Comments on: Sustaining Change: The Next Level of PD

By: Twitter Trackbacks for Sustaining Change: The Next Level of PD | always learning [edublogs.org] on Topsy.com

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:01:25 +0000

[...] Sustaining Change: The Next Level of PD | always learning mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/09/sustaining-change-the-next-level-of-pd – view page – cached I've been thinking a lot about professional development lately, especially about its critical role in shifting a school or shifting a community of teachers — From the page [...]

By: A Home-Grown Connection | always learning

A Home-Grown Connection | always learning — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:54:30 +0000

[...] not that I can’t do this with and for our teachers, but if I want this growth to be sustainable it can’t be about me (or about any individual at the school). It has to be something that [...]

By: U Tech Tips » Systematic Change Part 2: Unlearning your community

U Tech Tips » Systematic Change Part 2: Unlearning your community — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:31:42 +0000

[...] This news item was posted in Jeff Utecht category and has 0 Comments so far. (As you can tell from Kim’s recent post. Systematic change at all levels is on our mind at [...]

By: The Thinking Stick | Systematic Change Part 2: Unlearning your community

The Thinking Stick | Systematic Change Part 2: Unlearning your community — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:31:25 +0000

[...] you can tell from Kim’s recent post. Systematic change at all levels is on our mind at [...]

By: mscofino

mscofino — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:16:17 +0000

@Nelly,

Thank you for your kind comments!

@Michelle,

I definitely the resource really needs to be supported by a small group of very committed teachers. I agree that it’s easy to fall by the wayside if you expect the general population of the school to just pick it up and run with it.

I think you’re totally on the right track about embedding technology into your teaching needs – that’s the way to make it realistic and practical for your teachers. Best of luck to you!

@Susan,

I agree that Ning might not be the perfect place – and in fact there may not be a perfect place yet – but I also think it’s part of my responsibility to provide something. Even if it is only meeting the needs of a smaller group of teachers, at least we would have something for them. The trick is finding all the different tools and approaches that can meet all the different needs of our teachers… Hopefully our small group of committed teachers can come up with something that will work – and that everyone will play a part in developing, sharing and promoting that resource.

By: Langwitches » links for 2008-11-16

Langwitches » links for 2008-11-16 — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:04:01 +0000

[...] Sustaining Change: The Next Level of PD | always learning (tags: professional_development k12online08 technology_integrationist) [...]

By: Langwitches » Second K-12 Online Conference-LAN Party

Langwitches » Second K-12 Online Conference-LAN Party — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:42:58 +0000

[...] am being reminded by the always inspiring Kim Cofino when she mused about a new age of delivering Professional Development. She created this fabulous visual below that explains different models of Professional [...]

By: K12Online LAN Party - Take 2! | always learning

K12Online LAN Party - Take 2! | always learning — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:23:05 +0000

[...] LAN Party – Take 2! 16 11 2008 After the success of our last K12Online LAN party, we have another one coming up this week! If you are in town, or [...]

By: Susan Sedro

Susan Sedro — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:15:24 +0000

I think you have once again made a key leap; groups are key, for all the reasons you mention. However, even before I read the comments, I was thinking Jen’s idea. I’ve joined quite a few Nings over the past few years and none of them have really taken off except Classroom 2.0. Best I can figure, it is because it is pull, not push; you have to go to it and look around and we are all very busy. Would be different if we were teens and all our friends were there.

You can turn on email notification in certain areas, to make it a bit more push, but in my experience, since you can’t reply via email, it is still a pain and it begins to feel like spam.

And you can use RSS, but how many of your teachers are using that effectively yet? Trying to introduce it at the same time is yet another “place” they need to visit in their already crowded schedules.

I think one reason Twitter was such a hit was that it was always active whenever you chimed in. However, it is so much less than soul-satisfying communication for most people, a sense of belonging but not really, so it isn’t the answer either.

I suspect we don’t yet have the killer app for this purpose. I hope it arrives soon.

By: michelle

michelle — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:30:05 +0000

Hi Kim,
We have a similar place for people to post their ideas for tech and it rarely gets used. I don’t think this is limited to tech though. I once asked teachers to submit their best lessons so we could build a sort of best lesson compendium to share and received very few. At the time I was completely discouraged. Lately I am pondering a different method that will definitely move more slowly but I’m hoping it will pick up momentum. I have gathered a small group of cross-divisional teachers to work on one unit with the first grade teachers. Our focus is not technology, however, it is my goal to embed the appropriate tech into the lesson as we go. If I can do this I believe I can begin to force the shift. Wish me luck.