{"id":5114,"date":"2013-02-20T18:42:41","date_gmt":"2013-02-20T18:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/?p=5114"},"modified":"2013-02-20T18:42:41","modified_gmt":"2013-02-20T18:42:41","slug":"how-can-we-help-colleagues-new-to-edtech-without-doing-all-the-work-for-them-eltchat-summmary-06022013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/2013\/02\/20\/how-can-we-help-colleagues-new-to-edtech-without-doing-all-the-work-for-them-eltchat-summmary-06022013\/","title":{"rendered":"How can we help colleagues new to edtech without doing all the work for them? #Eltchat Summmary 06\/02\/2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
Summary of #Eltchat 6\/2\/2013 \u201cHow can we help colleagues new to edtech without doing all the work for\u00a0them?\u201d<\/address>\n
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FEB 16<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Posted by\u00a0lizziepinard<\/a>\u00a0on her blog<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Greetings all \u2013 after another long absence from the blogosphere! \u2013 and welcome to my summary for the #Eltchat discussion that took place in our little corner of the Twitterverse on the 6th February 2013 at 9p.m.! (For more information about #Eltchat and how to participate, please click\u00a0here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

We all came together to discuss, aptly enough, edtech (or technology used for educational purposes) and, more specifically, how to help colleagues who are new to it without being, as @ciocas put it, \u201cthe girl who can\u2019t say no\u201d, and doing it all for them. (You know who you are, you motherly and fatherly types who can\u2019t resist swooping to the rescue like knights in shining techy armour!)<\/p>\n

In order to best figure out how to help colleagues become more autonomous with edtech, it was important understand\u00a0why<\/strong>\u00a0they are reluctant. Here are the varied and insightful reasons that were suggested:<\/p>\n

Fear (related to the technology itself or, indeed, the scary evangelical users of it!):<\/strong><\/p>\n

– a key problem with getting new Ts on board the Tech Wagon is basically fear \u2013 they\u2019re afraid of something going wrong in class. (@pjgallantary)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I think the trouble with encouraging edtech to newbies can be OVERenthusiasm-coming across as a bit obsessed doesn\u2019t get people on side! (@lauraahaha)<\/p>\n

Time and the easy way out:<\/strong><\/p>\n

–\u00a0For some Ts I think it\u2019s a time issue, but others would rather me give them fish than teach them how to fish! (@cioccas)<\/p>\n

– I\u00a0think both colleagues and trainees can smell out a mother type who will always\u00a0come to the rescue. (@Marisa_C)<\/p>\n

Obscurity of purpose:<\/strong><\/p>\n

– It\u2019s tricky with real technophobes-but I think the major obstacle is the \u201cwhy\u201d not the \u201chow\u201d \u2013 teachers need to see the benefits first. (@designerlessons)<\/p>\n

Not enough presence in Initial Teacher Training:<\/strong><\/p>\n

–\u00a0My CELTA course in 2008 had zero tech \u2013 I\u2019ve always been a techie, and twitter inspired me more. (@Sandymillin)<\/p>\n

– My course has a multimedia module but it\u2019s an M.A. My \u00a0CELTA only taught a bit about the IWB iirc (@LizziePinard) [D<\/strong>isclaimer:<\/strong>\u00a0my CELTA course may have had more, but the IWB is the only bit I can remember, so based on that I assume that tech wasn’t a major feature or I would remember more about it! And this was in 2009-2010 so it may be different now, of course.]<\/p>\n

Context\/Experience:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I suppose it also depends on work experience \u2013 i\u2019ve yet to work in a tech\u2019d up school (IWB etc).\u00a0So have forgotten how to use IWB\u2026 (@LizziePinard)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Having thus considered the \u201cwhy\u201d, we were ready to tackle the\u00a0\u201chow\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0[Disclaimer:<\/strong>\u00a0with ideas flying around at high speed, of course the “why” and the “how” was not quite so separated in the transcript, I just thought it would be a convenient way of organising things here!]<\/p>\n

Here are the\u00a0suggestions<\/strong>\u00a0that were generated:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0My 1st thought is get them to watch things & then come to you with questions.\u00a0\u00a0Easier to make one screencast than explain 20 times.(@ljp2010)<\/p>\n

– More effective to do hands on training rather than just show and tell. (@Shaunwilden)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Make a deal \u2013 \u201d I have time for two half hour tutorials \u2013 record me; take notes; etc but then you\u2019re on your own\u201d: be firm. (@Marisa_C)<\/p>\n

– Perhaps get some peer teaching happening? (ljp2012)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Is there a list of very basic literacies that we could make with links and all lead Ts there? (@Marisa_C)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0We have found also that a printed guide of some basics helps at start \u2013 we are used to online stuff doesn\u2019t mean OK with new people (Marisa_C)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I use things, then people ask me about them. When a few people have asked, I do a seminar. (@Sandymillin)<\/p>\n

– Also wrote introductory blogposts for students that I can point teachers too as well, like\u00a0http:\/\/t.co\/EDdT6RIx<\/a>\u00a0for Quizlet. (@Sandymillin)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I do a short session after our Monday lunchtime meeting. One task, or website per week \u2026\u00a0It isn\u2019t always a new site- just a new way to use something sometimes (@SueAnnan)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Best idea I have ever had though was to ask each one to undertake to research & PRESENT a tool \u2013 works wonders. (@Marisa_C)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I actually think fewer sites the better \u2013 really get to know them (@Shaunwilden)<\/p>\n

– I think a webquest that you create or a guide like the ones we made for facebook twitter &amp; nings might be a good idea (@Marisa_C)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then, of course, it was also important to consider a few\u00a0principles<\/strong>\u00a0for teaching teachers to use technology with their learners and, indeed, for using it ourselves:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Teachers who are new to tech also need to focus on the pedagogical outcomes \u2013 is it useful, or is it tech for tech\u2019s sake? (@lauraahaha)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I think using #edtech always has to emphasise the WHY \u2013 for teachers as much as for students\u2026eg.WHY should you bother investing time learning to use a tool? is the time invested worth the return?<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Tech MUST have clear pedagogical reason, not just because it\u2019s brand shiny new (@pjgallantary)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Important to be able to teach without any tech? Never know where in the world teachers will end up (@idc74)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0There\u2019s plenty of here-today-gone-tomorrow tech \u2013 in which case, best to be a discerning techie (@designerlessons)<\/p>\n

– My 1st rule for tech use: can student access it? eg some smartphone app: if st doesn\u2019t have smartphone, he\/she is disadvantaged (pjgallantary)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0I think in ITT, have to ensure trainees not dependent on tech to teach (@LizziePinard)<\/p>\n

– Tech is ubiquitous and as useful as the teacher\u2019s imagination allows it to be. Just so long as that objective is always clear (@designerlessons)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Ts should always remember that the 1st bit of tech they have is pen and paper \u2013 new tech is a bonus\u2026. (@Shaunwilden)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Ts should think \u201cwhy\u201d not just \u201cwhat\u201d for tech tools. (@LizziePinard)<\/p>\n

– As somebody or other said about course books, tech tools make great slaves but terrible masters \u2013 something to that effect! (@LizziePinard)<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s your back up plan?\u201d should be written on every classroom computer. (@designerlessons)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The next question to be considered was:\u00a0\u201cSo, which tech tool would you introduce first? which do you think is best\/most important to start with?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

–\u00a0Quizlet\/Edmodo good \u2013 little effort required for lots of return, student engagement, and educational benefits too. (@Sandymillin)<\/p>\n

– pen and paper \u2013 plan HOW you\u2019re going to use tech first, and Why! (@pjgallantary)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I find it best to work with what they [teachers] want to do with Ss, then show them tool to wrk with. (@cioccas)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Microsoft Word. I was amazed at the teachers who didn\u2019t know how to use it efficiently\u00a0\":-)\"\u00a0(@SueAnnan)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0I\u2019ve been pretty successful in pushing everyone in the department to use Moodle, and it has shown some very positive results (@MajorieRosenbe)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There\u2019s a limit to how much can be covered in a hour, but we certainly attempted to push that! Nevertheless, time, as is its wont, finally ran out. So to conclude this summary, here is a\u00a0list of all the useful links<\/strong>\u00a0that were thrown up in the course of the discussion:<\/p>\n

– For using Edmodo, @Sandymillin\u2019s\u00a0blogpost<\/a>\u00a0and @Naomishema\u2019sblogpost<\/a><\/p>\n

– Useful techy blogs:<\/p>\n

@Grahamstanley\u2019s\u00a0blog<\/a><\/p>\n

Russell Stannard\u2019s\u00a0website<\/a><\/p>\n

Nik Peachey\u2019s\u00a0blog<\/a><\/p>\n

– For\u00a0using MS Word effectively<\/a>\u00a0(relevant material at bottom of page)<\/p>\n

– A\u00a0demo<\/a>\u00a0of blended learning by @pjgallantary<\/p>\n

– A\u00a0list<\/a>\u00a0of basic computer skills by @ljp2010<\/p>\n

– @Sandymillin\u2019s\u00a0summary<\/a>\u00a0of an ELTchat discussion on webtools, full of useful links.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Using Technology in ELL Instruction<\/a>\u00a0| Color\u0393\u00adn Colorado | (suggested by @yya2)<\/p>\n

– Introductory blogposts for students that I can point teachers too as well, like\u00a0http:\/\/t.co\/EDdT6RIx<\/a>\u00a0for Quizlet (@sandymillin)<\/p>\n

– My \u2018a little and often\u201d\u00a0\u00a0post\u00a0<\/a>for edetch on courses (and staffrooms I guess) (@Marisa_C)<\/p>\n

– the aPLaNet (Autonomous \u2018Personal Learning Networks\u2019 for Language Teachers) Self-Access Piloting Website \u2013 example of a\u00a0web quest<\/a>\u00a0(shared by @Marisa_C)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thanks to all contributors and to anybody who reads this, I hope you find this summary useful. \u00a0And:\u00a0** If you have any more ideas to add, useful websites\/tools to share etc, please add them in the comments section!!**\u00a0\":-)\"<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary of #Eltchat 6\/2\/2013 \u201cHow can we help colleagues new to edtech without doing all the work for\u00a0them?\u201d FEB 16 Posted by\u00a0lizziepinard\u00a0on her blog Greetings all \u2013 after another long absence from the blogosphere! \u2013 and welcome to my summary for the #Eltchat discussion that took place in our little corner of the Twitterverse on…
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