http://www.academia.edu/1808822/Professional_Development_for_Student_Centered_Technology_Integration
This article begins by talking about how the one-time session or workshops are highly ineffective as effective professional development. Professional development needs to be ongoing and student-centered. The research shows that teachers go through stages with the integration of technology. They begin with integration that is familiar and not transformative. Transformative technology integration only comes through perseverance through setbacks and failures. It can take a teacher 5-6 years to master technology integration.
Studies show that technology proficiency decreases with age and number of years teaching. These teachers need ongoing support versus one stop workshops. They need a community of support and the time to research and explore how to integrate technology.
This article looked at 14 different studies and drew many conclusions of what educators are looking for in professional development. School leadership support was a factor found in three studies. Almost all studies valued teacher collaboration in the within the professional development environment. Another significant factor found in many of the studies is the need for individualized professional development to meet the specific needs of the teachers.
I think this article hits on many great points. Learning to integrate technology is a process that takes time. It begins in a familiar way, but if we are willing to push and persevere it can be transformative and student centered. This only happens through experimentation and time.
School leadership is a big key in the buy-in for teachers. Administration needs to model technology integration to provide an example to teachers. Also collaboration during professional development is overlooked in most sessions and is a big factor in how we learn. The individualized professional development is another key area that is often missed. Departments have different needs and so a one size fits all approach is often ineffective. Pre-assessing teachers and departments in order to determine their needs is a good way to start planning effective professional development.
This kind of goes with the ideas in the article I chose. Ongoing PD is incredibly important. I think of it as if I taught my students about geometry in two hours, the result would be a total failure! They would be bored, it would be too much information at one time, and they would forget about the information a few days later. If I spread my teachings out and constantly reteach the ideas at different times, they are a lot more likely to use that knowledge and be able to apply it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as teacher centered PD and the admin needing to buy in, that goes great with what we have discussed in this class so far! So true to have success in the professional development department.
I agree, this article hits it dead on and with what we have been discussing a lot in class. I think so many teachers get overwhelmed because so much is thrown at them at a short amount of time and just expected to learn it and then use it. Especially when it comes to technology. I think there are various types of learners and in order to reach out to everywhere pre-assessing like Dan said is a key factor.This is what we should do in our classrooms as well. Get to know your students!
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