5.2 Professional Learning
Candidates develop and implement technology-based professional learning that aligns to state and national professional learning standards, integrates technology to support face-to-face and online components, models principles of adult learning, and promotes best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment. (PSC 5.2/ISTE 4b)
Artifact: Gradebook Weebly
Reflection:
This artifact is a website that I created as a companion piece to a professional workshop delivered to the faculty of The Country Day School High School. It covers the basic information of a new gradebook that was adopted by CDS in the fall of 2014. I developed this workshop and website in order to aid staff in the transition of a new gradebook. Through the presentation, faculty was introduced to the basic logistical elements of Teacher Plus Rediker Gradebook. Teachers were walked through basic steps and then allotted time to explore the tool with early adopters at their side. This project was created in the fall of 2014 in conjunction with the ITEC 7460 class, “Professional Learning & Technology Innovation.”
For this presentation, I developed and implemented a technology-based professional learning experience to deliver to teachers, and administrators, at CDS. I began the session by reviewing objects that were tied to both state and national professional learning standards. These standards were addressed explicitly in the creation of a “lesson plan” and “agenda” that was then posted to the website. Although the workshop was an hour of face-to-face instruction and demonstration of using the new gradebook, the online website was created to integrate technology. The technology based resources such as screencasts, “How To” documents, and images all model principals of adult learning by providing opportunities for all learners (types and abilities) to succeed. The use of early adopters specifically addresses my ability to promote best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment as they aided in providing one-on-one attention to all teachers. The workshop was a great model for a successful classroom lesson. And, the use of an exit survey that was specifically tied to the objectives at the beginning of the lesson certainly show best practices at work.
Professionally, I learned a great deal about using websites as an aid in professional development. I was able to put into practice the variety of theories and facts I had learned about adult learning. Seeing the clockwork of how the presentation moved and how each staff member progressed through the information in his or her own way was a great experience for me. Additionally, I received very informative feedback from the exit survey, and I learned that I may move a tad bit too fast between activities, and this is information that I have taken with me in future workshops with staff members. If I could improve this artifact, I would have the website be a bit more in depth. I think it was a great resource for staff members who wanted to move slowly on their own after the workshop, or staff who wanted to move faster through the content; however, I don’t think I covered enough of the “advanced” features of the gradebook on the website for people who immediately got the content and wanted to move further.
The merging of technology into professional development and instructional practices has great potential for impacting learning for both teachers and students. Through this process I was able to share a new resource with faculty and to explore a myriad of online tools for content delivery. With this website CDS is now able to more fluidly and uniformly inform staff regarding the gradebook system in place. So that, in the future, when new faculty joins the CDS team, there will already be a system in place. Of course this, in turn, impacts the school improvement and development process.
Reflection:
This artifact is a website that I created as a companion piece to a professional workshop delivered to the faculty of The Country Day School High School. It covers the basic information of a new gradebook that was adopted by CDS in the fall of 2014. I developed this workshop and website in order to aid staff in the transition of a new gradebook. Through the presentation, faculty was introduced to the basic logistical elements of Teacher Plus Rediker Gradebook. Teachers were walked through basic steps and then allotted time to explore the tool with early adopters at their side. This project was created in the fall of 2014 in conjunction with the ITEC 7460 class, “Professional Learning & Technology Innovation.”
For this presentation, I developed and implemented a technology-based professional learning experience to deliver to teachers, and administrators, at CDS. I began the session by reviewing objects that were tied to both state and national professional learning standards. These standards were addressed explicitly in the creation of a “lesson plan” and “agenda” that was then posted to the website. Although the workshop was an hour of face-to-face instruction and demonstration of using the new gradebook, the online website was created to integrate technology. The technology based resources such as screencasts, “How To” documents, and images all model principals of adult learning by providing opportunities for all learners (types and abilities) to succeed. The use of early adopters specifically addresses my ability to promote best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment as they aided in providing one-on-one attention to all teachers. The workshop was a great model for a successful classroom lesson. And, the use of an exit survey that was specifically tied to the objectives at the beginning of the lesson certainly show best practices at work.
Professionally, I learned a great deal about using websites as an aid in professional development. I was able to put into practice the variety of theories and facts I had learned about adult learning. Seeing the clockwork of how the presentation moved and how each staff member progressed through the information in his or her own way was a great experience for me. Additionally, I received very informative feedback from the exit survey, and I learned that I may move a tad bit too fast between activities, and this is information that I have taken with me in future workshops with staff members. If I could improve this artifact, I would have the website be a bit more in depth. I think it was a great resource for staff members who wanted to move slowly on their own after the workshop, or staff who wanted to move faster through the content; however, I don’t think I covered enough of the “advanced” features of the gradebook on the website for people who immediately got the content and wanted to move further.
The merging of technology into professional development and instructional practices has great potential for impacting learning for both teachers and students. Through this process I was able to share a new resource with faculty and to explore a myriad of online tools for content delivery. With this website CDS is now able to more fluidly and uniformly inform staff regarding the gradebook system in place. So that, in the future, when new faculty joins the CDS team, there will already be a system in place. Of course this, in turn, impacts the school improvement and development process.