Steps to highly effective next generation

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Eight Steps to Highly Effective ‘Next Generation’ Professional Development for Learning and Technology APPENDIX ‘Next Generation’ Professional Development Strategies Effective technology use requires new curricular, instructional, and assessment designs; learning about and incorporating these new designs into classroom practice will require unique combinations of professional development strategies Such combinations constitute ‘next generation’ strategies, in which access, quality, and continuity of professional development experiences are enriched and extended through technology and digital age thinking The chart on the following pages includes: A range of effective professional development strategies commonly used in K-12 schools ‘Next generation’ professional development that results from intelligently combining these strategies with 21st century technologies The potential of each ‘next generation’ strategy for preparing educators to advance student learning through technology Combined with 21st century thinking and contemporary technologies, this range of strategies for professional development can be used to enhance the growth of teachers and administrators in all aspects of teaching and learning Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 THE STRATEGY: A Description What are the key components of this strategy? Who has a role to play? Transforming the Strategy into ‘Next Generation’ How can technology be used to support and enhance this strategy? Strategy’s Impact on Effective Uses of Technology by Teachers How does the strategy support technology based teaching and learning? Action Research Educators conduct semi-formal studies with their classes to collect baseline data, track the impact of innovations on students, and report results Technology can play a major role in the collection, analysis, and reporting of data It can also support the collaborative processes that characterize action research The practice of using technology in teaching and learning is relatively new Action research can make the impact of effective technology use relevant as it increases a teacher’s knowledge base Teachers learn to speak authoritatively about what is happening in their own classrooms based on the data they collect Examining Student Work Together Small groups of teachers look carefully at student products, identifying content knowledge, analyzing the work in the context of standards, developing and improving rubrics, and gaining common understandings of desired student outcomes The Internet offers many resources for teachers on standards and rubrics Videoconferencing can bring in an outside expert or foster collaboration over time and distance Online discussion boards provide a means of supporting individual teachers in their efforts to apply what they learn Some of the student work examined may be technology based or contain technology elements This provides opportunities for teacher dialogue and reflection about effective and appropriate uses of technology Immersion Teachers are placed in an extended, intensive experience where they are immersed in content and skill development Internships, temporary jobs, and six-week workshops are just a few examples The actual immersion experience may be technology-rich, providing teachers with valuable field experiences (e.g., in well-equipped laboratories or with engineering or publishing technologies) Follow-up communication through e-mail and discussion boards can extend these experiences and assist teachers in applying newly learned skills to their classroom practice The intensity of immersion provides opportunities for developing and honing technology skills in an authentic environment Field experiences provide teachers with insights into practical applications of digital age thinking and technology tools within academic disciplines Individualized Learning Using school improvement goals and student learning data, individualized learning allows teachers to personalize their professional development activities to meet their own needs, schedules, and interests Technology use in individualized learning can extend beyond merely enrolling teachers in online workshops E-mail and discussion groups provide forums for mentoring and collegial dialogue The Internet offers access to research and best practices, new teaching strategies, and curriculum development and delivery Video and audio conferences can link teachers to distant experts and colleagues, allowing them to meet their self-identified learning needs Not only are many teachers seeking to develop their own technology proficiency, they are looking for opportunities to develop their students’ proficiency in this area as well One way to accomplish this is for teachers to incorporate technology into their individualized learning goals, applying technology and digital age thinking to their classroom practice Mentoring Teachers receive special support from a colleague who has particular expertise to share This usually occurs over time and with direct application to classroom activities Both synchronous and asynchronous communication can extend conventional, face-to-face mentor/teacher dialogue Electronic journaling and e-mail can support reflective practice between mentoring sessions and, in some cases, replace face-to-face sessions Teachers often have technology skills but need assistance with integrating them into classroom practice A mentor can help Technology is one area in which younger teachers (or even students) are often seen mentoring their veteran colleagues Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 THE STRATEGY: A Description What are the key components of this strategy? Who has a role to play? Transforming the Strategy into ‘Next Generation’ How can technology be used to support and enhance this strategy? Strategy’s Impact on Effective Uses of Technology by Teachers How does the strategy support technology based teaching and learning? Networking Professionals with common interests and concerns actively seek out each other’s company to share insights and seek new solutions to problems of practice Local interest groups and professional organizations offer opportunities for networking beyond the school walls Technology allows networks to expand to state, national, and global levels Collaborative communications technologies (e mail, Web sites with discussion forums, video teleconferencing, etc.) allow for more convenient and frequent communications within the network The keys to effective technology professional development are the establishment and ongoing evaluation of new practices Networks can support this process, even for those teachers in remote locations Peer Coaching The goal of peer coaching is to provide school-based support for teachers as they begin to implement skills and strategies learned in training Audio and visual technologies, in particular, can facilitate the frequent observations at the heart of peer coaching Communications technologies enable ongoing conversation and feedback Peer coaching was designed to support complex teaching behaviors, including the new instructional practices required for powerful use of technology Reflective Practice Reflective practice is actually a variety of practices involving contemplation of one’s own teaching and learning, as well as the teaching and learning of others Technology can support reflective practice in ways that vary from the mundane to the complex, from document processing to sophisticated “mental mapping” tools such as Inspiration™ Reflections can be shared through e-mail, discussion boards, videoconferencing, and more Reflection is critical for achieving proficiency in new classroom practices associated with effective uses of technology It helps teachers focus on what is actually happening in their classrooms and how that aligns with school improvement goals Study Groups Groups of teachers are organized around a common interest—usually improving student learning Asynchronous collaboration tools (e-mail, discussion boards, and listservs) allow for broader involvement in what can be a time-consuming process Many of these tools also automatically archive, enabling group members to share their efforts with others Study groups are a good way to continually investigate the latest research and best practices related to the use of technology in teaching and learning The professional collegiality and common understandings that come out of study groups make it easier for teachers to identify and initiate new instructional practices Train the Trainer Train the Trainer creates teacher trainers who serve as resources for others in their schools and districts Collaborative technologies (audio and video conferencing, e mail, discussion forums, etc.) can keep novices and master trainers in contact This helps participants avoid the most common problem associated with Train the Trainer models the isolation of the novice trainer Train the Trainer works best for the transmission of simple skills related to new technologies In situations where the expertise of skilled staff developers is tapped, the complexities of effective uses in curriculum, instruction, and assessment can be addressed successfully Workshops Workshops are traditionally face-to-face sessions lasting a few hours or a few days They are generally focused on the transfer of specific knowledge or skills E-mail and discussion boards extend the workshop experience and provide a means for follow-up Videoconferencing can bring in outside expertise for a portion of the workshop Online workshops allow individuals or small groups of teachers to “attend” workshops not available locally Workshops can help teachers learn basic technology skills When combined with follow-up sessions, mentoring, or peer coaching, they provide a powerful tool for effective technology use in teaching and learning Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 Action Research: Emily Calhoun describes action research as “…a fancy way of saying let’s study what’s happening at our school (in my class) and decide how to make it a better place” (Calhoun, 1994, p.1) Mary Nicolini, an Indian Writing Project leader, says, “Action research involves turning a puzzlement into a question to explore.” In action research, we begin by investigating a “wondering” rather than testing a hypothesis This investigation may be done: by individual educators, in small groups, or by the entire school faculty The team approach is often referred to as collaborative inquiry There are a variety of action research/inquiry models, but all agree that it involves a recursive cycle rather than a linear sequence The steps in this cycle include identifying a problem or issue to investigate, formulating a research question, developing a plan (which often includes an intervention), collecting data, analyzing and interpreting the data, and drawing conclusions that lead to the development of an action plan Data collection and analysis are integral to every stage of this process In fact, data collected and analyzed throughout may help investigators modify their interventions, pose new questions, and collect additional data Reflection and dialogue with colleagues are also important in action research This is reflective practice in action; it connects professional development directly to student learning Indiana Department of Education Why use action research? According to NCREL, “Action research has the potential to generate genuine and sustained improvements in schools.” It allows educators to reflect on and assess their teaching, to explore and test new ideas, methods, and materials, and to determine the effectiveness of each new approach Action research keeps teachers focused on student learning, as well as on instructional practice, materials, and resources from the perspective of their impact on student performance Collaborative action research, whether in small groups or as whole faculty inquiry, facilitates deep professional dialogue and a sense of direction and purpose This reflects truly learner-centered professional development in which the educator designs and takes responsibility for his/her own learning As a result, educators change their practices and beliefs according to data and student learning results Action research works when… Teachers are focused on improved student learning Teachers have specific concerns and questions about their own classroom practice and student learning Participants take time for reflection Teacher-researchers have the support of a “critical friend” or are part of a study group, collaborative inquiry group, or a whole-faculty research effort The culture of the school supports collegiality, experimentation, and professional growth Technology and action research: Action research is an effective strategy for investigating the impact of technology use on student learning, as well as for linking professional development to student learning Through the use of collaboration tools such as discussion forums, e-mail, and Blackboard.com, teacher-researchers can develop collegial networks and link to experts in action research In addition, a variety of software tools assist in the collection, analysis, and synthesis of data Researchers can share what they learn through videotapes, audiotapes, and web pages Fall 2001 Scenario: The principal and faculty of Thomas Jefferson Middle School decided to implement a school-wide action research inquiry as a strategy for addressing and evaluating the attainment of their goal: increased student performance in reading and writing The principal used spreadsheets and graphs to organize student test scores from ISTEP, TerraNova, and NWEA so that faculty could identify specific areas for improvement at each grade level Faculty members then met in small groups to identify the specific problems that students were having with reading and writing Using standardized test scores and teachers’ classroom assessment data, they identified comprehension as the school’s main reading problem Identifying a specific problem for writing proved to be more difficult, since fall 6th and 8th grade ISTEP scores were the only measure of students’ writing performance Faculty members decided instead to focus on two related aspects of reading and writing: 1) improving students’ ability to understand what they read and 2) improving students’ ability to express and organize ideas in writing Together, they investigated possible interventions and selected the 6+1 Traits of Writing and Traits of Effective Readers from the Northwest Regional Educational Lab’s (NWREL) Website A school wide writing assessment was administered to collect baseline data Teachers also used the Effective Readers scoring guide to gather baseline data of students’ reading performance Three teachers who were familiar with the NWREL programs served as grade level mentors The computer resource teacher and two other colleagues who were familiar with technology teamed with the writing mentors to coach teachers in the use of technology to support student learning in reading and writing Inspiration software was used to help students organize their ideas, identify main ideas, and connect supporting details The Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word was used to facilitate peer editing Students used an electronic “Learning Journal” to set goals, develop individual learning plans, reflect, and add documents or projects as evidence of goal attainment Teachers met regularly in grade level groups to review student work, to share observations and strategies, to reflect on instructional practices, and to coach one another Throughout the year, they kept anecdotal records, reviewed student journals and portfolios, and kept a teaching and learning journal to document their own instructional practices and observations Near the end of each grading period, teachers analyzed students’ classroom performance data using the two scoring guides In May, a school-wide post-assessment writing sample and reading inventory were administered The principal arranged for release time so that grade level teams could review and analyze data, draw conclusions, and plan next steps for the following year Each team’s focused, collaborative efforts had already helped the school make strides toward its improvement goals, and the faculty was looking forward to another year of progress using action research Indiana Department of Education Hints for successful action research: Clearly identify and articulate the problem or issue Use data to confirm the problem or clarify the issue Select problems or issues that have a high probability of impacting student learning Formulate the research question carefully and allow it to drive the inquiry process Continue to reflect, analyze data, and revisit the research question Links and Resources: Action Research: Creating Communities of Inquiry, Discovery, Learning The Center of Excellence, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN: http://crlt.indiana.edu/cee_archive/actre search/title.html Calhoun, Emily F.; How to Use Action Research in the self Renewing School; ASCD; 1994 NCREL: Pathways to School Improvement: Action Research: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/e nvrnmnt/drugfree/sa3act.htm Fall 2001 Examining Student Work Together: Examining student work collaboratively is a powerful strategy for professional development, as well as an effective way to gather data about student learning In this strategy, a team that may include teachers, administrators, and/or specialists meets regularly to examine and discuss student work Several different protocols (structured procedures) have been developed for examining and discussing student work The Tuning Protocol (developed for the Coalition of Essential Schools) and the Collaborative Assessment Conference (developed at Harvard’s Project Zero) are well-defined and proven protocols that can be found online and in current literature A team selects the most appropriate protocol for addressing their purpose and questions about student learning when they examine student work Although structured protocols may seem stilted and difficult to follow at first, it is important to follow the selected protocol carefully They are designed to keep observations and comments objective—focused on students’ work rather than veering off-track with conversations about personalities, behaviors, and perceptions The protocols also ensure that the team’s original purpose and questions are addressed Thus, dialogue becomes richer and more insightful It may be helpful to appoint one group member as the leader to ensure that a selected protocol is followed and to keep the discussion focused on student work Indiana Department of Education Why examine student work together? Examining student work together helps teachers, administrators, and specialists develop a common understanding of standards and expectations for student work When teams of educators examine and discuss student work, the team generates more ideas for effective instructional strategies and resources than any teacher can when working alone The team’s analysis of student work provides data for measuring progress toward individual and school-wide learning goals, as well as for identifying effective instructional practices Collaboration around student work fosters collegiality and builds a learning community When teams meet during staff meeting times, prep periods, or during short blocks of release time using rotating substitutes, professional learning is embedded into the daily lives of teachers and administrators Examining student work together works when… There are common goals for student learning There is a need for collaborative problem solving There is a range of experience and expertise among teachers There is time during the school day for collaboration There is a sense of trust and collegiality among teachers Technology and student work: When educators examine technology-based student work, they can investigate how technology impacts student learning and identify ways that new technology tools might add value to teaching and learning New technology tools such as Yahoo Groups or Blackboard.com can provide anytime, anywhere collaboration around student work Videoconferences can connect classroom teachers, pre-service teachers and university professors, or experts from business, industry, and the arts to examine and discuss student portfolios or videotaped demonstrations and performances Fall 2001 Scenario: Every 3-4 weeks, a team of Valley Creek Middle School teachers meets during a prep period to examine and discuss student work Prior to the meeting described below, team members identified writing skills in the content areas as a learning goal for the school year This session beings with the selection of a discussion facilitator who will make sure that the protocol is followed and that conversation remains focused on student work For this particular session, the group chooses to use the Collaborative Assessment Conference protocol to review a paper from one of the students in Mr Jones’ social studies class Following the selected protocol, Mr Jones does not talk about the assignment, the student, or the context of the lesson as he hands each team member a copy of a student’s paper Team members read and jot brief notes on their individual copies of the paper The facilitator, Ms Thompson, opens the discussion by reminding the group that its purpose is to help Mr Jones think about important issues found in the paper and plan appropriate instructional strategies She adds, “By examining this work, we will all learn more about our own teaching.” Throughout the subsequent discussion, Mr Jones sits silently at a laptop that is connected to a projector, listens intently to the conversation, and uses Inspiration to web and cluster his teammates’ comments The group begins to describe the work by responding to the facilitator’s questions— “What you see in the work?” and “Can you be more specific?” During the next step, team members ask questions about the work Finally, it is time to hear from Mr Jones He switches places with a teammate, who begins to add Mr Jones’ comments to the Inspiration clusters Mr Jones explains that the student’s assignment was to summarize the key ideas from an online news article about rising oil prices He responds to earlier comments and questions from team members and adds his own observations Soon the facilitator prompts the entire group, including Mr Jones, to reflect on the discussion and to look for patterns in the Inspiration clusters The team concludes that this student has difficulty identifying key points and summarizing them Team members agree that many students at this grade level have the same difficulty The team brainstorms ways to help students improve in this area Before the session adjourns and teachers go to their classes, Mr Jones decides to try the following activity that the team developed Working in pairs, students will read another article and use Inspiration to take notes Next, they will convert the webs into an outline, making sure it is sequenced logically Finally, the students will paste the outline into a word processing document and use it as a framework for helping them draft a summary of the article Two other teachers also decide to try this activity with their students The three teachers plan to bring sample papers to the next session so that the team can score them together using the Six Traits Writing rubric Teachers are eager to investigate the effectiveness of the approach they designed Indiana Department of Education Hints for successfully examining student work together: Establish group norms and expectations for work sessions Plan sufficient time for thorough analysis and dialogue Identify the purpose and desired results for examining student work Select the most appropriate protocol for the identified purpose Stick to the protocol and don’t let the conversation wander Discuss the work—not the student, the lesson, the assignment, or the teacher’s expertise Links and Resources: The Annenberg Institute for School Reform: http://www.lasw.org National Council of Staff Development: http://www.nsdc.org/library/studentwork htm Coalition of Essential Schools: http://www.essentialschools.org/pubs/h orace/13/v13n02.html#3 Blythe, Allen, Powell Looking Together at Student Work Teachers’ College Press; New York, NY: 1999 Fall 2001 Immersion: Immersion emphasizes shifting the structure of a teacher's educational perspective and belief system While other, more traditional professional development focuses on making changes in specific teaching behaviors and strategies, immersion involves teachers in learning and adjusting new strategies as they practice them in their classrooms Teachers are immersed in a series of activities that directly engage them in these new strategies, processes, and practices An important aspect of immersion is the opportunity teachers have to participate in and reflect upon how these experiences are different from what currently occurs in their classrooms In order to provide the appropriate guidance, insight, and perspective for the immersion experience, it is necessary to use educators experienced in teaching the new strategies as facilitators for small peer groups In 1980, Sprinthall and Sprinthall proposed a model for professional development that promotes teachers’ developmental growth through a blend of immersion and reflection The model stresses the importance of learning through active involvement in real situations, careful and continuous guided reflection, a balance between action and reflection, the extension of the program over a significant period of time (two to three years), the provision of personal support for the learner, and a reasonable level of challenge Indiana Department of Education Why use immersion? Immersion can be very successful in moving large numbers of teachers forward in their thinking about teaching and learning It provides the techniques and strategies teachers need to successfully implement innovation, giving them first hand knowledge of what their classroom practice should look like Immersion supports the kinds of adult learning that will bring educators enthusiastically to the cutting edge of practice Staff actually see and experience new ways of teaching and learning, and complex issues that would require too many workshops can be adequately addressed in context Immersion works when… It is necessary for staff to actually see and experience new ways of teaching and learning The issues are complex and it would take too many workshops to cover the same material An entire team, grade level, or school is trying to move forward There are high quality, experienced teachers available to lead your staff through the immersion experience Technology and immersion: Technology can overcome barriers of time and location Videoconferences, e-mail, online collaboration tools (such as CentraNow and NetMeeting), and e-mail can provide teachers with access to mentors, coaches, professionals in the field, and teachers who are experts in a desired instructional approach Through immersion, teachers learn how technology tools are used by professionals in the field When teachers use technology for learning and authentic work, they are better prepared to provide authentic, technology-based, 21st century learning opportunities to their students Fall 2001 Scenario: Speakman Middle School had been working on its school improvement plan Staff members were struggling with how to align curriculum to state standards, improve the learning environment for their students, create interdisciplinary projects, and use technology more effectively as an integral part of instruction Every staff member knew that these goals would mean an immense undertaking, but they truly believed it was necessary to establish a 21st century curriculum that met the needs of their students The first step was to go on some “field trips” to a few successful businesses, industries, and service organizations in the area to see what these 21st century skills looked like in the workplace They discovered that most employees worked in teams to solve specific problems or to develop products After brainstorming about ways to prepare students for work in similar teams, the staff settled on a Project-Based Learning approach based on immersion and reflection Unfortunately, only a few Speakman teachers had ever used PBL, so it would be difficult to actively involve the entire staff in a school-wide implementation process One group of teachers was sent to Proctor Middle School to observe how they implemented PBL; another group attended PBL-related conferences Both groups soon realized that traditional professional development (in this case, incremental skill-building) was not going to satisfy their needs: moving to a PBL based environment would require a significant change in teacher attitudes, skills, and strategies Teachers at Speakman needed to get the “big picture” and learn from peer experts how PBL could work in their school and with their students Speakman’s principal arranged to hire several of Proctor’s teachers Together, they developed an immersion experience in which Speakman’s teachers spent two weeks during the summer During that time, the novice teachers were involved in numerous activities that not only immersed them in project-based learning experiences, but which demonstrated, concretely, how PBL strategies could work in their school A major part of the two weeks involved individual and group reflection, answering the why, how, what, and when questions Time was also spent developing projects among teams of teachers, with the Proctor teachers serving as mentors Those two weeks were just the beginning, but they served as the boost the staff needed to move from a more traditional style of teaching and learning to a more holistic approach that relied on a standards-based curriculum Hints for successful immersion: Establish a clear idea of the vision and long-term goals for the school Have teachers identify what they want to know and be able to Have teachers set short- and longterm goals for their own professional development Provide opportunities for field experiences, such as summer work in related fields, professionals serving as mentors, or observation and coaching from teachers currently using the desired instructional approach Provide opportunities for follow-up and ongoing support Monitor progress towards goals, celebrate successes, and modify strategies as appropriate Links and Resources: Sprinthall and Sprinthall (1980) Thanks, in part, to the immersion experience, teachers at Speakman and Proctor have developed an ongoing relationship; they now routinely communicate via e-mail, and Speakman teachers periodically invite their mentors to observe their lessons via videoconference While some handholding is still necessary, Speakman has moved significantly forward in its effort to improve teaching and learning Immersion is not the answer for everyone, but it does hold promise for those schools that are eager to move a large number of people in a fairly short amount of time Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 Individualized Learning: Individualized learning allows teachers to personalize their professional development activities to meet their own needs, schedules, and interests When teachers create this type of personalized professional development, they take into consideration the strengths and weaknesses of their teaching strategy repertoire based on student learning data from their classrooms and their schools Using school improvement goals and student learning data, teachers can decide what workshops will best meet their needs, what books they should read, what colleagues they might observe or collaborate with, what conferences they should attend, and how they will evaluate their own resulting professional growth In other words, individual (or small groups of) teachers, in collaboration with a professional development coordinator or a principal, can identify specific needs and ways to address those needs by drawing on a variety of professional development activities as they are appropriate and available Why use individualized learning? We know that nearly everyone learns best when they see an authentic need for content and skills Just as students differ in their development and readiness, so teachers A generic, one-size-fits-all approach to professional development is doomed to failure for a significant part of any faculty, as some teachers need more basic work and others are ready to move on When teachers play a lead role in identifying their students’ needs, and when they pursue opportunities for their own learning to better meet their student needs, they assume ownership and responsibility for their professional growth They learn because they want to – not because they are required to attend so many in-service hours whether they need them or not Individualized learning works when… There is guidance and on-going support for planning individualized learning Individual learning coordinates with and supports school improvement and student learning goals There are opportunities for collaboration Both teacher learning and student learning are evaluated Technology and individualized learning: More effective student use of technology for learning is a need many teachers can identify Yet a major barrier to meeting this need is often lack of teacher knowledge about technology use One way to overcome this barrier is for teachers to incorporate technology into their individualized learning goals Technology can also play a critical role in helping teachers address their individual needs Online professional development workshops are offered by a number of reputable organizations E-mail and online discussion groups provide a forum for mentoring and collegial dialogue The Internet offers access to research findings and other information about best practices, teaching strategies, and curriculum development and delivery Video and audio conferences can link small groups of teachers to distant experts and colleagues Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 Scenario: Water Valley High School teachers see professional development as a continuous growth opportunity for themselves and for their students Each year, they meet with the professional development coordinator and the technology director (both members of the School Improvement Team) to discuss their goals and the professional development resources currently available Individual teachers, as well as department teams, examine current student data and identify departmental objectives that align school improvement goals to student needs They also revisit the personal needs assessments each completed the year before Depending on the progress each teacher made during the past year, he or she either: has enough useable data; takes the assessment again; or uses a new assessment tool focused on different skills Then, armed with an understanding of school and district goals, departmental objectives, student needs, and their own knowledge and skill needs, each teacher uses the template provided by the district to design a year long plan for individualized learning Ms Domberg’s data reveals that her students need to better analyze and interpret information when solving problems At a conference last spring, she saw a presentation on spreadsheets and graphing utilities that would be useful, but she is not comfortable using them Because school and district plans emphasize problem-based learning, she believes this will be a good focus for part of her individualized learning and discusses it with her colleagues at a departmental planning meeting A fellow teacher, Mr Bloom, has identified a similar goal, and the two decide to team up Another teacher refers them to a Website she found that gives instructions and ideas for classroom implementation of problem-based learning and suggests that they confer with the technology director about training Each department member receives similar support in creating his or her individual plan for the year After a few weeks, teachers electronically submit their goals and strategies to the professional development coordinator, who reviews them and identifies additional resources, makes suggestions, and helps make connections with teachers in other departments with similar goals and strategies Ms Domberg finds a colleague in the middle school who wants to join her and Mr Bloom in observing each others’ classes and examining student work They plan to develop rubrics together Throughout the year, teachers pursue learning opportunities and share what they learn with department teams and teachers in other departments with similar goals The latter is done primarily through listservs and discussion boards set up by the technology director Data collection, analysis, self-reflection, and dialogue with colleagues help these teachers establish new goals and design individualized learning for the next school year Indiana Department of Education Hints for successful individualized learning: Provide structure for individualized learning through templates, help sessions, or individual conferences Plan sufficient time for thorough needs assessment, data collection, analysis and dialogue Encourage and support small group collaboration Provide plenty of information and resources about available professional development opportunities, as well as school and district initiatives Schedule regular checkpoints for examining progress of both student and teacher learning Continually monitor and align individual teachers’ learning to student learning and school improvement goals Links and Resources: NSDC Standards for Staff Development: https://www.nsdc.org/standards.htm NSDC Library: Online Learning https://www.nsdc.org/library/onlinelearning.htm Professional Development Portfolio Project: http://etc.iupui.edu/pdp Concept to Classroom (online workshops): http://www.thirteen.org/teach Fall 2001 Mentoring: Mentoring is an effective strategy for assisting teachers in adapting to new roles, new schools, new tools, and/or different teaching assignments While traditionally reserved for novice teachers, it is important to look at mentoring as a possibility when experienced teachers change schools or are given new teaching assignments Mentoring can be part of a strong support system that provides opportunities for veterans to assist fellow teachers in learning new instructional strategies, classroom management, and effective technology integration techniques The mentor experience is important in developing a relationship between the mentee and his or her new school situation For mentoring to be effective, mentors should be role models and leaders They convey aspirations, school and community goals, and share knowledge, skills and attitudes with their mentees They must be interested, respectful, have good communication skills, and be willing to support a mentee for at least one full year It is important to note that the personality traits of either party are not as important as the quality of their interactions In other words, successful mentoring can be learned Not all teachers need the same mentoring program, so mentors must be flexible and set realistic expectations with their mentees, keeping in mind the training, teaching readiness, and support mentees need to become an effective part of the school community Mentors are men and women driven by a positive spirit to inspire and guide Indiana Department of Education Why use mentoring? Both mentors and mentees have discovered the following benefits to this type of relationship: Mentors had: Their attitudes and professional outlook significantly altered Their assumptions challenged Their own careers and professional development enhanced Mentees learned to: Overcome obstacles and avoid pitfalls Maintain motivation and perseverance Set goals and select appropriate strategies and tools to meet them Mentoring works when… The school provides frequent and open interactions among individuals at different career stages and hierarchical levels The school culture is one of collaboration and trust that values and encourages mentoring relationships Individuals are willing to cultivate and support mentoring relationships The mentor has expertise, is willing to guide (not dictate), and has good communication and interpersonal skills The knowledge and skills of the mentee are recognized and honored Technology and mentoring: Not all teachers have the necessary skills or knowledge to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum to support and expand learning opportunities for their students Mentors can play an integral role in supporting both new and veteran teachers as they explore the role of technology in teaching and learning and investigate ways to incorporate new technology tools into their classroom practice Mentors may want to invite mentees to their classrooms to either observe or co teach model lessons using technology, and they may wish to provide the name(s) of other teachers who are making use of technology as well Mentees might choose to complete a self-assessment using an online tool such as enGauge, then reflect on the resulting data with their mentors Fall 2001 Scenario: Palmer High School is an innovative public school that has embraced new technologies and new teaching strategies to increase student learning Mary, a teacher, came to Palmer from a more traditional setting—a large high school with low accountability, a high level of isolation, and little, if any, use of technology At Palmer, Mary found herself in a very different world, characterized by a focus on collaboration, student learning, interdisciplinary practice, and powerful, authentic use of technology tools Fortunately for Mary, the culture at Palmer was one of collaboration in a community of learners Mentoring, coaching, and collegiality were the norm for teachers and administrators, as well as students Students not only mentored one another, but also served as technology mentors for teachers In addition, administrators served as mentors for teachers who were interested in moving into leadership positions As a new member of this professional community, Mary was struck by the interdependence of the teachers The school's culture promoted mentoring interactions on many levels Mary was assigned to a mentor who worked with her throughout the year, orienting her to the philosophy of the school, helping her get comfortable with an interdisciplinary approach, teaching her about new technology tools, and providing ongoing support on a variety of issues At first, Mary was concerned that her mentor was not in her department, and she felt she didn’t need someone “watching her and telling her how to teach.” She soon discovered that her mentor not only offered valuable suggestions, but recognized and respected her knowledge and skills as well In a short time, Mary began to view her mentor as a valuable colleague Much of their interaction over subsequent months focused on such basic skills as finding strategies for integrating numerous technologies into teaching and linking what students were learning in her classes to what they were learning in her mentor’s classes By the last grading period, Mary actually looked forward to collaborating with her mentor to plan and implement an interdisciplinary unit using technology tools Mary even suggested NetMeeting as a possible solution to a scheduling problem that was preventing some students from participating in the unit Later, Mary told her mentor that the only reason she was willing to risk attempting technology-based, interdisciplinary lessons was that she was not alone—she had come to count on her mentor’s expertise and support Hints for successful mentoring: Conduct mentor training sessions which address the skills, attitudes, and knowledge important for teachers to become effective mentors Look for individuals who are enthusiastic about their roles as teachers Seek out teachers who reflect highquality teaching Look for staff who have effective communication skills, especially those who are good listeners Solicit individuals who are willing to commit the time necessary to support their mentee throughout the entire school year Links and Resources: The George Lucas Foundation: http://glef.org/ Teachers First: http://www.teachersfirst.com/ The NEA Foundation: http://www.nfie.org In the end, Mary found that Palmer was a rich, complex, and colorful learning community that succeeded in providing all of its teachers and students opportunities to learn and the support and encouragement needed to make the most of those opportunities The mentoring experience provided a chance for Mary to continually examine her teaching practices, leadership skills, and beliefs about teaching and learning, and to reflect on whether her actions as an educator were consistent with her beliefs Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 Networking: Why use networking? Networking is a common characteristic of virtually every profession Professionals with common interests and concerns actively seek out each other’s company to share insights and seek new solutions to problems of practice The typical K-12 teaching environment has historically presented significant barriers to networking Teachers are isolated in classrooms for the majority of their working day; coaching and club sponsorships extend far into afterschool hours Networks provide an opportunity for teachers to both seek out new classroom practices and to share the best of their knowledge with other professionals Networks can be created informally – when a group of teachers with a common interest meets in a graduate course and begins to correspond on a regular basis, for example – or they can occur within the structure of a professional association The latter may even become a sanctioned interest group of that association Many professional development initiatives recognize the value of networks and include overt strategies for creating them In modern parlance, a “learning community” is a network of individuals with a common interest that explores that interest in a collaborative fashion Indiana Department of Education Professional networks can break through the isolation so common for teachers and administrators They provide an opportunity for discourse with other adults that is often rare in a teacher’s life This gives educators an opportunity to advance their own practice through the experiences of others and to contribute as professionals to the growth of others Networks can help educators maintain professional motivation by providing a stream of new ideas and possibilities They can also introduce a positive type of accountability to teaching practice, as educators have an opportunity to reflect on their own practices and compare their practices to those of other educators in the network As part of a professional development initiative, networks can hasten the successful implementation of a program or instructional practice as teachers learn, not only from their own mistakes and successes, but from those of others Networking works when… Participants have a strong interest or commitment in the topic or topics explored Participants share a common language and experience A good facilitator keeps things moving There are mechanisms for interpersonal support as well as shared information People are there because they want to be…not because they have to be Technology and networking: In the past, many networks relied on a combination of regular face-to-face meetings and occasional communications via phone or mail These latter communications were often limited in impact, as they would normally involve only two participants If the network was national, additional hurdles related to time zones and timeliness of mail had to be considered With technology, many of these concerns disappear Through Web boards, e-mail and listservs, communications can take place virtually instantaneously Given the asynchronous nature of these technologies, they are also convenient The ability to attach documents, URLs, and even video clips to these forms of communications add richness and immediacy, thus providing powerful support for networks Fall 2001 Scenario: While participating in a week-long summer gifted and talented conference, a group of participants in a session on Authentic Teaching and Learning became very excited about the concept of providing students with opportunities to communicate and collaborate with audiences beyond their own classrooms Mary White, the presenter of the session and a district gifted and talented coordinator, offered to serve as a facilitator for the group to keep the conversation on authentic learning alive online until they returned to the conference the following year A listserv was established in Ms White’s district to discuss authentic learning experiences and to share what each participant was doing to implement the strategies in his or her classroom In the beginning, the communication was rather sparse Then Ms White began to seed the communications with examples of practice she had seen in her own district and had read about in journals At one point, she invited a well-known professor who had written a book on authentic learning to join an online conversation for a set period of time; the professor would be able to answer questions and give counsel to teachers who were beginning to apply authentic learning concepts in their classrooms Ms White also made sure that all early messages were responded to, and the listserv soon gained momentum As teachers began to describe projects they were undertaking in their classrooms, other teachers began to express an interest in participating in those projects The communications grew until the amount of e-mail generated by the list became overwhelming, with much of the mail of interest to only a few participants At that point, one of the participants volunteered to work with her students to establish a Web site and Web board in order to move the conversation into a threaded environment At the summer conference the following year, several of the participants presented what is now referred to as ALT.NET, the Authentic Learning Team Network Interested teachers were invited to sign up online and participation grew quickly Hints for successful networking: Create networks around the concerns and interests of the participants; not the district administration Include “perks” (from release time for occasional face-to-face meetings to support for attendance at national conferences) for network participation Charge a good facilitator with keeping things fresh and occasionally “priming the pump” with good questions and new ideas Consider using “push” technologies such as listservs and periodic updates via e-mail to remind participants to network Links and Resources: Joyce, Bruce et al The New Structure of School Improvement: Inquiring Schools and Achieving Students Open University Press; Philadelphia; 1999 WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science Environment) program at U.C Berkeley http://wise.berkeley.edu/welcome.php NSDC: “Teachers Get Help from the Guide on the Side” http://www.nsdc.org/library/coaching.ht ml Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 Peer Coaching: Why use peer coaching? Peer coaching, a professional development strategy championed by Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers (among others), has proven useful in providing inclassroom follow-up to training that has taken place in a workshop or immersion setting The goal of peer coaching is to provide school-based support for teachers as they begin to implement the skills or new teaching strategies that were developed in the training A coach may teach a model lesson, demonstrate the use of new technology skills, coteach with a classroom teacher to provide hands-on support, and act as another set of eyes and ears by observing the classroom and giving feedback According to research by Joyce and Showers, even in the best workshops - where new skills and practices are adequately presented and sufficient opportunity to practice is provided - less than ten percent of teachers are able to implement those practices on return to the classroom With the addition of a peer coaching element to the training program, the numbers of teachers who implement new skills and practices successfully could be increased to Indiana Department of Education Peer coaching not only provides follow up support for teachers who are learning new skills but also strengthens the coach’s understanding and skills This strategy provides authentic learning that is directly connected to teachers’ classroom practice thus embedding professional development into the school day Coaching is an effective strategy for technology integration because the focus is on teaching and learning, planning, and facilitating technology-based learning opportunities for students Peer coaching works when… The required skill or knowledge can be adequately developed in a workshop setting, but follow-up is needed Teachers involved are provided with adequate, common, release time Teachers involved are at a similar experience level An entire school or team is involved in the initiative A culture is created in the school that supports innovation and experimentation Technology and peer coaching: Powerful use of technology often requires new teaching and learning practices When using technology, for example, learning is often more project-based While steps in a project-based learning approach can be illustrated, taught, and designed in a workshop setting, initial attempts in the classroom benefit from observation and coaching Peer coaching is an excellent strategy to use when new, technology supported teaching practices are being learned As observation is a primary activity of peer coaching, improved Web-based video technologies may afford opportunities for remote observations and collaboration Fall 2001 Scenario: Roosevelt Middle School identified several improvement goals that will serve as its focus for professional development during the next two to three years Among the goals identified by the science and math team was the construction and interpretation of graphs and the use of authentic data sets for problem solving The former is drawn from the state standards for math and science: the latter from the district goals for preparing students with the necessary skills for the 21st century The science/math staff consists of two teachers from each of the six “families” that comprise the school As a result of one team member’s participation in a project through the WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science Environment) program at the University of California at Berkeley, the entire team has developed an interest in exploring the use of real-time data collection in support of inquiry learning in math and science One set of tools emphasized in the WISE project is a set of real-time graphing tools that allow students to watch changes in data sets as they occur Research at Berkeley demonstrated that students who used real-time graphing software performed significantly better on assessments of graph-related skills than did students who learned by traditional means The trainer for Roosevelt’s program came from another middle school in the district This teacher had participated in data collection projects for several years and attended two summer institutes at Berkeley The training, which was delivered over the course of a school year, began with hands-on experiences with real-time graphing in an inquiry environment Teachers experienced this innovation as learners, then discussed the characteristics of standards and benchmarks that would be appropriate for real-time tools After the session, the teachers were assigned to three member teams These teams met several times during the three weeks preceding the second session to review their curriculum and identify opportunities for using the strategy The second trainer-led session began with a discussion of the questions and problems encountered in the review process The remainder of the session involved a hands-on experience with a variety of real-world data sets, followed by a presentation of a design process for creating units that incorporate these tools and strategies As a follow-up, the coaching teams conducted a collaborative review of data sets and tools related to key standards and created units that would incorporate these tools and resources A third session focused on strategies for classroom implementation of inquiry learning using the tools provided Participants watched videotapes of lessons conducted by teachers of varying expertise and then reflected upon the merits and shortfalls of each One unit was selected by each team for refinement and implementation Each teacher on a team would be observed once by each other teacher on the team Notes and reflections on their experiences would be compiled and brought to subsequent sessions, which would focus on problems and successes encountered in implementation, a refinement of skills, and exploration of additional opportunities Indiana Department of Education Hints for successful peer coaching: Keep teams small (2 to teachers) Involve all teachers at the same grade level or with the same teaching assignment Involve building administrators in the training and practice Caution teachers to avoid giving advice to one another, especially comments following an observation Include an ongoing collaborative study of student learning in the process Links and Resources: Joyce, Bruce et al The New Structure of School Improvement: Inquiring Schools and Achieving Students Open University Press; Philadelphia; 1999 WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science Environment) program at U.C Berkeley: http://wise.berkeley.edu/welcome.php NSDC: “Teachers Get Help from the Guide on the Side”: http://www.nsdc.org/library/coaching.ht ml Fall 2001 Reflective Practice: Why use reflective practice? Reflecting on one’s own thinking processes is at the core of high-level learning Reflective practice, a metacognitive strategy of linking and constructing meaning from experience, as described by Arthur L Costa and Bena Kallick (2000), encourages insight and supports this sort of complex thinking The central component of reflective practice is the capacity to be conscious of oneself Whether we are engaged in reflecting on the process of our own learning or pondering the learning of others, reflective practice involves processing information and synthesizing, then evaluating, data Reflective practice also means applying what we learn beyond the context in which we learn it As a professional development strategy, reflective practice is at the core of evaluating instructional practices and intended outcomes Just as reflection is essential for students to derive rich meaning from their learning experiences, reflective practice is crucial as educators engage in their own personal professional development activities Indiana Department of Education Engaging in reflective practice provides educators: Opportunities for feedback about what went wrong or how what they did worked Opportunities to make decisions based on feedback from colleagues and critical friends Opportunities to consider multiple perspectives and glean insights that will drive future change Practice with self-referencing one’s own thinking, actions, and evaluative skills Reflective practice works when… Educators set aside time to step back from the work and ask, “What have I learned from this experience?” Thoughts and insights are recorded in written or oral form Intended outcomes are compared with actual outcomes Educators use those results to “think about the thinking” Technology and reflective practice: Technology can support reflective practice in ways that free educators to focus on “thinking about the thinking.” Thanks to the flexibility of word processing software, the educator can record and document reflective experiences with colleagues either by exchanging files or using electronic communication to share documents Journaling software can help an educator record thoughts, insights, and plans of action in written form Graphic organizer software provides a means to “see the thinking” of others as educators share with colleagues in discussion groups, interviews, and questioning dialogues These reflective documents can be easily stored and retrieved to keep track of professional growth activities and to see how perspectives and ideas change over time Reflective practice is an effective way for educators to gain insights about the impact technology-based learning experiences have on student performance Fall 2001 Scenario: After analyzing student performance data, the Beaver Trail Middle School improvement committee and staff developed two learning goals for their students—improving students’ reading in content areas and expository (informational) writing When the Explorer team (an interdisciplinary, multi-age team) met to discuss strategies for achieving these goals, they determined that critical thinking and making connections among the content areas would help their students improve in both reading and writing However, they decided to use reflective practice to help them determine what impact this focus would have on their students’ learning; to monitor what worked and what didn’t; and to apply what they learned to modify their day-to-day practice They planned to share what they were learning with their colleagues from other teams at staff meetings and by posting the Inspiration maps from group reflection in the public folder discussion groups on the Intranet The Explorer teachers began by designing a unit centered on the concept of Conflict Team members believed that concept-based units would deepen students’ understanding and help them increase their critical thinking skills as they studied, compared, and contrasted the impact conflict had on culture, economics, government, and citizenship during different periods of history and in different parts of the world In this way, the team could plan a single unit of study for students that would address the content across grade levels Just after school ended for the year, the team planned to meet at one member’s home for lunch to brainstorm ideas, map out the scope of the interdisciplinary unit, and assign responsibilities for lesson design over the summer When the computer facilitator, the art teacher, and the music teacher heard of the plan, they asked if they could join in the project to help students connect what they were learning in the unit to art, music, and new technologies At the end of the meeting, team members discussed their thoughts and concerns and each member recorded individual reflections in his/her journal Though everyone was busy over the summer, the team collaborated on the project by e-mail and through chat sessions, sharing lesson plans for feedback Team members also sent documents and questions to a curriculum and assessment consultant who had worked with them throughout the past year via videoconferences Feedback from team members, as well as individual reflection, helped the team stay focused on the concept of conflict and on incorporating student learning activities that targeted critical thinking, content reading, and informational writing In their reflections, teachers noted that it was easy to get so involved in developing exciting activities that some activities might miss the target of the student learning goals As these teachers observed students in their classrooms, examined student work, read their reflections, and talked with students throughout the school year, they continued to journal, share, and discuss their reflections, insights, and concerns related to student learning Through this reflective practice, teachers began to identify what did and didn’t work in their conflict unit and were able to modify and adjust along the way Although the unit was the only new one they designed for that school year, the student learning growth teachers documented and the habit of reflective practice they developed helped them to apply what they learned to other units and lessons, and they continued to monitor and adjust their plans and expectations for students Teachers from other teams became interested in this approach as they heard Explorer teachers and students share their experiences Department of Education Indiana Hints for successful reflective practice: Discussion groups help educators focus on the problem-solving and monitoring processes Interviews are effective for reflecting on learning experiences and refining how and where new knowledge can be used Dialogue and questioning help educators determine which metacognitive strategies were used to monitor their thinking processes Logs and journals record the most significant learning experiences, ways to apply new learning, and how to develop an action plan to modify instructional practices appropriately Links and Resources: Costa, A L & B Kallick Habits of Mind: A Developmental Series Alexandria, VA; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000 Caine, R., N Caine & G Caine Unleashing the Power of Perceptual Change Alexandria, VA; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1997 Fall 2001 Study Groups: Study groups are organized around a common interest - usually improved teaching and learning While themselves a key professional development strategy, study groups often employ a combination of other strategies as their members: discuss research and best practices, examine student work together, reflect on classroom practices, analyze data, engage in problem solving and planning, and conduct action research Study groups are often school-based, with meetings incorporated into the regular school day A wholefaculty study group is one approach to professional development that can provide tremendous support for a school improvement plan It is also possible to organize district level and even web-based virtual study groups successfully Once study groups have been formed, it is important to set norms; clarify purpose, goals, and expected outcomes; identify critical issues in establishing roles and responsibilities; gather resources; meet regularly to share information, ideas, and resources; establish and implement an action plan; determine criteria for assessing success; and evaluate goal attainment and the impact on student learning Indiana Department of Education Why use study groups? Study groups have proven useful in supporting school improvement efforts, investigating research and best practices, and identifying and solving problems The goal of study groups is to provide a collaborative learning forum focused on improved student learning Study groups help teachers connect new information to their existing knowledge, skills, and beliefs They facilitate deep professional dialogue, reflection, and a balancing of current realities with desired outcomes When an entire faculty is involved in the group and its dialogue, all teachers experience ownership in the school improvement process This increases the likelihood that the group’s recommendations and solutions will be implemented successfully Study groups work when… Faculty members have common interests and concerns about student learning The school culture promotes collaboration and professional growth There is a range of knowledge, skills, and expertise among group members An entire school or team is involved in the initiative The school culture values research and best practices Leadership is shared Technology and study groups: Web based collaboration tools such as Blackboard.com make it possible to create virtual study groups without concerns about location and distance This allows educators to collaborate with colleagues and experts literally anywhere, anytime Online resources are a valuable source of information about research and best practices Communication through e-mail and web conferencing tools such as CentraNow and NetMeeting can also facilitate and support study group collaboration Fall 2001 Scenario: Dearfield Elementary School’s continuous school improvement plan includes the following: 1) All students will demonstrate at least one full year’s growth in reading as measured by the RIT score on the NWEA Level Tests and 2) All students will increase their holistic score in writing by one level as measured by the 6+1 Traits Writing rubric Hints for successful study groups: Organize around a common interest related to student learning Include members with a range of knowledge, skills, and expertise Establish group norms Clarify a common purpose, goals, and expected outcomes Establish roles, responsibilities, and a proposed timeline Emphasize the need for flexibility and collaboration Establish a data-driven decision-making process Before designing a professional development program to support these goals, a study group was formed and all faculty members were invited to participate Due to a small professional development budget and a minimal amount of common planning time during the school day, the group decided to use Blackboard.com, a free web-based collaboration tool, as a virtual meeting place to extend dialogue and reflection among members In this way, a first grade teacher posted his research findings to his subgroup’s discussion board during a morning prep period A fifth grade colleague accessed, read, and responded to comments at 11:00 p.m from home, her preferred time for reflection and professional learning As the study groups’ work progressed, members began to identify critical issues and valuable resources, including links to research and interactive Internet sites that they posted to Blackboard By mid-year, the group had developed a plan for a three-year professional development program and posted it in the Blackboard Document area for feedback from the entire faculty and the parents and community members on the School Improvement Team (SIP) Using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature, everyone was able to submit suggestions and ideas One of the first strategies in the plan was to provide support for scoring, analyzing, and providing feedback on student writing One faculty member volunteered to contact NWREL to ask how to provide this help to teachers The cost for training and travel was prohibitive However, the local Educational Service Center offered to host a videoconference workshop with the NWREL trainer Dearfield was able to train grade level Writing Mentors who could then coach and support their grade level colleagues Links and Resources: Murphy, Carlene U.; “Study Groups’: Journal of Staff Development, Summer 1999, pp 4951 Online at: http://www.nsdc.org/library/jsd/murphy203.html Another professional development need identified was learning to gather, organize, and analyze student learning data The school’s principal was proficient with spreadsheets and, as a result of her participation in IndianaNEXT, she knew how to disaggregate and display data for analysis by the study group As she facilitated discussions about the current reality of student performance and the diagnostic data from grade level tests, teachers were able to apply what they learned directly to their classroom practice Many held conferences with their students to set individual and class goals By the end of the first school year, faculty, parents, and students were aware of current performance strengths and areas that needed improvement The study group used the student learning data to refine and revise their professional development program Dearfield School was well on its way to reaching its school improvement goals Indiana Department of Education Scenario: After analyzing student performance data, the Beaver Trail Middle School improvement committee Fall 2001 Train the Trainer: Train the Trainer programs can increase the size and capacity of the local expert pool An expert, either inside or outside the school, conducts a training program on-site, or trainers are sent off-site to a workshop After initial training and follow-up, the trainers conduct training for others at the school, providing local support and collegiality for their learners Often, trainers are selected based on their particular interests, skills or knowledge in the areas where training is needed Teacher-leaders, other staff, parents, or even students may be trainers Identifying suitable trainers is important to successful implementation of this professional development method, as is a sound plan for implementation and support of the program Trainers must have enough quality training to feel comfortable teaching others Understanding the foundation and theory of the training content is also essential; trainers must more than simply mimic their own trainer’s methods Effective trainers must have knowledge and confidence in their abilities in order to tailor their training to their learners’ needs Indiana Department of Education Why use Train the Trainer? Train the Trainer programs are usually implemented in response to a need for more local experts A bi-product of successfully implemented programs is increased confidence and self-esteem among trainers as well as a higher level of confidence in the school as an organization capable of continuous improvement Ideally, everyone in the school plays the role of trainer and trainee at various times In an environment of continuous learning, this happens rather naturally As particular individuals learn skills or gains insights, they find effective ways to share this knowledge with colleagues Because teaching a skill also enhances the learning of it, it is wise to rotate trainers yearly, giving more people the opportunity to deepen their learning by teaching others Train the Trainer works when… The culture of the school supports and rewards learning at all levels Resources are available not only for bringing in outside experts or sending trainers to workshops, but also for trainer preparation and the modification of materials and processes Administrators are familiar with and aggressively support trainer work Adequate support materials are provided Technology and Train the Trainer programs: Technology training lends itself very well to this model; no one person can be an expert in all areas of technology Two or three teachers may become Excel or spreadsheet experts; two or three other teachers may become Internet experts Still others may have become proficient in the manipulation of digital images Technology is also an area where students and community members can be utilized for their expertise In many cases, technology can be employed as a means of learning the skills themselves There are many tutorials on the Internet and teachers whose learning styles may be suited to that delivery method It is important not to overlook web-based classes or interactive videos as possible ways for trainers to gain expertise Fall 2001 Scenario: One element of Lakeview Academy’s school improvement plan focused on helping students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills A number of teachers attended workshops on teaching problem-solving strategies and critical thinking skills, but no one believed that the skills had been integrated into traditional content courses in any organized or comprehensive way Teacher survey results confirmed this belief After some discussion, it was decided that using technology to collect, analyze, and present data would be vital for accomplishing the school’s 21st century improvement goals A core group of teachers was organized to plan an approach for resolving these issues The group identified a series of workshops offered by a regional service center that could form the foundation for a Train the Trainer model of professional development The workshops used several specific software applications to work with data; many of these uses incorporated math and science standards Workshop volunteers were recruited from the faculty and selected in such a way as to represent various faculty groups They attended the series (one workshop each month for three months) and completed the assignments, including the use of the skills and applications in their own classrooms After the last workshop, the group met with Lakeview’s professional development coordinator to plan the best methods and timeframe for training other faculty members They worked together to select and modify the materials they received at the workshops, and the professional development coordinator made suggestions and helped identify additional resources The principal attended one of the meetings to learn about the plan and identified ways she could support it The group created a discussion forum to keep everyone informed and involved in the planning They continued to use the forum during the implementation phase to ask questions and offer suggestions Hints for successful Train the Trainer programs: Pre-plan for implementation, but be prepared to modify the plan with the help of trainers after they have received their own training Involve building administrators in the training and practice Initially, select trainers who are respected leaders with good communication skills After the model takes root, broaden the choice of trainers Links and Resources: Showers, Joyce, and Bennet: Planning an Effective Training Event, 1997: http://www2.edc.org/NTP/trainingdesign.htm In the end, each trainer worked with five or six other teachers over several months of training sessions A couple of groups migrated to a peer-coaching model after the training sessions were completed This provided continuity and a support system for refining the processes as teachers worked with students One group decided to use students as technology coaches for those teachers who needed additional training and support The students used online tutorials and application help menus to add to their own knowledge, as well as to refine their problem-solving and critical thinking skills in the process of training Indiana Department of Education Fall 2001 Workshops: Workshops are such a widely used professional development strategy that ‘workshop’ and ‘staff development’ are used almost synonymously In a typical workshop, a presenter determines the content, shares expertise, and manages the flow of the session Common workshop goals involve increasing participants’ awareness, knowledge, and skills Workshop presentations and activities focus on training teachers in strategies, techniques, and skills that are considered effective and worth replicating Researchers have found that one-shot workshops have little effect on teachers’ classroom practice, and over-use of these workshops has resulted in a negative attitude toward them It is more effective to offer a series of workshops one to two weeks apart When workshops have ongoing follow-up support, teachers can more ably apply the knowledge, ideas, and skills they gain in their workshops to their classroom practice Another way to increase the effectiveness of workshops is to involve teachers in their planning and design With strategic selection and careful planning and design, workshops can be a cost-effective way to provide quality professional development opportunities to a large number of educators Indiana Department of Education Why use workshops? Workshops can provide cost-effective training for many teachers, so they are a good choice when school- or district-wide dissemination of strategies and skills is needed (e.g., implementation of a student management system, textbook adoption, even an instructional strategy such as a Socratic seminar) Workshops can help teachers and administrators develop a common understanding of instructional strategies, skills, and their underlying philosophies and beliefs Although it may not be possible to offer large workshops during the school day, follow-up activities can be embedded through modeling, coaching, and peer observation with feedback Incorporating this type of professional learning into teachers’ daily practice helps develop a culture of professionalism and collegiality Workshops work when… They’re offered in a series over time There is follow-up support such as modeling, coaching, and peer observation with feedback Their goal is increasing awareness, knowledge, and skills Teachers are involved in their planning and design There is access to a presenter or trainer with expertise Many teachers need the same knowledge or skills Technology and workshops: Most professional development for technology has been offered in workshops, a strategy that may still be a good choice when the goal is basic skill development An alternative approach is to incorporate the use of technology tools into workshops that are focused on best learning practices (e.g., using Geometric Supposer software in a mathematics workshop) Technology can also expand workshop activities; using videoconferencing to allow participants to observe a model lesson or to provide participants with access to an expert presenter in a distant location is just one example Fall 2001 Scenario: John Davis High School and State University’s School of Science decided to offer a series of workshops that would help teachers plan and implement more authentic learning opportunities for high school science students During the summer, a team of high school teachers representing the various science courses spent three weeks in an intensive workshop at State University As part of a university research project, the team learned about designing ‘real life’ research projects; using probes and sensors to gather data and spreadsheets to analyze and report the data; and using software modeling and simulation programs At the end of the third week, teachers and scientists brainstormed ideas for a series of workshops to be held at John Davis High School during the next school year The high school team offered to serve as peer coaches for their colleagues to provide follow-up support for these workshops The first fall workshop, an awareness session conducted by two university scientists, included all high school science teachers This session was held at John Davis High School on the first PBA in-service day Over the next several weeks, a series of mini-workshops were offered via videoconferencing during prep periods The science department decided to set aside time during every department meeting so that teachers could share success stories, get help with problem solving, and receive updates from the coaching team At first, teachers grumbled about using prep time to participate in videoconference workshops, but complaints diminished once the teachers recognized how much these sessions helped them plan and implement the kind of instructional activities that resulted in increased student motivation and learning Students became partners with the teachers and scientists as they explored new strategies and technology tools Excited about being part of ‘real’ research, many students did extra reading and Internet research on their own Students eagerly participated in videoconferences with university scientists and used e-mail to share data and discuss questions and findings with them Teachers incorporated ideas from students’ reflections and suggestions into classroom activities, thus increasing students’ ownership and responsibility for their own learning By the end of the year, the teachers and students in John Davis High School’s science department had become collaborative partners with the State University scientists in a virtual learning community Indiana Department of Education Hints for successful workshops: Involve teachers in workshop planning Identify the student learning results that are linked to professional development goals Identify expected workshop outcomes and communicate them clearly to all participants Consider participants’ preferences and needs when scheduling workshop times and locations Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up! Links and Resources: Involving Others in Organizing Professional Development: http://www.ncrel.org/pd/writrans.htm NSDC articles on workshop learning: http://www.nsdc.org/educatorindex.htm Teachers Who Learn: Kids Who Achieve, WestEd: http://www.wested.org/cs/wew/view/rs/179 Justice and Jamieson, The Facilitator’s Fieldbook, American Management Association International: http://www.amazon.co Fall 2001 ... teaching and learning and investigate ways to incorporate new technology tools into their classroom practice Mentors may want to invite mentees to their classrooms to either observe or co teach model... strategy? Who has a role to play? Transforming the Strategy into ? ?Next Generation? ?? How can technology be used to support and enhance this strategy? Strategy’s Impact on Effective Uses of Technology... silently at a laptop that is connected to a projector, listens intently to the conversation, and uses Inspiration to web and cluster his teammates’ comments The group begins to describe the work