New Technology-Based Ways to Deliver Professional Development

1. New Technology-Based Ways to Deliver Professional Development COABE 2007 Marian Thacher, OTAN,mthacher@otan.us Leslie Petty, Project IDEAL, lpetty@twmi.rr.com

2. What will we cover? • Online Workshops • Online Courses • Online Study Groups • Online Collaboration • Voice over IP • Yahoo Groups • Workshop on a CD • Videoconferencing

3. Online Workshops

4. Many options WebEx Breeze Many advantages No travel Easy to use Good for communicating info Good for collaboration A few disadvantages Costs money No private networking Have you participated?

6. What is OTAN doing? • Tech Plan Training • Basic Computer Troubleshooting and Maintenance • Professional Development and Technology Planning for Administrators • Freeware and Shareware for Adults with Disabilities • Share Your Favorite Math Web Site

7. www.edtechnetwork.org/ Online tutorials Creating Matte Jpeg Images Creating a Navigation Button What is CTAP Doing?

8. CTAP Tutorial

9. View an Online Workshop • www.edtechnetwork.org • Click on the link to view the class • Gives a good idea of how it works • Learn something new about PowerPoint!

10. Online Courses

11. Online Courses • Have you taken one? • Have you taught one? • CALPRO courses • Designing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities • Managing the Multi-level ESL Class • Effective Lesson Planning • Two new ones are being piloted now • Enhancing Learner Persistence • Organizing and Monitoring Instruction

12. Online Study Groups

13. Online Study Groups • Developed by Project IDEAL Support Center • Small group, extended PD opportunity • 6 – 8 teachers • Trained facilitator • Narrow content focus • 6 weeks, 2-3 hrs/week • Adaptable to a variety of topics

14. Benefits of Online Study Groups • Allows for in-depth learning experience • Teachers can participate on own schedules • Increase skill/knowledge in content area • Gives teacher experience of being a distance learner • Creates a community of practice

15. Making it Happen • For each course, Project IDEAL: • Develops content & course framework • Trains facilitator • Establishes a dedicated website • Community Zero • NiceNet • Materials placed on course site or emailed to teachers • Course begins w/telephone conference call • Remainder of course conducted virtually

16. Course Models • Course content determines model used • Case study model – for teacher generated issues • Teaching/learning problems • Evaluation of online distance teaching resources • Seminar model – for literature based issues • Distance student persistence

17. Case Study Model • Each teacher creates & posts one case study • Group analyzes and helps with each case ( online discussion ) • Facilitator provides guidance as needed • Each teacher posts summary of feedback received

18. Seminar Model • Participants provided with a set of readings • Teachers complete assignments connecting readings w/practice • Facilitator provides feedback on assignments • Group engages in online discussions of key issues

19. Time Involved • For teachers in class • About 18 hours • For facilitators • About 50 – 60 hours • Includes pre-class prep, responding to written assignments, facilitating discussions

20. Key Findings from Pilot Test: Content • Helped teachers • understand learning problems in general • learn more about teaching GEDC at a distance • acquire more solutions to teaching challenges • acquire more resources for teaching online • “deep change” for 1 in 5 teachers

21. Key Findings from Pilot Test: Course Design • About the right length & amount of work • Four weeks is good course length • Most teachers spent 2 – 3 hours/week • Opening conference call useful • Online discussions preferred for remainder of class

22. Available at projectideal.org

23. Online Collaboration

24. What does it mean? • Sharing documents • Email • Web sites • Collaborating on documents • Online meetings • Blogs • Wikis • Sharing other content • Frappr • Flickr • YouTube • Social Bookmarking

25. Blogs • PD Blogs – sharing ideas • Jeff Carter’s Literacy/Technology blog • ESL Transition blog

26. Wikis • Collaborate on documents online • Anyone can edit • Can revert to previous versions • Many people can add or edit • Wikipedia • http://en.wikipedia.org/ • Adult Education Wiki • http://wiki.literacytent.org/ • Example of a PD project • http://studenttechstories.pbwiki.com/

27. Frappr Map for TIMAC • TIMAC Map

28. YouTube • Share video • Search for ESL • Example • Search for Fractions • Example • Search for Adult Education

29. Social Bookmarking • Del.icio.us • Save your favorites • Access from anywhere • Share with anyone/everyone • See what others are saving • Create a group account

31. Voice over IP(VoIP)

32. What can you do with it? • Free phone calls from one computer to another • Free calls from computer to land line • Free conference calls (up to 500 people) • Can record your phone calls • Chat included • Skype.com, Gizmo.com, Yahoo! Voice

33. What do you need? • Fast Internet connection • Head phones with microphone (quality of mic matters) • That’s it!

34. Why is this important? • Makes it easy to talk with others over a distance • Free conference calls make distance meetings easy • Importance of voice

37. Online Groups

38. What is it? • Group web site • Discussion board • Photos • Documents • Polls • Calendar

40. What do you use them for? • Sharing information • Communicating with a group • Sharing documents, photos, links • Creating a poll • Professional development

41. Elk Grove Teacher Group

42. Workshop on a CD

43. What is it? • Uses capture software and recording software • Short movies that demonstrate steps in a process • Available online or on CD

44. Example • OTAN PowerPoint tutorial for adult educators • See demo

45. Videoconferencing

46. What is it? • Similar to a telephone call (audio conference) with the addition of a live video picture of the participants.

47. Videoconferencing • Have you participated in it? • Professional Development Uses • Meet with an expert • Discuss with distant colleagues • Meet regularly over a distance • Collaborate on a project

48. Videoconferencing • What are the advantages? • Can go places without traveling • Can teach a class in 3 locations at once • Can reach isolated learners or classes • Can visit faraway places • Disadvantages • Can be expensive • Depends on equipment and network • Not good for a lot of interactive activities

49. What do you need? • Camera • Video Display • Speakers • Software

50. How does it work? Point to Point Multi-point