GLIDES projects feature student-centered learning environments through technology enhanced project-based learning (PBL). The learning environments focus on key elements of 21st Century Learning to prepare students with necessary workplace skills.

Nine pilot schools produced great results in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. Twenty-seven new schools (1 per zone) will be added to participate beginning in April 2007.

GLIDES projects will occur between April 2007 and April 2008. Once staff development is conducted and the curricular focus is selected, the implementation takes approximately six weeks culminating in a special presentation to parents, community members, district officials, and school staff.

In Broward classrooms, in cyberspace, and the wider global community

• PBL teams will be created at 27 schools. Each team will consist of fourteen classroom teachers, the media specialist, and an instructional program school administrator, preferably the principal.
  
• The Inventory of Teacher Technology Skills (ITTS), will be used by the entire instructional staff at the schools to determine baseline skill levels data and also to determine readiness for technology integration and project-based learning.
  
• Based on ITTS results, teachers will be placed in entry, intermediate, or advanced integration categories and guided to appropriate to appropriate professional development based upon their placement on this continuum.
  
• The advanced team will receive Florida Digital Educator professional development and then be required to implement a PBL module within the curriculum framework that includes all related state and district content standards and widely incorporates reading skill development and comprehension.  Every project will include a career component that focuses on the basic principles of career planning such as decision-making, self-evaluation and goal setting.
  
• Assessment of student work will be done through authentic rubrics that focus on attainment of 21st century literacy skills and understanding of core curriculum content.
  
• Student work will be showcased through a public venue.
  
• All of the student work produced digitally and the project-based learning plans produced by the teachers will be made available through the Broward Education Enterprise Portal (BEEP).
  
• Broward County’s Human Resources Development (HRD) department will capture best practices from the PBL process and curriculum modules.
  
• The media specialist will help students and teachers succeed in managing their information needs. They will collaborate with teachers to create high-level learning experiences, build avid and capable readers, develop information literate students, and use technology to enhance learning.
  
• Instructional Program Administrators, preferably the principal, will provide the time, resources, and leadership to enable teachers to changing instructional strategies and integrating digital tools.  In addition, they will be evaluating teacher performance and analyzing student achievement results using evaluative tools provided through the USF/Center for Instructional Technology research program.
  

It will provide the opportunity for students to use higher order thinking skills and 21st century literacy skills in the context of project-based learning based on core content.