Successful Professional Development Models for One-to-One Computing
by Tammy Stephens
Recently I have been asked by a number of technology leaders about what professional development for teachers in one-to-one (1:1) laptop programs should look like. There are several important interrelated components that come into play in developing a successful professional development program for 1:1 computing. They include providing ongoing sustained, collaborative time for teachers to explore and share resources, providing a “human infrastructure” (Lei, 2005) of people that can help teachers incorporate new technologies into their teaching practices during the school day, and providing Web 2.0 tools that can serve as portals for teachers to share electronic resources beyond the school day.
Stakeholders in a district need to have a shared vision of student outcomes for the 1:1 program. While research on 1:1 computing is still fairly new, some of the positive outcomes of 1:1 computing include improved student writing, increased student engagement, and increased use of 21st century skills. In order for these outcomes to be fully realized, constructivist teaching and project based environments are most conducive. Constructivist teaching practices and project-based learning work well with laptop programs because they more closely mirror learning in the real world and allow for students to innovate and create.
Research suggests that a new type of professional development is needed. Conferences and formal after-school workshops have been shown to be less effective than more collaborative embedded forms of professional development. Providing time for teachers to experiment collaboratively allows communities of practice to begin to form.
"When people participate in a joint activity over time, they change and learn” (Bjørke, 2004). Zhao & Frank’s research reveals that teachers need time to “play” with new technologies without the pressure of having to produce a project.
For example, Arthur F. Corey Elementary School in Buena Park, California took an interesting approach to professional development. Teachers were assigned laptops in June to play with over the summer months so they could participate in today’s real-world technology culture. They set up a virtual group using an online social network. This helped facilitate group participation, and teachers were encouraged to engage in online communities that piqued their personal interests. When school resumed in September, teachers at Corey School were enthusiastic and optimistic about the opportunities that laptops could bring to their classrooms.
When teachers are given time to explore together, they develop a shared repertoire of resources and experiences and can help one another problem-solve. This doesn’t happen overnight. Changes in teacher practices evolve over time. It is important that administrators are supportive of this process and provide ongoing times where teachers can get together to share and learn from one another.
Teachers, like students, have a variety of ways in which they learn. Much of teacher learning happens during the school day in the teaching environment. Teachers also benefit from what Nardi & O’Day (1999) call “mediators”. Mediators create bridges between the curriculum and technology for teachers. Typically mediators in schools include library media specialists, technology integrators, and teacher leaders. When mediators are available onsite, learning can happen in real time embedded in the school day.
Dr. Lovejoy, Director of Differentiated Learning Solutions for the Westerly School in Long Beach, California, explains that having a person on-site to help with job-embedded professional development is an important component in helping teachers evolve their practices. “When teachers attend workshops or conferences they have to try to come back and integrate these new practices on their own. The advantage of having an integrator on-site is that they can help model these new practices for teachers in real time in the classroom.”
Web 2.0 tools such as blogs and wikis can act as helpful tools in helping teachers develop communities of practice. These tools can provide portals for teachers to share resources, stories, and concerns with one another. For example, teachers and students in Milwaukee Public Schools are involved in a 1:1 computer initiative using Moodle. With students, Moodle is used as a hybrid learning and collaboration tool. Teachers also utilize the software to share best practices and lesson-plan ideas with one another.
In conclusion, these components are all important in building meaningful professional development experiences for teachers in 1:1 programs: providing collaborative times for teachers to explore and share resources with one another, having staff on-site to act as mediators, and making the most out of Web 2.0 tools that can serve as portals for teachers to share their learning with one another.
References:
Bjørke, S. Å. (2004). The concepts of Communities of Practice, Activity Theory and implications for Distributed Learning.
Lei, J. (2005). Co-evolution: The dynamics of technology uses in schools: Michigan State University.
Nardi, B., & O'Day, V. (1999). Information ecologies: Using technology with heart: MIT Press.
Zhao, Y., & Frank, K. (2003). Factors affecting technology uses in schools: An ecological perspective. American Educational Research Association, 40(4), 807-840.
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