‘Overcoming Barriers – a system of CPD’

Lynne Jump & Ray Bland

University of Greenwich

ICT CPDEn

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New Developments: there will always be some front runners ….

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Whilst others get left behind …….En

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gAim of Project

To develop and explore a model for the provision of ICT CPD, which employs the potential of the ‘front runners’ to support their ‘fellow athletes’.

Research

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NOF Training (1999 - 2003)

TICKIT Project – Indiana University (1999-2003)

Change Management

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gNOF Training (1999 - 2003)

‘Need for flexibility – able to modify approach and adapt to local conditions’.

‘From the quality assurance perspective, the most successful schools seemed to enjoy good strategic leadership and collegiate work patterns. In these schools ring-fenced time, technical support and general encouragement, contributed to staff enthusiasm. The schools used strategies like regular workshops, informal problem solving pairs and groups that helped to balance staff strengths and weaknesses’.

(MirandaNet 2004)

Findings:

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gNOF Training (1999 - 2003)

‘Time was a major issue. Requests included more time to explore new ideas, more meeting and sharing with colleagues from the school and beyond’.

‘Blended learning – differentiation and variety was the key to success’.

(MirandaNet 2004)

‘Teachers have time for practice based research learning cycle: learning skills and understanding concepts, consolidation of skills, implementation, reflection, sharing with colleagues, re-construction of concepts and embedding in curriculum’.

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gNOF Training (1999 - 2003)

‘The large majority of the trainers were teachers or ex-teachers. They were overwhelmingly of the view that a positive learning culture and effective leadership were crucial in supporting the use of ICT in the classroom’.

(MirandaNet 2004)

‘Positive attitudes, good leadership and strong communitybuilding, as well as a tendency toward enthusiasm and goodhumour, seemed to be paramount in overcoming the ICTprogramme’s challenges. Risk taking appeared to be encouraged where relationships were good’.

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gNOF Training (1999 - 2003)

‘Teachers did not always use the services provided and even when trainers were fairly proactive teachers did not always contact them. The majority of teachers seemed to prefer to seek help fromcolleagues’.

‘The purchase of peripheral equipment like laptops for teachers, digital video cameras and interactive whiteboards was particularly appreciated in the learning context’.

(MirandaNet 2004)

‘Unfortunately, few of the teachers were keen to participate in accreditation’.

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Project to help teachers integrate ‘technology’ into their teaching. Ehman, L., Bonk, C., & Yamagata-Lynch, L. (2005)

A mixed or blended instructional approach was used taking advantage of both face-to-face and online instructional activities. Some work was done at the University but the majority was done in the schools.

Teachers worked in small teams of 2 to 4 from the same school, to promote collegial collaborations.

TICKIT participants were required to engage in action researchand systemically reflect on their practice. This practice was shared both with the team and the rest of the school staff.

TICKIT Project – Indiana University (1999-2003)

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gTICKIT Project – Indiana University (1999-2003)

Professional development activities were to incorporatea constructivist learning approach.

Online asynchronous conferencing was part of each TICKIT course.

Project provided a degree of teacher choice within their professional development activities, which has been found to be an important part of successful professional development programs (McKenzie , 2001; Richardson & Hamilton, 1994).

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gTICKIT Project – Indiana University (1999-2003)

Teacher beliefs were considered particularly important in professional development programs because teacher change is more successful when both teacher beliefs and new teaching practices are aligned (Richardson, 1994).

TICKIT addressed both teacher beliefs and practicesthrough workshop demonstration and instruction, modeling, and peer interactions.

The TICKIT model was built upon the assumption that teachershave valid knowledge, skills, and beliefs, and that the program should start with those as its basis, rather than some arbitrary theory of instruction (Richardson & Anders, 1994).

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Change Management

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gChange Management

Greatest obstacles to success?

• Cultural resistance - its most extreme in education (63% of workforce)

• Reason – too great a focus on ‘Technology’ and not enough on ‘Process of Learning’

•Too much emphasis on getting it built, not enough on getting it used

(Read ‘Empowering Students with Technology’ by Alan November)

Donald Clark – EPIC (2004)

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gChange Management

Managing the human habitat

• Not about keeping people happy

• Reactive behaviour is normal

• It’s about managing expectations

• Participants will feel uncomfortable

• You must help them succeed despite their discomfort

Donald Clark – EPIC (2004)

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gChange Management

Others:• Sell vision

• Don’t get left behind

• Appeal to their personal goals

• Saves them time

• Benefits of 24/7 access

• Reposition, not as training but part of the job

• Embed in performance reviewsDonald Clark – EPIC (2004)

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gChange Management – 8 steps

1. Urgency

2. Guiding coalition

3. Vision

4. Communicate to get buy-in

5. Empower to succeed

6. Celebrate quick wins

7. Momentum must be built

8. Reinvigorate continuously

John Kotter (Harvard 2002)

Barriers

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gICT CPD Project – Barriers

What are the barriers?

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gICT CPD Project – Institutional Barriers

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gICT CPD Project – Staff Barriers

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Project Design

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gProject Design

School Co-ordinator

Mentor 1 Mentor 2 Mentor 3

Buddy 3Buddy 2Buddy 1

Mentor 4

Buddy 4

Co-ordinator takes audit of Mentor’s needs

Co-ordinator arranges necessary training for Mentor.

Mentor selects ‘buddy’ who they want to work with and provides the necessary training / support.

Outcomes appraised and reported to group.

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gCyclical Process

Establishing needs

Meeting needs

Trialling

Evaluating

Begin here

‘Buddy’ / Expert‘Buddy’ support

system

Discuss further action plan

Sharpen focus

Focussing

Developing Establishing

Enhancing

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gEvaluating Project

Focussing Developing Establishing Enhancing

Project Management

PD – Project Director

P – Participant

PD has reviewed

strengths and

weaknesses In

P’s teaching /

work role.

P has clear

understanding of

nature and

purpose of the

project and has

identified which

area to prioritise.

Respective roles

and responsibility within project are

clear.

P has worked with

consultant/s who

provide training.

PD to develop high

profile of project

in the school.

Time and resources

have been secured

to enable

development.

A more detailed

programme of

development and

systems for

monitoring and

evaluating progress

has been agreed

with P’s.

PD continues to

ensure that project

has high profile.

Progress with P’s,

projects impact

and standards are

systematically

evaluated.

P’s are being

supported to

develop

collaborative

planning and

networking

PD is proactively seeking support and HoD’s involvement.

There is a foundation

for a culture of

whole school ICT

CPD – collaborative

working across the

school and with other

schools.

Coaching across

departments.

Networking of

practice is proactively

supported and

facilitated.

HoD’s have detailed

understanding of

progress and support

further CPD to

enhance practice.

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Encouraging Involvement

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gWebsite – superhighway of information

People Matter

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Evaluating progress

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gEvaluating project

Distance Travelled

Concluding Audit / Interviews

Initial Audit / Interviews

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Findings

(So far)

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gFindings: Factors affecting success

• Initial steps should be achievable – Small steps leading to much larger steps as confidence and understanding grows.

• Pay close attention to staff needs.

• Encourage staff ownership of new personal learning by allowing them to change the materials in some way and stamp their own personal identity on the activity.

• Staff must see the new learning as relevant and interesting rather than just a ‘chore’.

• Staff should be able to adapt, reuse and repurpose their own previously prepared materials in order to reduce the work load.

• New approaches must not be seen as simply an add-on to old methodology, but rather embraced because they can further enhance teaching / learning in their own right.

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gFindings: Strategic

Need to develop a culture of CPD in ICT.

ICT CPD should be seen by all staff as an entitlement.

Need for staff annual reviews to analyse progress in applying ICT and plan future developments.

Adopt a ‘top-down’ systems approach rather than ‘bottom-up’. Begin assessing personal needs (academic staff – teaching/learning) (support staff – work enhancement) and then identify skills required to meet those needs, rather than the reverse, i.e. skills first looking for application second.

Need for ‘good’ support systems, where and when needed. Confidence can only grow knowing help is close at hand. This system is labour intensive – drawing on mentor staff strengths / support – though this will diminish in time, as staff become more technically competent.

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gFindings: Strategic

Need for a co-ordinator with enthusiasm in each school to co-ordinate and arrange ICT CPD, i.e. someone who is in tune with the needs of the school and can make things happen. ‘Change takes root when grown from local seeds planted by those who know the soil, the sky and the prevailing winds.’ Qualities of co-ordinators – ‘We seek five essential traits and will cultivate the sixth . . . nerve, talent, respect, empathy, balance and eagerness.’ McKenzie (2001)

Work outwardly from staff who are interested to embrace those who are not so interested.

Professional learning – active based learning / application / reflection / future action plan.

Academic staff need to develop an understanding of the learning design process in meeting their personal needs.

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gFindings: Strategic

Share successful achievements with other colleagues. Make sure all staff know about what can be achieved. Applying the old adage ‘nothing succeeds like success’.

‘The better the job we do of identifying, grooming and rewarding local talent, the greater the professional growth and development we will see. It is a simple [but usually ignored] truth. We are too often penny wise and people foolish.’ McKenzie (2001)

End of Presentation

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g Thank you for joining us