A couple of days ago, K-5 teachers at Beverly Skoff Elementary School (BSE) arrived to school with a bounce in their step. That was the day they were to receive their classroom ChromeBooks and iPads as part of the Emerging Technologies Pilot Program.
One at a time, BSE staff came to the LMC to receive their devices and to ask questions of the technology staff before heading to their classrooms for the day.
By 9:00 am, all the devices had been distributed. By 10:00 am, all was quiet...
...too quiet.
At first, I chalked the the absence of teacher communication up to the fact that teachers were probably performing their morning routines with their students. However, I soon become a bit unnerved when I hadn't received a single email, visit or post to the backchannel I had set up through TodaysMeet. I soon found myself reflecting on how we managed the technology distribution and whether we had missed a step along the way. Turns out, we probably missed a few.
Let me attempt to summarize the course of events prior to device distribution:
- BSE volunteered to become a Lighthouse School, one that would pilot and showcase emerging technology for the district.
- The Technology Department met with BSE Administrators to discuss the Pilot Program
- Teachers were polled to see what devices they would want to pilot. They agreed on 1 iPad and 1 Chromebook each.
- Teachers contributed to a list of resources that they would want to access on the devices. Web links or apps were installed on the devices to those resources.
- BSE staff attended a 30-minute overview (PPT lecture/Q&A) of the devices at their staff meeting this past Monday, 4/29/13.
- Staff received their devices on Tuesday, 4/30.
Notice something missing? I do too: "professional development" and "time to explore the devices before utilizing them in their classrooms". So, I can only surmise that teachers weren't contributing to the chat, asking questions or sharing ideas, because they were at a loss as to how to use the devices.
As a result of my reflection, I decided that the process prior to device deployment must be revamped so that the teachers would be arriving to the PD session already empowered with . That's right, I would flip the PD session!
Below are the changes I will implement before our next distribution:
Below are the changes I will implement before our next distribution:
- Provide the 30-minute overview presentation to the teachers 2-3 days prior to distributing the devices.
- Hold a technology "petting zoo" where teachers can come to explore the devices before receiving their own.
- Distribute devices to teachers in the afternoon PRIOR to the commencement of the 30-minute overview.
- Remind teachers to preview the 30-minute overview presentation prior to the F2F staff meeting. Require them to come with questions and concerns.
- At the F2F meeting, provide a link to the presentation (ideally through http://beta.swipe.to/ once my account is active) that could be accessed on either device.
- Provide teachers with hands-on training and opportunities for Q&A during the F2F meeting.
- Provide the link to the chat/other online resources immediately following the overview.
- Hold a follow-up session the next morning at the building before school begins.
I would love to see your responses to the proposed idea above! Your insight matters to us, so, leave your comments below!
