So I have been working on my thesis in all my spare time & haven't devoted as much to my blog as I should. I have however been keeping up with my Google Reader & thought I'd make a wordle of my shared items to take stock of the blogosphere. I'm not surprised that Moodle, Technology & Learning are high frequency words. But I'm glad that so much of the Wordle content is made of learning or sharing words rather than a focus on technology.
I worry that so much of my training is tool specific - even if I don't intend it to be that way. I struggle with teaching enough about the tool that it can be used but worry I don't use enough pedagogy for effective use. My "students" come from such diverse backgrounds including subject areas and grade level that I have a hard time reaching them all.
But in the end - that's just an excuse for why I don't see technology integration in every classroom at my school. And I just need to work on new ways. Maybe its setting a foundation with tool training and moving on to more integration. Or maybe its having their fellow teachers showcase how they use a tool. I seem to try a different technique every semester and wonder what I should hold on to.
At least I have the freedom to try new things when the old ones don't work out....
2 comments:
I have missed your musings; however, I understand why you have been busy lately.
I struggle with the approach to Integration as well. I think the County philosophy has been provide cool tools, and some PD, and those who get it will start to use it, and those who don't will get envious and start to want it.
That doesn't seem to be working out so well.
I'm finding that Summative Tests seem to be the biggest motivators in instructional change in my district. I had a Science Teacher tell me yesterday that she didn't think it was fair for the State to expect her to "teach Excel" to kids for data input and charting, if the State won't provide the paid staff development to teach her!
When I offered to model the instruction for her, and asked her what she used to chart and graph data presently, she looked at me like I had 3 heads!
A strange example, yet an all too real one with some teachers who can never "find the time" to play around with programs and experiment.
I went home yesterday very discouraged after that conversation.
But back I come today refreshed that I have people signing up my mini lessons I'll offer in April and May.
I had an interesting discussion today with some faculty about PD, and how so much of it is focused on tools. Someone asked a great question - what if you are OK with technology? How do you kick it up to the next level? I'd love to have that as my problem, but worry that when that happens there won't be enough of me to do it.
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