The best teachers are also the best learners. This is a phrase I have heard expressed many times throughout my 10+ years of teaching. When this is stated, it is often meant to serve as a promotion for teachers to continue studying the field of education by attending seminars and training that will allow them to stay up to date on the latest teaching practices and further develop their craft. But, as we learned in the readings and video this week, the process of extending our learning is much more than simply signing up for conferences and attending professional development sessions. The level of individual focus and support teachers have both during and after these professional learning experiences are key factors in determining the extent of learning they are able to achieve.
During professional learning experiences, it is important to see teachers as individual learners and cater learning to support their individual growth (Goodwin, 2015). Although active learning can be extremely effective in the professional learning environment, simply presenting teachers with a broad set of active learning activities diminishes its effectiveness. It is much more effective when these activities are presented in a constructivist manner that allows teachers to create their own learning experiences in a context that cultivates their imagination, honors their passion, and connects that passion to things they want to learn (Thomas & Brown, 2011). For most teachers, this will be activities that provide them with job embedded, real-world experiences with their own curriculum and allow them to see how different teaching strategies can be applied to their own classrooms and students (EdCan Network Le Réseau ÉdCan, 2016). As a technology leader on my campus, this could involve me creating a chart on Google Docs with a list of different technology devices or apps and allowing teachers to sign up for times they would like me to come in to help guide them as they use the technology with their students. Their experience applying new teaching methods in this manner allows educators to clear up any misconceptions they may have had about using the technology in their classroom which, in turn, helps increase their expertise in using it (Andrews et.al, 2011). Expertise, however, is not gained in a one-time, one day professional learning session. Additional practice and cultivation needs to occur after the initial session to make the learning stick. This is where follow-up sessions and support come in.
After the initial professional learning experience has taken place, it is vital for educators to have regular, high quality follow-up collaboration sessions with presenters to discuss the progress that is being made with implementing the new teaching method. As a campus technology leader, my job will be to provide support that is focused on adapting the new technology practices to meet the needs of their particular class rather than broad adoption (Goodwin, 2015). After modeling the use of technology with the teachers’ classes and observing teachers using the new methods with their students, my support sessions will involve listening to teacher concerns about teaching lessons using the new technology, giving feedback on lesson structure, and creating suggestions for improvements they can make in the next lesson (Gulamhussein, A. (2013). These regular sessions will continue until the teacher reaches a mastery level in using the new technology. Once the teachers have established a mastery level in their use of the technology strategy, they will then be able to share their knowledge with other teachers by “coaching” them on how to effectively use the technology with the curriculum or allowing them to observe technology use in their classrooms (Gulamhussein, A. (2013). To add a fun element to this process, I’m thinking I might give these teachers catchy nicknames once they have reached a mastery level and then add them to the “Techsperts” team in Google Docs so that others on campus can know who they can go to for assistance for a particular tech skill if I am not available. In addition to providing a more efficient way to get technology needs met, I think teachers helping each other and being looked at as experts will help build confidence, increase morale, and foster a sense of community even more on our campus.
REFERENCES
Andrews, T. M., Leonard, M. J., Colgrove, C. A., & Kalinowski, S. T. (2011). Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses. CBE Life Sciences Education, 10(4), 394–405. http://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0061
EdCan Network Le Réseau ÉdCan. (2016). Innovation That Sticks Case Study - OCSB: Collaborative Professional Development. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUusuw-xdr4&feature=youtu.be
Goodwin, B. (2015). Research Says/Does Teacher Collaboration Promote Teacher Growth? Educational Leadership, 73(4), 82–83. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec15/vol73/num04/Does-Teacher-Collaboration-Promote-Teacher-Growth%C2%A2.aspx
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.
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