Dr. Bryan R. Drost, Shaker Heights High School, OFLA Technology Integration Chair

The OFLA Technology Team has been hard at work developing and implementing our three goals related to developing Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs): supporting  technology, holding regional workshops that focus on using technology to teach thematically through the modes of communication, and updating the policies and procedures for the OFLA listserv.

During the fall semester, the OFLA Tech team created eight model IPAs supported by various technology tools in a variety of languages and themes.  We encourage you to check out our work at http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/1504217.  Feel free to take anything you see there and modify for your own purposes (you can even use the IPAs without the technology integration if you would like).  The team plans to release another round of IPAs during the spring semester due to requests from teachers across the state.  I could not ask for a better group of educators to work with on this project—they all have such amazing ideas and are true tech professionals!

Our team held its fall technology workshop to a sold-out audience on November 15 at Kent State University.  Participants learned about the IPA process and had the opportunity to use technology to create various activities aligned to the modes of communication.  We are looking to add a date to present a similar workshop for our Central and Southern Ohio colleagues.  This will be in addition to our workshop during the OFLA Conference at Kalahari.  Watch the OFLA Memberlodge and the OFLA listserv for more information.

In relationship to our third goal, I presented to the OFLA Board at the last regular meeting an initial set of recommendations for policies and procedures for the OFLA listserv; further discussion on these will happen at our next meeting.  The goal of these new policies and procedures is to ensure consistency amongst messages, reduce spam, and streamline the approval process as we process the many messages that are sent to us on a daily basis.  For example, between September 10 and December 20, Bob White, Theresa Minick, and I analyzed and approved 265 initial messages (this does not include replies or follow-ups!).  In addition, in conjunction with Cheryl Johnson, OFLA’s Editor for Electronic Media, we are also exploring other hosts for the service so that our members can access additional tools. More information will be released on the serv regarding these two initiatives come early spring.

Lastly, we’d like to remind OFLA members that joining OFLA does not automatically result in being subscribed to listserv (they are two separate entities as non-members are permitted to receive listserv messages).  If you would like to adjust your listserv subscription at anytime (subscribe, unscubscribe, digest-version, etc.), please follow the instructions at http://www.ofla-online.org/index.php/2-uncategorised/19-ofla-listserv.

Wherever your clicks take you during this winter season, please know that your OFLA Tech team is here to support you.  If there is a way that we can help you, such as with a technology tool or a tool that you would like to see sponsored or a particular IPA theme that you need an example of, feel free to send us a message at tech@ofla-online.org.