Technology Workshops: the way it’s supposed to be

Brad Edwards — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:37:35 +0000

This year we decided to offer one hour mini workshops on a variety of technology topics including operating system management, software use in the classroom/lab, and browser use and management.We offered these each Wednesday and Thursday when teachers weren’t stressed about conferences or grades being due or impending vacations. We planned one hour from 3:15 to 4:15 for each sesson. Many of the sessions were informally driven by the questions the participants asked…..there were four to six participants most often. One management tool we used was google docs. Our TC created a spreadsheet for sign ups and attendance for each session. Some sessions were repeats, some singletons. Our administrative secretary also has permissions to view the document. I would add the names of those who signed up to the attended list, and the secretary would print out and deliver to their snail mail box a paper certificate of attendance; this would be used for recertification credits. technology-inservice-opportunities_3.pdf One afternoon, I spent an hour with six elementary teachers going over the basics of Canvastic, and how it might be used in their lessons. The next day, I appeared in the elementary lab to see if any assistance was needed, expecting to have to come up with something quickly……and one of my “students” from the previous afternoon was there, her laptop plugged into the projector, telling me that she was going to have her students learn about Canvastic, and I wasn’t really needed. I was amazed, and stuck around anyway to see how things went…..they did great. This shows us how technology inservice can directly impact instruction, and one more thing…. It’s a good thing for technologists when they work themselves out of a job!

Technology Workshops: The old way

Brad Edwards — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:57:59 +0000

Very often, school districts set aside a day for technology. During that day, teachers rotate around a schedule of various offerings. The next year, the admin team decides to offer a second day, and so on. That’s one day per year, folks. Well, after all, time for such professional development within the school calendar and the teacher union contract is pretty tough to carve out, right? So be glad for those days. Well, I’m not too happy about that one day administrative blessing for technology integration for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a day. We didn’t learn how to write in a day….or do math….we spent day after day practicing the craft, until we understood it, until we became proficient at it. Using technology in our classrooms is no different. Second, during that day teachers are given just a sample of what can be done, and then teachers can quickly find a place to hide from technology if there is any complication or glitch…they get into their anti technology bunkers, as Jim Moulton often says. And third, technology needs to be an ongoing process. Administrators need to encourage, to lead by example, those teachers who are the reluctant adopters of that skill which has become so important to our nation’s children and its future.That’s the old way. Set aside a day, and then check it off the list. Maybe do it again unless there’s something else that will catch interest. For the new ways, see my post “Technology Workshops: The way it’s supposed to be

Technology Integration » Technology Workshops

Technology Workshops: the way it’s supposed to be

Technology Workshops: The old way