A little about teachers and PLNs
Posted by: dan in Edtech, tags: CES, PD, PLN, web20, wikisA focus on personal learning networks – I shared my skype, twitter, blog, & contact information with total strangers that were supposed to reciprocate, however they didn’t know what these tools are. This networking opportunity provided me with a reinforcement of the idea that teachers are overwhelmed and afraid of not being able to keep up. I was glad to share my knowledge and experience with these particular tools, I only hope that they will go home and make these connections – to become not only followers of my tweets, but participants in the blogosphere as well. I look around the room in this presentation and see lights on or off. I hope that those that have a light on will share with others and those with lights off make connections to others so that they can become more aware of the possibilities for PLNs.
I almost lost it. The individuals at my table were SO OPPOSED to exposing students to the web. I heard phrases like “Kids don’t need to have access to everything out there” and “We don’t have time to include that stuff in our class.” I think back to some conversations with others in Ed Tech and realize that we need to work with teachers to refine their thinking. Technology is not an add-on, but an integral part of student learning and teaching practice.
Lesson Learned: When you introduce wikis, blogs, and web tools to classroom teachers, you must start out with definitions lead by examples. You must also take participants through the process of establishing each tool that was used. This provides on the spot guidance through creating a web presence. When participants go through these processes together, they are more likely to continue their personal exploration of these tools. Individuals that are not given support initially are not likely to go back to the class and start using this on their own. Also, teachers must be provided the opportunity for continuing this support long after the PD session has ended. Thankfully, this session ended with such support in a community wiki that is open to all.
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Thanks for your feedback on our session. We billed our session as a way for teachers to use web 2.0 tools, perhaps we should have defined what those tools were exactly. I am still amazed that there some schools don’t allow access to any technology, and yet students use it and are engaged all the time outside of the class. Unfortunately there is fear around technology use. It means giving up some control in the classroom. I loke you lesson learned, and will take that to heart. It was nice to meet you and hope to see you in the blogoshpere
Interesting insights, Dan! As a teacher, I think that many of us are a bit intimidated by kids having access to “everything out there”. We mention the ones that are PC to say–like worrying about inappropriate content. But deep in our heart of hearts I think we’re used to being the ones with the information and the answers to the questions. The possibility that they could get that somewhere else is a bit scary–they could even *gasp* correct us!
I remember having a moment a couple of years ago when I thought, “Why do they need me? They could find all of the information I’m telling them, helping them discover on the web? Yikes! Am I just there now to make sure they don’t burn down the room?”
But I’ve discovered with the new thoughts on connectivity learning models (as opposed to my beloved constructivist models–although in a certain way just added on with allowances for new technology and the way we use it), they do still need us. Just in different ways. Also scary for teachers, by the way!
It seems to me that for so many teachers, there just isn’t enough appropriate training to get past their fears. If they had enough professional development to become a little more comfortable, they might start to take risks by trying new ways of integrating technology.
I agree with your post! Technology should be integrated not so much an add on. However, although I am eager to learn and try new tech tools (where many teachers are not so eager) I find myself thirsting for more examples. I want to see a variety of ways its working in classrooms just like mine! I keep reading and hearing about how we should be doing more, but I don’t see enough examples and I am willing to learn!