-based. The project-based, curricular building nature of our programs allows teachers collaborative time to dialogue and develop concepts that will become cornerstones of their classrooms and schools.
2. High standards and Expectations for All Students
   TLS Concept: Project-based, Constructivist Classrooms
   An important element in development of this characteristic is our constructivist approach to student learning. By integrating technology into student centered, project driven classrooms, teachers provide students a variety of ways to learn and then show what they have learned.
3. Effective school leadership
   TLS Concept: Developing Site-Based Leadership and Trainers
   TLS is one of the few groups that strives to develop, support, and provide leadership opportunities for visionary classroom teachers. Teacher-Leaders will develop skills to provide and facilitate training as well as guidance in creating and building online modules.
4. High levels of Collaboration and Communication
   TLS Concept: Teacher Network and Listserv, Online Collaborative Tools and Projects
   TLS continues to invest in cutting edge tools that will allow teachers to improve collaboration and communication both locally and globally. Programs from classroom projects to distance learning provide teachers the support and guidance to build skills in working with their peers.
5. Curriculum and Instruction and Assessment aligned with Standards
   TLS Concept: Curricular Project Building Modules Always Focus on Standard and Assessments
   TLS provides the vision for merging content, process with technology through basic skills lessons (WebBytes, Research Investigations). Professional development modules address incorporation of standards and clear assessments and rubrics that will serve as means to evaluate and set goals for new learning.
6. Frequent Monitoring of Learning and Teaching
   TLS Concept: Classroom Management and eFolios
   A cornerstone of TLS programs is creating reflective environments that incorporate project assessments to evaluate and set goals for new learning. The TLS eFolio module takes a dual approach to ongoing reflection and goal setting that is an important part of teaching and learning: o Teachers create process and project based eFolio elements that can be used in classroom, grade level, or school wide programs. o Teachers create their own personal professional growth eFolio that will evolve as they pursue formal certification and advanced degrees.
7. Focused Professional Development
   TLS Concept: Online Modules, Distance Learning, Customized Solutions
   TLS professional development is "created by teachers for teachers" and as a result our programs are focused on emerging needs of teachers in the classroom. Stranded professional development is designed to help ALL teachers take the next steps in their professional growth through building job embedded curricular projects. TLS offers a diverse mix of delivery options such as regional events, site-based training, and distance learning formats. TLS can also work with schools and districts to develop a customized program to meet unique needs, grant program deliverables, or particular program emphasis.
8. Supportive Learning Environment
   TLS Concept: Building Communities of Learners
   The TLS approach is to create student centered classrooms with involved student teams solving problems and creating new learning. This vision for the classroom can help provide the personalized, quality learning environment that is crucial for high levels of staff and student achievement.
9. High Level of Family and Community Involvement
   TLS Concept: Web and Email Focus, Project Showcasing
   TLS was founded in 1996 with a focus on creating a web-based environment for the classroom and the web-based, connected classroom remains a key element of our program. Through web and email teachers can share important elements of their classrooms as well as provide a means for students to publish and share their work.