Headlines from QTL™ Partnerships

ITRTs share QTL experiences at Symposium
Dozens of Virginia's new Instructional Technology Resource Teachers particpated in QTL during 2005. Several of them shared what they've learned during a special December Symposium in Botetourt County. Get details.

QTL participants present at national conference
Two North Carolina districts that have implemented the QTL program were in the spotlight at the National School Board
Association's T+L2 Conference in Denver. The October conference focuses on technology in the classroom, and teachers from Thomasville and Nash-Rocky Mount talked had plenty to say about using technology effectively. The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning co-sponsored the conference. Read more.

Evaluations show impact of QTL™
One internal evaluation and two external reports show the impact the program is having on participants and on districts and schools implementing QTL professional development. Get the details here.

QTL™ prepares Virginia ITRTs to lead teachers
More than two dozen educators who will be Instructional Technology Resource Teachers in schools across Virginia this year have a new perspective on how to approach the brand new job. They got a taste of how blending research-based teaching strategies with technology and other tools can impact the learning process. Read all about it.

QTL™ co-sponsors national T+L2 Conference
The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning is a proud co-sponsor of T+L2: Leading Learning to a Higher Level. The national education technology conference, spearheaded by the National School Board Association, takes place October 26-28, 2005 in Denver, Colorado.

From the school board member to the classroom teacher - T+L2 is the nation's only K-12 education technology conference designed for district leadership teams. Save the dates now and register early. If your district is a member of the Technology Leadership Network ( www.nsba.org/tln ), you'll receive a significant discount on registration! Register by 7/31/05, and your name will be entered into a drawing to win FREE ROUNDTRIP AIRFARE to Denver for this year's T+L2 conference! To register, go to www.nsba.org/t+l or call 800-950-6722.

Reporter observes Arkansas teachers' field study
QTL™ participants from Emerson, AR had a visitor as they conducted their Day 4 field study. A reporter from the Magnolia Banner-News tagged along and wrote this front-page article on what she observed.

Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation funds QTL expansion
The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation has awarded The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning a grant to fuel development of an expansion of the QTL™ program. The QTL™ Lateral Entry model will help teachers who are entering the classroom from careers in industry. Those teachers are required to obtain numerous college credits during their first few years as educators. The Lateral Entry model will serve as a crash course to give them a 'jump start' on the most important concepts.

Mississippi Delta teachers spend free time learning
More than a dozen teachers from the Leflore County, MS school district are devoting a portion of their summer to becoming better teachers - and the QTL instructors leading their session are impressed. Find out why.

Technology helps algebra students grasp problem
A Virginia teacher got eye-opening results from a simple tactic he picked up after attending QTL. Now he plans to spread the word after being chosen as an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher. Read his story.

Arkansas teachers put QTL lessons to work
Collaborative projects this school year have helped QTL participants bring home the lessons learned at last year's QTL™ sessions. Read more about it.

Thomasville school leader praises program's impact
A North Carolina superintendent says his system implemented QTL™ because improving instruction was a top priority. After less than a year, Daniel Cockman says the program has "far exceeded" his expectations, and he would recommend it to any school. Read about it in his own words.

NCTA project highlights importance of ed tech
A federally funded demonstration project at Person County's Oak Lane Elementary shows the impact technology can have on teachers and students. It also proves the importance of quality professional development to help schools get the full advantage. Read more about the project.

Third Virginia QTL™ Center begins first cycle
A third QTL™ Center is now up and running in Virginia, as Campbell County opens a Lynchburg Center. Administrators believe it's the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Read more about it.

School's Science Fair Experiment Proves a Success
While River Road Middle School students conducted science experiments, educators were testing out some theories of their own. The results have led to new excitement throughout the school. Read more about what they discovered.

Virginia DOE official visits Botetourt QTL™Center
Curious to see why local admininstrators are so sold on the program they started one year ago, Julie Mersiowky took a road trip to visit the Botetourt Center for Quality Teaching and Learning and talk to participants about what they got out of participating. Read more about what she saw.

QTL™ names 2005 Elsie L. Brumback Award winner
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools administrator is the winner of this year's award for North Carolina's leading instructional technology administrator. Read more about Dr. Betty Weycker's accomplishments.

QTL™ alumni win principals' awards
QTL alumnus Melvin Hawkins of Perquimans Middle School is one of eight state finalists for Principal of the Year. He included his QTL™ experience and the QTL™ Center at his school as part of his portfolio entry. His father, Dr. Cleveland Hawkins, is director of the Northeast RESA and one of QTL's earliest supporters.

In addition, three principals who have participated in the QTL™ program were among those honored as Regional Principals of the Year for the North Central, Sandhills and South Central regions of North Carolina. Congratulations to Jennifer Freeman of Magnolia Elementary in Robeson County, Mary Ruffin-Harrell of Jackson-Eastside Elementary in Northhampton County, Jacqueline Wilson of McIver Elementary in Halifax County!

Guilford County QTL™ instructor wins NC award
Guilford County instructor Donna Martin has been named one of three winners of the North Carolina Technology Educators Award. The award honors individuals who "have provided outstanding leadership in planning and implementing instructional technology into the school program."

Durham Public Schools site praises QTL™ Center
An article on the DPS web site lets teachers know what's available to them through the system's EdTech Lab, where the QTL™ program is offered by instructors Dave Johnson and Hillary Alexander. Read more from the DPS site

Second Virginia QTL™ Center set to open
Lee County Schools in Virginia opened the state's newest QTL Center in December, expanding the QTL™ program to the western edge of the state.

Teacher says daughters' success inspired confidence
Kathy Hopper of Arkansas says she went into QTL training with an open attitude toward technology after watching her daughters excel in a high school tech program. Read more

VA education chief visits QTL™ center near Roanoke
Belle Wheelan visits the Botetourt County Center for Quality Teaching & Learning to find out more about a cutting-edge program that blends research-based teaching strategies with the wise use of instructional technologies.

Summer institutes spread program in four states
Hundreds of teachers participated in QTL™ during Summer 2004, many in school systems or even states where the program hadn't previously been available. Participants say it was worth giving up part of their summer. Read more about the summer's expansion, and see how teachers in Arkansas and Mississippi reacted to the first QTL™ Cycles offered in those states.

State Senator hails QTL™ team-building
Observers find many things to like at the Guilford County Schools Center for Quality Teaching and Learning™, but State Sen. Katie Dorsett says what impressed her most was the way the program helps teachers and administrators learn to work together.
Read more

Student work shines in the community spotlight
Teachers at a North Carolina middle school found a unique opportunity to highlight the work their students did during the collaborative project they started as part of QTL™.
Read more

Collaboration, active learning excite students
Teachers at a Robeson County school find a QTL™ collaborative project that excites the entire student body. Read about the project's first steps, then see how it culminated in a project that engaged the whole school.

Robeson County teachers see promise in tech tools
How can technology impact student learning? Through teaching that makes the most effective use of those tools. That's the lesson from a Robeson County, NC school where teachers are seeing a transformation. Read more

Project-based learning makes learning fun
A stronger emphasis on project-based learning has made all the difference in one North Carolina school. One educator says now, "The kids just want to come to school." Read more

First Virginia QTL™ Center shows immediate impact
The first groups of participants at the Botetourt County Schools Center for Quality Teaching and Learning are seeing how much difference a fresh approach can make in their classrooms.
Read more

Demonstration project shows impact of technology
A federal project implemented by the North Carolina Electronics and Information Technology Association (NCEITA) shows the impact tech tools can have on a school - especially when teachers are shown how to use it appropriately through QTL™. Read more

Teachers find program helpful with National Boards
Some teachers find the road to National Board Certification is easier after the QTL™ for K-12 process. Read more

U.S. Dept. of Education official visits QTL™ Center
Undersecretary of Education Dr. Anne Hancock visited the Capital Center for Quality Teaching and Learning in Raleigh for a first-hand look at the program's impact on teachers. Read more