Technology and Teacher Change
baumann@fi.edu
Tue, 25 Mar 1997 08:55:38 -0500
What is the significance of network technology in supporting teachers as
they think about changing the way they teach? This simple question has been
at the heart of the development of professional development activities in
the Science Learning Network project. What are some lessons we have learned?
* establishment of a local area network in a whole school building where
asynchronous electronic messages become part of daily school culture helps
to establish an environment conducive to teacher change
* the presence of electronic communication expands exponentially the
opportunities for colleagues in a building to share their thoughts about
pedagogy, discipline, and tupperware
* teachers need resources and concrete examples of new pedagogy in action--
connection to wide area networks brings these resources and images to their
desktop
* mediators and intermediaries (science centers) play a crucial role in
supporting teacher change and development through ongoing online nudging
* online documentation (web publishing, archived e-mail, message boards,
electronic portfolios), while originally envisioned as being useful to
provide images of teacher change to an outside audience, is much more
powerful at helping the documentor(???) reflect and crystallize in her own
mind the changes that are taking place
* all professional development is local (kudos to Gwen for her comments) and
emanates from the pedagogical and organizational context that is unique at
every school.... and of course every classroom
* new leaders who moved faster in the integration of technology as support
to new pedagogy are providing the authentic professional development
activities everyday in their school as models and points of first contact
for other teachers
Teachers continue to inform us regularly about their needs and frustrations.
These conversations become the basis for our joint professional development
activities.
Steve Baumann
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephen H. Baumann (baumann@fi.edu) Director of Educational
The Franklin Institute Science Museum Technology Programs
222 N. 20th St. (tel) 215-448-1206
Philadelphia, PA 19103 (fax) 215-448-1274