“Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.” (Author Unknown)
If you go back and read the comment that follows my last posting, you will read one individual’s views on educators’ resistance to change. Ira Socal wrote, “Maybe, we do not change because we do not want to.” I have sensed this for a very long time
I began my teaching career as a special educator in Salt Lake City in the early '80s. I was 30-something and I was, and at 55 I remain, dedicated to change. But I also saw the more elderly teacher, the one who was most “set in her way” to be unwilling to make any changes in her practice of educating children. Perhaps, she was about 55 then, but I still do not embrace her philosophy.
I do not believe that technological advances are magical “fixes”, but I believe as Ira Socal wrote on his own blog (today) - http://speedchange.blogspot.com/ - that with technology teachers can offer “simple solutions to the most common struggles he as seen among all kids in all schools.”
I also believe strongly that it is in the networking and collaboration and community building between both local site-based teachers and educators from around the world – that we can learn the most through sharing and commenting and building upon our own base of knowledge.
In the 80s, I worked in elementary and middle schools as a resource teacher. My students were "pulled out" of "regular" classrooms and came to me for instruction for reading and math. I began to realize how critical I was of some of the other teachers, but later I realized that I had always made very quick, but usually accurate, judgments about my own teachers. I learned early on that if I could read what I needed to know for a test in a textbook - I really did not have to pay attention in school or even attend university classes. I certainly was not given the opportunity to collaborate with my classmates as that was, at the time, considered “cheating”. But I still was able to earn A’s and B’s. What I learned was flat and boring, and it did not stay with me for long.
This served me well enough in high school, during my Bachelor Degree in the 70s, and to some degree while I completed a 30 quarter-hour special education certification program with a University of Utah cohort group in the late 70s and until 1981. I had important things to do, a full time job, and most importantly a young daughter to raise – and I had high expectation for what a good teacher was supposed to teach me during the course of a class or the entire course- as to not waste my valuable time
Now as I work on my doctorate degree (at my advanced age), I have finally come to know dedicated and innovative teachers in this field of Educational Technology who seem to hold my attention with articulate research and information about new tools and that engaging term “collaboration” where learning has the opportunity to grow exponentially as it is shared in social settings.
I will continue my blog to cheer-lead for collaborative practice and change, and I will suggest that technology and “Internet Enabled Collaborative Learning Tools” offer great platforms and opportunities for improving education and professional development.
So, for tonight that is the soapbox upon which I stand. Tomorrow, I have a handful of engaging and interesting articles I found today about Teacher Networks and effective Communities of Practice, to bring us full circle to the main purpose of this blog. I will share the main points of these articles and hope that my friends, colleagues and the occasional blog browser reads and comes away believing a little more whole-heartedly in “change”.
Ciao.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
We are going to end up where we are going!
“If we don’t change direction soon, we’ll end up where we’re going.” Professor Irwin Corey (1914 - )
I have been reading a few articles about barriers that impact teachers’ willingness to make changes in practice related to technology. I will include links to the online articles as I write this post.
Williams (1993) ( http://staffdevelop.org/sd7.html ) writes about the power user/technology guru and how he/she can- in their zeal to move forward- leave other leave other less tech-savvy users “in the dust”. I can relate to this. Since the mid ‘80s it has been “clear” to me that we all must embrace technology and move forward wholeheartedly, both in the classroom and for our own professional development. Williams writes, “Clearly, the existence of power-users in a school can be a comfort to new learners-it helps to have someone to call upon when something goes wrong….specialized knowledge of the power-user, however, can also get in the way of communication.” I will take his words to heart, in the future, as I continue to advocate and campaign for more technology enabled collaborative professional development
Administrative support is essential for positive and innovative changes in the delivery of professional development. Administrators who manage best without association and collaboration with staff will most likely not support change that promotes collaboration.
Change is difficult. Many teachers have taught the way they have taught with outcomes they consider to be adequate or better for years, and they do not believe that change is necessary. They may have grown to embrace technology to a small or moderate degree, but the idea of collaborating online with colleagues (putting their thoughts “out there” for others to see and evaluate) may be more than they can imagine.
Ertmer (http://www.springerlink.com/content/c208142h3447u613/fulltext.pdf ) defines first order and second order barriers technology integration. She writes, “first-order barriers to technology integration are described as being extrinsic to teachers and include lack of access to computers and software, insufficient time to plan instruction, and inadequate technical and administrative support. In contrast, second-order barriers are intrinsic to teachers and include beliefs about teaching, beliefs about computers, established classroom practices, and unwillingness to change.” She summarizes that first order barriers can be more easily reduced by the provision of resources and training, tackling second order barriers “requires challenging one’s belief systems and institutionalized routines of one’s practice.”
techLearning.com archives a “Question of the Week” on their blog. During the week of December 31, 2007 – January 7, 2008 the question was “What do you believe is the major barrier to transforming the way we approach teaching and learning?” The responses included teacher lack of interest in moving outside their comfort zone (39%), accountability pressures (31%), lack of support at the building and district levels (29%), and student indifference (1%). Teachers commented to the blog posting with meaningful responses. ( http://www.techlearning.com/instantpoll/2007/1231.php )
I will be away for the weekend, and while I will have my laptop with me on the trip, I will not have Internet access in the Catskill Mountains. I am taking some reading material along for the ride, and I will return on Monday (May 12) with more to share.
Don’t forget to call your mother for Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day was originally suggested as Mother’s Peace Day. Check out About.com’s article on Mother’s Day and peace at http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa013100d.htm .
I have been reading a few articles about barriers that impact teachers’ willingness to make changes in practice related to technology. I will include links to the online articles as I write this post.
Williams (1993) ( http://staffdevelop.org/sd7.html ) writes about the power user/technology guru and how he/she can- in their zeal to move forward- leave other leave other less tech-savvy users “in the dust”. I can relate to this. Since the mid ‘80s it has been “clear” to me that we all must embrace technology and move forward wholeheartedly, both in the classroom and for our own professional development. Williams writes, “Clearly, the existence of power-users in a school can be a comfort to new learners-it helps to have someone to call upon when something goes wrong….specialized knowledge of the power-user, however, can also get in the way of communication.” I will take his words to heart, in the future, as I continue to advocate and campaign for more technology enabled collaborative professional development
Administrative support is essential for positive and innovative changes in the delivery of professional development. Administrators who manage best without association and collaboration with staff will most likely not support change that promotes collaboration.
Change is difficult. Many teachers have taught the way they have taught with outcomes they consider to be adequate or better for years, and they do not believe that change is necessary. They may have grown to embrace technology to a small or moderate degree, but the idea of collaborating online with colleagues (putting their thoughts “out there” for others to see and evaluate) may be more than they can imagine.
Ertmer (http://www.springerlink.com/content/c208142h3447u613/fulltext.pdf ) defines first order and second order barriers technology integration. She writes, “first-order barriers to technology integration are described as being extrinsic to teachers and include lack of access to computers and software, insufficient time to plan instruction, and inadequate technical and administrative support. In contrast, second-order barriers are intrinsic to teachers and include beliefs about teaching, beliefs about computers, established classroom practices, and unwillingness to change.” She summarizes that first order barriers can be more easily reduced by the provision of resources and training, tackling second order barriers “requires challenging one’s belief systems and institutionalized routines of one’s practice.”
techLearning.com archives a “Question of the Week” on their blog. During the week of December 31, 2007 – January 7, 2008 the question was “What do you believe is the major barrier to transforming the way we approach teaching and learning?” The responses included teacher lack of interest in moving outside their comfort zone (39%), accountability pressures (31%), lack of support at the building and district levels (29%), and student indifference (1%). Teachers commented to the blog posting with meaningful responses. ( http://www.techlearning.com/instantpoll/2007/1231.php )
I will be away for the weekend, and while I will have my laptop with me on the trip, I will not have Internet access in the Catskill Mountains. I am taking some reading material along for the ride, and I will return on Monday (May 12) with more to share.
Don’t forget to call your mother for Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day was originally suggested as Mother’s Peace Day. Check out About.com’s article on Mother’s Day and peace at http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa013100d.htm .
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
They all say that....
...if you build it they will not not necessarily come.
Most of the information I have read about building communities of practice makes it very clear that building a site rich with collaborative tools, inviting administrators and colleagues to share their strengths and seek to learn in a new way...does not guarantee that "they will come." I am beginning to realize that I might use my remaining time on this blog, especially until my class is over, to research the the steps I might make, albeit small steps, to encourage my colleagues to embrace this change.
Today I got email from Marian Thatcher, of OTAN, about the Google Teaching Acadamy in Mountain View, CA. Last year, staff from OTAN encouraged Google to include adult education in their definition of educators, and an adult educator actively took part in the Academy. As I have browsed the information about the academy, I believe it would be an extraordinay experience to learn more about these tools, and then as the program requires:
What do you think of Google Tools?
Most of the information I have read about building communities of practice makes it very clear that building a site rich with collaborative tools, inviting administrators and colleagues to share their strengths and seek to learn in a new way...does not guarantee that "they will come." I am beginning to realize that I might use my remaining time on this blog, especially until my class is over, to research the the steps I might make, albeit small steps, to encourage my colleagues to embrace this change.
Today I got email from Marian Thatcher, of OTAN, about the Google Teaching Acadamy in Mountain View, CA. Last year, staff from OTAN encouraged Google to include adult education in their definition of educators, and an adult educator actively took part in the Academy. As I have browsed the information about the academy, I believe it would be an extraordinay experience to learn more about these tools, and then as the program requires:
- Develop a "Personal Action Plan."
- Lead at least three local professional development activities over the course of 12 months.
- Actively participate in the Google Certified Teacher Online Community.
- Share the impact of their work with other Google Certified Teachers through an end-of-year reflection.
If anyone is interested in attending, you can link to this site for more information.
http://www.google.com/educators/gta.html
So, it started out as a frustrating day, but then via email - I was introduced to a new opportunity.
Don't forget to check out Marian Thatcher's Blog. The link is on my blog page.What do you think of Google Tools?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Hello to COABE Conference colleagues
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible." Arthur C. Clark (1917- ) Technology and the Future
For those of you who are not acquainted with the organization, COABE is the Commission on Adult Basic Education. You can read more about COABE at http://www.coabe.org/about/index.html .
The annual COABE conference is now taking place in St. Louis, Missouri. I would recommend that you consider joining the NIFL professional development list - http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment ASAP because there is currently a great deal of positive conversation going on related to the conference and the general sessions.
After this morning's post, I am going to write to my colleagues on the PD and the technology (NIFL) lists and specifically ask the conference attendees to visit the blog and leave comments - and especially suggestions for how we in Delaware (DAACE membership) might come together as a more collaborative group of teachers and learners online. I will specifically ask them - and anyone who has found their way here to answer these questions:
For those of you who are not acquainted with the organization, COABE is the Commission on Adult Basic Education. You can read more about COABE at http://www.coabe.org/about/index.html .
The annual COABE conference is now taking place in St. Louis, Missouri. I would recommend that you consider joining the NIFL professional development list - http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment ASAP because there is currently a great deal of positive conversation going on related to the conference and the general sessions.
After this morning's post, I am going to write to my colleagues on the PD and the technology (NIFL) lists and specifically ask the conference attendees to visit the blog and leave comments - and especially suggestions for how we in Delaware (DAACE membership) might come together as a more collaborative group of teachers and learners online. I will specifically ask them - and anyone who has found their way here to answer these questions:
How will you use technology to expand upon what you learn at the conference?
Will you do any formal or informal “follow-through” activities online related to the sessions you attended?
Can you give me advice on how to encourage and engage my Delaware colleagues into a serious online discussion regarding using the Internet for professional development?
What have been your most positive experiences using online forums for professional development?
What do you believe to be the greatest obstacles toward building a stronger practice of online (adult education) professional development?
Any other comments?
COABE and NIFL both maintain informative websites for adult educators. Browse through their pages frequently, and I expect that you will find something new each time you do.Friday, April 25, 2008
TappedIn - a web based learning environment
"Never regard study as a duty, but as the enviviable opportunity to learn to know the liberating influence of beautyin the realm of the spirit for your own personal joy and to profit of the community to which your later work belongs." Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Last night, I went online to http://www.tappedin.org/ one of my favorite online educational sites, and I chatted with my colleague and friend who is a leader/guide of the TappedIn team (and my TappedIn guru). I started to explain my blog project and how I am writing it to encourage colleagues to begin to imagine how we might use the Internet and Web 2.0 tools for professional development. I asked her how I might go about getting the attention of my colleagues and then engaging them to comment and to return to this blog - and other sites that I might lead them to. Her response was ... "ahhh the million dollar question!". She recommended some other Ed Tech PD blogs, and we talked a little longer.
We talked online in the reception area of TappedIn.org.
Tapped In is a Web-based learning environment created to transform teacher professional development. I would like to recommend that you go to http://www.tappedin.org/ and sign in as a member. This link (http://tappedin.org/tappedin/web/help/ui.jsp) -the user interface -will give you all the information you need to get started and into the "reception area" where a guide will be ready and waiting to show you around - and there is a lot to see!
There is a "search" tab in the top right hand corner of the main page. If you type in reginal (my user name) you can link to my office. On the left side of my office window there is a purple column that lists my notes, files, links, discussions, and whiteboard. Leave me a note or a message on the whiteboard if you visit my office. When you sign-in and become a member of TappedIn you will automatically have your own office space as well.
One of the greatest features of TappedIn are the After School Online professional development meetings/instructional sessions. Link from here to the calendar for April and May.
http://tappedin.org/tappedin/do/CalendarAction?ROOM_ID=&Zone=&Month=3&Year=2008&state=displayExtCalendar
You can also schedule meetings for your own group in your own office or in another office space on TappedIn. There are so many possibilities.
Last night, I went online to http://www.tappedin.org/ one of my favorite online educational sites, and I chatted with my colleague and friend who is a leader/guide of the TappedIn team (and my TappedIn guru). I started to explain my blog project and how I am writing it to encourage colleagues to begin to imagine how we might use the Internet and Web 2.0 tools for professional development. I asked her how I might go about getting the attention of my colleagues and then engaging them to comment and to return to this blog - and other sites that I might lead them to. Her response was ... "ahhh the million dollar question!". She recommended some other Ed Tech PD blogs, and we talked a little longer.
We talked online in the reception area of TappedIn.org.
Tapped In is a Web-based learning environment created to transform teacher professional development. I would like to recommend that you go to http://www.tappedin.org/ and sign in as a member. This link (http://tappedin.org/tappedin/web/help/ui.jsp) -the user interface -will give you all the information you need to get started and into the "reception area" where a guide will be ready and waiting to show you around - and there is a lot to see!
There is a "search" tab in the top right hand corner of the main page. If you type in reginal (my user name) you can link to my office. On the left side of my office window there is a purple column that lists my notes, files, links, discussions, and whiteboard. Leave me a note or a message on the whiteboard if you visit my office. When you sign-in and become a member of TappedIn you will automatically have your own office space as well.
One of the greatest features of TappedIn are the After School Online professional development meetings/instructional sessions. Link from here to the calendar for April and May.
http://tappedin.org/tappedin/do/CalendarAction?ROOM_ID=&Zone=&Month=3&Year=2008&state=displayExtCalendar
You can also schedule meetings for your own group in your own office or in another office space on TappedIn. There are so many possibilities.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Reflecting on STar In-person Inservice
"If facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Yesterday, I completed an extensive reading in-service training for Delaware ABE and ESL educators. Two very highly qualified, engaging trainers provided three two-day STar Reading training sessions over the course of the past six months. http://www.startoolkit.org/
I cannot begin to describe all that they taught nor all that I learned about teaching intermediate level adult learners to improve their reading skills.
Yesterday, the last of the six day sessions, I spoke to the thirty-some participants (educators, program administrators, staff development folks, and state administrators. I very briefly told them about my return to grad school and about this blog. I asked (pleaded with) them to link to it, read it, reflect upon it, and respond with comments. I would really like to encourage my colleagues to use this space as a place to collaborate on issues that relate to our professional development.
Last night, I also completed and submitted my project proposal for this project - this blog project. What I realized as I finished it was that each time I had edited and added to it, my ideas for the project had changed - but I used the word "evolved". It was a little painful in fact because I had made so many attempts to "finish" the assignment. But, by the end of the evening and after submitting what I referred to me as my most recent "work in progress", I did calm down as I came to realize that all of our works are "works in progress".
I came up with a term that I used in my proposal.... Internet Enabled Collaborative Learning Tools (IECLTs). I want to investigate and share what I learn about these kinds of tools as I continue to post to this blog. I sincerely hope that my colleagues and/or others who find their way to this site feel very encouraged to respond/comment to what I share. I am actively seeking collaboration.
I may post again later this evening, but I will leave for now with a few questions.
Yesterday, I completed an extensive reading in-service training for Delaware ABE and ESL educators. Two very highly qualified, engaging trainers provided three two-day STar Reading training sessions over the course of the past six months. http://www.startoolkit.org/
I cannot begin to describe all that they taught nor all that I learned about teaching intermediate level adult learners to improve their reading skills.
Yesterday, the last of the six day sessions, I spoke to the thirty-some participants (educators, program administrators, staff development folks, and state administrators. I very briefly told them about my return to grad school and about this blog. I asked (pleaded with) them to link to it, read it, reflect upon it, and respond with comments. I would really like to encourage my colleagues to use this space as a place to collaborate on issues that relate to our professional development.
Last night, I also completed and submitted my project proposal for this project - this blog project. What I realized as I finished it was that each time I had edited and added to it, my ideas for the project had changed - but I used the word "evolved". It was a little painful in fact because I had made so many attempts to "finish" the assignment. But, by the end of the evening and after submitting what I referred to me as my most recent "work in progress", I did calm down as I came to realize that all of our works are "works in progress".
I came up with a term that I used in my proposal.... Internet Enabled Collaborative Learning Tools (IECLTs). I want to investigate and share what I learn about these kinds of tools as I continue to post to this blog. I sincerely hope that my colleagues and/or others who find their way to this site feel very encouraged to respond/comment to what I share. I am actively seeking collaboration.
I may post again later this evening, but I will leave for now with a few questions.
- What information might I share that will encourage you to respond and return on occasion to this blog?
- How much time to you have in your day to read, reflect and respond?
- Are you comfortable with the format of blogs, and/or how "user friendly" is this one for you to navigate?
- How interested are you in changing the way you "do" professional development - to include Internet enabled PD opportunities?
Thank you for taking the time to read this afternoon's post. Please look forward to "coming attractions"!
Gina
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Oops!!
To add your comments to this or any Google Blog, you first must go to this page and register on Google. https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount
I also missed some typos in my first post, and so far I haven't figured out if I can go back and edit it. I will do a more further spell and grammar check in my future posts.
Wish me luck!
I also missed some typos in my first post, and so far I haven't figured out if I can go back and edit it. I will do a more further spell and grammar check in my future posts.
Wish me luck!
My First Blog Posting Ever!
I would like to welcome all Delaware adult educators to collaborate with me on this blog. I have created the blog as a project for a University of Delaware Educational Technology course that I am taking this semester, but I believe that my goals for the blog are very timely.
First of all, thanks to Joanne, we have started listservs for both the board and the membership of DAACE. We are in the process of adding email addresses to the listserv and inviting all of the DAACE membership to the list. Secondly, we have just come from the conference, and hopefully we left the conference with a renewed spirit for the work that we do. Also, and I hope I am quoting Maureen correctly, it is my understanding that the state has cut back all funding for DOE professional development for the 2009 fiscal year, and the indicators predict that money will be very limited for the next few years. What I recall from Maureen’s presentation and in other conversations is that the state has not been in such a difficult fiscal condition since 1991.
There are inexpensive ways to use the Internet to improve our skills at integrating technology into our classrooms (even those of us who teach in prisons) and even more importantly to use online learning for our own professional development.
My primary goal for writing this blog is to educate and encourage Delaware Adult Educators to take advantage of online professional development tools/activities including listservs (http://www.units.muohio.edu/psybersite/cyberspace/cmcreal/listserves.shtml and online communities of practice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practice).
I will start my first blog entry with a suggestion from my technology and wiki mentor, David Rosen. I posted to two NIFL listservs asking for suggestions about encouraging my peers to participate in listservs. He suggested that we look at “Adulted online 's Technology Integration Self assessment (TISA) [http://www.adultedonline.org/] Go to Tech Savvy -- select "Teachers start here" link. . This (free because it was developed with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Education] online process is a self-assessment and much more. It is an online professional development process.”
I registered and took the self assessment. It does not take much time. After taking the assessment you will be guided to free or inexpensive online learning resources to meet your specific needs. David asked that if you would take the time to take the self-assessment you might reply to this blog entry with answers to questions such as:
- What do you think?
- Do you like it?
- Is it helpful?
- What are its strengths?If there were more funds available to support it, how could it be improved?”
I will end this first posting for now, but I will come back to topics I have mentioned today. I will also ask you to consider that I have some Attention Deficit Disorder issues of my own, and I will ask that if my posting go off topic, that you gently and kindly remind me to get back on track.
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