“A common and unifying goal should always be to build and expand on the accumulated mass of technical knowledge and expertise in the district (Picciano, 2010). Teachers especially at the middle school level, meet weekly to discuss students, issues, common subject goals, and/or plainly school related issues. There is not much time spent trying to create a professional development moment for technology in these meetings. Some teachers are so behind when it comes to technology knowledge, it is almost prehistoric. Some teachers have barely begun using email. As sad as this notion seems, it is realistic. There are many missed opportunities at these “team meetings” to procure technology skills that we can use in the classroom. Just as there are many teachers not familiar with many of the latest technology equipment out there, there are just as many teachers who are aware and can share that knowledge.
“Professional development in a technological way requires new definition and new resources (Rodriguez, 2000).” We lose our chances of grasping those moments. I have spent some of my time in those long scheduled professional development days learning different strategies one right after another. Usually by the time your through the rush herding to the parking lot, you have forgotten most of the key concepts. Short period-long professional development days should and need to be utilized. Why not take one of those scheduled meetings and show this small group of teachers how to bring technology to enhance motivation and learning in our classrooms. Those teachers in turn can teach other smaller groups in smaller time increments. These are the type of professional development moments that inspire teachers to bring that knowledge into the classroom.
Just like our students, teachers also need hands on experience with technology. Nothing is worse than technology failing for you and not being able to fix what is usually a simple problem. I have had many bad experiences using technology in the classroom and having to have a student call on another experienced teacher for help, only to learn that all that was needed was the touch of a button is quite embarrassing. This is why professional development for technology is important. Teachers do not want to stand in front of a class using equipment they are not comfortable using. Smaller professional development groups are more conducive to learning than whole school environments. Is not strange that we support smaller class size because of its conduciveness to learning yet require teachers to learn in those huge “classroom” sizes that educators hate?
Picciano, A.G. (2011). Educational leadership and planning for technology, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson Education.
Rodriguez, G. (2000). Critical issue: providing professional development for effective technology use.
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te1000.htm
There are always meetings set up by the principal each week to discuss student progress and other related matters except technology. These meetings run to an hour each week every Tuesday at our high school which all faculty members must attend. If teachers are required to attend then the same can be done to encourage educators who are deficient in technology to attend after school technology workshops. It makes sense to have teachers who are knowledgeable in technology to help other teachers who for some reason or another have not acquired even the basic computer skills. Students who are technology literate wonder why teachers are not knowledgeable or up to date in the use of the latest technology as they are. I’ve heard students complain about broken slow or broken down computers at the library. Some computers take a few minutes to turn on along with the Internet and lack newer versions of Microsoft.
ReplyDeleteOne day workshops are not very useful as you said; as not everyone can absorb or remember every single detail in a rush situation. Districts in order to save money lump all the schools’ teachers together in the same workshop. Private Catholic schools are sometimes invited to attend these workshops and participate with the districts public schools. Since we have children from different districts attending, our school receives some type of funds from each district under title 1 programs; including instruction and professional development for all teachers.
Martha, excellent blog! I definitely agree with you that "Smaller professional development groups are more conducive to learning than whole school environments". This is very true also for students. Usually better learning takes place in smaller groups. In addition, as you mentioned, I also think districts should take advantage of trained and technology savvy teachers to educate the technophobic teachers. How many times we see teachers reluctant to integrate technology in the classroom because of the lack of training. This problem could be minimized if colleagues take over and encourage integration in a collaborative environment where they are more confortable to ask for help and support.
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