The Frequently Asked Questions and answers below provide information to schools, districts and educational organizations both in Missouri and nationally. Items specific to Missouri are identified as such and are included to alleviate the need to duplicate material unnecessarily.
The term “eMINTS staff” refers to individuals directly employed by the eMINTS National Center and to individuals who are under contract with the eMINTS National Center as consultants or sub-contractors for the purpose of delivering eMINTS professional development programs.
The term “certified eMINTS Instructional Specialist employed by the participant’s organization” refers to individuals who have successfully completed the certification process included in the Professional Development for Educational Technology Specialists (PD4ETS) program and who are employed by the same organization (external to eMINTS) with which the participant is affiliated.
Q. What is eMINTS4All? What is its purpose?
A. When schools and districts implement the eMINTS instructional model on a school-wide basis, educators in classrooms above and below the official eMINTS classrooms need support in implementing the model at their grade levels and/or subject–specific areas. Preparing students for entry into official eMINTS classrooms requires that teachers in the grades levels prior to the eMINTS classrooms have a full understanding of the cognitive, social and technological skills that students will need to be successful in eMINTS.
Receiving students who been assigned to eMINTS classrooms also requires that teachers in the grades following the official eMINTS classrooms have a full understanding of the cognitive, social and technological skills students have gained. School-wide implementation at middle and secondary levels should result in the development of a professional learning community among staff. eMINTS4All provides a subset of eMINTS PD to teachers assigned to classrooms above and below the grade levels where teachers involved in eMINTS PD are assigned.
Q. What are the benefits to participating in eMINTS4All?
A. Participants in eMINTS4All will gain increased knowledge and skills in the integration of technology into inquiry-based teaching practices. They should expect to see improved student outcomes and high levels of engagement in learning. Schools whose teachers participate in eMINTS4All will experience a better vertical articulation of curriculum across all grade and subject levels. Participants in eMINTS4All will also be provided with the following privileges:
- Participation on the eMINTS discussion list - an e-mail list that includes eMINTS teachers past, present and out-of-state. When eMINTS teachers have questions about various topics they post the question to the discussion list and receive immediate responses from other eMINTS teachers. As eMINTS teacher recently noted: “I love the discussion list. It is a wonderful way for new teachers such as myself (third year) to get veteran teachers' opinions.”
- Access to an electronic Weekly Update providing valuable information such as grant funding, conferences beneficial to eMINTS teachers, and other news related to education technology at the state and national level.
- Eligibility to request new eThemes topics that will be added to the rich resource database.
- Eligibility to enroll in and receive graduate credit for eMINTS professional
development with the payment of associated university educational fees. Participants
may receive 2 hours of graduate credit per year.
- Access to new teaching tools introduced by eMINTS.
- Opportunities to participate in pilot projects that include cost-free software and equipment trials.
- Copies of eMINTS professional development materials.
Q. What professional development program activities are included in eMINTS4All?
A. eMINTS4All program activities are a subset of the eMINTS PD program. eMINTS4All includes 90 contact hours over a two-year period. eMINTS4All is delivered by eMINTS staff where possible. The program may also be delivered by Professional Development for Educational Technology Specialists (PD4ETS) participants or certified eMINTS Instructional Specialists employed by the participant’s organization (school, districts or other educational entities). eMINTS4All includes 8-9 classroom visits per participant per year.
eMINTS4All program activities consist of mainly face-to-face professional
development sessions. In Year 1, participants complete 50 hours (generally
in four hour increments) and receive
8-9 classroom visits from the specialist delivering their
sessions to coach participants as they translate the professional development
content into their classroom teaching practices. In Year 2, participants complete
40 additional hours (generally in four hour increments). Participants also
receive 8-9 classroom visits in Year 2.
Q. Is eMINTS4All available in all locations in Missouri and nationally?
A. eMINTS4All delivered by eMINTS staff is available in Missouri depending on staff capacity and an adequate number of participants in a particular geographic region of the state. eMINTS4All provided by eMINTS staff is available only to groups of 5 or more participants. eMINTS4All may also be delivered by PD4ETS participants under the supervision of eMINTS staff members.
eMINTS4All is available nationally (in states outside of Missouri) only when
delivered by (PD4ETS) participants or certified eMINTS Instructional Specialists
employed by the same organizations with which participants are affiliated.
Find additional information about the PD4ETS
program.
Schools or districts that employ their own certified eMINTS Instructional Specialist may provide eMINTS4All under the terms of the annual access agreement completed with the eMINTS National Center.
Q. How are dates and locations for eMINTS4All sessions established?
A. For participants whose eMINTS4All sessions are delivered by eMINTS staff, to the extent possible, participants and eMINTS staff member arrive at mutually convenient dates and locations through a consensus process that is completed at the first session in Year 1. Grant awards and other implementation variables may affect the extent to which all participants' needs can be accommodated.
Participants receiving eMINTS4All from PD4ETS participants or certified eMINTS Instructional Specialists employed by the participants’ organization plan the dates and locations for sessions based on the schedule submitted by the PD4ETS participant or eMINTS certified Instructional Specialist to and approved by the eMINTS National Center Office.
Q. What are the attendance requirements for eMINTS4All? Can missed sessions be made up?
A. Participants in eMINTS4All are expected to attend all scheduled sessions unless a valid excuse is presented. Valid excuses for missing sessions provided by eMINTS staff include personal or dependent illness, required attendance at school activities, or inclement weather conditions resulting in driving hazards. Extra duty activities for which the participant is paid (such as coaching) are not considered valid excuses for missing sessions. Participating schools and districts are expected to demonstrate program support by allowing participants in eMINTS4All sufficient flexibility to attend professional development sessions and refrain from imposing additional duties that create undue hardship on participants’ ability to meet attendance requirements.
Valid excuses for missing sessions as well as for making up missed sessions provided by PD4ETS participants or certified eMINTS instructional specialist employed by participants’ organizations should be aligned with the organization’s policies for attendance at professional development sessions. Please note that one of the requirements to graduate from the eMINTS4All program is attendance at not less than 80% of all professional development sessions over the two-year period.
eMINTS4All provided by eMINTS staff may be made up under the terms and conditions
of the Make-up Sessions policy.
Q. Who is eligible to apply for eMINTS4All?
A. Schools or districts seeking to establish the eMINTS instructional model in their settings may apply for eMINTS4All with the qualifying number of official eMINTS classrooms as specified in the eMINTS National Center FAQ. eMINTS4All is also available to schools or districts with established eMINTS programs that are expanding the program to a school-wide implementation. The method of delivery for eMINTS4All (whether by eMINTS staff, PD4ETS participant, certified eMINTS Instructional Specialist or a combination) is dependent upon the applicant’s geographic location.
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Q. Are private, independent and charter schools eligible to apply for eMINTS4All PD or eMINTS4All Replacement professional development?
A. Yes. Private and independent schools as well as charter schools are eligible to apply for eMINTS4All PD or eMINTS4All Replacement PD under the same guidelines as public schools.
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Q. Is it possible for a teacher to apply for the eMINTS4All program on his/her own without school or district approval or involvement?
A. A goal of eMINTS National Center programs is the development of a professional learning community within a school leading to school-wide renewal and improvement. Development of a professional learning community within a school requires the involvement, approval and buy-in of a critical mass of the teaching staff and significant administrative support. The participation of isolated teachers in eMINTS4All is counter-productive to this goal. The minimum number of qualifying official eMINTS classrooms is specified in the eMINTS National Center FAQ
Q. If a school or district already employs a certified eMINTS Instructional Specialist, is it necessary to complete an application for eMINTS4All?
A. An application is not necessary unless required by the grant award. The eMINTS Instructional Specialist will have the information needed to deliver the program.
Q. If a school or district has a specialist who in currently participating in the PD4ETS program but who is not yet certified as an eMINTS Instructional Specialist, is it necessary to complete an application for eMINTS4All?
A. Yes. An application for eMINTS4All is required when the individual delivering the services is not yet certified as an eMINTS Instructional Specialist. This will insure that the participants in eMINTS4All and the PD4ETS participant receive adequate support from eMINTS staff as they progress through eMINTS4All.
Q. What is the cost for participating in eMINTS4All?
A. Costs are outlined in the cost summary table .
Find current classroom equipment information ....
Q. What sources of support are available to pay the participation costs for eMINTS PD or eMINTS Replacement PD?
A. Please note: the eMINTS National Center does not provide funds to teachers, schools, districts or other educational organizations interested in implementing the eMINTS instructional model. Schools, districts and other educational organizations may fund equipment, software and/or eMINTS professional development programs using the following sources of funds:
- eMINTS funding and application information
- Title I (note: some states have specific regulations regarding equipment purchase).
- Titles II.A
- Title IV
- Title V,
- Title VI
- Local Professional Development and At-Risk funds
- Foundations – see reliable sources such as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
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Q. What equipment is a participating organization required to provide
for eMINTS4All participants?
A. Equipment specifications for eMINTS4All.
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Q. Is it possible to reduce the cost of eMINTS4All by combining
it with other eMINTS professional development programs or by requesting
services for multiple participants?
A. Yes, it is possible to reduce the cost of eMINTS4All by combining it with other eMINTS professional development programs and creating packages of services for a school, district, or organization. It is also possible to reduce costs by requesting services for multiple participants. Costs for eMINTS4All Replacement PD generally are not reduced since those participation fees are already offset. All arrangements involving reduced costs must be made directly with the eMINTS National Center office.
Q. Where does capacity in Missouri exist for eMINTS staff to deliver eMINTS4All?
A. As with eMINTS PD and eMINTS Replacement PD, the eMINTS National Center has made a commitment to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to continue providing professional development services to districts awarded competitive Title IID grant funds. Following tentative grant awards in May, the capacity for accepting additional participants in eMINTS PD, eMINTS Replacement PD and eMINTS4All programs delivered in Missouri by eMINTS staff will be known. Capacity will also be dependent upon the receipt of applications from interested Missouri schools and districts. Applicants will be notified in early June of the availability of cohort groups for eMINTS PD, eMINTS Replacement PD and eMINTS4All. See eMINTS National Center FAQ for additional information.
Q. How many teachers from a school or district in can apply for eMINTS4All delivered by eMINTS staff in MIssouri?
A. In Missouri, schools or districts may apply for as many slots in eMINTS4All delivered by eMINTS staff as can be justified in the program application and for whom the school or district will pay participation fees. All decisions regarding the number participants in eMINTS4All will be dependent upon capacity in the geographic area.
Q. What grade levels and content-specific classrooms can be involved in eMINTS4All?
A. eMINTS4All may be implemented at grades K – 12. eMINTS4All is recommended for teachers assigned to the grades immediately above and below official eMINTS classrooms. Multi-grade classrooms may be included. Special education classrooms, classrooms for LEP or ELL students and Title I classrooms at all grade levels may be included. Classes for gifted students at any grade level may be included. For additional information about allowable configurations, please refer to the eMINTS National Center FAQ.
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Q. When are applications for eMINTS4All or eMINTS4All Replacement PD due? Where should it be sent? When notification of acceptance by provided?
A. Find information about registering for eMINTS program services.
Q. Can a school or district send other individuals to audit eMINTS4All sessions delivered by eMINTS staff on a full-time or occasional basis?
A. No. It is not possible for individuals to audit eMINTS professional development programs. Requests to visit eMINTS programs delivered by eMINTS staff must be cleared in advance with the eMINTS National Center Office.
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Q. May a student teacher who is assigned to an eMINTS4All classroom participate in eMINTS4All with his/her supervising teacher?
A. Student teachers assigned to teachers participating in eMINTS4All may participate in eMINTS professional development sessions (and be provided with materials) delivered by eMINTS staff with their supervising teachers at no cost. It is recommended that student teachers of eMINTS4All participants who receive their professional development from PD4ETS participants or certified eMINTS Instructional Specialists be allowed to attend sessions with their supervising teachers.
Student teachers who attend eMINTS4All with their supervising teachers are not considered to be official eMINTS teachers upon the completion of student teaching unless the student teacher has completed approved undergraduate course work and field experiences affiliated with the eMINTS National Center.
Q. What if a participant in eMINTS4All leaves before completing the program? Will schools or districts be reimbursed for unused portions?
A. Schools or districts will not be reimbursed for unused portions of eMINTS4All contracts. Because of the nature of the professional development program sequence, schools or districts may substitute another individual if the original applicant is unable to complete the program after the first two sessions of Year 1 have been held. Substitutions are not allowed after that time. Substitutions are not allowed at any time during Year 2.
Q. If a participant who successfully completes eMINTS4All is subsequently assigned to an official eMINTS classroom, is it possible for the individual to complete the remainder of the eMINTS PD program and become an official eMINTS teacher? What are the participation fees?
A. Yes. It is possible for participants who complete eMINTS4All to subsequently complete the remaining hours of eMINTS PD with either an eMINTS staff member and a PD4ETS participant or with a certified eMINTS Instructional Specialist employed by the participant’s organization.
The cost for completing the remaining hours of eMINTS PD is the same as the cost for eMINTS Replacement PD.
