Professional Development for 21st Century Learning

I recently joined the staff of an elementary school in my new town as the Grade One teacher. Over the last two months, I've been actively participating in their professional development activities, and we recently had a workshop on a new technology that I had never encountered before: the "Smart Table" by Smart

 Technologies. During the PD session, we learned about its capabilities and how it could transform learning in the classroom. After the session, I eagerly inquired about when we would have it in our classroom, excited about the prospect of my students using it.

Personally, I find professional development in technology and web 2.0 highly effective in encouraging me to integrate technology into my teaching practice. I'm passionate about technology and believe it's incredibly beneficial for students. However, I often wonder about teachers who didn't grow up with technology or seem hesitant to try new tools. How can we inspire them to embrace technology in their practice?

In her article "A Professional Development Menu," Kimberely Ketterer discusses ways to motivate teachers to integrate technology into their classrooms. She highlights the digital divide between skilled and unskilled teachers and emphasizes the importance of professional development in bridging this gap (Ketterer, 2008). While I personally feel prepared to use new technology, I acknowledge that not everyone may share my comfort level. The professional development session certainly fueled my excitement, but I wonder if some teachers still feel hesitant.

How do you best learn technology?

During the workshop on the Smart Table, I spoke with a colleague about her experience with the Smartboard and whether she had tried using "Making Words" with it yet. She admitted she didn't know how, so I suggested we collaborate to develop a lesson she could use with her students. Last week, I introduced another teacher to the 2.0 tool "Animoto," knowing he was exploring new ways to integrate technology. Before class started, I showed him how easy it is to use. By recess, he was discussing some challenges he faced, and by the end of the day, he was excitedly sharing how he made a slideshow with it. Reflecting on these interactions, I realized that in these situations, I was acting as a "knowledge broker," as described in Plair's article "Revamping Professional Development for Technology Integration and Fluency" (Plair, 2008). Similarly, I plan to seek guidance from teachers experienced with technologies like the Smart Table and "Senteneo" in their classrooms, viewing them as potential mentors.

When supporting teachers in integrating technology into their curriculum, it's crucial to be aware of the different mentoring roles teachers may need for successful integration. In "Coach, Nurture, and Nudge," Ketterer describes teachers who prefer coaching, those who need nurturing to build confidence, and those who need a nudge out of their comfort zone (Ketterer, 2008). Understanding these preferences helps me tailor my approach and motivate others effectively.

In what ways can technology leaders inspire teachers to use technology in their lessons?

Camillo Gagliolo explores this question in her article "Help Teachers Mentor One Another" (Gagliolo, 2008). She suggests building professional learning communities focused on student learning, where teachers collaborate, give feedback, and reflect on improvements. Additionally, technology leaders can assist teachers in establishing a network of mentor teachers, facilitating peer-to-peer learning and support (Gagliolo, 2008). These strategies can empower teachers to successfully integrate technology.

I look forward to sharing my experiences with technology in the classroom and my ongoing journey of learning. Perhaps I'll continue blogging about my experiences as I strive to enhance my professional development.

Not just small steps but leaps and bounds!

I observed a Grade One Math lesson this morning where the teacher was experimenting with new ways to integrate technology. The class sang "The Bubblegum Song," a catchy tune about spending money on bubblegum, before gathering on the carpet to explore money concepts using the smartboard. The students were fully engaged as they interacted with the smartboard, learning about the stories behind Canadian coins, listening to the sound of a loon, viewing images of the Canadian mint in Manitoba, and matching coins with their respective values. They even simulated purchasing items from an online store. After the smartboard session, the students received their own set of coins to further explore and create number stories complete with pictures. It was an excellent lesson that prompted me to ponder:

"Has the use and integration of educational technology improved teaching and learning?"

I believe that when integrated effectively, educational technology can indeed enhance teaching and benefit all learners. Integrating technology into lessons provides students with opportunities to achieve learning outcomes in various ways.

According to Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, students learn differently, and there are eight potential pathways to learning (Brualdi, 1998). By adopting a multiple intelligences approach to teaching and employing diverse strategies to reach all learners, integrating technology can seamlessly enhance any lesson plan. In the article "Why do teachers not practice what they believe regarding technology," Chen argues that for teachers to embrace technology in the classroom, they need to believe that its use will not hinder higher-level goals but rather help achieve them more effectively. Teachers must also feel confident in their ability to use technology and have sufficient resources (Chen, 2008). Utilizing tools like the smartboard effectively can provide students with visual, auditory, and hands-on learning experiences, unlike traditional lectures with PowerPoint presentations.

However, merely incorporating multiple intelligences into a lesson is not enough to ensure effectiveness; the learning must also be meaningful. In the article "Meaningful Technology Integration in Early Learning Environments," Weng et al. argue that integrating technology requires a constructivist framework and curriculum that emphasizes learner-centered exploration and active meaning-making (Weng et al., 2008). The choice of technology should align with classroom learning, teaching needs, and student requirements (Weng et al., 2008). Teacher perceptions of pedagogical beliefs significantly influence technology integration. In "A Study of Teacher Perceptions of Instructional Technology Integration," Gorder noted that classrooms where technology was integrated followed four pedagogical principles: active learning, mediation, collaboration, and interactivity (Jaffee in Gorder, 2008). While there are simple ways to integrate technology into daily lessons, such as accessing online resources like the weather channel or incorporating URLs into calendars, more meaningful integration involves utilizing web 2.0 tools like blogs, digital storytelling, podcasts, YouTube, simulations, virtual field trips, and discussion platforms like Skype, which can truly bring learning to life in the classroom.

For me, having a smartboard and easy access to computers in the classroom offers opportunities to incorporate engaging strategies and tools into my lessons. All learners benefit from using technology in their learning, and while we may be taking small steps toward effective implementation, the learning experience for students progresses from incremental to substantial leaps and bounds!

"Developing Responsible Cybercitizens"

Have you ever searched your name on Google to see what comes up?

After watching the Google videos on privacy, I decided to conduct a search with my name. Guess what I found? Yes, there were countless results for Danielle Spencer! Thankfully, links about Russell Crowe's wife, Danielle Spencer, dominated the first and second pages. However, by the third page, there I was! My Facebook profile with my picture and this blog, "Up 2 Notches," were right there, plainly visible. I wondered if it was due to the "cookies" and "cache" stored in my temporary folders, as the Google videos explained. I needed to investigate further, so I tried the search on my husband's computer. Lo and behold, there I was again! I was "googleable." It left me feeling... exposed.

As an educator, I am always mindful of my professional conduct, including my online presence. Doug Johnson's tips for educators in "Lighting Lamps" resonated with me. He advises educators to exercise extreme caution when engaging in blogging or other forms of Internet communication (Johnson, 2008). His tips include "write assuming your boss is reading" and "gripe globally, praise locally" (Johnson, 2008). For me, my Facebook account is for social networking, my Ning is for sharing teaching ideas, and my blogs are platforms to share ideas and explore the realities of the digital world. And one reality is that when you are online, you are in the public domain.

How do we teach students that the internet is a public space and encourage them to be cautious with sharing private information? How do we cultivate responsible cybercitizens?

While the Canadian government's document titled "Children's Online Privacy" outlines steps to set expectations and standards by urging the industry to adopt the highest possible standard of privacy, we need to begin educating students about privacy.

One approach may involve modeling the importance of privacy. For instance, teaching students to keep passwords private and educating them on what constitutes private information, as suggested in "Social Studies Vision: Consider This" (Berson et al., 2004). Additionally, maintaining confidentiality of library records, as discussed in "The Ebb and Flow of Library Privacy," could serve as another effective way to model privacy.

Teachers can integrate lessons on responsible cybercitizenship in the classroom and leverage online resources to teach cyberskills. In the article "An Analysis of Electronic Media to Prepare Children for Safe and Ethical Practices in Digital Environments" by Berson and Desai, websites like Brainpop, ikeepsafe.org, Media Awareness Network, iSafe, Netsmartz, and Hector's World are recommended for practicing responsible online behavior (Berson et al., 2008). Of these, Hector's World stands out for its emphasis on privacy, explicitly instructing students to only enter a nickname and assuring them that no personal information will be kept or requested.

This discussion on privacy leads to the concept of the "Digital Dossier," which refers to the accumulation of personal data collected as people use digital technology (Di Gennaro, 2008). In "Born Digital," Palfrey and Gasser highlight the challenge of protecting young people's privacy concerning their digital identity due to economic incentives (Palfrey and Gasser, 2008). Nevertheless, we can educate students about digital tracking and the concept of leaving a "digital footprint."

In "Lighting Lamps," Johnson advises teachers to "write assuming your boss is reading" and "gripe globally, praise locally." As educators, we must teach our students to "write assuming your parents and the world are reading" and "think globally and act cybersafely" (because they can and probably are).

Just curious, have you googled your name yet?