Network Communication- Supported Teacher Inservice Development Mark Hawkes Haomin Wang Dakota State University

Network Communication “ The provision of learning opportunities to a geographically dispersed multidimensional target audience” Gall and Fuchs, 1988

Evolution of Computer-Based Communication Broadcast radio—the “one-to-many” model Cable and closed circuit television Videotapes and disc circulation Broadcast satellite—full-motion television Microwave band—transmitters and receivers with line of sight of each other Audiographics—combination of audio conferencing and usually graphic support

ARPANET to Internet Interactivity Time Independence Place Independence Multi-Participant Capacity Communication Storage and Retrievability Text Orientation

Network Communication Supported Professional Development Satisfies knowledge-based professional development needs: –Content area –Educational Policy –Professional Community Promotes teacher collaboration Facilitated teacher critical reflection

Asynchronous & synchronous tools Asynchronous Tools –BBS – –Listserv and Newsgroup Synchronous Tools –Chat –Internet Telephony –Video Conferencing –Data conferencing

Asynchronous Tools BBS –WebBoard –FrontPage built-in discussion board –Other tools – such as caucus.com Listserv & newsgroup –Joining existing listserv –Setting up a listserv for yourself –Subscribing to newsgroups through your ISP –Free newsgroup services on the Web

WebBoard Where to get it? How much does it cost? What’s required to run it? Advantages Limitations Instructional implementation

Synchronous Tools Text Chat -- IRC chat, Instant messenger Internet Audio/Video Conferencing – NetMeeting, CU-SeeMe Internet Data Conferencing -- Application program sharing, Whiteboard Integrated Web Course Offering Tools – WebCT, FirstClass, Lotus Notes Teleconferencing through dedicated connection -- VTEL

Chat ICQ MS Messenger AOL Instant Messenger

Internet Conferencing MS NetMeeting 3.0 –Chat –Internet Telephony –Video conferencing –Program sharing –Whiteboard –File transfer

VTEL What’s VTEL? –Capturing & encoding –Streaming & receiving –Computer and connection requirement Three models –Personal desktop –Workgroup –Studio

Implementing Network Technology for Professional Development Climate of Interaction —the extent to which teachers in the discourse feel comfortable taking risks in communicating their ideas Ensure the confidentiality of their contributions Make sure that criticism is constructive and offered in an amiable way

Implementing... Moderator with limited facilitation role Assists participants in gaining access to conversational floor Ensures technical topics do not dominate discourse Helps maintain discourse focus Synthesizes contributions and points out how reflective ideas were processes and how individual messages contributed to the reflective discourse

Implementing... Discourse Focus Immediately applicable to the classroom For K-6 teachers: age-level focus For 7-12 teachers: content area focus Anchored in pedagogy, not technology

Implementing... Participant Composition – Narrow participation--Homogeneous grouping Convergent tasking activities--curriculum development, study group, study task force – Broad participation--Heterogeneous grouping Divergent tasking activities--brain storming, anecdotal/experience sharing...

Implementing... Access at home –Better/faster access at home –More time at home –Teachers do a good deal of their professional work at home

Implementing... Teacher Skills Training –Screen for presence of appropriate prerequisite skills –Provide training concurrent with reasonable technology access –Provide technical assistance away from the discourse forum either through or as a separate conference thread –Provide pointers to helpful online documents (FAQs)