At our school, I would say that our use of technology is
pretty basic. We all use our Interwrite boards and know how to use Easiteach or
Interwrite to write or show things on the board. Most of us know the basics of
our new email that has one drive on it. As for much more than that, most of us
don’t know how to use a lot of technology in our classrooms. We just haven’t
been taught how to. This year we have a new member to our technology department
who has come in and helped us with one drive and finding resources on our semi
new math series and our new reading series. Most of these meetings have been
during our PLC time and they were more exploring or showing one or two things
that you can do within the series. We only had 2 or 3 meetings on this at the
beginning of the year. Personally, it’s not enough time to help someone gain a
better understanding or become comfortable using the specific technology.
I think that good ways to support productive technology
staff development is to first, according to our ISTE standards, conduct a needs
assessment by teachers. You need to find out what teachers want more
information or help on using. For me personally, I get shown 4 or 5 new things
and I start getting overwhelmed and confused. I don’t have time to master
things before I’m shown another thing. I just end up not using the new things
that I’m shown. I would do better to focus on one particular thing and become
comfortable using it before being shown something new.
I think that best way as a librarian that I could provide
technology development to my teachers is to collaborate with them by listening
to their concerns and needs. That way I can ask questions and gather
information to best fit their needs. I could show them how to use, according to
ISTE standards, technology to asses student learning, help with differentiating
(big need and concern among fellow teachers), and provide relevant learning for
all students. There is so much technology out there but teachers don’t know how
to access it. I could provide a great wealth of information to them and help
them find the resources that they need. I could show them how technology can
better assist them in the classroom and make their jobs a lot easier.
I think you are on the right track Courtney and I think many teachers feel your pain. Needs assessment is good, but what I have found it that many teachers know so little, they don't even know what they want. I have been trying to listen to the projects I hear them talking about and recommend a program or app that would help with that or enhance that lesson. It's not perfect, but teachers are getting some feedback and help with technology. I agree with you about listening to what teachers want and start there. Today, teaching is tougher than it has ever been before and teachers need our help and support. And yes, technology can make teachers jobs much easier.
ReplyDeleteCourtney,
ReplyDeleteI have desperately tried to collaborate with my teachers. I would like to hold mini tech sessions each nine weeks at least to teach them how to use apps, programs, software,etc that will help our students. I find it so sad that my teachers only want to utilize the Media center to check out books and conduct some research. There is so much more that I can benefit them with. We have a technology team that keeps things running but I want to be the technology instructional coordinator. I think our teachers and students alike would benefit greatly from this.
Courtney, your explanation of how technology is shared at the beginning of the year is similar to how I've seen it done in my school. I agree with you that when you are just watching someone else maneuver through a tool, you don't retain nearly what you would need to be successful in trying to use it, and so, overload demands a dump and why keep what isn't clear anyway? The demands that a teacher must respond to are mind boggling. I had a thought as I read your post about how cool it would be to do a needs assessment, like you suggested, and then provide a day when you have teachers come in to learn a new tech tool (singular), then allow them time to create a learning unit for their own classrooms using that tool (with you as a source of help along the way), and come back together after a few weeks to share those ideas with each other. It offers them first hand experience with using the tool, gives them a reason to use it, and through the process provides them with material to take directly to their students. By meeting back together to see each others work, they have the opportunity to help one another as they see cool features that maybe another teacher used and gives them common ground in spite of curriculum differences. That's what I'd love to see happening in our school. Then they could be teaching those tools to the students and six months later, we could pick a new tool and learn another one! Great post Courtney:)
ReplyDeleteHi Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI would say that the school where I currently work is pretty basic on technology usage as well. Teaches do tend to show PowerPoints or Prezis. We do have Promethean boards in all the classrooms but I think that we have not had enough training on how they can be used more effectively. I think what the problem is with many districts is that the technology department is understaffed. I think the focus has been on obtaining all the equipment - computers, laptops, projectors, iPads, etc. but I think schools have not put enough emphasis on teaching teachers how to use it all. I know that there do not seem to be enough instructional technologist in my district and the whole IT department seems to be swamped. Now I think the focus should be also put on IT staffing so the technology purchased can be used.
Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI was a little disappointed to read that your school is not more proactive in encouraging the use of technology and offering assistance. As a media specialist, I feel we should serve as an ambassador for all things information. That includes technology. We should be excited about technology on the horizon: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-future-education-technologies-nick-grantham. We should also be on the lookout for things that will help our teachers share knowledge. This is something that does not take much time. I think the best way to do this is to attend conferences, having a working relationship with your technology department, and networking with people who are in schools in other parts of the state or country. Sometimes even a visit to another school can be beneficial. This is what we did in technology when I worked in that area. Most people are proud to show off what their school can offer and will be happy to help with anything you need. But before any of this can happen, there must be the desire to learn and find.
Thank you!
Meghen
You are absolutely right in that if a media specialist wants to support the teacher's wants and needs i the technology area they have to know what those are. Communication and collaboration between media specialist is key in order for the job to efficient on both ends. Once the wants and needs are heard from the teachers and staff the media specialist can come up with a plan on how to support those needs. Just as with students this may need to be done on a differentiated basis. Teachers are at all different levels of technology incorporation and understanding and that is important to take into consideration when planning.
ReplyDelete