Effective Strategies for Professional Development in Technology Integration

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Effective Strategies for Professional Development
in Technology Integration

• Carol O. Free
• AETE 731

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Technology Integration

• Empowers students to think critically
• Promotes problem-based learning
• Encourages collaboration
• Requires new approaches to professional
  development activities

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Barriers to Effective Implementation

• Habits
• Promote imitation of existing processes
• Create comfort zones
• Resist new methods of instruction
• Resist new challenge of loss of control
• Resist due to fear or intimidation

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Barriers to Effective Implementation

• Typical Technology Training
• Simple
• One or two-day workshops
• Focused on software
• Time
• Substantial time required
• Evolves over time

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Barriers to Effective Implementation

• Limited Access to Resources
• Insufficient hardware
• Dissatisfaction can develop
• Technology relegated to labs
• Promotes apathy and frustration

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Strategies for Effective Implementation

• Modification of Habits
• Takes time, patience encouragement
• Analysis of Development Activities
• Real, meaningful, and on-going
• Should not require technical expertise
• Focused on modifying instructional techniques
• To support inquiry
• To become a facilitator and fellow problem solver
• To assist students in integrating diverse
  experiences

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Strategies for Effective Implementation

• Professional Collaboration
• Critical reflection
• Promotes further change
• Analysis of instructional practices
• On-going dialogue with colleagues
• Leverage Experience of Stake Holders
• Involves everyone affiliated with the school
• Recognizes value of local businesses

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Strategies for Effective Implementation

• Mentoring
• Motivated teacher-leaders
• Begins immediately after training
• Modeling best practices
• Support and encouragement
• Fosters close relationships
• Encourages duplication

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Strategies for Effective Implementation

• Administrative
• Lead by example
• Provision of resources
• Incorporated into staff evaluation
• Establish flexible schedules
• Encourage peer coaching
• Allow visits among teachers
• Plan meetings to evaluate technology

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Technology Integration

• Requires comprehensive effort
• Bottom line Impact on student learning
• Powerful tool to support collaborative
• learning environments
• Catalyst for change
• Mandated in educational
• standards

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Effective Technology Integration is . . . .

• A
• Journey,
• not
• a
• Destination!!

Have a GREAT trip!!