Although I am not a part of staff currently, my experience in two different schools gives me a lot of insight into how each of the faculties responded differently to technology. The faculty’s response and comfort level with technology has affected the implementation of technology in the classroom and the level of independent learning opportunities for the individual staff members. The first school I worked in was a high school with more than 60% at retirement age. Most of the staff members at the school did not check their e-mail because they didn’t want to “fool with that”. Needless to say, any online or independent training would be a waste of time to develop unless there were plans to work the staff members who felt uncomfortable using a computer. The extremely unstable internet connection at that school was no help either.
The second school I worked in had a much ore technically savvy faculty. Many teachers incorporated technology into their lessons on a regular basis. In fact, the PTA purchased a MAC lab for the school to encourage creative technology use in the teachers and students learning experience.
In observing the differences between both faculties, I understand that each professional development activity should be developed with the actual users in mind. If others are like me, and I suspect many are, they don’t need or want to be spoon fed technological information. They want to be told what to do and left to do it on their own. In fact, they would prefer an e-mail to a meeting with those same instructions. I remember leaving some faculty meetings where my colleagues clearly stated, “Could that just have been sent in an e-mail?”, whereas; the other faculty members had no complaints because there was no break from the norm. As I read the chapters and contemplated the content of this message, I wonder if there is any way to make everyone happy.
If I were developing a tech related staff development, I would consider the following things:
1) Complexity of the material
2) (Tech) learning styles of the participants
3) Time of day that the training is offered
4) Facilities available
Things I would try to do:
1) Offer it in a couple of sessions, Beginning and Intermediate skills – to cut down on frustration between those that need extra help and those that do not
2) Prepare a detailed, well designed handout that participants can refer to after the training (Given out after the training)
3) Encourage all participants to be patient with one another
Things I would try to avoid:
1) Whole faculty instruction
2) Assuming that people know their comfort level with technology
3) Calling on people who are not obviously comfortable with technology
Following these steps would guarantee that all faculty members had a training that best uses their time. When people know you are not going to waste their time, they are more likely to be willing participants.
I like your lists (I'm a great fan of making lists). It is a great idea to offer the training in sessions that target the user's comfort level with technology. Whole faculty instruction can be frustrating for beginners because they fall behind and don't understand. It is also frustrating for the more advanced because they get bored.
ReplyDeleteI have always worked with younger staffs that usually know more about technology than I do, so it was interesting to read about the problems experienced by schools with retirement-aged staff. I don't know how I would function without my e-mail. I am usually checking it several times each day. Our school is so large, and teachers very busy, that e-mail is usually the fastest way to contact everyone.
You are right about really needing to understand your audience when you provide education on technology. What works well in one situation could be useless in another. I remember talking about this in the instructional design class, and the two schools you mentioned illustrate the point very well. And, like you, I would also avoid whole faculty instruction like the plague. Faculty members can be far worse than students when it comes to sitting in the back focusing on anything in the world other than what you are trying to teach! I think the just-in-time type of technology education Dr. B. talks about in the paper in this week’s course notes is definitely preferable.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that any type of tech training should be separated into groups by how comfortable with the technology they are. Another option may even be to give those who are comfortable with what is to be discussed an option with how tos and other tips via email. I personally just sat through an hour long training (after school) on a program that I had taught myself to use weeks ago beside those who had never even opened it. With having different options, I think that it is important to use different teaching styles in the different groups. The tech savy groups could go more in depth to learn more than just basic use, whereas other groups may need only this.
ReplyDeleteI agree it can be so difficult to reach a population that has no interest in learning. I can't imagine anyone not using email though! I also really like your very detailed lists of training best and worst practices. I hope you don't mind but I've copied that out for later use! I particularly appreciate the reminder to scaffold the learning in different levels of training. Being overwhlemed or bored are both terrible pitfalls in one-size-fits-all training.
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