Since I ended my reflection of Chapter 1 with the statement, "I need more training," I thought reading Chapter 5 on professional development would be a good idea.
Before reading this chapter, I didn't realize that so much research had been done on the effectiveness of teacher trainings. I also didn't realize that research supports the feelings that I have had about some of my trainings. "Brief classes or workshops without ongoing support seem to create few substantive changes." (pg 101)
I agree with the authors that most teachers still feel uncomfortable using technology in their teaching. In my experience, getting the projector to work to show a DVD is a major feat. Using Web 2.0 tools as teaching tools is just beyond the realm of comprehension of most teachers. We've got a long way to go. I will share this book (Web 2.0 new tools, new schools) and the way this class was presented with my administrator who is a supporter of technology integration.
This class has been one of the most effective and useful professional development courses that I have ever taken, I am full of ideas and I have a blog full of colleagues to support me when I have questions. I believe our facilitators have, "taken a page from their own book" when it came to the Web 2.0 training we received in this course.
Encouraging Participation: Chapter 5, Pages 105-106
- Create an Environment of Trust
- Eliminate Confusion
- Make learning interactive
- Share what is being done on a regular basis
- Constructive feedback from facilitator
I hope to see more classes offered on Web 2.0 tools presented in this format.
I really appreciate that this class has been effective. And i agree that the current model of Prof. Dev. is sadly lacking in efficacy and it is expensive to do it in a way that will be more effective. But I also thing that we need to do it right because the students need teachers who are properly trained.
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