June 2005 — Features
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Logging on to Staff Development
We were looking for a course that would not only help novices, but would also offer intermediate instruction for teachers who already had some experience with computers. We wanted a wellrounded curriculum that would not only explain general topics such as hardware, software, networking, and the Internet, but would also touch on more advanced subjects like educational applications, integrating multimedia software, Web authoring, Internet searches, planning lessons and curriculum with technology, as well as security and legal issues.
Finally, since knowing how to use a computer is not the same as being able to use a computer as a learning tool, we wanted a course that emphasized actual classroom applications of technology once teachers had achieved basic computer competency. Therefore, we selected the Teachers Discovering Computers course from the Teacher Education Institute (TEI; teachereducation.com), and the first group of teachers began their lessons in spring 2003.
Overcoming Obstacles
Gaining user acceptance while maintaining motivation and interest were the major challenges for the online training efforts. A few teachers were apprehensive with the concept of taking online lessons, but because our local university offers both face-to-face and online courses, many teachers now consider online learning a viable option.
Providing incentives was also particularly important since course takers quickly realized that the online lessons were a lot of work. For example, as they progress, participants have to complete several projects such as creating Web pages, storyboarding a Web site to support a lesson, planning and designing a curriculum page, and finally, developing a usable project adapted to each participant’s specific needs as a teacher.
As motivation, the grant rewards teachers with a desktop computer for completing the course. All participants are also able to obtain continuing education credit and possible re-certification, although several have actually received master’s level college credit.
Although the anytime,anywhere nature of online learning is extremely convenient, the course lasts 13 weeks and teachers have very limited time to work on the program at work. The majority of them access the course from home at night or on weekends. This means that the course competes with their regular home or weekend activities. The solitary nature of their study has led to another obstacle that we had to address: technology issues or other difficulties in completing the coursework that arise when the district’s technology resource personnel are not available.
While participants can contact the course teacher, or e-mail or call the institute with questions, we have found it helpful for one of the Instructional Technology department’s technology resource teachers to take classes along with the classroom teachers.That way, the technology resource teacher can provide immediate assistance whenever necessary.
Without this measure, district technology personnel are less likely to know that course participants are having trouble, such as home computer problems, until they lag behind in completing assignments. Our solution has kept teacher learners from wasting time struggling with technology and becoming frustrated or discouraged.
