Comments on: Are our training efforts helping educators or enabling codependence?

By: It’s Not About Us: Stepping Outside of Our Comfort Zones | Engaging the Learner

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:17:55 +0000

[...] Dangerously Irrelevant blog post on teachers’ motivation to self-educate [...]

By: Jay D. Bennett

Jay D. Bennett — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Amen and Hallelujah! As one of the designated “techie” guys at my company, I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve been asked to teach others in my same job how to use technology that I taught myself. I don’t have a degree in tech, I haven’t taken hours of courses, I just enjoy it and figure out what I want to do and how it works and how it applies and I just go. And you can bet that I am teaching my own kids the same way, here’s a little guidance, now go and figure it out. There’s a lot to be said about being able to teach yourself and I think we are doing a disservice to our kids, students, and coworkers by stepping in and practically doing it for them.

By: Larry F.

Larry F. — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

We struggle with this, too. It drives me crazy to repeat basic skills trainings to teachers. I am starting to offer one training and then no more. I am asking the teachers to read the directions and figure it out. That said, some teachers use the lack of training as a convenient excuse for not changing or learning. I constantly balance getting things done with enabling. If anyone has the magic formula, please share.

By: ShellTerrell

ShellTerrell — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Scott,
You bring up great points! I tweet your posts for my Tweeps & feel as if I talk to the ones that already try to learn the technologies and are willing to learn more. I wonder sometimes how to reach the ones at my school who are too afraid of having any information online.

I think webinars and events like the Leadership day help involve teachers in the learning process. To show my PLN how to use SecondLife for Twitter we have organized a newby field trip on Saturday. We have several newcomers to this event and mentors. This is a fun way for teachers to learn a technology that takes a lot of time to learn, but has wonderful educational value for the digital natives we teach. Here are the details: http://bit.ly/3uRGrB

By: Susan McClements

Susan McClements — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

I teach computer applications at the college level. The “digital learners” in my class think they know “everything” about computers. However, this last year I incorporated a lot of Web 2.0 tools into the course, wikis, blogs, Delicious, RSS, Google apps, etc. For most of these students, all the Web 2.0 apps, except for Facebook, were “new” tools. Some of my administrators at the college, think that computer applications is not necessary at the post-secondary level, but I believe that there still is a need to train these students to effectively use these Web 2.0 tools.

By: Sharon Elin

Sharon Elin — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

What a driving question for anyone planning staff development sessions! The “how to” portion of any workshop should be only about 25% of the time; the other 75% should focus on pedagogy and how best to use the app instructionally to enhance the students’ learning.

Best practices are not the same thing as being proficient with a tech tool. And you’re right. Teachers are totally able to learn “how” on their own. What they need support for, really, is the “why” and “what next” questions regarding the use of the applications and tools in their classrooms.

We also need to promote teachers’ use of each other as professional networks for resources and knowledge/skill pools. Once teachers are committed to a PLN, they will be encouraged to become and remain lifelong, self-taught learners who know how and whom to ask for help if they need it.

By: edtechapalooza.wordpress.com

edtechapalooza.wordpress.com — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Scott,

I think your points are dead-on. As someone who provides similar training to teachers, I agree that many of these tools shouldn’t need special training sessions. One case in point, the document camera. I spent 10 minutes at a staff meeting at each school…done. However, as some have mentioned, information on ‘best practice’ for these tools in the classroom are necessary. This info is provided in a number of different ways.

For most, the luxury of time to “sit down and mess around” just isn’t going to happen unless they are in a training session. One model we have tried with success is a rotation of sessions (ie. presentation tools, PLN tools, IWB info) that all staff cycle through and then 1.5 hours at the end of the rotations for staff to select which sessions to go back to for deeper exploration and assistance with planning for classroom use. Our teachers have really enjoyed this format and it helps to address the ‘one size fits all’ frustration many feel with all kinds professional development and training.

By: concretekax

concretekax — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

You make some great points. I think many teachers are like some honor roll students in my class: they only care about their GPA and will jump through any hoop for their A. But as soon as I give them an open-ended problem with multiple solutions they panic and want me to solve it for them. They excel at following the rules and are great at “tradiional” learning of textbooks, questions, and tests.

Many teachers were good students and actually like the structure of NCLB telling them exactly what to teach (although they would never admit it even to themselves). They like to teach from sterile textbooks because they are organized and structured.

So… when told to use technology and to actually figure out how to themselves, they are lost. Just like the grade-caring student they have rarely been challenged to think. I was this kind of student to a degree and have since learned a lot about problem-solving and thinking from working construction. My boss would challenge me to figure out how to pour concrete in varied situations as every job was different and there was no textbook on what to do.

That is why many teachers resist figuring things out for themselves. That is how their school experience taught them and probably how they teach their own students: spoon-feeding everything.

By: Doug Johnson

Doug Johnson — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Hi Scott,

I think you miss the point about “tech training.” If it is good, it’s not about how to push the buttons (one CAN teach that to oneself), but how to use the technology for educational purposes and its ramification for education. I would vote for a class on “Facebook” if using the tool for the broader instructional purpose was the outcome.

You can’t just teach a person how to drive a car. You have to teach them to read a map as well.

Hope this makes sense…

Doug

By: lhagen

lhagen — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

“That willingness to probe, investigate, and experiment helps them learn and master the tools.” If classroom teachers aren’t willing to do this, then how can they expect their students to be willing to do it? Frankly, I’m tired of attending technology training in my district. I’m usually more familiar with the app than the trainer because I’ve already figured it out for myself. My principal signed me up for podcast training before we left for summer break. I spent the time updating my Shelfari site. I agree with Sharon Elin that it’s the “why” component that is missing in many of these training events. I’d love it if my district planned “sharing sessions” instead of training.