Adobe Success Story

Train the trainer eLearning model
As public schools stretch training budgets to integrate technology into classrooms, a group of educators is investing wisely in K–12 teacher training that reaches all Florida schools electronically. Rural districts with small budgets remain on equal footing with central districts by participating in web-based synchronous training programs using Acrobat Connect Professional software.

Established in 1982, the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) has been a leader in working with educators to integrate technology into their curricula. Located in the College of Education at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FCIT assists more than 1,200 pre-service teachers who graduate from USF each year as well as thousands of the state's in-service teachers. With funding from the Florida Department of Education, FCIT provides comprehensive, cost-effective instructional resources for all Florida's K–12 teachers.

A notable component of FCIT is the Florida Digital Educator (FDE) program, a statewide train-the-trainer model that makes excellent use of Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional software. Based on mentoring and peer-to-peer leadership, the FDE program supports the integration of technology across K–12 curricula through collaborative experiences that leverage new technologies and digital tools.

Using a combination of face-to-face meetings and Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional, the FDE program trained 31 educators throughout Florida to become technology integration experts with the title of Master Digital Educator (MDE). Once certified, MDEs use Acrobat Connect Professional to train other educators how best to provide the technology skills necessary to launch Florida’s students into the digital age.

The technology-trained teachers serve as mentors to their peers, helping them learn to use technology to engage students in the higher order thinking necessary for project-based learning in the classroom and in the global economy. More than 600 Florida teachers currently participate in the web-based technology training program, and the FCIT hopes to increase that number to 1,000.

Benefits

• Created mentor-based, peer-to-peer instructional development program
• Energized teachers and students to embrace web-based learning
• Reached both remote and central school districts
• Saved time and travel budgets

Project Details

Delivering quality, compliant training statewide
Using Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional, MDEs quickly deploy synchronous training courses and offer interactive Q&A support—resulting in immediate savings in training costs and travel time. For example, a rural county in north Florida has only three schools and no budget for attending state technology conferences. "Because of the MDE program, rural counties are now connected with larger school districts and learning things that they previously could not have," says Michael Sweeney, senior training specialist and MDE project manager. "Thanks to Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional, we have a strong online mentor group."

The FCIT records much of the online training content and individual Q&A meetings to ascertain if the training is compliant with the Florida Department of Education's goals for statewide technology integration. "We often use the polling feature in Acrobat Connect Professional to survey our trainers. It's so easy to pull data and distribute specific information to the state regulators quickly. It personally saves me a lot of time, as I don't have to aggregate and disaggregate data," says Sweeney.

Teacher response to the online training has been overwhelmingly positive. "They loved it from the start and want to use it all the time," adds Sweeney.

Seamless product integration facilitates staff development
Prior to adopting Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional, Sweeney evaluated other web conferencing products, but the integrated workflow of Adobe products gave Acrobat Connect a clear advantage for staff development. "Other products lacked the power of Adobe solutions, which are seamlessly integrated and easy to use," he says. "Frankly, the Florida Department of Education may cancel some earlier projects and migrate to Acrobat Connect Professional."

In addition to Acrobat Connect Professional, FCIT trainers are using Adobe Dreamweaver software to develop websites that host teacher biographies and portfolios, as well as for a wide range of instructional resources. Throughout the state, teachers are also using Adobe Photoshop Elements to create images for portfolio websites and educational digital photo storybooks.

The FCIT recently started using Adobe Captivate 2 software for basic technology integration tutorials for teachers to access lessons anytime, anywhere. MDEs have embraced the ease with which they can create interactive simulations and technology demonstrations. Interactive audio and video content engages teachers and helps them comprehend the tutorials quickly.

"There is nothing better than actually seeing an example of how to use a technology. Adobe Captivate 2 videos help us create tutorials that meet the needs of different learning styles, including visual, auditory, and if the tutorials have simulations, tactile," said Sweeney. "We've really just started to tap into what we can do with Adobe Captivate. We look forward to future grants so we can continue to grow the Florida Digital Educator program by using Adobe Captivate 2 to its full potential."

Sweeney and the MDEs use Dreamweaver software to teach participants how to create online portfolios. A more advanced web track that includes Adobe Dreamweaver and Fireworks software, plus a bit of Adobe Flash, is in the development stage. Additionally, administrative staff use Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator software to produce web materials, including hundreds of Portable Document Format (PDF) files for students and teachers to download.

Recalling the days when staff development relied entirely on face-to-face meetings, Sweeney praises how the advent of Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional has changed his profession. "We no longer conduct expensive four-day onsite training sessions, after which we may never see the participants again," he says. "Now we are mentors and trainers with ongoing, long-term relationships."

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