Collegial Self-Development in ICT - Mariam Attia

COLLEGIAL SELF-DEVELOPMENT IN ICT

Mariam Attia

IATEFL Learning Technologies Webinar - 22 July, 2012

Outline

The role of colleagues in teacher development in ICT

Your experiences of working (or not working) with colleagues

Cooperative Development as a discourse framework for teacher development

Colleagues and Teacher Development in ICT

“We should frame teachers as agents of change in need of a supportive context”

(Dexter et al. 1999, p. 237)

A moment of reflection:

(In your opinion, what constitutes a ‘supportive context’?)


“Teacher learning and instructional innovation thrive in environments where there are others who are

experimenting with technology” (Windschitl and Sahl 2002, p. 168)

(How would you define ‘others’ here?)


“The importance of collaboration cannot be over-estimated: teachers need each other - for team teaching and planning, technical problem solving

assistance and learning” (Granger 2002 et al, p. 486)

(what else do ‘teachers need each other’ for?)


“When teachers engage with others in ongoing reflection about their instructional use of technology,

they are more likely to critically evaluate their practice and redesign instruction to better meet student

needs and curriculum goals” (Persky 1990, p. 37)

(What are other implications?)


“Reflection among teachers is a critical component of any innovation effort [..](Ertmer 1999, p. 54-55)

(Is ‘reflection’ considered ‘critical’ in your context? Why/ Why not?)

.. Your experience?

Cooperative Development

An approach to language teacher professional development

Julian Edge - Late 1980s –> 1992, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008

Traditions of reflective practice and action research

No single way of becoming a teacher is right for everyone

An internal growth approach to teacher development

Not so much how far we get and more of the direction in which we would like to be moving

Teacher self-development is a social phenomenon

Cooperative Development

Learning through the expression of one’s ideas

A specific kind of discourse (neither a discussion nor a conversation)

Working for regular, agreed upon periods with another teacher

Deliberately abandon elements of argument

Creating a space in which one teacher’s ideas can expand in the search for a discovery

Roles: Speaker & Understander

A non-defensive style of talk Purpose -> explore a certain issue or area of interest Leads to discovery Basis for plan of action

Speaker

Non-Judgmental -> Puts aside their own set of knowledge, experience, opinions.. etc, with the aim of better Understading the Speaker

Facilitates the Speaker’s path of exploration - discovery -action, in line with the speakers own professional development goals.

Understander

Respect - Accepting what the speaker says neither agreeing or disagreeing

Empathy - Tries to see things from the speakers point of view

Sincerity - with regard Respect and Empathy

Understander has a set of agreed moves (examples quoted from Edge 2006)

Understander

Reflect

@stellar_ball

‘Ok, so if I’ve got this right, what you’re saying is..’‘Just let me see if I’m with you so far.. ‘

Relate

© Schuilr

‘A few minutes ago, you said X, didn’t you? And now you’re saying Y. Are these at all connected for you?’

Focus

©AJ Batac

You have spoken about X, Y and Z so far, is that right?’ (Pause or confirmation)‘Would it be useful at this point to Focus on one of them in more depth?’

Set a goal

©Anjanized

- ‘Do you see a goal for yourself arising from what you have said so far?’- ‘Am I right in thinking, then, that the goal you see now is ‘X?’

Trial a procedure

© Gary Dean

‘Maybe you can tell me about the steps you will take to achieve your goal’

Example

S: I have noticed that a good amount of class time is wasted in activities which require students to work on their computers. I give them instructions but there are always two or three who, after 5-10 min into the activity, would ask: “Excuse me, so what are we supposed to be doing?”

U: So, if I am understanding you properly, you’ve got a problem in managing activity time because these students will begin later than others, and therefore more time is spent on the activity than intended. Right?

S: Exactly. The problem is worse is in my media classes where multiple instructions are given such as logging in to websites, going to specific sections, and listening to certain videos.

U: And you say you give them clear instructions before every activity.

S: Yes. Sometimes I say the same thing over and again. They just don’t seem to listen.

U: You mean despite repeated instructions, you still have students later asking you what to do.. and you are sure they have listened to your repeated instructions.

Example

S: Yes. Hmm.. well, some of them may be busy turning on their computers, or fixing their headsets. You see, we sit in a U-shape with the students facing the center of their class, so I am not sure what they do the moment I give the instructions. They look across their screens when I address the class. Maybe they are looking at me but not really listening.

U: So, you think they might be thinking about other things at the same time?

S: That’s a possibility. In a way, I have the ability to control their screens through the teacher’s console. But I don’t want to do that. I would like them to learn how to navigate through the news websites independently. That’s part of the learning process.

U: Ok, so I see two points here: On the other hand, you would like students to be autonomous, and therefore don’t want to direct them to activities through your machine. On the other hand, you have a time management problem for activities tend to take longer than expected because students don’t seem to get the instructions from the first time. Is this right?

S: Yes. Exactly.

Example

U: .. and you say they might be thinking of other things at the beginning of the activity and therefore may not really be listening to you. So, did this give you any thoughts? I mean did it make you think of other ways to give instructions?

S: Hmm.. Maybe it’s a question of organization, really. That I need to establish a system.. Maybe give instructions in stages. Hmm.. Perhaps.. I should first ask them to turn on their computers, and set their machines to ‘sleep’ and when everyone is has done that, I can give the instructions for language activities.

U: So, you think the confusion is caused by the way the instructions are given. That is when students are busy doing other things.

S: Yes, that’s a possibility. After all, that’s the nature of working with computers. Once they are on one tends to be totally absorbed. Maybe that’s the problem then. Students get distracted, don’t really listen to the instructions, and after a while start wondering what to do.

U: .. and that’s what wastes class time.

S: Yes. I will try to be more organized and give instructions in stages.

U: Good (laughs)

Computer-mediated Cooperative Development

Not all teachers have the opportunity to work with others face-to face on ICT-related issues (isolation). Reasons?

© Arthur Kantemirov



Example:

MSN messenger in Cooperative Development (Boon 2003, 2005, 2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTYoo8XphVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTYoo8XphVw

Why Cooperative Development?

Facilitates teacher self-development in ICT

Self-directed professional growth –> Responsibility and Empowerment

Helps teaches to continue to develop their teaching with ICT in small scale ways -> Important for building confidence with technology -> Competence

Fosters collegial relationships (e.g extends trust & respect)

Why Cooperative Development?

Many teachers still lack institutional support -> the central role of colleagues

Non-judgmental/ non-defensive discourse -> Avenue for addressing sensitive aspects of teachers’ professional lives in relation to ICT use

e.g. insecurity, lack of confidence, frustration, experimentation, and institutional pressure.

What else?

Over to you..

References

Dexter, S., Anderson, R. E., & Becker, H. J. (1999). Teachers' views of computers as catalysts for changes in their teaching practice. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 31(3), 221-239.

Edge, J. (1992). Cooperative Development. Harlow: Longman.

Edge, J. (2002). Continuing cooperative development: A discourse framework for individuals as colleagues. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Edge, J. (2003). Colleagial self-development. English Teaching Professional. 27, 58-60.

Edge, J. (2006). Computer-mediated cooperative development: Non-judgemental discourse in online environments. Language Teaching Research, 10(2), 205-227.

References

Ertmer, P., & Hruskocy, C. (1999). Impacts of a university-elementary school partnership designed to support technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(1), 81-96.

Granger, C. A., Morbey, M. L., Lotherington, H., Owston, R. D., & Wideman, H. H. (2002). Factors contributing to teachers' successful implementation of IT. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18(4), 480-488.

Persky, S. E. (1990). What contributes to teacher development in technology? Educational Technology, 30(4), 34-38.

Windschitl, M., & Sahl, K. (2002). Tracing teachers’ use of technology in a laptop computer school: The interplay of teacher beliefs, social dynamics, and institutional culture. American Educational Research Journal, 165-205.

Thank you

[email protected]