October 27, 2014
As I sit here, a few hours after my PD day is done, I can't believe how exhausted I am. Preparing a PD day for teachers was fun and stressful all the the same time. I wanted the day to be perfect. I spent all weekend finishing up the presentations with Taeler and tailoring the lessons to teachers at my specific school. I worked to make the handouts meaningful and easy to use. There wasn't really time to make flower arrangements and print quotes to frame, but somehow I managed to make time. I got to campus around 6:30 am this morning to set up the continental breakfast and to make sure the room environment was comfortable and inviting with flowers at each table. The staff began to arrive around 7:30, and it was like a roller coaster until 3:00.
Today, Google was having major problems and teachers kept getting disconnected from the Internet. I didn't have a plan B because the day was focused on Google Drive and I needed it to work properly. These issues did not begin the day on a positive note, as teachers were complaining that we're using technology that is unreliable and they won't end up using anyway. Of all the days for Google to have problems, this was a bad day for it to happen. Despite the negativity from most teachers, I kept a positive attitude and tried to keep the focus of my PD day in mind. I wasn't going to let Google or anything get me down. I was peppy, kept my pacing brisk, gave teachers time to practice in Google Drive, and allowed for teachers to discuss their ideas with each other. I used the time that Google wasn't working to let teachers talk more about their learning and ways they can use Google Drive with their students. I wasn't able to show teachers all of the tools I wanted to, and am especially. I know the importance of being flexible, and today proved to me that I need to be ready for anything, especially with this job.
All in all, I saw a lot of teacher learning throughout the day. There were times when teachers were very frustrated, mainly because they would get started with their practice and the Internet would lose connectivity. I am proud of both groups of teachers, but I must admit that I am most proud of the teachers who placed themselves in the beginning group. They put themselves out there and really tried their best to learn Google Drive. Most of them went from having no knowledge of Google Drive to being able to maneuver through the various Google Apps. They even began helping each other as they gained more confidence. I found that the beginning group had a more overall positive attitude and willingness to learn than the other group. They celebrated every small step they made, which kept me going and made me smile even though we had major technology problems.
I know that today was vital in making sure teachers knew how to use Google Drive and feel confident that it was a success. I'll be able to tell in the next few months how big of an impact today made on teachers and, more importantly, on students. I'm grateful for my partner, Taeler, in helping to finish our plans when we were given such short notice about the change in schedule. I'm grateful for my principal for giving me almost the entire day to focus on technology and for her support. Finally, I'm grateful for the curriculum coach who taught one group while I taught the other. She took the lessons I created and stepped outside her comfort zone.
To end the collaborative conversation, teachers worked in triads to post their biggest take away from the day. Below is a screenshot of the Padlet wall. Click the image to view the live Padlet wall.
November 20, 2014
It has been almost a month after the PD day, so my perspective has changed from my evaluation right after the PD day. I have separated my emotions from the day not going exactly as planned and have been able to view patterns and trends. I have also seen major shifts in teacher attitudes about Google Drive and technology in general. Since the PD day on October 27, my calendar has been booked solid with teacher demo lessons. Teachers who said they weren't ready for my support suddenly started to ask for it. Teachers who complained about the Internet never working asked for my assistance and continue to do so. Although some teachers are still reluctant to use Google Drive with their students, many of those teachers have expressed to me that they see the value in the Google Apps and will eventually use them with their students.
I used the Guidelines for Evaluating Professional Development by Gusky (1998) to evaluate my PD day's effectiveness by numbering each of the evaluation guidelines in the below paragraphs.
professional development I offer.
As I sit here, a few hours after my PD day is done, I can't believe how exhausted I am. Preparing a PD day for teachers was fun and stressful all the the same time. I wanted the day to be perfect. I spent all weekend finishing up the presentations with Taeler and tailoring the lessons to teachers at my specific school. I worked to make the handouts meaningful and easy to use. There wasn't really time to make flower arrangements and print quotes to frame, but somehow I managed to make time. I got to campus around 6:30 am this morning to set up the continental breakfast and to make sure the room environment was comfortable and inviting with flowers at each table. The staff began to arrive around 7:30, and it was like a roller coaster until 3:00.
Today, Google was having major problems and teachers kept getting disconnected from the Internet. I didn't have a plan B because the day was focused on Google Drive and I needed it to work properly. These issues did not begin the day on a positive note, as teachers were complaining that we're using technology that is unreliable and they won't end up using anyway. Of all the days for Google to have problems, this was a bad day for it to happen. Despite the negativity from most teachers, I kept a positive attitude and tried to keep the focus of my PD day in mind. I wasn't going to let Google or anything get me down. I was peppy, kept my pacing brisk, gave teachers time to practice in Google Drive, and allowed for teachers to discuss their ideas with each other. I used the time that Google wasn't working to let teachers talk more about their learning and ways they can use Google Drive with their students. I wasn't able to show teachers all of the tools I wanted to, and am especially. I know the importance of being flexible, and today proved to me that I need to be ready for anything, especially with this job.
All in all, I saw a lot of teacher learning throughout the day. There were times when teachers were very frustrated, mainly because they would get started with their practice and the Internet would lose connectivity. I am proud of both groups of teachers, but I must admit that I am most proud of the teachers who placed themselves in the beginning group. They put themselves out there and really tried their best to learn Google Drive. Most of them went from having no knowledge of Google Drive to being able to maneuver through the various Google Apps. They even began helping each other as they gained more confidence. I found that the beginning group had a more overall positive attitude and willingness to learn than the other group. They celebrated every small step they made, which kept me going and made me smile even though we had major technology problems.
I know that today was vital in making sure teachers knew how to use Google Drive and feel confident that it was a success. I'll be able to tell in the next few months how big of an impact today made on teachers and, more importantly, on students. I'm grateful for my partner, Taeler, in helping to finish our plans when we were given such short notice about the change in schedule. I'm grateful for my principal for giving me almost the entire day to focus on technology and for her support. Finally, I'm grateful for the curriculum coach who taught one group while I taught the other. She took the lessons I created and stepped outside her comfort zone.
Below is a screenshot of the collaborative conversation questions that guided the final teacher discussion. Even though the teachers were tired at the end of the day, they took part in thoughtful conversations. Click the image to view all questions that guided this collaborative conversation.
To end the collaborative conversation, teachers worked in triads to post their biggest take away from the day. Below is a screenshot of the Padlet wall. Click the image to view the live Padlet wall.
November 20, 2014
It has been almost a month after the PD day, so my perspective has changed from my evaluation right after the PD day. I have separated my emotions from the day not going exactly as planned and have been able to view patterns and trends. I have also seen major shifts in teacher attitudes about Google Drive and technology in general. Since the PD day on October 27, my calendar has been booked solid with teacher demo lessons. Teachers who said they weren't ready for my support suddenly started to ask for it. Teachers who complained about the Internet never working asked for my assistance and continue to do so. Although some teachers are still reluctant to use Google Drive with their students, many of those teachers have expressed to me that they see the value in the Google Apps and will eventually use them with their students.
I used the Guidelines for Evaluating Professional Development by Gusky (1998) to evaluate my PD day's effectiveness by numbering each of the evaluation guidelines in the below paragraphs.
1. Clarify the intended goals.
The goals throughout my PD Day were clear and specific. I divided Google Drive into manageable sections, such as creating documents and sharing files. Before each mini-lesson, I stated the objective with the end goal in mind. Then I explained the rationale that related to the school and district technology integration goal. The rationale also included how teachers could use the specific learning with their students.
2. Assess the value of the goals.
I scaffolded the lessons, starting off with the introduction of Google Drive. Then I broke up what teachers would need to be able to do with each other and their students to be proficient in the Google Drive basics. The PD goals were worthwhile because they directly related to the district-wide and school technology integration goals.
3. Analyze the context.
To determine the teachers’ needs, I sent out a Google Form asking which parts of Google Drive they needed support in. I also used the school’s technology comfort survey from the end of last year where teachers evaluated their own competency on the Google Apps. Finally, teachers placed themselves in ability groupings, which matched what I saw from my needs assessments.
Below are the levels that teachers could choose from on the technology comfort survey.
- I don’t feel comfortable using Google Apps.
- Exploring: I feel comfortable using Drive to compose documents and presentations.
- Applying: I feel comfortable letting my students compose documents, collaborate, share, and email using Drive.
- Integrating: I feel comfortable letting my students use Blogger and Google Sites to publish and display writing.
- Innovating: My students use Blogger and Drive to create digital portfolios while extensively using email and calendar to organize school events.
Most of the teachers placed themselves as not feeling comfortable or exploring Google Apps. I developed the PD day content using the results of the Google Form and comfort survey. I also took into account the available resources at the district, knowing that all teachers would be expected to use Google Drive for their own organization and to communicate and collaborate with their colleagues and students.
4. Estimate the program's potential to meet the goals.
From my research on Google Drive, I know that the Google Apps for Education promote the 4 Cs of 21st century skills: Communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. My district has researched various technology tools to promote the 4 Cs and chose Google Drive as the main tool that teachers and students will now use. It is also free and Google is a worldwide platform that students will most likely use in the future.
5. Determine how the goals can be assessed.
To ensure that evidence of PD day learning goals is appropriate, teachers will share Professional Learning Community (PLC) agendas with the administrators and grade level team and create shared grade level folders to promote collaboration with teaching and learning resources. During informal walk-throughs and demo lessons, the principal and I will note evidence of student use of Google Drive. When the students are working on projects in Google Drive, we will know that our teachers are comfortable with the various Google Apps.
6. Outline strategies for gathering evidence.
I will gather evidence in a variety of ways. My administrator will be gathering most of the evidence through the documents teachers share with them, such as PLC agendas. I will check in with my administrators weekly to make sure teachers are reaching the benchmarks that relate to the district and school’s technology integration plan. When I provide support for teachers via one-on-one support, demo lessons, and co-planning/co-teaching cycles I will be able to see how teachers are using Google Apps with their colleagues and students.
7. Gather and analyze evidence on participants' reactions.
At the end of the PD day, I gathered the teachers’ reactions. I used a collaborative Padlet post for teachers to display their biggest learning. They worked in triads to discuss the day and create the Padlet post. I also listened to feedback throughout the day from the teachers. The overall teacher perception of the PD day was that it was beneficial in teaching them what they are expected to know about Google Drive. They also said that they feel more comfortable using Google Drive and can see how they will use it with their colleagues and students. In addition to their feedback, teachers asked for one-on-one support and grade level support to continue their learning. My calendar booked up quickly for the weeks following the PD day, as teachers saw their deficits and asked for my assistance.
8. Gather and analyze evidence on participants' learning.
Within each mini-lesson I asked teachers to practice what they learned and talk about how they can implement the tools with their colleagues and students. As I observed teachers working and answered their questions, I saw that teachers gained much more knowledge of Google Drive than they had before. I kept hearing teachers stating how "neat" Google Drive was and how useful it was. A phrase that teachers kept repeating was, "I wish we knew about this sooner!" That phrase showed me that the teachers are ready to learn more and that the PD was the beginning of a huge shift in teacher perspectives on Google Drive.
9. Gather and analyze evidence on organizational support and change.
My principal is supportive and gives me the time I need to help teachers meet the district and school technology integration goals. She is providing me with staff meeting time and optional planning time to ensure that the teachers are continuing their success in Google Drive.
10. Gather and analyze evidence on participants' use of new knowledge and skills.
In the month following the PD day, I have seen many more teachers using Google Drive for communication and collaboration with their colleagues. I have also seen teachers introducing and using Google Drive with their students. More of the lessons that I am being asked to do involve Google Drive, and I have worked with first through sixth grade students. By the end of December, I will have the results of the first trimester technology comfort survey. This will show me where teachers are in their proficiency with Google Drive. After analyzing this data, I will be able to determine the next steps with individuals and grade levels in building their knowledge and skills with Google Apps. My principal has told the teachers to expect emails from me to book times with them so I can do demo lessons in classes that haven't started to use Google Drive yet.
11. Gather and analyze evidence on student learning outcomes.
My PD day focused on teacher learning of Google Drive. The teachers did become much more comfortable in using Google Drive in a variety of ways. I don't have concrete evidence of student learning as a result of the PD day. However, I have seen a tremendous increase in the amount of displayed student work from Google Drive. I have seen student work across all grade levels using Google Docs, Slides, and Drawing. I have also walked around the classrooms and have viewed students collaborating on the same projects in Google Drive. It has been truly amazing to see the transformation in teachers and students in just one month after the PD day. Students are clearly benefiting from the teachers' increase in knowledge of Google Drive. They are doing work that is developing their 21st century skills. I am proud of the teachers for continuing to learn and try something that they are uncomfortable with. Almost every day, I have had teachers tell me how they made the official switch from Microsoft Word to Google Docs and how happy they are. This is going to be a big year in teachers transforming the way they create learning experiences for their students. I view the PD day as an integral day to launch the new wave of thought and technology tools at my school.
12. Prepare and present evaluation reports.
When teachers take their first trimester Google Apps comfort survey, the results are recorded in a Google spreadsheet. I will place the results in a graph to show percentages of Google App implementation. At the end of December, I will view these results and use them to best plan the
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