Educational Technology Professional Development Models: A Taxonomy of Combinable Choices

Notes from

NECC 2007 
Educational Technology Professional Development Models: A Taxonomy of Combinable Choices



Good news:

self report research shows majority of teachers find tech essential as teacher tool; also reporting more skilled; only 2% rate themselves beginner



but only 37% said integrated daily

Characteristics
of effective PD:

Conducted
in school settings

• Linked
  to schoolwide efforts
• Teacher-planned
  and -assisted
• Differentiated
  learning opportunities
• Teacher-chosen
  goals & activities
• Emphases:
  Demonstration; trials; feedback
• Concrete
• Ongoing
  over time
• Ongoing
  assistance & support-on-call

Demonstrate early, get constructive feedback when experimenting

"just-in-time" support

The more you incorporate these factors, the more successful it will be



Problem: lot of variability among educators because technology keeps changing

also new teachers need to be addressed differently than experienced teachers

cant just put the factors above, must also deal variables

BUT: Efficacy of these
methods can differ by:

• Technology accessibility
• School/district climate
• Years of teaching experience
• Nature of past PD experiences
• Etc.

 THE KEY: Match types of PD
offered to:

• Teachers’ individual learning
  preferences
• PD goals (specific)
• Contextual realities
• Contextual change over time

OUr challenge to match goal/objectives to learning preference of teachers, contextual realities, etc

HOW?

• Know your teacher-students.
• Know the contextual realities
  -- and push assumed boundaries when possible.
• Know the full range of
  goal possibilities.
• Know the full range of PD
  models.
• Select, combine, and
  sequence goals & models to fit the teachers & contexts.
• Redesign as teachers &
  contexts change.

Know the goals and the full range of pd models, then choose to best fit
; don't select and teach that way forevermore; success is that pd
changes as context changes; continually revisit and redesign













ETPD Goals

• Awareness and/or use of
  specific software and/or hardware
• Curriculum integration in
  specific content areas
• Change in instructional
  practice, focusing upon specific techniques
• Curriculum and/or
  instructional reform - general approaches & specific techniques
• School organizational or
  cultural change
• Social change beyond the
  school

if only do first bullet, then problems; we emphasize way to much; curr integration needs wider range of pd models; tech inegration has some similarities across discipline, but it is more different than similar; newer research curr differentiation by content and grade level



tech integration teacher may not necessarily change style of teaching, just integrate; specific instructional practice may require change in style for some activities

ETPD Models

A model is a “pattern or plan
used to guide design” of teaching (Joyce & Weil, 1972)

5 general types of PD:

• Group training (6 models)
• Individualized learning (4
  models)
• Collaborative observation
  & analysis                                (5 models)
• Inquiry/Action research (3
  models)
• Collaborative
  development/improvement          (3 models)

Group Training Models

• Demonstrations/awareness
  sessions
• Hands-on sessions,
  instructor-led
• Large-group interactive
  co-construction
• Small-group interactive
  co-construction
• Small-group problem-solving                                                                             (inductive
  and/or deductive)
• Large-group problem-solving                                                                            (inductive
  and/or deductive
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  

Individualized Learning
Models

• Independent exploration &
  reflection   (unassisted)
• Independent exploration &
  reflection  (assisted)
• Learning plan (design,
  execute, self-evaluate)
• Prescribed & managed
  instruction

Collaborative
Observation/Analysis Models

• Classroom visits &
  feedback      (f2f
  or virtual)
• Mentoring (1-to-1
  or group; subject matter  expert or colleague)
• Peer coaching (1-to-1 or
  group)
• Best practices sharing  (e.g.,
  study groups; local conferences)
• Lesson study/Critical friends

Inquiry/Action Research
Models (Difference from
Observation/Analysis: Systematic
data collection & analysis)

• Independent reflection upon
  teaching
• Collaborative small-group
  reflection upon teaching
• Supervised/assisted inquiry

Development/Improvement
Models

• Group
  projects/plans/materials creation
• Individual
  projects/plans/materials creation, followed by group sharing & feedback
• Autonomous group problem
  identification and problem-solving

Important work: Everet Rogers, diffusion of innovatinsdepth on innovators, early adopters

Choosing Models, re: Teachers
(examples only!)

• Innovators -->Individualized
  Learning, Inquiry/Action Research
• Early Adopters --> Collaborative
  Development/Improvement, Inquiry/Action Research
• Early Majority -->Collaborative
  Observation/Analysis,                               Group
  Training
• Late Majority -->Group
  Training, Individualized Learning
• Combining Models
• Concurrently                                                                                         (differentiated
  by learner needs &     preferences)
• Sequenced over time

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