5.2 Professional Development
Candidates develop and implement technology-based professional learning that aligns to state and national professional learning standards, integrates technology to support face-to-face and online components, models principles of adult learning, and promotes best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment.
Artifact:
Reflection:
This was an excellent artifact that I created in my Professional Learning and Technology Innovation ITEC 7460 class. After having done a survey and accompanying needs assessment for professional development in technology, I then had to prepare a presentation to give to the faculty in a mandatory meeting we had during a district professional learning day. I did my presentation on Blackboard technology since this was something new to our staff, the use of which was mandatory for teacher collaboration. It was also something the teachers had indicated, on the technology survey, that they needed and wanted. This artifact is a summation of the lesson plan I used to prepare my presentation. The lesson plan also includes all the handouts I used, as well as the evaluation of my presentation that I asked for teachers to complete at the end of my presentation.
This artifact represents mastery of Standard 5.2, because I had to develop and implement the Blackboard training that aligned with state and national professional learning standards. I also had to ensure that the Blackboard technology, about which I was teaching, supported both face to face and online components, modeled principles of adult learning, and promoted best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment.
My best learning from the experience is that it pays to be prepared, and that sometimes to be a good leader, I have to put myself in uncomfortable positions. I also learned that not everyone learns at the same pace, so having an evaluation for teachers to complete asking them to share if they need more help, set up the opportunity for me to continue and extend my teaching to those who needed more individualized assistance. I also learned that I must continually evaluate the impact of training on teachers. In order to keep the training fresh and useful, it is important to check in with teachers periodically and ensure they are using the technology about which they learned. In order to conduct a successful training, I need to know how to do a needs assessment of the school’s technology weaknesses and have the knowledge to conduct appropriate training to meet those needs. Knowledge is one thing, but skills are often quite another. It is important to have the skill set to be able to perform the tasks at hand correctly, so that teachers are not ill-informed. And like everything else we have addressed since the beginning of the program, having a positive “can-do” attitude works wonders in instilling confidence in fledgling technology teachers. Implementing Blackboard this year has been a challenge, as I have received a great deal of push-back. I just continue to assure teachers to adopt and adapt.
What I would do differently and WILL do differently next year when I do a similar training, is I will not give them quite as much as I did in as short of a time as I had to do the training. I am sure that covering all of the Blackboard technology that I have put together into a short, one hour training was way more than teachers could digest at one time. This next year, I will take components of the Blackboard technology and give trainings a little at a time over an extended time period to ensure that teachers understand where to go for the information they need.
This artifact has most impacted school improvement and faculty development because this technology has facilitated teacher-to-teacher collaboration, the sharing of lesson plans and ideas, and the building of resources vital to the successful integration of Common Core curriculum into our school culture. The impact has been assessed through improved CRCT scores this past year as well as improved attitudes among teachers.
This artifact represents mastery of Standard 5.2, because I had to develop and implement the Blackboard training that aligned with state and national professional learning standards. I also had to ensure that the Blackboard technology, about which I was teaching, supported both face to face and online components, modeled principles of adult learning, and promoted best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment.
My best learning from the experience is that it pays to be prepared, and that sometimes to be a good leader, I have to put myself in uncomfortable positions. I also learned that not everyone learns at the same pace, so having an evaluation for teachers to complete asking them to share if they need more help, set up the opportunity for me to continue and extend my teaching to those who needed more individualized assistance. I also learned that I must continually evaluate the impact of training on teachers. In order to keep the training fresh and useful, it is important to check in with teachers periodically and ensure they are using the technology about which they learned. In order to conduct a successful training, I need to know how to do a needs assessment of the school’s technology weaknesses and have the knowledge to conduct appropriate training to meet those needs. Knowledge is one thing, but skills are often quite another. It is important to have the skill set to be able to perform the tasks at hand correctly, so that teachers are not ill-informed. And like everything else we have addressed since the beginning of the program, having a positive “can-do” attitude works wonders in instilling confidence in fledgling technology teachers. Implementing Blackboard this year has been a challenge, as I have received a great deal of push-back. I just continue to assure teachers to adopt and adapt.
What I would do differently and WILL do differently next year when I do a similar training, is I will not give them quite as much as I did in as short of a time as I had to do the training. I am sure that covering all of the Blackboard technology that I have put together into a short, one hour training was way more than teachers could digest at one time. This next year, I will take components of the Blackboard technology and give trainings a little at a time over an extended time period to ensure that teachers understand where to go for the information they need.
This artifact has most impacted school improvement and faculty development because this technology has facilitated teacher-to-teacher collaboration, the sharing of lesson plans and ideas, and the building of resources vital to the successful integration of Common Core curriculum into our school culture. The impact has been assessed through improved CRCT scores this past year as well as improved attitudes among teachers.