In 2002, IBM awarded the Pennsylvania Collaboration, made up of the School District of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the University of Pennsylvania, a Reinventing Education grant designed to strengthen teacher preparation and professional development programs. Innovative applications of Riverdeep Learning Village are serving as the primary vehicle for these changes.
The overall goal of the grant is to improve the preparation and retention of beginning teachers, through the creation of the Philadelphia Beginning Teachers Network. This network, which will launch in Philadelphia and expand to other high need districts in Pennsylvania, will provide a collaborative learning community for teachers using Riverdeep Learning Village, as well as other tools and resources, including video. Using the network, pre-service and early-service teachers will work with teachers-mentors to support their classroom experience and to refine their instructional skills, with a focus on math, science, and literacy. Teacher-education faculty and professional development leaders also will use multimedia presentations and video to guide beginning teachers in analyzing elements of effective practice.
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