Q & A:
Rick Phelan
Rick Phelan is the Coordinator
of Staff Development for Curriculum and Technology at the Sonoma
County Office of Education. He is also a faculty member in the
Schools of Education and Extended Education at Sonoma State University.
Rick has been instrumental in coordinating the use of robotics technology
in the schools of Sonoma county.
What projects are you
working on at the moment?
My efforts are focused
in four areas. The first area is curriculum support. Here I'm helping
educators find and use electronic resources that support the California
Academic Content Standards to meet a range of student needs. The second
area is in assessment and accountability. I'm working schools
learning how to use web based tools to assess, manage, and analyze
student performance data throughout the school year. Third, I'm helping
schools develop three to five year technology plans that meet State
and Federal funding requirements. And fourth, I'm coordinating a student
robotics project that culminates in a Spring county wide challenge
event.
How has Sonoma County been using robotics with K-12 students?
The Sonoma County Office
of Education and the North Bay Technology Roundtable (NBTR) established
the Lego Robotics program in 2002 for Sonoma County middle schools.
At the onset of the project, NBTR solicited its membership to fund
robotics kits (valued at $275 each), so they could be provided to
schools free-of-charge. SCOE then trained middle school teachers and
volunteer mentors in how to use the robotics kits and develop lesson
plans to support student learning. Teachers and mentors work together
to prepare school teams to compete in a countywide competition. Known
as the Sonoma County Robotics Challenge, the project brings together
the strengths of two partnering sponsors to create a winning combination
for local schools. Further information about the project is available
at the project's website http://sonomalegos.org/
What are the biggest instructional technology challenges facing
Sonoma County Office of Education right now?
Helping all schools sustain and use technology to support effective
learning is our challenge. The budget crisis has presented some serious
challenges to our schools. They need continued technical support,
professional development, and guidance meeting these needs.
