March 2008 — Features
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Five on Five: A Dialogue on Profession Development
A quintet of educators gathers to sound off on what works and what doesn't in the ongoing mission to train teachers to use technology in classroom instruction.IN THE OLD DAYS, professional development didn't extend any further than the workshops teachers would attend to learn new applications. After the workshop, the teachers were on their own once they returned to school and had to figure out how to use their new tools. Today, things are different. Technologies are too complex and the need to integrate them into the classroom is too urgent to leave teachers unsupported. As part of a podcast series sponsored by technology product supplier CDW-G, T.H.E. Journal contributing writer Matt Villano spoke with a group of educators about the effort school systems are making to help teachers with their technology needs, and what more needs to be done.
Four of the five panelists come from Pennsylvania, home of Classrooms for the Future, a massive reform project aimed at transforming the state's high schools through the use of instructional technology. An essential component of the initiative is its emphasis on providing professional development for teachers on how to use technology to advance learning. The Pennsylvania contingent included: Kristin Hokanson, technology integrator and Classrooms for the Future coach at Upper Merion Area High School in Montgomery County; Jim Gates, instructional technology trainer for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit 21, an educational service agency that works with school districts in a host of central Pennsylvania counties, and a Classrooms for the Future coach at Camp Hill High School; and Bob Keegan and Cathy Groller, executive director and assistant executive director, respectively, for Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, an educational service agency that serves districts in Carbon and Lehigh counties.
The fifth member of the panel was Sylvia Martinez, president of Generation YES (Youth and Educators Succeeding), a provider of student-centered technology programs. Martinez kicked off the podcast with a summary of why the digital age has brought big changes to the consideration and implementation of professional development.
1 Why is ongoing professional development so important?
Sylvia Martinez: In the old days, we looked to technology
and thought, well, this is easy-we'll just
teach teachers how to use this and everything will magically
happen in the classroom. After all these years, we're realizing
that doesn't work. Ongoing professional development doesn't
mean we just teach more of the same or
we do the same workshop over
and over again. It's about listening
to teachers as they
work out the issues with
technology. It's time
spent giving feedback,
collaborating,
and building new
skills on a solid
foundation of what
works.
