Flip Your PD

Flipped learning is a popular classroom strategy that encourages students to take charge of their learning. The teacher plans exploratory time for students to dig deeper into topics. What if we applied this same thought pattern to professional development?

Teachers have a clear idea of what they understand, what they don’t understand, and topics they would like to know more about. As an instructional leader, what if administrators presented their staff with a general list of topics and allowed them to choose prior to planning professional development? Let’s go a step further, What if teachers could prepare questions in advance to allow more time for in depth coverage of new topics?

The majority of professional development is done in a limited period of time, such as a planning period or an after school faculty meeting. To better use that time, a flipped strategy would allow time for teachers to review the covered material and submit questions/concerns in advance. This keeps the presenter from reviewing material that participants may not need reviewed. Technology tools such as Google Classroom, Google Drive, Seesaw, LiveBinders, Recap, and so many more create opportunities for online communities where educators (administration and staff) can work collaboratively.

Flipped Professional Development Ideas

Staff share

Allow staff to share content on one specific topic. For example: have teachers share how they implement videos into their content area. After the strategies are shared, have teachers rate the ones they are familiar with. Next, plan professional development with what teachers know in mind while encouraging new ideas. By simply sharing, a presenter or instructional coach didn’t waste time on strategies that teachers were already using.

Curate Resources

A shared folder, YouTube Channel, or professional development Google Classroom are a few easy ways to organize resources for teachers. If the topic for professional development is classroom management utilize the good resources already available on that topic. A YouTube channel could be created and shared with teachers providing a visual representation of what good/bad classroom management looks like.

Reflect to Plan

Provide opportunities for teachers to process and build on information already given. Teachers should be provided reflective time to evaluate how their using new strategies and what other support (if any) is needed to plan for future professional development.

The more autonomy teachers have in their learning, the more receptive they are to trying new methods in the classroom. To learn more about flipped learning visit: www.flippedlearning.org

Are you Screencasting?

Today was the first time I tried Screencastify, in minutes I had a fully functional video as a follow up to some questions from a professional development session. The video is short and teachers can follow along to perform the task of converting some files on their Google Drive to Google Apps. The extension is free and is added to the chrome browser where videos can be created directly from chrome. There’s no need for java or any other plug ins for it to work.

The videos are added to Google Drive and can be uploaded to a YouTube channel as well. The same sharing permissions that are available with other shared documents are available in Screencastify. The created videos can be public or private. There is seamless integration with Google Classroom. Once a video is created, it can be shared in classroom simply by clicking on the icon.

To get started, simply visit the chrome web store and search for the Screencastify extension. Click on the extension icon and select record desktop. Next, capture the desired content and click the extension again to stop recording. Some features require an upgrade, but full capabilities are only $24 annually.

Some practical application of this in the classroom include step by step instructions of class content, lesson previews for flipped and blended strategies, and parental references for assistance at home. Here’s a link to my screencast on displaying a Google Form as a QR Code to keep the benefits of Google Form’s data while creating an engaging activity for students.

Check out my Screencast!

Personalized Technology PD for Today’s Teacher

Classroom teachers are equipped with a wealth of content knowledge and strategies from several disciplines. The wealth of conferences, webinars, and workshops are innumerable. Instructional leaders are faced with the challenge of providing meaningful professional development that yields tangible results. One of Knowles’ 5 Assumptions of Adult Learners is the “Adult Learner Experience that states, ‘ as a person matures he/she accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning’.” As teachers gain more experience, they gain more supply for learning. This foundation is a combination of mistakes, college education, and solved problems. The most important factor to consider when educating adults is making the topics relevant.

Strategies for Personalizing Technology PD for Adults

Consider the Experience Level

A teacher with 5 years of experience is vastly different from someone with 20 years of experience. Content knowledge is similar, but strategies will differ greatly. The level of experience will affect how new strategies are delivered and implemented. Although novice teachers adapt to technology quickly, there is a need for the veteran experience. It is important to relate traditional tasks to new technology. For example:  journals have been assigned to students for years, but technology has created several different opportunities that build on this traditional task.

Emphasize Ease of Use

It’s important to inform teachers of the benefits of the topic being taught. How will what’s being taught make life easier? Does it simplify traditional tasks? Has the implementation process been streamlined? With tasks ranging from attendance to duty, it’s important to consider the learning curve and ease of implementation.

Identify Points of Proficiency

Outline the skills teachers should learn during professional development. Having a list of objectives helps teachers gauge relevance and identify training goals/objectives they may want to learn more about. This also gives participants a sense of proficiency once the training/workshop is completed. Badging is also an option so that teachers can show off the new skills they’ve learned.

Provide Hands-on Options

Instead of offering blanket topics, provide teachers with a comprehensive list of topics to choose from. The list should range in skill level while providing diverse offerings to peak interest. Students appreciate choices and teachers do too. In addition to providing different skill levels, offer hands on activities so that participants can practice the skills being taught.

Professional development is best received when planned and implemented for success.

Take Your Interactive Notebook Digital

Interactive notebooks have become a popular strategy to help students organize class notes and handouts while exploring ideas. Creativity can be embedded easily by allowing students to express themselves in one margin of the page. What if this old school idea was given a new school twist? Many school districts across the United States are going 1:1 or to some form of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), instead of lugging around a notebook and a chromebook (or iPad/laptop) try using digital tools to enhance this strategy. Here are a few ways to take your interactive notebook digital:

Create a Google Site

Allow students to build a site that they continue to add content to throughout the school year. Students can add videos, pictures, and text for reflection on material. Instead of standing in the copier line (and then right before your turn it jams), share class handouts electronically.

Use Seesaw’s Learning Journal

Seesaw is a free app on the android and iOS platforms. Each student creates their own online portfolio, the class shows up as a feed. Teachers can also click to view one student’s work at a time.

LiveBinder

LiveBinder is in the Chrome Web Store. It creates an online binder. Each topic has it’s own tab and links to the binder can be shared. Binders can be assigned while others can be private or public for viewing. Check out a sample one here: http://www.livebinders.com/media/get/MTMxNTAzMjc=

Instead of lugging all those notebooks around or flipping through pages, now just scroll for easy spot checks and grading. 

Learn more about interactive notebooks here:  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/interactive-notebooks-no-special-hardware-christina-lovdal-gil