Good point! It is such a critical skill when working with technology. It’s interesting how quickly others can get overwhelmed or just give up, when those with this skill just keep trying, knowing they will be able to figure out the answer. I’m not sure how to teach this to adults either, but I do think we have to make the concept of learning with technology approachable and as non-threatening as possible. Not that things will always work the way we expect, but that we need to be open-minded in trying things out. Knowing that it is such a cause of frustration and fear, we also need to mindful of the number of things (and how quickly) we bring to the table – making sure that teachers understand how tools work is just as important as why they should use them.

I agree with the notion that we need to work with people where they are at and that we cannot expect them to be happy about things always changing and new things to learn every day. I am not sure how to help anyone move toward being better at accepting and rolling with things, but I have observed that it is a really important difference between successful technology users and reluctant ones.

Janice

Yes! The initiatives just keep on coming – it seems easier to bring in something new than take the time to evaluate what’s working well and what areas we need help with, an essential step in implementing sustainable change. It’s the reflection piece that is both the most valuable and the most skipped when implementing anything new.

@Suzanne

I totally agree about your “instant PD” – when I was in the classroom, I always relied on my students to teach me new things (and to keep me informed about what was cool). Kudos to you for being open-minded and flexible enough to allow that to happen. It’s not every teacher that is willing to not know the answer to something in the classroom. And many teachers are unwilling to try something new unless they already know all the ins-and-outs. I think you have the right mindset for this kind of learning – and I’m not sure that’s always something that can be taught.

@Mr. James,

Hmmm… I’m not sure about the hierarchy of tools. Personally, I feel there are enough tools for everyone to find one that fits their individual needs. In my opinion, not everyone has to know all the same tools – you only need to know the ones that are going to help you achieve a certain goal. In that sense I think PD has to be very individual, because everyone comes to new knowledge through a different route. Finding out the needs of the teacher, plus the prior knowledge may lead you to present one tool over another.

@Pam,

I totally agree about celebrating every step! I think that’s an important piece of the puzzle as well – not just celebrating with the individual, but celebrating in a public space. Maybe at a faculty meeting when teachers can share their success with new tools and perspectives, or even just a central place to store and showcase student and teacher successes. That way we would always have that reminder of what we do well, and it would help build those connections among teachers.

Classroom teachers have so much to deal with that has nothing to do with technology that lack of time becomes a huge issue too. I try to step back and look at the big picture when I get frustrated with the use of technology in my schools. But mostly, I try to remind myself to look how far we’ve come and keep encouraging those who are ready to keep moving forward.

Last week, I was doing some one-on-one Activboard training to some fluent Powerpoint speaking teachers. I told them to keep using PP because that is what they already know. Why recreate your presentations or use a new tool when what you have is working just fine?

Maybe there is a heriarchy of tools? Is there a tool that should be mastered before adding another one? Voicestream is cool, but should teachers learn social networking first? Wikis are exciting tools for learning, but perhaps teachers should master blogs first?

You make a great point – that everyone has to start somewhere. I also love the idea of a technology survey at the beginning of the year to see where those needs are. I’m thinking that some embedded professional development – within team meetings, and based on team needs, can help teachers understand the “basics.” That “just in time” approach that we use with the kids is just as powerful with the teachers.

@Jim,

Thanks! I do think it’s important to share better ways of doing things, especially when the learning is driven by the teacher needs. I wonder if we made sure that the “better” ways were directly based on teacher requests for support if they would be more receptive?