I continue to work on my two professional development plans following the GAME structure outlined by Cennamo et al. (2009) which involves setting goals, designing actions, monitoring the process, and evaluating and extending results. This week I primarily worked on creating my district intranet website for sharing ideas on how to effectively integrate technology to improve student learning. What I am observing in many classrooms is that technology or ‘computer time’ as it sometimes referred to, is utilized as a filler or ‘fun’ activity and is not truly integrated with everyday classroom activities. The SMARTboards we are getting in the classrooms are helping to change this attitude but I think there needs to be an increased focus on pedagogy that emphasizes 21st century skills.
Now that I am actually creating my Intranet site, I am becoming more confident that this will be a valuable resource for increasing the effective use of technology to improve student learning in my district. I am learning about new technologies and new ways to implement existing technology tools to promote highest student achievement.
I have learned that I need to think bigger in terms of technology integration in the classrooms when I work with educators. I now see that many educators view integration of technology as a one time final project, instead of as a collection of valuable learning tools that can be utilized daily to promote student learning. This is especially true for educators who are actively searching for ways to differentiate instruction.
My biggest challenge continues to be working with educators who have very traditional views of education, where the teacher is responsible for dispensing knowledge. How can I best motivate these educators to consider approaches that incorporate authentic learning activities? With some of the educational technologist and educator collaborations that I am filming, I am observing the ET taking the role of ‘sage on the stage’ and I do not think this is helping the classroom teacher develop a 21st century skills teaching mentality. How do I change this tendency?
On the Intranet site I am developing, I am emphasizing authentic learning approaches when I share ways to incorporate existing and emerging technologies. I have learned a tremendous amount as a result of my GAME plans and I hope to facilitate similar erudition with the educational technologists and educators that I work with.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2007). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: a standards based approach.
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Kevin,
ReplyDeleteI am surprised your school is allowing you to create your own intranet. My school is looking into doing the same, but it has been a long up-hill battle.
I think that in order to get other teachers within your school involved in implementing technology, so that it aligns with 21st century learning goals, you need to lead by example - something you are clearly already doing. Engaging your students in problem-based learning activities and developing lessons that promote student-directed learning will completely alter the atmosphere of your classroom. I believe that that atmosphere will eventually linger and others will be interested in learning how you use technology in the classroom. Throughout my studies at Walden, I have always thought about the disadvantage other teachers have simply because they do not possess the same knowledge we now do about integrating technology in the classroom. Two of my colleagues have received a similar degree, but it is already outdated. Schools need to spend more time and energy focusing on providing professional development so that teachers can stay current and gain the knowledge needed to properly implement technology.
Good luck with everything!
J.Salomon,
ReplyDeleteI agree that continuous professional development is essential in order to assist educators with implement teaching strategies that emphasize 21st century skills. On educators incorporating technology, Alan November (2009) stated, “teachers need to find ways to use these tools to move away from the more traditional paradigms of instruction on their own terms in their own ways and recruit other to follow suit” (p. 137). In my district we are well staffed to support educators with integrating technology because we have a full time educational technologist (ET) at each school. The challenge I am facing is to also utilize technology to promote a paradigm shift away from the teacher centered instruction that is still the dominant form of teaching in my district. The intranet I am developing for ET’s and educators is one step in this larger goal and certainly the unit of instruction I am creating and implementing is a good way to model an authentic learning approach to teaching.
Reference:
Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Kevin
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteYou know how busy, overwhelmed and under-credited teachers are. Remember to engage teachers the same way you would engage students... gently and in ways that prove how exciting and TIME SAVING technology can be. Start small... and you're likely to see more buy in.
Great post!
-Tara Lynn
Educ 6713
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteThe way you took action to achieve your GAME plan seems to be very interesting and will effectively result in success. I believe that every district should consider providing more “professional developments” to implement the habit of using technology in the classrooms on a daily basis. In my district, it is mandatory for teachers to use the promethean board when teaching any subject by either scanning the materials taught or writing on it with the pen. They also give the students a chance to experience writing on the Pboard and learning how to use it. In the past, we encountered the same issue with educators who did not want to advance, or felt that it was too hard for them to incorporate this kind of technology into their classrooms, claiming that they cannot adapt to something with which they have no experience. However, I believe you should have a free voluntary session, which provides some kind of incentives for those who attend, so that you may explain to them what your GAME plan is all about and its benefits to the students' learning. Once they comprehend how important it is and the way it could boost the learning process in the classroom, they may abide with it and follow the structure.
I run back to the "sage-on-the-stage" whenever I am unsure how to approach the learning outcome I must address. I agree with others that small steps and good modeling will yield the results you are looking for. Remember that like our students, no one likes to work in a different, novel environment all the time. Adapting to change is exhausting. Teachers will adopt new technologies that they see as valuable, it just takes time.
ReplyDelete