Technology Integration - The Support Teachers Need

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted!  Lord - obviously my life is a lot busier than I thought, and I thought it was pretty busy.

Alright, let's get to it.

Last year I did an entire series on hybrid professional development centered around teaching mathematics with technology and the Common Core, with specific use of Sketchpad as the technology tool (series listed at the bottom of this post).  It was a really exciting experience for me, and one that I have to say has sort of become my mantra - long term, supportive PD that provides time, practice, support, and collaboration using both a face-to-face and online component.

Time is a key factor here - long-term, slow integration of technology into instructional practice where the focus is on how knowledge of the technology, the content being taught, and teaching strategies work together to provide learning experiences that help students.  For those of you in the know, this is TPACK - Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), something that is at the forefront of my thinking these days for many reasons. With the technology that is inundating the education world and with teachers expected to incorporate more and more technology with less and less support, I feel very strongly about promoting and creating models of blended professional development to try do what I can to support teachers and technology integration as best I can.

Which is why this blog post by Greg Limperis (@greglimperis) I saw yesterday, entitled "Tools That Do Not Make a Teacher's Life Easier" really hit home for me.  Favorite quote: "First of all, don’t buy me any technology without planning for and giving me plenty of professional development on how to use it." The rest of the post is dead-on with what I see as a real pervasive problem with edtech and with the frustration of teachers - the latest and greatest technology tools and resources are being purchased and mandated for use (BYOD, iPad's, apps, software) but little or no real training and support is being provided.

One day or one week of training will NEVER work.

And then when things go wrong or fail, as they inevitably will, teachers are blamed for not wanting to change.  It's a vicious cycle without TPACK - i.e. real understanding how how the technology can truly support the teaching of specific content and what teaching strategies work best to use that technology to teach that content. So, how do we get this support and training so desperately needed for successful technology integration into classroom instruction -the kind of training and support Greg asks for?  Obviously, there is no perfect solution, but I have some ideas.

1) Don't just buy any technology. Look at the content and determine what technology will enhance and improve the teaching of that content. RESEARCH before buying. Involve the teachers....they have to use the technology, so they should have some say in which technology will be purchased/utilized.
2) Provide training for teachers, but training and support over time

• Initial training - basic skills, model of how it FITS THE CONTENT THEY TEACH. Helping teachers see how this technology tool can support and enhance their teaching is KEY.
• Provide time to try it out, practice on their own, experiment in the classroom
• Come back together - i.e. content teams or grade level teams - and share experiences, learn few more new skills and applications, model some lessons; provide specific content activities to try in their classroom
• Provide an online support forum - i.e. a blog or a discussion forum or a web site, where teachers can post activities, questions, watch some tutorials or see classroom modeling.  
• Provide coaching or peer support - i.e. co-teaching opportunities, modeling, peer observations.  Let them see the use of the technology in action and learn from each other.
• Provide opportunities for collaborative lesson planning - help teachers by providing time to plan together and focus on creating lessons that incorporate the technology into the curriculum/pacing they already have to teach, then give them time to try out the lessons and come back together to reevaluate, get feedback, etc.  
• Don't expect change overnight - expect change over time. Start small (i.e. use the new technology as a warm-up first and build on that) and provide continuous opportunities for teachers to support each other, learn more skills and applications over time (i.e. months vs. days)
• Besides time, being able to learn the technology in the context of what they teach and how they teach, is key. 

Technology is a tool. Learning to use that tool in the right way (i.e. teaching strategies/pedagogy/Common Core Mathematical Practices) and for the right reasons with the right content is the goal, and it does not happen after one day of training.  It happens over time, with support, scaffolded learning and practice, and in collaboration with others. If we spent more money and time on using technology appropriately rather than wasting money on technology for the sake of technology, I believe we would actually see a change and an improvement in teaching with technology.

I know I see changes as a result of the blended, long-term professional development I have been working on.  I am now going into year 2 with some of these teachers.  What's different about long-term blended PD is we have a community of support, there is no pressure to change by tomorrow, but rather there is a goal that we are going to change where it makes sense and we have the time to practice and make sure the technology, content, and strategies used truly do what they are intended to do - help students learn in an engaging way that increases their understanding.  What more can you ask for?

If interested - last years blended PD journey via posts:
Planning for Hybrid PD - Comfort Level and Confidence First
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 1 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 2
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt 1 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 2) - Develop Community and Supportive Environment 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 2) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 2 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - Make it Relevant 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - F2F feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 3 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 4) - Teacher Input  
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 4) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 4 - Student Focused!
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 5) - Make the PD Learning Their Own 
Follow-up for Hybrid PD (part 5) - F2F Feedback 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 6) -Sharing and Collaboration
Follow-up for Hybrid PD (part 6)

Online Learning - Potential for Reaching Thousands

I found this very interesting TED talk this morning by Daphne Koller from Stanford University. She speaks about the power of online learning to reach thousands of people who otherwise do not have access to education opportunities, as well as the capabilities of the online learning environment. Coursera is the social entrepreneurship company she helped develop that works with the universities to sponsor the courses she is referencing.

Koller gives a great argument for using technology to not only reach more students, but provide personalized curriculum and feedback and expand the creativity and thinking of students via the online environment. Online learning can bring active learning and formative assessment and ignite student creativity and learning rather than just giving them information.  Her approach is that universities should be providing this content free so that anyone can change their lives, expand their minds, and make the world a better place. While listening to her, I saw a direct connection to online professional development, which is something I am currently interested in and focused on in my work and doctoral research. A way to reach a much wider audience, provide the opportunity to learn, practice, and get personal feedback.

As a believer in the power of technology and online learning, I have to say I agreed with all her points, though I question how all of this can be done for free, another component she stressed.  Free courses and access would definitely bring more students to the courses, as evidenced in her talk, but doesn't someone have to pay the people who are instructing the courses and developing the courses?  There is a lot of production that goes into these courses, especially with the interactivity, assessments, and videos, so I guess that's where I just question the feasibility.  As someone who designs and creates online professional development courses, I know I can't provide what I do for free because let's face it, I have to eat and pay my bills and it takes a great deal of time and effort to develop online courses. I absolutely agree online learning and courses are where we should be focusing to provide learning opportunities for all, not just those who are able to afford an education.  But, I do need to figure out how free is going to be paid for - because nothing is truly free, is it?

I've provided the video of Koller's talk below.  She makes some excellent points and has numbers and examples to show the power of the technology. I'd be interested to hear your views on how this type of online learning can in fact be offered free. My guess is there are grants involved. It would be nice to consider ways, without a big corporation or grants, to provide these types of opportunities free.

Implementation Dip - It's Not Just Test Scores, It's Any Change

I read this article yesterday by Andrew Ujifusa entitled New Tests Put States on Hot Seat as Scores Plunge. Basically, states that have implemented new standardized tests to address revised academic standards, such as the Common Core State Standards, have seen a drop in student scores, so panic has ensued.

What I want to know is: has no one ever heard about the implementation dip?

Whenever you try to implement something new, there is going to be a period of adjustment, scores will go down if we are talking tests, classroom behaviors will change and achievement will go down if new teaching strategies are being implemented - in short, any time you try something new, it is NOT going to go exactly as planned!  Mistakes will happen, things will be bad before they get better - it's part of the whole change process.  Which is why we need to be implementing changes slowly, early, and over time so that things that go wrong can be adjusted.

Image from images.google.com

What is the implementation dip?  Michael Fullen (2001), in his book Leading in a Culture of Change defines the implementation dip as the following:

"...a dip in performance and confidence as one encounters an innovation that requires new skills and new understandings" (p. 40).

This occurs whenever something new (meaning new to you, not necessarily brand new) is introduced, so in an educational setting this means new standards, new tests, new/different instructional strategies, new technologies, etc. Anything that is different and requires different skills and understandings is NEW to those who have to implement it. This will entail an implementation dip that if not planned for and supported, will mean ultimate failure.

I think this explains why many new/different approaches/tools/strategies that have been put in place or adopted by schools and districts don't work or are not sustained over time - no one expects, accepts, and works through the implementation dip. For example, when students take new tests and scores go down, the teachers are blamed, rather than understanding it is a normal process of a new test.  Or if new technology or curriculum is introduced and grades go down, again, it is blamed on the teachers or the technology itself, when in fact, it is a natural outcome of trying anything new. What often happens after this 'failure' is  these new strategies/tools/standards are then tossed out for the next great thing around the bend (or the teachers are tossed out, if we look at what's happening these days). This philosophy only perpetuates the inconsistencies and inequities in our educational system when what we should be doing is buckling down and really working through the implementation dip.

How do we break this cycle and really give new things an honest attempt?  Here are some suggestions.

1) First, make sure whatever the 'new' thing is - standards, curriculum resources, technology, instructional strategies - has really been researched and planned out to ensure it is a good fit for your school, the teachers, the students. Make sure you have the infrastructure to support the change (hardware, software, materials, personnel, etc.) and have planned for training and support. If that is NOT thought of ahead of time, then you are never going to make it through the implementation dip.  (See my post @testsoup blog Going Digital: It's All About Planning).

Image from images.google.com/support

2) Training and support - whoever is expected to use/implement anything new needs appropriate training to not only learn the skills, but to understand how this 'new' thing relates to what they do/teach and how it will help students.  Training should entail learning of skills, developing lesson plans, PRACTICE and working together.  Change requires collaboration, a team effort - so administration needs to be involved and supportive, teachers need to be involved and supported. This might mean coaching or modeling, co-teaching, collaborative planning and lesson study - working together to figure out what's needed, how it fits into the school goals and structures, and when things get sticky and tricky, knowing someone will be there to work through it and help find alternatives.

3) Time - training should NOT be a one shot deal in the summer or that first week back at school. It should be ongoing and collaborative.  Implementation should not be done all at once - take your time, do it slowly - start small and add on, which will allow for fixing of things that may not work well the first time. Time for practice, time for reevaluating and adjusting strategies. Time is crucial - don't be in a rush. If you want positive change and results, allow for the implementation dip and the time to work through the tough changes.

4) EXPECT and ACCEPT FAILURE.  And then do something to fix it. With time and support, failure is not an option because there will be the support to figure out what didn't work and the time to adjust and fix it and help it work. This means scores going down, or a noisy classroom, or a failed lesson - it happens, it's okay - now move on and figure out how to make it work next time.  Creating this culture of perseverance is key to any 'new' thing being successful.

There are more suggestions I am sure.  I would suggest reading Fullen's book - it's a great resource for planning for change. But I think the most important thing to remember is that planning, training, support, time, and failure are all key components to the future success of anything new.

Fullen, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Conferences as Professional Development?

Last week was a crazy, hectic and tiring week at both the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM)  and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conferences. I mentioned these conferences in my most recent post, which sad to say was over a week ago. The conferences, from a vendor perspective, are a lot of set-up, talking, preparing for big events we host, preparing for presentations I was doing, and just being constantly ready for the next day, which comes pretty quick after a 12-14 hour day of working! If you want a great perspective, read Karen Coe's blog Behind the Scenes at NCSM and NCTM. Despite the long hours, the sore feet, the loss of my voice, my overall feeling from both conferences was that they were both great events, and that it was both gratifying and encouraging to meet, talk with, and hear what math educators are doing in the 'real-world' to engage their students.

Which leads me to my title - are conferences such as NCSM and NCTM really beneficial as a professional development experience? I have been attending both these conferences for years, as a teacher, supervisor and now as a vendor, and it is obvious that attendance has dropped off for both, but those educators that were there were motivated and dedicated. My honest opinion, especially after this year's interactions with so many teachers and teacher leaders, is yes - conferences can still be an effective form of professional development. Because, despite the constant harassment and negativity that surrounds teaching, teachers and education this past year, what I saw was a group of educators, young, old, new to the professional, retired, and everything in between, who were there to get ideas, strategies, and connect with others for support on helping students learn.

There are significantly better ways to provide professional development, especially if you are looking to make sustained change in practice: long-term collaboration, hybrid or blended professional development, online learning, Professional Learning Communities, to name but a few. However, there is nothing like a conference to provide an opportunity for educators to meet others face-to-face, connect with leaders in the field, hear and see new technologies, strategies, and share and learn ideas on teaching your specific content. It's empowering, it's rejuvenating, and it allows for some really great connections to be made. So, while the cost of attending face-to-face conferences is often prohibitive, not to mention time away from the real job of teaching and educating, I do think conferences still have a purpose and should still be considered as one possible way of helping educators learn about their craft.

For me personally, I got quite a bit out of this years conference:
1) I was able to connect face-to-face with several people I have only ever 'met' or talked with via email or twitter.  That was wonderful to put a face to people I feel very connected to.
2) Talking with so many math teachers and math leaders who shared what they were doing in their classrooms or districts made me even more committed to try to support them in whatever way I can.  There are so many dedicated educators out there who are doing amazing things with students and teachers and I met quite a few of them and feel honored and humbled by their dedication, despite the negative environment out there.  It was inspirational. Perhaps some of our politicians, media folks, and policy makers should consider spending some time at conferences actually meeting and talking with real educators - perhaps they would then have a real perspective of the challenges as well as the hard-work and commitment that really goes on in education.
3) Participating in Key Curriculum's Ignite! sessions and listening to the 10 amazing presenters made me realize that insight and inspiration in education are all around us.  Education in this country is not always what it is portrayed to be in the media, and that alone was great to hear and see.
4) Meeting and greeting folks at the Tech User Group and seeing the excited folks who came to play and learn about Sketchpad, TinkerPlots and Fathom at the booth, made me even more excited about technology's place in mathematics and more committed to the work I do with Key. It also gives me hope for the future and my continued emphasis on education technology.

Collaboration: How do you start?

No surprise, but I am inspired to write after another great online, live professional development collaboration on Twitter with the weekly #Edchat group.  For anyone who is new at using Twitter as a means of professional development, #Edchat is a great way to get started - every Tuesday at 11 am CDT.  Just reading the conversation thread is informative, even if you don't respond yourself.  Great ideas from a wide mix of educators.

Today's topic was "If collaboration is high on everyones list as a needed skill; how do we work it into every aspect of our education system?"  There were lots of suggestions and questions - a true collaboration, where everyone contributed their thoughts, their strategies, asked great questions, all to further the discussion and work towards some solutions.  Not get a solution, but work towards strategies that can get things started, since there really isn't just one solution - every situation is different and what works in one place may not work in another. But, I think what the Twitter conversation exemplifies is true collaboration. Perhaps therefore, as this question actually came up, I should address the difference between collaboration and group work, from my point of view.  Group work, or maybe cooperative learning is often used synonymously with collaboration, but they are NOT the same.

Image from images.google.com 'collaboration'

 Group Work/Cooperative Learning: The group is working together to solve a problem, and usually each member is given a portion of the problem to separately work on and bring back to the table. Each piece from the individuals in the group comes together to create the completed solution.

Collaboration: A group coordinating their efforts together to solve a problem, but with each member directly interacting with others, creating the knowledge together, and interacting through negotiation, discussion, and listening to others' perspectives to reach a solution.

I think the key difference is the negotiation, discussion and listening that is involved in collaboration.  Collaboration to me is noisier, less structured as far as what everyone is contributing, and more flexible in it's end results. Group work/cooperative learning seems to have a much more well-defined solution or goal and vision of what the solution should look like - hence the ability to split apart the component pieces, whereas collaboration has more potential for many possible solutions and very different solutions among different groups working on the same problem or goal. As the graphic says, collaboration creates NEW possibilities, not predetermined possibilities which I think are often the end result of 'group work'.

How do you start this process of collaboration, or working together and bringing together diverse people and ideas and solutions to achieve a goal or solve a problem? This is not just a classroom process, but a school process, especially if you are trying to create a culture of collaboration. Clearly, it is easier to begin this process at the beginning of a new school year, when everything is just fresh and new so that it becomes a part of the structure right from the get go.  (Note to self: revisit this in August).  But, even though things are winding down for this school year, there are still steps that can be done to end the year on a collaborative note.  I offer one idea for both the classroom and the school at large as a way to 'test the waters' so to speak.

Classroom Collaboration Idea: Most folks are immersed in 'test review' at this stage of the game.  So - make that a collaboration.  Put students into small groups (how you design that is up to you) and have each group 1) brainstorm content/topics that THEY struggle with and think need review; 2) among the brainstormed ideas, the group chooses 1 or 2 - this involves discussion/negotiation/listening to various perspectives about which of the many topics thrown out are the most crucial, or most difficult, etc.; 3) the group, by looking at there top 1 or 2, using notes or examples, work together to identify difficulties and solutions or questions that need answering, and these are then shared with the class as a whole.  What you end up with is a very student-centered review of key topics that really need review because they come from the students.  This could be just one way to help prepare for testing that is not the traditional lecture, practice worksheet, and other similar, uninspired types of test review that are occurring these days.

School Collaboration Idea: Similar to the classroom, at the next staff meeting break everyone, including administrators, into groups (try to mix it up with different grade/content folks in a group).  Each group 1) brainstorms what they deemed as the biggest challenges for the current school year; 2) among the brainstormed ideas, the group chooses 1 or 2 - again, we get discussion, negotiation, listening and listening to various perspectives; 3) looking at the top 1 or 2 challenges, the group comes up with some ideas/strategies they think might address those challenges or that they would like to consider to address those challenges and these are then shared with the entire staff. These could then become some of the goals for next year.  It begins the conversation, let's everyone have input and starts the path towards working together.  But it's focused on specific needs that those involved experience.

 Starting small is just one way to start a culture of collaboration. 

Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 5) - F2F Feedback

Just a short post today to provide some feedback from my most recent face-to-face with my two blended PD cohorts. Last posting I discussed the focus, listed here:

Lesson Five: Provide suggestions and examples of taking the activities/content of the professional development and modifying (adding to, deleting from, etc.) to meet the diverse needs of their students. By helping teachers consider how the activities might need to be altered to differentiate for students, you provide them with power and control over what they are learning, and help them make the PD learning and content their own.

Things went pretty well - we had our customary share out at the beginning, where there was some nice conversation and suggestions for helping integrate Sketchpad into lessons. There were some teachers who shared really fun experiences with their students and then some teachers are experiencing real frustration with trying to integrate the technology into their classrooms, from classroom management to access to computers. It was really empowering to hear the suggestions of things to try from others.

Modified "Hikers" Sketch to help with vocabulary and understanding question

What I really found to be positive, even though they were experiencing some frustration and some 'flops' of things they tried, they are not giving up - they are looking at ways to do things differently because they have seen the spark of engagement in their students, the excitement in learning math differently and the amazement at the conversations the students are having about math. In fact, if I had to sum up their frustration and lack of integration at this point, it is NOT because they don't want to and aren't trying, it's because they are faced with things out of their control - access to computers, access to the software (the IT folks still not supporting them and actually loading the software...after 6 months!  Yikes!) and class size and administrative pressure to "stick to the pacing and stick to the curriculum" and "keep your students quiet".  Seriously...no wonder they are frustrated!

The rest of the sessions I modeled some lessons and we really focused on what changes might be needed or things we could add to help address students needs, such as vocabulary (adding pictures to a sketch), types of questions, hiding components until they are needed, etc.  It was fun - lots of give and take and we learned some Sketchpad skills as well, such as controlled animation. I feel the teachers are contributing their own thoughts, taking things that fit their needs, and then going back to their classes and lessons and concentrating on what is going to work for their students.  Couldn't ask for more than that.
 
For the complete Hybrid PD series, click on the links below:

Planning for Hybrid PD - Comfort Level and Confidence First
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 1 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 2
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt 1 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 2) - Develop Community and Supportive Environment 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 2) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 2 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - Make it Relevant 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - F2F feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 3 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 4) - Teacher Input  
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 4) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 4 - Student Focused!
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 5) - Make the PD Learning Their Own

Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 5) - Make the PD Learning Their Own

This week I meet for the fifth face-to-face with my two Sketchpad cohorts. It's only been 3 weeks since our last face-to-face meeting and it is also the beginning of their spring break, so planning for this week has been interesting, since I know their minds will be elsewhere!

As I posted in last weeks online community development posting (part 4), the teachers have really begun to think about student needs as they consider using Sketchpad and the Common Core Standards, so I want to continue to foster that in our face-to-face meeting.  As I did last time, I had participants make suggestions of content/topics they wished to focus on in this weeks face-to-face. Our content focus, based on their input, will be on learning some more about the multiple-representational capabilities of Sketchpad as well as some of the animation capabilities.

In addition to teacher input as I planned, I also really wanted to think about addressing student needs, since in their online discussion forums participants are definitely considering their students as they plan and think about appropriate lessons utilizing the technology. What I think is a very important capability of Sketchpad is the ability to modify a sketch to address various student needs, and so that is my focus as well for this face-to-face. The lesson for this part 5 of the face-to-face - help teachers make connections to their students and provide them with suggestions and the ability to modify what they are learning in the PD to fit their students needs.  Connect to their students and encourage them to make the PD activities their own.

Brief summary of previous Lessons Learned when planning for PD (complete description of each can be found in the links below to full postings):

Lesson One: Begin professional development experiences assessing background skills of participants.

Lesson Two:  Work on building a sense of community and support among participants, where they feel comfortable sharing their struggles, their experiences, their ideas and expertise.

Lesson Three:  Make the activities and learning relevant to the teachers every-day teaching practice.

Lesson Four: Provide teachers with a choice in what the professional development focuses on.

 And this weeks lesson:

Lesson Five: Provide suggestions and examples of taking the activities/content of the professional development and modifying (adding to, deleting from, etc.) to meet the diverse needs of their students. By helping teachers consider how the activities might need to be altered to differentiate for students, you provide them with power and control over what they are learning, and help them make the PD learning and content their own.

I do think these five lessons are sequential. This is the power of a long-term, hybrid PD experience because it allows for you to work through building confidence, community, relevancy, ownership, and reflective practice that is not usually possible in shorter term PD.
 
For the complete Hybrid PD series, click on the links below:

Planning for Hybrid PD - Comfort Level and Confidence First
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 1 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 2
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt 1 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 2) - Develop Community and Supportive Environment 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 2) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 2 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - Make it Relevant 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - F2F feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 3 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 4) - Teacher Input  
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 4) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 4 - Student Focused!

Professional Development On the Cheap - Suggestion 1 - Content Collaboration Time

There has been a lot of focus on professional development for teachers in light of all the new technology, 1:1 initiatives, Common Core Standards...the list goes on. It's definitely a concern because in order for anything new or different to be effective in the classroom, teachers need training and practice. Which of course has many schools and districts in a bind since everyone is also in the midst of budget constraints.

The question then is how do we pay for the necessary professional development when we don't have the money to do so? One answer is look within - good professional development doesn't have to cost money.  There are ways to utilize the resources in your own building or district and get quality professional development.  All that's really required is a little time, effort and commitment.

Having been both a teacher, administrator, and now a provider of professional development, I have had a wide range of experiences with professional development and the many models that are out there. Each week I thought I would offer one suggestion for providing professional development on the cheap - looking within your school or district and using the resources you currently have to improve and support teacher change.

Let's start with defining professional development (from wikipedia ):

 Professional Development - refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as intensive and collaborative, ideally incorporating an evaluative stage ^[1] There are a variety of approaches to professional development, including consultation, coaching, communities of practice, lesson study, mentoring, reflective supervision and technical assistance

I think teachers in particular lose sight of the fact that professional development is for personal development and growth, probably because so often the professional development they experience is mandated and irrelevant.

This weeks suggestion is something I have experienced myself and something I have seen personally be very successful. The suggestion is to provide designated planning time, where teachers who teach the same content (i.e Algebra teachers or 1st grade teachers) meet together and collaborate on new strategies or skills. It does require a commitment from administration to provide the time, and a commitment from the teachers involved to use that time constructively, but when it does happen, the differences in both teachers and student learning is powerful.

Collaboration on new strategies or skills can mean something like everyone deciding to use a cooperative group strategy to teach a specific lesson, or using a new technology tool as a warm-up, or trying out an exit pass at the end of a specific lesson. Everyone focuses on learning together about that strategy or tool in their time together, plans the lesson or warm-up or review...whatever the focus is, and then everyone tries it in their classroom and comes back and reflects on what happened. Maybe they look at student work, or discuss the problems that might have occurred and how to address those, or maybe it went really well for a few and they share the differences in what they might have done.  The importance is everyone is focused on a similar change/strategy, they try it, share the results and then add to, improve, do a similar lesson or expand to something new. In my experience this works well if these content teams are meeting at least once a week together and trying one or two small changes within that week for discussion the next week.

Learning and practicing and reflecting together to improve instructional practice - slow and steady change. The collaboration and support from peers go a long way in helping teachers feel motivated and empowered to change practice. Creating this culture of collaboration is one way to provide professional development and growth and promote slow, consistent change and improvement in instructional practice. And all it costs is a little time and commitment.

Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 4) - Teacher Input

 Five weeks goes so much faster than expected! It's already time for me to do my next face-to-face workshops with my two cohorts in my hybrid/blended professional development. I will say I feel more excited than usual about the workshops because I really have a connection to these teachers now, something I don't often get to experience in my position.  Usually, I am in and out in a couple of hours, or a day or a few days, but with these two groups, we've been together, physically and virtually, going on five months.  I definitely think it's making what I have to offer and what they have to offer so much more connected and personal because we have had time to work through things, change things....time is not something that is often given in PD and it's been rewarding.

Here's a quick recap of previous 'lessons' from the prior 3 face-to-face workshops:

Lesson One: Begin a professional development experience assessing the background skills of participants.Ensure they are given the necessary tools, starting points, and resources to feel comfortable with what they are going to be doing, see the purpose behind what they will be doing, and know where and how they can get continued support. 

Lesson Two: Work on building a sense of community and support among participants, where they feel comfortable sharing their struggles, their experiences, their ideas and expertise. Providing a safe environment where it is okay to try new skills and strategies and knowing it is okay to fail or struggle and that others are going though similar experiences, gives teachers confidence to try to change and improve their own practices.  

Lesson Three: Make the activities and learning relevant to the teachers every-day teaching practice.  By providing activities that focus on learning the skills, how to integrate technology appropriately, and also cohere to the specific content and curriculum the teachers must follow, it is more likely that they will begin to change their own practice.  If they can see the relevancy to their own daily experience, they are going to be more willing to implement new tools and strategies.

In this fourth face-to-face we have reached a point where the teachers themselves are wanting to go in various directions based on their needs, and so, I wanted to honor this and provide them with some control over the content of what we do together this week. Coincidentally, in the #edchat online pd chat I participated in just last week, the topic was:

 "With the need to leave comfort zones for relevant professional development to take effect, should teachers continue to control their own learning for PD?" (for a nice summary of last weeks #edchat, go to http://blog.testsoup.com/teacher-directed-pd-edchat-summary-3612 posted by @testsoup's John Walters) 

 I believe my answer to the question is that yes, teachers should have some control in their own learning, but it needs to be appropriately timed and after other things have been done. In my instance, where we are focused on a specific software tool, The Geometer's Sketchpad, it was important to go through the three lessons outlined above in order for the teachers to reach a place where they want to explore more and try new things.  Giving them choice up front would not have provided a great starting point and would have more likely frustrated them because they would have been coming from a place of possibly discomfort with the software, or uncertainty with how the software could help their instructional practice.  My thoughts: definitely, teachers need to have some say and some choice in the PD that is provided, but that the choice again needs to come from a background of comfort, collaboration and relevancy.

My lesson this week is to provide teacher choice and input into what they want and need. I gave teachers  the chance in the online unit we are finishing up to offer up suggestions for what they wanted to do in our face-to-face time this week to help them continue to learn the software and how to implement. Not everyone responded, but those that did gave some great suggestions, and so our topics this week are focused on software skills that they expressed specific interest in exploring more. Interestingly enough, several also asked for an overview of additional professional development resources because they are considering options for the summer. I have planned our entire time together this week based on their input - the software skills they asked for as well as time to explore other PD resources, such as Sketch Exchange, our free webinars and our online courses.

Lesson Four: Provide teachers with a choice in what the professional development focuses on..  Let them choose topics of interest, or topics they are struggling with, or topics they feel will be of benefit to their specific content are or their specific students.  By providing choice, you are allowing teachers control over their learning and the ability to make it personal. This provides a sense of empowerment and motivation.

I think those teachers that contributed suggestions will feel validated that their suggestions were listened to and honored, and those that did not make suggestions will hopefully feel more inclined to do so next time. It goes a long way in continuing the sense of community and feeling that we are all collaborating and learning together.

To view the other posts in this series, click on the following links:

Planning for Hybrid PD - Comfort Level and Confidence First
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 1 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 2
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt 1 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 2) - Develop Community and Supportive Environment 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 2) - F2F Feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 2 
Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - Make it Relevant 
Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - F2F feedback 
Hybrid PD - Online Community Development Pt. 3

Instructional Change and Integration - It Takes a Village

I just spent last week with the teachers I have been working with for the last three months on my hybrid/blended PD (my most recent post in the series was Feedback (Part 3) on Hybrid PD).  I also spent the last part of the week at the Texas Computer Education Association 2012 conference in Austin, TX, where I met with myriad of teachers from all different disciplines and talked about technology and mathematics. In both experiences, I was surrounded by teachers excited about technology, excited about using technology, and teachers who were so excited to engage and provide opportunities for their students to get their hands on learning, whether it be mathematics, science, social studies or English. But...what I also heard was frustration about their ability and access to provide those experiences to their students due to such mundane things as the software not being downloaded on the computers, or the sites they want to go to being blocked by the school firewalls.

This had me thinking back to a Twitter  #connectedpd conversation I participated in a couple weeks ago (my first such attempt at participating in a live Twitter discussion and boy...it takes some getting use to!  Everything goes so fast!).  A few responses related to getting innovations and new strategies integrated into practice from James Tiffin (@JimTiffinJr) have sort of stuck with me the last couple of weeks.  In the context of talking about standardized testing and how that often inhibits teacher's ability and freedom to change their practice and integrate new strategies or technologies, Jim pointed out the importance of administrators responsibility for cultivating that environment where teachers can learn and change.  He also asked the question "in a high stakes testing environment, who takes the first step towards connected PD - administrators or teachers?"  My initial answer/response was both.  But after this week, I think I want to amend my thoughts - I think it takes the entire village, not just those on the front-line (i.e. administrator and teachers), so to speak.

Let's take the most familiar situation  - the teachers I have been working with in the hybrid PD.  These are teachers who are definitely taking a first-step to improve their instructional practice and integrate technology.  This is completely voluntary participation in this PD and they are making the effort. The administrators (from the curriculum director to the math coaches to the principals) also took a first-step by providing the opportunity in the first palce, from providing the software, the time and location for trainings, and the extra support in the classroom.  So, after three months, where's the frustration point?  Access to the actual software in the schools for the students and access to the student websites online.

Both of these are hampered by the technology specialists not pushing the software out to the computers, the school/district firewalls blocking the site that students need to access, or even the inability for the math teachers to get permission or access to use the computer lab. We have have gun-ho teachers ready to change their practiced but stymied by miscommunication, inaccurate information about the software or the websites, and limited access in general. This is NOT an isolated case - from my own personal experience as a teacher trying to fight over computer lab access, and as an administrator trying to convince the technology coordinator that yes, in fact, the license for the software was for every school and every math teacher, and every computer lab, this lack of coordination amongst all the relevant parties is a very common occurrence and hindrance to many initiatives.

Similarly, at the TCEA conference, one tech coordinator I spoke with said "Oh, we have Sketchpad, I purchased it a couple years ago for the math department. But no one uses it because no one knows it's there and no one has trained any teachers". She made the effort to purchase something she thought would be great for math teachers to use (and it is!) as part of her responsibility to the village, but the rest of the village was never told.  In the case with the hybrid PD, the math leaders and teachers are completely in agreement that this technology will really engage students and help them teach mathematics to match the Common Core, but no one informed the technology leaders about it, and even now that they know, bureaucracy is holding up access.

This all just solidifies for me that we need to take a village approach to innovations and professional development if we want to in fact change instructional practice and improve student learning. It shouldn't just be the math  teachers and the district leaders making the decision about what software to buy to improve math, or the English teachers and social studies teachers with access to computer labs, or the tech leaders and school administrators deciding what tablet to purchase or which apps to use (just some specific examples that came up this week). Rather, everyone should have a part - it should be a collaboration among all those connected to the instructional well being of students - administrators, teachers from all disciplines, curriculum leaders/coaches, tech coordinators, parents, and students. A village approach would help eliminate much of the miscommunication and lack of information that seems to pervade initiatives and perhaps even create a cross-curricular learning environment that is so often lacking. Everyone should be involved in the choices made, the professional development required, the technology and resource support needed, and the consequences of those decisions.

Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - F2F Feedback

In my most recent post in my hybrid/blended PD series, Planning for Hybrid PD (part 3) - Make it Relevant, I was about to embark on my 3rd face-to-face meeting with the teachers. I have met with the groups and have to say, I think relevancy was definitely the thing to focus on, for two reasons.

1) After almost 3 months working together, with 2 previous face-to-face meetings and 2 online components, the teachers are feeling comfortable with each other and really willing to voice their frustrations, ask for help or ideas, and share strategies.

2) They feel much more comfortable with the software themselves and are actually thinking of how it could work with their students, so they are want lessons that fit what they teach, since that's an easier stretch as they try something new.

How did these two reasons fit into my goal for this third face-to-face meeting of making it relevant?  As I said previously

Lesson Three: Make the activities and learning relevant to the teachers every-day teaching practice.  By providing activities that focus on learning the skills, how to integrate technology appropriately, and also cohere to the specific content and curriculum the teachers must follow, it is more likely that they will begin to change their own practice.  If they can see the relevancy to their own daily experience, they are going to be more willing to implement new tools and strategies.

The first part of the meeting we spent sharing out what happened in the classrooms when teachers tried to implement some lessons in the classroom. The teachers were so open about both the good and the bad experiences, and it was gratifying to me to see the level of support for each other.  One person had problems with students getting distracted when at the computers and not focusing on the lesson, so several others offered suggestions on how to address that problem (allow software play time, have students work in pairs, do the activity as a whole class first, etc.) Several teachers stepped up to show what their students had done or said, so that was great. The most important thing that came out of this was that many of them spoke up to say they struggled with implementing a lesson because it wasn't what they were teaching, to which others offered alternate lessons they had found on Sketchpad LessonLink, or offered ways they modified the current activities to fit.

Reason 1 fits into relevancy because teachers were open enough to share what was going on, and the need for relevancy to their every day teaching experience was very apparent in what and how they shared. The teachers were not afraid to share what they were feeling and experiencing, were willing to try things, and were really wanting to continue implementing Sketchpad with their students, which was great to see and hear. At the same time, they vented their frustration about implementing activities these past two months that did not always fit what they had to teach and expressed the desire to use activities that addressed content specifically matched the curriculum/content they were teaching. This solidified for me that relevancy was a crucial issue to focus on going forward.

The rest of our face-to-face time was spent learning some new skills of the software related to upcoming activities that were chosen based on their curriculum and creating student web pages in LessonLink to help them get ready for using the software in computer labs.  A majority of time was spent using Sketchpad LessonLink to find relevant lessons specific to content they would be teaching.  The teachers were engaged, collaborating, and excited about finding lessons, and for me, the exciting part was being able to focus on specific Sketchpad skills relevant to the lessons they found.

Reason 2 fits in with my goal of relevancy because since the teachers were more comfortable with both Sketchpad and Sketchpad LessonLink, they were not bogged down with how-to's, rather they focused on what resources and lessons would help them teach math dynamically to their students. They have almost gotten past their fear of the tools themselves (there is still some uncertainty and fear of course, more to do with using it with students at this point) to focusing on how the tools can help support their instruction. Being able to find lessons and activities that directly connect to the math content they are teaching, and having the chance to try those activities out, learn the math and software skills associated with those activities, and get feedback and advice from others, has made the thought of using technology to teach math a more natural occurrence in their lesson planning.

Relevancy matters in professional development if you want change to happen.  Like anything, it is a slow process, and as I am learning from this experience, comes AFTER providing the necessary skills and tools to develop a level of confidence, and after creating a collaborative, supportive community (see my previous posts relating to this).

Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 3) - Make it Relevant

This week is my third face-to-face set of meetings with the two groups of teachers I have been embarking with in the hybrid, or blended, professional development journey. We are focused on learning and integrating dynamic mathematics into math instruction using The Geometer's Sketchpad. We are just coming off our 2nd online unit, about to start our 3rd cycle.  This particular online unit was significantly shorter (3 weeks) compared to the first one (5 weeks), so a much quicker turn-around (my feedback on that can be found in my last online community posting).

In my first two parts of this series on blended learning, I went into each face-to-face workshop with specific lesson or goal to focus on:

From Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 1):

Lesson One: Begin a professional development experience assessing the background skills of participants.Ensure they are given the necessary tools, starting points, and resources to feel comfortable with what they are going to be doing, see the purpose behind what they will be doing, and know where and how they can get continued support. 

From Planning for Hybrid PD (Part 2):

Lesson Two: Work on building a sense of community and support among participants, where they feel comfortable sharing their struggles, their experiences, their ideas and expertise. Providing a safe environment where it is okay to try new skills and strategies and knowing it is okay to fail or struggle and that others are going though similar experiences, gives teachers confidence to try to change and improve their own practices. 

As I plan for this week's f2f, and reflect on Lesson One and Two, I think the important lesson to focus on this time around is making sure that the teachers are sensing how the skills and tools they are learning are relevant to what they specifically are teaching. After over two months of working on feeling comfortable with the tools, becoming familiar with the resources and how to access them, and really focusing on working together and supporting each other as they learn, I am sensing the need to narrow in on their individual students and classroom needs.  I have noticed in our discussion forums, several comments and reactions to the activities such as "I see how this would work great for the math content, but since I am not teaching that right now.....", or "these were great - I wish I had something similar to use for what I am teaching tomorrow..." or even "it seems like this takes a lot of time to make it fit into the topic I need, and I am not sure I have the time or that this will work for my students".

In all the research I have been doing on effective professional development, besides the importance of time and support, there is quite a bit of emphasis on relevancy and coherence to what the teachers are doing in their classroom.  If a teacher is expected to change their instructional practice, then the new strategies and tools need to be relevant to what the teachers are expected to teach.  The topics we have been focused on in the past couple of months are very specific math content that the district leaders mandated, but not all the participants are necessarily teaching those concepts at this time, which is where I am sensing some disconnect.  I believe we have reached a point where they have learned enough skills and made some great head way into how the integration of Sketchpad into math instruction is a tool that can help students explore, discover and learn mathematics, that we can start focusing on individualizing the content we use for learning.

The great thing is that I do have the tools and resources to support the teachers in trying to make this next face-to-face and online unit more relevant to the current topics they are teaching, which is not always the case for many professional development experiences.  Teachers are using Sketchpad LessonLink as part of this professional development, which is a searchable database of ready-to-use lessons for Sketchpad (these lessons are also available in separate resource modules).  My plan for this weeks upcoming face-to-face sessions is to really focus on allowing them to find activities that continue learning of Sketchpad skills, but that are specifically related to what they themselves are teaching in the classroom. After we do our debrief of the second online component and sharing out of what happened when they tried an activity in the classroom, we will spend some time learning some more software specific skills through model math activities, and then focus on relevancy.

Continuing the idea of collaboration and support, I plan to put them in pairs/small groups based on similar content focus and have each group focus on a math content they are covering in the next few weeks. Using Sketchpad LessonLink, they will find an appropriate lesson, and then, as a group, analyze that lesson and modify it to fit their students needs and skills.  We will then have share-out time, where each group will talk and demonstrate (via the Smartboard and Sketchpad) what they found, how it fits into the content they have to cover, and what they plan to do to integrate that Sketchpad lesson with their students.  This will then give us a starting point for our next online unit, where they will explore more about the related Common Core standards, work on learning the skills needed for the lesson, and work on actually implementing the lesson in their classroom and getting peer feedback.  I think by allowing them choice and focusing on content that is specifically related to their own classroom, they will hopefully start seeing the relevancy to their own practice and Sketchpad will become a more regular tool they consider when planning.

Lesson Three: Make the activities and learning relevant to the teachers every-day teaching practice.  By providing activities that focus on learning the skills, how to integrate technology appropriately, and also cohere to the specific content and curriculum the teachers must follow, it is more likely that they will begin to change their own practice.  If they can see the relevancy to their own daily experience, they are going to be more willing to implement new tools and strategies.

Follow-up On Planning For Hybrid PD (Part 2) - F2F Feedback

Just completed my second round of face-to-face workshops with my two cohorts I am doing my blended learning professional development with on Sketchpad and technology integration in mathematics. In my previous postings (Planning for Hybrid PD, Follow Up Day 1, follow Up Day 2, Online Community Part 1, Planning for Hybrid PD Part 2), I have been documenting this professional development experience, sharing my planning process as well as what has been happening in the face-to-face and online components as these groups move forward.  The ultimate goal by the end of this process is that these teachers have not only learned the software, but more importantly, have learned  to integrate Sketchpad into classroom instruction to help their students learn mathematics in an engaging way that improves student understanding and achievement in mathematics. 

This week we met face-to-face after teachers had a month+ online to try some activities on their own to help learn the software skills while also doing mathematics.  They are also focusing on Common Core standards and making the connection of those concepts and how Sketchpad can integrate both content and Standards of Mathematical Practice.  There is also an emphasis on pedagogical aspects of integrating the technology with students. This face-to-face meeting was to debrief the online experience and their first integration experience with their students, learn some more software skills and pedagogical strategies, and then prepare for the next online component.

The face-to-face meetings left me feeling very excited about this upcoming month online.  I think mostly because the debrief portion, where participants shared the experiences they had with students as they tried a Sketchpad activity, was powerful.  Some great ideas were shared about using the activities, students reactions, what students learned and said...I think everyone was surprised at their students' ability to engage in the mathematics and interact with the technology so easily,which was refreshing. 

We also debriefed on the online experience itself (responding to discussion forums, downloading activities, navigating the site, etc.), and which I found incredibly helpful because questions came up and were addressed right there and there were suggestions for doing things more efficiently.  It was so nice to see and hear everyone offering each other help and thoughts or commiserating with others.  I think the debrief alone let everyone know they were not alone and allowed me to reinforce the importance of the online discussion forum when we are not face-to-face.  There were still many who were uncomfortable in the online environment who I think now feel more confident in it's purpose.

The rest of our time together (which is only a total of 3 hours) we spent learning some skills of the software, but always in the context of learning math.  My goal is to model a lesson that is teaching content as well as skills (which is so great with Sketchpad lessons), while modeling pedagogical strategies as well. I am very deliberate and transparent in what I do as a means of giving them ideas and helping them consider options that will work well when they work on integrating the technology in their own classrooms.

By the end of our short time together, I felt that there was a lot more camaraderie than previously and most importantly, more confidence and excitement.  They are feeling more comfortable, have some new ideas, and also know that we have the next several weeks to practice and learn and continue to try things out.  Personally, I am absolutely loving the blended learning professional development because it is keeping me on my toes but allowing me to really understand my participants, be flexible and change both the online and face-to-face components to address issues as they arise.  I think leads to the participants feeling excited because there is so much less pressure on them to take what they are learning and be a pro at it right away - the blended learning is giving them bits at a time that they can then practice, try, get feedback on, and gain confidence.  And be ready to learn a bit more online and next face-to-face.

All in all - a very positive couple of days and I am hopeful that our next few weeks online are going to show a growth in the community support and learning from each other.  And that my more reluctant and fearful participants will now have more confidence to try things out.

Professional Development for Teachers - Engage, Collaborate, Support

I have been writing lately about my plans and experiences with hybrid/blended professional development, specifically with technology.  In my most recent post, I shared ideas for the next face-to-face meeting with my two cohorts.  Perhaps because this is foremost on my mind, I find that I am running across others' blogs and articles that are speaking of similar experiences or offering great advice about professional development and the need to rethink how and what we offer teachers in terms of professional development..  I wanted to share a couple that I have run across that I found very interesting.

Mark Brumley (@markbrumley) wrote a short blog post the other day called Educating Educators Part 1 that talks about the importance of generating excitement in teachers about new technology BEFORE bringing them into any training.  I liked his ideas about creating almost a PR campaign to get teachers excited and interested in the new technology so that they come to any professional development with a desire to learn.  I agree wholeheartedly, and feel it is one element that is often missing - a reason, a purpose, and a connection of the new technology (or new strategy) that cause a desire in teachers to learn.  How many times have you teachers out there attended a professional development experience without even knowing what it is about, or leaving a professional development experience without ever understanding how this new technology (or new anything) is going to be of benefit to you in your teaching situation? 

Darren Cannell (@dcannell) put together a nice summary for developing a community of inquiry in an online environment, which fits nicely into what I am doing. His blog entry is entitled Using the Community of Inquiry in Online Learning Environments.  In particular, I found his description of the importance of  teacher presence on the the perceived learning and satisfaction of the online participants particularly relevant to my situation.  It is one of the things I struggle with in this blended environment I am trying to create, because on the one hand, I want the community of teachers to support each other and develop a bond without me, yet don't want them to flounder. It's a constant balance between encouraging engagement and motivation as well as fostering interdependence and knowledge development.
 
One very important part of professional development I think is lacking if we truly expect teachers to change their practice is this idea of a community of inquiry.  Collaboration among colleagues as well as support from administration ties into this as well. A benefit of the blended approach I am working with now is it's ability to foster this community of inquiry through long-term support, both from the teachers within the cohorts, but also the district leaders who are actively involved as well.  Teachers are being given the time to get to know each other, know the new technology slowly, try it out in their classrooms and get feedback and support from others going through the same experience.  Through the online components that occur between face-to-face meetings, they have time to share ideas, share experiences, and reflect on how this new technology and the strategies they are learning are impacting their teaching.  This sense of learning together and knowing that others are in the same situation and that there is support from others is important for teachers as they try to change their practice. Change only happens over time and with support.

This leads to the last blog post that I want to share today from Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby) entitled No Chicken or Egg Choice.  Whitby speaks directly to the need for creating relevant professional development that truly addresses specific needs and courses and is not just a mandate from on high.  I love the line 'experimentation needs to be encouraged' - something that is sorely lacking in many professional development experiences. Especially with new strategies and technologies, being able to experiment, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes with the support and encouragement of colleagues and administrators - is the only way to truly reform instructional practice.

All of these blogs/articles may not seem connected, yet to me, they bring together some key points that need to be considered when thinking about teacher professional development. There must be engagement and purpose, there must be collaboration and a community of support and learning, and there must be relevancy to what teachers are actually teaching and experiencing in their school and classrooms.

Follow-Up on Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 2

Those of you who are teachers know what I am talking about - that moment where you say "oh, if I could only go back to 'first period' (or 2nd block - whichever  class was the first one) and reteach this lesson they would get it so much better!"  Practice does really make perfect (well...better any way), as I said in Tuesday's post.

I did the second day of face-to-face with my middle school teachers (see related post) , so basically a repeat of day one with a different content focus, and as is usually the case, learned from my first experience.  Spent more time on the software basics, cleared up some misunderstandings about the online course components - in general, fixed the errors made in the first night.  If only I could go back and do the first night over!  It made me think about all the years of teaching where I taught the same course for 3 periods - that poor first period class definitely got the short end of the stick! Let's face it, the more you do something, the more you tweak and improve and change to make things better.

All in all the first face-to-face experiences went well with both groups -  I was pleased.  And while I know there are some teachers in both groups who are perhaps feeling a bit overwhelmed, I am thinking they all at least feel confident enough to start the online component and start exploring further.  I have already had most folks sign on and introduce themselves online, the first step in developing the online community, and some have already begun their explorations of the software and the content connections with the Common Core.  I am sure I will have to push some others, especially since this is the holiday season and most folks are on vacation, but I feel we are off to a good start.

Follow-up On Planning for Hybrid PD - Day 1

I had my first of two face-to-face 3 hour sessions with teachers yesterday (the high school group).  As I mentioned in my previous post, Planning for Hybrid PD - Comfort Level and Confidence First , the goal was to figure out where the teachers were at and meet them at their comfort zone and give them confidence to start the journey of integrating the technology.

Lesson one was to "Begin a professional development experience assessing the background skills of participants.Ensure they are given the necessary tools, starting points, and resources to feel comfortable with what they are going to be doing, see the purpose behind what they will be doing, and know where and how they can get continued support". I think I accomplished this fairly well, but can I just say, 3 hours goes fast!  I thought I had it mapped out well, but of course, the reality is there are questions and technology issues.  I spent less time on the software introduction than I wanted, but I made the executive decision that since we had the month to continue to play and explore that component, the more important items to focus on were the online ready to use lessons (Sketchpad LessonLink) and the online course itself.  Getting teachers registered and navigating the online course would allow them to get immediate access to me and support as they played more with the software. 

One thing I think was accomplished was that all the participants realized that this first meeting was really that - a first meeting to introduce them to the software, resources, and online environment and that we had time in the online environment to explore more.  It was refreshing for me to be able to offer the time and continued support to them, as usually I only get a day or two.  And, I think that's all most teachers get themselves, so perhaps there was a bit of disbelief that this was actually the reality. These teachers and I are on a journey, and I made sure to emphasize that as often as possible that the feeling of being overwhelmed and things moving too fast in this first meeting was natural and normal, but we had a whole month ahead of us to continue to ask questions, work together and alleviate some of their concerns. From my perspective, it did seem to almost relieve them and allow them to move to the next topic in are quickly passing time!

Overall, I thought it went well and am looking forward to the next step - the online environment.  Tonight I meet with the middle school teachers, and will take lessons learned last night to heart - little different focus on how I introduce the software, more time on the LessonLink as it leads to the software use, and then a little more time making sure the online course registration works and that everyone understands there.  It's always nice when you have a second chance at something - practice makes perfect as they say!

Will keep you posted on how Day 2 goes.

Planning for Hybrid PD - Comfort Level and Confidence First

I am going to spend a couple days with teachers this week introducing them to Sketchpad, Sketchpad LessonLink and online learning.  We are starting a 7-month long hybrid professional development experience designed to provide long-term, sustained learning for integrating technology into math instruction. This means once-a-month get togethers to collaborate and share the experiences and student artifacts of what happened in the classroom as they implement lessons, and then month-long online components designed to continue the collaboration and learning of both the software and instructional strategies.  I am excited about starting this, and find myself going over and over all the things I know are needed.  The research I have been immersed in lately, as well as my own personal experiences providing professional development for teacher over the past 18 years, has given me much food for thought and experiences I think will go a long way in helping me provide an experience that will support these teachers as they begin their journey of implementing Sketchpad into their instruction.

For our kick-off meetings this week, I want to really focus on helping these teachers feel comfortable in the learning environment we are about to start. I think that is the most important thing as we begin our journey.  There are time constraints that don't make the first face-to-face ideal, so how do I work around that and make sure everyone leaves with the confidence they need to start their first month of online learning?  They are new to everything - not only the software, but the online learning environment, so the focus in our first face-to-face is to really make sure they feel comfortable with how to get in the online course, access the online resources, and know how to start with the software.  Quite a bit to accomplish in a three hour meeting!  But...if they can leave feeling that they know how to begin, where to get the resources and access everything, then I think we can spend our first month actually learning.  If they leave feeling overwhelmed by the technology and access components, the learning of the software and strategies will become secondary or frustrating.

Lesson One: Begin a professional development experience assessing the background skills of participants.Ensure they are given the necessary tools, starting points, and resources to feel comfortable with what they are going to be doing, see the purpose behind what they will be doing, and know where and how they can get continued support.