Topic: How can increased technology professional development, follow-up sessions, and personal learning communities improve the use of technology in the classroom at PHS?
Because our teachers struggle to use available technology in their classrooms now, and we are getting new technology this year, I will be introducing a series of technology professional development to our teachers. While the technology based professional development would cover various topics from hardware to software to acceptable student use, the key to my study is the follow-up throughout the school year.
Purpose:
1. How can increased technology based professional development improve the use of technology in the classroom at PHS?
2. How can follow-up sessions improve teacher willingness to use technology?
3. How can follow-up sessions improve classroom use of technology for students?
Significance:
1. Teachers
a. will learn and use various technology hardware and software to help improve teaching and student learning.
b. will learn and use communication based programs to remain in contact with students and parents.
c. will work in small groups to follow-up on technology use in the classroom.
d. will have access to outside professional development opportunities online 24/7.
2. Administration
a. will see improved classroom use of technology.
b. will see increased student participation.
3. Students
a. will utilize technology based resources in the classroom.
b. will be active participants in technology based problem solving.
c. will have access to online communication methods with teachers 24/7.
4. Parents
a. will have access to online communication methods with teachers 24/7.
5. Community
a. will see increased classroom and school use of technology.
b. will see greater participation in technology based learning through communication on websites, blogs, and wikis.
Ideally, by creating a learning environment on campus for our faculty, student participation and as a result of that participation, learning will greatly improve. Also, my hope is that in the future this will open up greater opportunities for community involvement in the technology based classroom.
“Staff development that has as its goal high levels of learning for all students, teachers, and administrators requires a form of professional learning that is quite different from the workshop-driven approach. The most powerful forms of staff development occur in ongoing teams that meet on a regular basis, preferably several times a week, for the purposes of learning, joint lesson planning, and problem solving.” (NSDC, 2010) In beginning my research, I chose to start by looking at the National Staff Development Council. In doing so I discovered that not only to they seek to encourage teachers, schools, and districts to be involved in meaningful staff development, but they view the best way to do this as the use of professional learning communities. Both our texts refer to PLCs in education. Specifically the text’s supports engaging in PLCs for not only professional development, but also for the use of research and research sharing.
In reflecting on the aforementioned purpose, I find myself truly looking at creating PLCs at Plainview High School. By creating these PLCs within the school, follow-up will be teacher centered, teacher led professional development. Ideally, teachers will be able to reflect on best practices, raise concerns in a trusted environment, and use ideas from each other’s classrooms to integrate technology into their own courses.
I am currently trying to determine the best way to reflect and collect data on the PLCs that will be created. After completing this week’s assigned readings I know that I will work closely with my principal to collect data from her field notes (classroom walk-throughs). Group interviews throughout the PLC process may be valuable as well. I think that the best way for me to collect this data would be to create Weblogs or even a wiki with each PLC in mind. In doing this I would be able to share my reflections with teachers, and read and reflect on the thoughts of the teachers I work with. While not the main portion of my data collection, surveys and artifacts such as lesson plans (which are freely accessible by all teachers) and technology-based student work will also be utilized.
National Staff Development Council. (Accessed: July 29, 2010). Learning Communities. http://www.nsdc.org/standards/learningcommunities.cfm
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