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Professional Development Sharing Knowledge: Ideas, Resources, and Methods Related to Education.Sharing knowledge is a big
part of constructivist learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991), and was demonstrated frequently in this course. The peers shared knowledge with each other in response to direct questions, or sometimes they just offered
without prompting. This can facilitate the construction of personally relevant knowledge (Jonassen et al., 1995). These were professionals offering all kinds of ideas and perspectives, resources, and methods of
instruction or evaluation or other education related activities. Much of it was pointing to Web-based materials or the application of technology to their particular professional situation. This was obviously because the
course was in an instructional technology masters degree program for educators. They were quick to share all kinds of things. This aspect supports the notion that the online environment supports professional interaction
(Jonassen et al., 1995). The following are examples that contain this concept of sharing knowledge. All three are discussing pros and cons of utilizing this computer conferencing system in their classes.
In the first one, the teacher details her experience with utilizing a computer to help her teach math:
Yesterday I tried to teach my children a graphing lesson from the math book….I decided to go over to the computer and teach the class the graphing program available there. After modeling how [to]
create a graph I…allowed the children to create their own. They collected their own data, chose their own categories and printed out their results. The next day I decided to do the dreaded math page.
They had no problems. They understood where to mark the data, how to self-correct if they got off to the wrong start and were even able to tell me that they had created a bar graph. WOW! In addition because they had
collected the data in groups of four…it was less chaotic. I used to have half the class collect the data while the other half waited to be asked. My point here is this several years ago I would have laughed at you
if you suggested a computer could be used to teach graphs. Today I found out it worked. This same evolution will probably take place with [computer] conferencing.
This second teacher discusses using computer conferencing with her first graders:
The point may be that first graders can't keyboard, or don't want to….So, what is the goal? If the goal is for each student to learn keyboarding skills, then I can't see how they can do so without a
lot of time putting fingers to keyboard in the right way, etc. BUT, if the objective is instead for first graders and second graders to communicate with other humans at a distance, then why not have them direct
someone who is good at keyboarding, or who wants to be so, in what to say (e.g., the teacher or a fifth grader)?? It really depends upon what you want students to practice, doesn't it?
This third teacher shares her thoughts, which address education in more general terms:
As far as conferencing is concerned, I know I could use it as a teacher communicating w/ other teachers….I'm sure that I would not use it at all with the curriculum as it is. Another
problem that comes to my mind is the standardized tests the children are required to pass. All the technology learning is great, but how well will the children do on the multiple-choice test, and who is held
responsible for low scores. Until the procedures change, teachers will be held accountable one way or another. Will the inclusion of the time used to teach the technology affect the learning time needed for
preparation?
Time seems to be the biggest problem. There is so little of it, especially planning and developing time (such as w/ the internet sites I choose from home). If we are to really be good at integrating
the technology, we need to be given this important commodity, as well as the training and equipment.
Mentoring and tutoring.
These two were together as one analytic bin. Throughout the course, there were frequent examples of students helping other students (Vygotsky, 1978). They were constantly giving each other advice, help, and ideas for solving particular problems. Much had to do with the technical aspects of participation in this course, but there was also a substantial amount aimed at utilizing technology in their own classrooms.
Mentoring and tutoring are not much different. Both have to do with being involved in a community of learners, and more specifically a community of practitioners (Lave & Wenger, 1991). In this case,
some educators had more experience in some areas and were quick to offer help to those that expressed a problem or a need, or directly asked for help. The slight difference that could sometimes be made between mentoring
and tutoring in reference to this course is as follows. The students seemed to be "mentoring" when they were more "personal" with those they were helping. This was more apparent when they had experience in
technology, especially. Technological problems were the toughest part of this online experience, and there was a great need for the more technically proficient students to provide a mentoring atmosphere. This included
the empathizing mentioned above and had a tone of caring and such. In some cases, one student became a "group mentor" for particular problems. Classmates in need began to "turn to" this person immediately. On the
other hand, the tutoring aspect seemed to be a more step by step, factual response, almost like a recipe. This, too, was often geared toward a technological question, but it just didn't have the caring stance attached,
like a mentor would have. Both did tend to have some evaluative statements attached, as critique many times was the basis for initiating a mentoring or tutoring relationship. This usually occurred in the small group
interaction that the instructor set up twice during the course. The following is a typical example of students asking for help, and the corresponding responses.
- [Student A] asks for advice:
Does anyone have any suggestions as to how this could be implemented with four computers in my classroom? I would want all my students to be able to utilize this source not just those who have
computers at home. If I did something like this what program could I use?
- [Student B] provides help:
You might want to investigate the possibility of using MathSoft's "StudyWorks" in the classroom. It is a simplified version of Mathcad and allows for the posting of Web pages among other
things. It is a very powerful tool. I think it could be used successfully on linked computers in a classroom. Their Web site is: [the address].
Here is one where one student is critiquing another (in small group interaction) and offers advice and peer evaluation (Rogoff, 1990). The difficulty in drawing the "fine line between tutoring and
mentoring" is evident here; but the concept of "professional development" is unmistakably present. This was a typical response in small group interaction when assessing one another's projects.
[A student addressed a member of her small group]: [Student name]: I think your students will really enjoy the pages you've developed.
LOVED the flags. Can almost feel the wind blowing!
Great color choices for text, background, etc. Very comfortable on the eye.
Directions are to the point
Nice layout
You provided some great links and... they all work! That in itself is a real coup. Plus- the links that you have chosen are not likely to be dead any time soon (unlike their subjects! Get it?)
[Student space] Things I noticed or thought of:
You have underlined your heading names and this gives the implication (according to internet protocol) that there is a link. Could you maybe
make the headings stand out by increasing the size of the leading letter or using boldface? Or maybe just add more returns between each section. Seeing the underlined words makes me want to click and I think it
might be confusing for the students who are learning that underlined text is usually a link. Have you thought about putting a teacher resource section or page to address the student grade level and,
possibly, the objectives that this site focuses on? Without having the SOL's in front of me I am uncertain as to what grade level(s) this site would benefit. Maybe you too could add some examples of completed
tasks once your students have used the site. That would be a great reference for teachers that want to use your webpage in their classroom.
Really nice job!!! I learned quite a bit by visiting some of the links you had listed.
In general, the students were quick to help each other, and this truly built a real community of learners and of professionals (Rogoff, 1994). As a community of learners, they were helping each other in
issues related to this course. As professionals they were readily helping each other become more informed educators. At times it almost had the feel of a "conference" that educators attend for reasons of professional
development. For example, in one item there might be a discussion on using the Web in elementary school. In another, there might be a debate on censorship in using the Internet in the library. On a third item there
might be a series of posts offering great online resources for Web-based science projects that involve collaboration with experts around the world (e.g., Jason Project). Overall, this online course had a
considerable amount of professional sharing and helpful interaction, which promoted an atmosphere of collegiality. It provided multiple perspectives on many issues and topics (Rogoff, 1994). This group demonstrated
interaction that was knowledgeable, supportive, and collegial among a group of professionals. They clearly built a community of practitioners engaged in professional development (Lave & Wenger, 1991). |
