Professional Development

Collier offers four approaches for professional development to teach teachers about technology integration.

The first approach is to use technology mentors. The concept is to pair a teacher with someone who is an expert in technology and have the expert show the teacher what are the best ways to use the technology in the classroom, very much like student teaching. Collier (2001) suggests that the school could then use these mentors to lead several professional development activities within the school. Ideally this would be cost effective because then the school would not have to pay an expert from the community to come in and do a presentation.

The second approach focused on student involvement. “Technology-savvy teachers are no the only resources a school can draw on for staff development for technology integratetion. Many Students are also experts in some aspects of technology use” (p.65). I think it would be hard some teachers to take directions or guidance from a student. In my school, professional development is considered a full day of workshops or meetings with the principal. I don’t think that staff would consider students helping in class with technology how-tos staff development. Collier suggests, “teachers can count on student experts to get a printer working or answer an unexpected technical question that arises during instruction” (p.65). I don’t think my principal would allow that to be defined as professional development. He would term it as part of instruction. Collier also suggests having two student experts in the computer lab for each class. What happens when both of those students are absent? There would also be a great deal of extra time needed from the teacher and the student to train and educate these “mentors”.

The next approach talked about using the standards and developing curriculum plans that would incorporate technology across all subject areas. “Toward this end, districts may create teams of teachers to lead the effort to map standards to local curriculum and classroom practice” (p.67). In my mind, this may be the most beneficial way to show and teach educators how to integrate technology. I would not mind sitting though presentations or workshops on how to apply technology standards across the curriculum.

The last approach was research how well these different ideas work. “Designing and developing technology-integrated projects and units is not the end of the story. Assessing how well these units work in practice in an important step in effective, wife-scale technology integration” (p.68). So using assessments with technology would be another area for professional development.

I think it would also be important to have the professional development activities where everyone could participate. I feel that we are required to go to the sessions that are least beneficial. Then when a program is offered that would be useful, it is given at a time that most teachers cannot participate in. For example: We were offered a staff development session on how to use the smartboard in our classrooms. The principal brought someone from out of the school staff to teach use about them. However, the smartboard training was during parent conference. The only people who were able to attend were their specialists. The principal then said that it was a waste of time and money and that there would not be another session. How frustrating is that?!

Collier, Catherine. (2001) Staff development for techhnology integration in the classroom. In John F. LeBaron & Cathering Collier (eds.), Technolgy in its place. (pp. 61-72). Jossey-Boss, CA: San Franciso.