How do videos work for your teachers?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by April Chamberlain on July 15, 2008 at 10:47pm

I have been charged with developing and leading professional development of all things technology in our district. Every week we deliver PD through e-mail in the form of a newsletter for week 1 and video/screencasts for weeks 2 - 4/5. Each week is followed up with small group, one on one and online opportunities. It is hard to find one method that reached the masses so having a variety, novelty and authenic PD is the plan we have created.

Permalink Reply by John Hendron on July 16, 2008 at 4:07am

Great ideas. Do you mind sharing how you organized the group/online/1:1 opportunities? Specifically, how is participation? Are there incentives for participation?

Thanks!

Permalink Reply by April Chamberlain on July 16, 2008 at 9:31am

My first year (only been at it 2 years), I went to a different school every Thursday to be available for just in time training, scheduled individual training time during their breaks, offered after school training and training arranged by the principal. However, none of those experiences were very satisfactory. So, last year we created Lesson Design Worksession to work through designing engaging lessons and I could introduce technology opportunities throughout the time. We had heard from the teachers that they wanted training with like people. So we schedule high school together, middle school together and so forth. We even went so far as to schedule high school math only, hs science, etc. This worked extremely well for the primary and intermediate schools. Those days were packed with a waiting list. However, only a handful of high school teachers came and about 20 middle school teachers throughout the year. The day was set up so that the Board paid for 4 subs. Four teachers came from 8 - 11:00 and then went back to school while another four came from 12:30 - 3:30. Three hours was long enough to get deep with the planning but not so long that they became brain dead. I photocopied their lesson plan(s) to enable me to follow up with. Some requested that I teach the technology part of the lesson because they needed a model while others just wanted me there for support. If they wrote that they would create a wiki, then we did that before they left. This also gave content for our weekly publication in which we would always feature a lesson/unit by a teacher and then give them the directions to accomplish the same lesson or idea. Last year, we also purchased an online learning management system from How to Master which came with a ton of lessons on integrating technology and specific applications like Office 2007. So teachers were able to use these lessons 24.7.365. We did not offer any incentives to attend professional development at all. We are also very fortunate that our Superintendent believes strongly in the power of technology that she allows us to have a full professional development day when we come back from Christmas break. All teachers must attend these 6 hours of training. We have had three conferences and have changed each one to get better and meet the requests of the teachers. The teachers always have a choice in the sessions they attend up to 20 per class. The reserve a month a head of time. We struggled with presenters who were extremely qualified so we have looked to online resources such as the K12 Online Conference for the content to deliver. The TETC (Trussville Educational Technology Conference) has been a success because we are able to develop a common language with everyone to a certain degree. We also have develop teams at each school (pay a small stipend) who receive in depth training from the technology department to be the first line of help at their schools. Part of their responsibilities is to offer 2 afterschool or during school training. With up to 5 people on the team that is 10 additional trainings besides what I do. We have decided that nothing is perfect. We are always reflecting and making adjustments but feel we are on the right path. We also purchased 25 seats in Elluminate so some meetings take place online live. Skype is available to everyone in our district and some have taken to that to ask me questions during the day either in the chat or live. We want to offer every possibility to the teachers in the hope that at least one of the ways will hook them. We have also learned that competition is healthy which leads to others wanting training. At first, teachers mainly contacted me for help but after 2 years, they are seeking help from those around them that are using the tools and strategies.

Sorry, didn't realize how long it was.