PAWS-Powerful Access to Writing Standards

This video describes how one project raised student writing achievement with mobile technology.

(Side note: All the video in this was shot with a $100 Flip camera.)

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Tags: handhelds, mobile, writing
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Comment by Karen Fasimpaur on September 4, 2008 at 9:45am: I'm glad you liked the video (and I see you're almost a "neighbor"...I'm in Long Beach).

Regarding grants, the biggest grants we have gotten are the EETT competitive grants. If you're not familiar with them, they are through the state and must be applied for at the district level. (They are also on the budget chopping block almost every year.) Here is more info for CA: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/ft/eett.asp. Here is some more grant info: www.k12handhelds.com/grants. The Verizon grants are one you might look at. If you find a grant you want to apply for, we sometimes help write grants if we are a partner in them.

Regarding implementation, the biggest thing I have learned in the last couple of years (and especially in the PAWS project) is that in-classroom coaching and mentoring makes a huge difference, especially for teachers who may not be as enthusiastic about using technology as we are! One good thing about the federal grants is that they require 25% of the $ be spent on PD, so there is funding for a coach/mentor.

Another thing I'd emphasize about implementation is a focus on curriculum and standards. That sounds obvious, but so many schools focus on the technology instead and address curriculum as an after-thought. The result is that after the grant is over, the program falls by the wayside, because teachers don't have time to do it. However, if the curriculum is the focus, it's just a better way to do what they are already doing and doesn't really take more time (especially after the first year or so).

Comment by Tim Bedley on September 3, 2008 at 10:40pm: This is totally cool! Can you post a link to learn more about how to obtain grants for our schools, how to implement such a program, etc.