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We design our professional
development to provide technology skills within the context of meaningful
classroom projects.
Based on design principles from researchers
like Sylvia Chard (1998), Dennis Sparks and Stephanie Hirsch (ASCD) and
projects such as Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) and the Challenge
2000 Multimedia Project, Tech4Learning’s professional development
opportunities provide participants with the information, resources and
experience necessary for successful technology integration.
Tech4Learning professional development is
based on the following principles:
Participants learn by doing
In assuming the role of students,
educators get to experience first-hand learning in a technology-rich
environment. Participants learn tasks based on a “just in time”
approach, where a particular technology skill is learned at the precise
moment the end user would like to integrate the skill into his/her
project. For example, instead of coaches teaching all of the skills
necessary for creating a multimedia project in one skill-building session,
participants are exposed to the necessary skills to begin a project
independently and then learn more complex skills (like adding sound or an
animation) on a “just in time” basis within the scope of completing a
project.
Workshop facilitators model appropriate
instructional strategies
Workshop leaders model the role of
“teacher as facilitator” to help educators transform from
“teachers telling” to “students doing.” This type of
approach addresses the needs and wants of the learners and empowers them
to take control of their own learning. A student’s
ability to utilize and incorporate resources
and technology tools effectively
represents two of the SCANS
competencies they will need for high-quality job performance in the 21st
century.
Participants
learn collaboratively
Participants work in collaborative,
heterogeneous groups where individuals can learn skills from one another.
Grouping participants helps them learn both the advantages and challenges
of producing a product in a collaborative environment. A collaborative
approach to learning encourages a diverse group of learners to combine
their collective knowledge and resources to benefit an entire community,
both locally and globally.
From design to implementation
Tech4Learning offers workshops and
online professional development that help participants integrate
technology into their classrooms using a project approach. The tenets of
Project-based Learning, including essential
questions and authentic tasks, are explored, giving participants the
knowledge of why a project
approach improves student understanding and how
to integrate this type of learning in their classrooms.
Tech4Learning’s
professional development experts adhere to the National
Staff Development Council’s Code of Ethics.
Selected
References
Apple
Classrooms of Tomorrow
The
National Staff Development Council
Challenge
2000 Multimedia Project
The
Project Approach
Staffdevelop.org
- Jamie McKenzie
Experimental Learning (Carl Rogers) http://tip.psychology.org/rogers.html
SCANS 2000 - http://www.scans.jhu.edu/NS/HTML/Index.htm
Chard, Sylvia (1998). The Project Approach:
Making Curriculum Come Alive. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Sparks, Dennis & Stephanie Hirsch. A
New Vision for Staff Development. ASCD.
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