Comments on: IT Integration Planning: The Role of the Facilitator http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/ teaching technology abroad Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:45:04 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Facilitator, Coach or Coordinator? | always learning http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-2869 Facilitator, Coach or Coordinator? | always learning Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:51:53 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-2869 [...] own experience over the last ten years in three different schools, my job titles have ranged from Technology Facilitator to Academic IT Coordinator, to 21st Century Literacy Specialist, to Technology Coach, to Technology [...] [...] own experience over the last ten years in three different schools, my job titles have ranged from Technology Facilitator to Academic IT Coordinator, to 21st Century Literacy Specialist, to Technology Coach, to Technology [...]

]]> By: Kim Cofino http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-2407 Kim Cofino Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:50:17 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-2407 @Neil, This was a previous school that I worked at, but no one left because of technology while I was there. I think even the most resistant understand that technology is part of the wider world (not just schools) and that these are skills they will need if they hope to get another job in future years. Sometimes that's a good way to approach new training as well - how marketable it will make you to have had this experience. The bottom line for teachers, in my opinion is: are you willing to be a learner? If not, maybe teaching isn't the right career choice... @Neil,

This was a previous school that I worked at, but no one left because of technology while I was there. I think even the most resistant understand that technology is part of the wider world (not just schools) and that these are skills they will need if they hope to get another job in future years. Sometimes that’s a good way to approach new training as well – how marketable it will make you to have had this experience. The bottom line for teachers, in my opinion is: are you willing to be a learner? If not, maybe teaching isn’t the right career choice…

]]> By: Neil Anderson http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-2373 Neil Anderson Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:56:17 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-2373 This is our first year with 1-to-1 laptops at Grade 7 and the teachers are learning the best they can. Pretty steep learning curve for most of them. Any teachers there talking about leaving (or have left) if technology is mandated? This is our first year with 1-to-1 laptops at Grade 7 and the teachers are learning the best they can. Pretty steep learning curve for most of them. Any teachers there talking about leaving (or have left) if technology is mandated?

]]> By: Planting Seeds | always learning http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-1950 Planting Seeds | always learning Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:06:16 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-1950 [...] Last year I felt a bit like a door-to-door salesman (to use my colleague, Chad’s, analogy). Our school had never had a 21st Century Literacy Specialist before, and in fact, had never even had a Technology Facilitator. [...] [...] Last year I felt a bit like a door-to-door salesman (to use my colleague, Chad’s, analogy). Our school had never had a 21st Century Literacy Specialist before, and in fact, had never even had a Technology Facilitator. [...]

]]> By: Thinking Allowed. » Blog Archive » My turn http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-749 Thinking Allowed. » Blog Archive » My turn Thu, 10 May 2007 15:19:36 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-749 [...] What teachers need with technology is REAL professional development. They need technology support people whose job is to make sure that they understand what good laptop classroom management looks like. It isn’t hard to keep kids off of mySpace during class. But if you’ve never had to think about it before, you might not know how to do it. These tech support facilitators need to be 100% devoted to the implementation of technology in their schools. They need to be available to team teach with teachers to model good laptop classroom management strategies and share integration ideas. It is their job to learn new technologies and figure out their implications on learning. Teachers are too busy to keep up with that stuff. (see Kim’s post on always learning) [...] [...] What teachers need with technology is REAL professional development. They need technology support people whose job is to make sure that they understand what good laptop classroom management looks like. It isn’t hard to keep kids off of mySpace during class. But if you’ve never had to think about it before, you might not know how to do it. These tech support facilitators need to be 100% devoted to the implementation of technology in their schools. They need to be available to team teach with teachers to model good laptop classroom management strategies and share integration ideas. It is their job to learn new technologies and figure out their implications on learning. Teachers are too busy to keep up with that stuff. (see Kim’s post on always learning) [...]

]]> By: always learning » IT Integration Planning: The Mandate http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-743 always learning » IT Integration Planning: The Mandate Thu, 10 May 2007 06:31:57 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-743 [...] After reading my post on the role of the facilitator, Mark asked me to share our official technology integration mandate here. It’s also posted on our wiki, but in the interest of convenience, here it is again: [...] [...] After reading my post on the role of the facilitator, Mark asked me to share our official technology integration mandate here. It’s also posted on our wiki, but in the interest of convenience, here it is again: [...]

]]> By: Kim Cofino http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-735 Kim Cofino Wed, 09 May 2007 05:27:08 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-735 Alecia, Good question! To be honest, I haven't really tried to pressure to exert any power over any of the teachers this year. I have had the same experience as you in previous schools - teachers do not like being told what to do and without any authority to do so, it just backfires. So, I've been happily working away only with the teachers that are interested in working with me. It makes for much easier planning, but there are some big gaps where students have not experienced a quality tech-rich project. Next year when the mandate is in place, I think the Facilitator will have more of an authority to start connecting with those teachers and influencing which projects happen and when. Mark, Thanks for your positive feedback! The mandate is actually linked within this post (and I'll link it again <a href="http://mkistech.wikispaces.com/School+Wide+Vision" rel="nofollow">here</a>)- it's on our wiki on the "School Wide Vision" page, at the bottom. It really has helped to have my Tech Director totally on board with what we're doing. He often supports me when issues arise that I don't have the authority to deal with. Plus, if the Principal is supporting the process, teachers will eventually have to accept that this is something they <i>have</i> to do. I like your question about holding facilitators accountable. One thing that we're doing is tracking the progress of every project and keeping a running record of which standards are met (both are on our wiki). The only problem (in my opinion) is that we still have the old NETS standards, which do not reflect the type of work we're doing. Clearly, we need to upgrade to the new standards... Julie, Yes! I want to start getting a real community blog going to share successes. I post things on the wiki and on the blog, but I'm not 100% sure who is reading - it's there, but who notices... This is something I'm really going to focus on next year at ISB. Dennis, You have a tough job! No wonder you're always so busy! I'm ready to help out next year, though. We're going to be an unstoppable team! Alecia,

Good question! To be honest, I haven’t really tried to pressure to exert any power over any of the teachers this year. I have had the same experience as you in previous schools – teachers do not like being told what to do and without any authority to do so, it just backfires. So, I’ve been happily working away only with the teachers that are interested in working with me. It makes for much easier planning, but there are some big gaps where students have not experienced a quality tech-rich project. Next year when the mandate is in place, I think the Facilitator will have more of an authority to start connecting with those teachers and influencing which projects happen and when.

Mark,

Thanks for your positive feedback! The mandate is actually linked within this post (and I’ll link it again here)- it’s on our wiki on the “School Wide Vision” page, at the bottom.

It really has helped to have my Tech Director totally on board with what we’re doing. He often supports me when issues arise that I don’t have the authority to deal with. Plus, if the Principal is supporting the process, teachers will eventually have to accept that this is something they have to do.

I like your question about holding facilitators accountable. One thing that we’re doing is tracking the progress of every project and keeping a running record of which standards are met (both are on our wiki). The only problem (in my opinion) is that we still have the old NETS standards, which do not reflect the type of work we’re doing. Clearly, we need to upgrade to the new standards…

Julie,

Yes! I want to start getting a real community blog going to share successes. I post things on the wiki and on the blog, but I’m not 100% sure who is reading – it’s there, but who notices… This is something I’m really going to focus on next year at ISB.

Dennis,

You have a tough job! No wonder you’re always so busy! I’m ready to help out next year, though. We’re going to be an unstoppable team!

]]> By: dharter http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-724 dharter Wed, 09 May 2007 00:17:50 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-724 Awesome post. A discussion/thought that I have often! At our school we have two of us. Our ES facilitator is 100% ES facilitator and is responsible for about 700. I am 100% MS/HS and responsible for about 1200 kids. Luckily the ES guy helps me A LOT!!!! Excellent Delicious tag on the shopping malls of BKK! You are definitely ready to get here! Awesome post. A discussion/thought that I have often!

At our school we have two of us. Our ES facilitator is 100% ES facilitator and is responsible for about 700. I am 100% MS/HS and responsible for about 1200 kids.

Luckily the ES guy helps me A LOT!!!!

Excellent Delicious tag on the shopping malls of BKK! You are definitely ready to get here!

]]> By: Julie Lindsay http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-722 Julie Lindsay Tue, 08 May 2007 17:30:24 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-722 Kim, good for you! I so enjoyed reading your post! OK, I am bookmarking this and will come back to it again as I move into my new position next year and start again with new challenges, aspirations and hopes. I was particularly interested in your 'public forum' for documentation and the need to not only document but to celebrate technology integration projects. All too often the interesting and evolutionary projects in a school, however small or large, are not shared with the immediate or larger community. A school needs to foster a sense of ownership and pride in what they achieve and encourage their teachers to be out there sharing and not feeling as though what they are doing is insignificant (I mean, not worth talking about or sharing). A lot to think about! Kim, good for you! I so enjoyed reading your post! OK, I am bookmarking this and will come back to it again as I move into my new position next year and start again with new challenges, aspirations and hopes. I was particularly interested in your ‘public forum’ for documentation and the need to not only document but to celebrate technology integration projects. All too often the interesting and evolutionary projects in a school, however small or large, are not shared with the immediate or larger community. A school needs to foster a sense of ownership and pride in what they achieve and encourage their teachers to be out there sharing and not feeling as though what they are doing is insignificant (I mean, not worth talking about or sharing). A lot to think about!

]]> By: mark http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/comment-page-1/#comment-719 mark Tue, 08 May 2007 12:20:29 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2007/05/08/it-integration-planning-the-role-of-the-facilitator/#comment-719 Kim, as usual great stuff! Our middle school facilitators are consistently put in ... well ... the middle; they are expected to make positive changes with their peers, but not being administrators they have no authority or ability to force change to occur. As the incoming Tech Director i was hoping to help out in "the muscle" department and have a full commitment from the MS principal to help ensure our teachers are achieving their technological best, all while continuing the plan of celebrating (loudly) teacher successes (Utecht). I would love to read the wording of your school's integration mandate, if you wouldn't mind sharing. I am also interested to see how your school has set up its method of ensuring accountability from its facilitators. We have made some giant steps in the thirty-six months that i have worked here but still have lots of room to improve. As always, your post is fantastic, thanks mark Kim, as usual great stuff! Our middle school facilitators are consistently put in … well … the middle; they are expected to make positive changes with their peers, but not being administrators they have no authority or ability to force change to occur. As the incoming Tech Director i was hoping to help out in “the muscle” department and have a full commitment from the MS principal to help ensure our teachers are achieving their technological best, all while continuing the plan of celebrating (loudly) teacher successes (Utecht). I would love to read the wording of your school’s integration mandate, if you wouldn’t mind sharing. I am also interested to see how your school has set up its method of ensuring accountability from its facilitators. We have made some giant steps in the thirty-six months that i have worked here but still have lots of room to improve.
As always, your post is fantastic,
thanks
mark

]]>