Web Tools for Professional

Development: A Focus on the Pedagogy Barbara Treacy

Director, EDC/EdTech Leaders Online (ETLO)

November, 2009Virtual School Symposium

Questions

How can Web 2.0 and online tools help educators implement PD more effectively?

What are some online PD tools and models we’ve found useful at EDC?

What are the elements of effective PD?Professional development should:1. be intensive, ongoing, connected to practice2. focus on student learning3. address teaching of specific curriculum

content4. align with school improvement priorities &

goals5. build strong working relationships among

teachers-Professional Learning in the Learning Profession by Linda Darling-Hammond et al, NSDC (2009) http://www.nsdc.org/stateproflearning.cfm

Web 2.0 Tools Can Support

“Web 2.0 Definition: Online application that uses the World Wide Web (www) as a platform and allows for participatory involvement, collaboration, and interactions among users. Web 2.0 is also characterized by the creation and sharing of intellectual and social resources by end users.”

-Leadership for Web2.0 in Education: Promise & Reality by Cheryl Lemke & Ed Coughlin, CoSN (2009)

But there are so many tools!

“In education…we have not really seized upon the power and the tools that are now available to us in the Internet age” -Eric Schmidt, Google CEO

http://www.google.com/events/digitalage/index.html

How do we know which tools to use?

“Technology is a vehicle, not a destination...Rather, aspects of technology – like all components of an effective course – should be chosen according to how they help meet the learning objectives.”

-Nine principles for excellence in web-based teaching by Jim Henry and Jeff Meadows http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/179/177

Examples of types of toolsCourse management tools

Enable educators to: organize & share content, research,

multimedia engage in ongoing discussions assess and document learning build formal & informal communities of

practice share and analyze student work examples:

Voice and Content Tools

Enable educators to: personalize introductions and

discussions provide learning or project summaries explain a technical piece create online discussions address auditory learners and

accessibility examples:

Collaboration Tools

Enable educators to: collaborate & co-create documents,

plans, materials, media brainstorm and share ideas,

resources, data, etc discuss and communicate with team

members examples:

Communication tools

Enable educators to conduct “live” discussions and meetings blends synchronous and asynchronous

learning address varying learning styles collaborate and share documents and

resources examples:

More tool types…

• Blogging and micro-blogging toolsto share ideas or focus on a specific topic or project, such as

• Social bookmarking tools to share/save resources, such as

Lessons from EdTech Leaders OnlineWeb 2.0 and Online PD enable:

1. PD to be extended over time (intensive, ongoing, connected to practice)

2. Teachers to implement what they’re learning in the classroom (focused on student learning)

3. Strong focus on content and pedagogy through rich readings, multimedia activities, online explorations (address teaching of specific curriculum content)

Lessons, cont.

4. Capacity building approaches with local educators leading the PD (align with school improvement priorities and goals)

5. Learning community models with rich online discussions with participants and facilitator (build strong working relationships among teachers)

A final word

“Some online tools have some affordances that, if the training takes advantage of them, can help with some of the classic issues of professional development.”

-Dr. Chris Dede, EdWeek interview 10/1/09http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2009/10/01/01dede.h03.html

Thank you!

Contact:Barbara TreacyBtreacy@edc.org

EdTech Leaders Onlinehttp://edtechleaders.org

Education Development Centerhttp://edc.org