1. Web Tools for Professional Development: A Focus on the Pedagogy Barbara Treacy Director, EdTech Leaders Online (ETLO) Education Development Center (EDC)

2. Questions How can Web 2.0 and online tools help educators implement PD more effectively? What are some online PD tools and models we’ve found useful at EDC?

3. What are the elements of effective PD? Professional development should: 1. be intensive, ongoing, connected to practice 2. focus on student learning 3. address teaching of specific curriculum content 4. align with school improvement priorities & goals 5. build strong working relationships among teachers -Professional Learning in the Learning Profession by Linda Darling-Hammond et al, NSDC (2009) http://www.nsdc.org/stateproflearning.cfmhttp://www.nsdc.org/stateproflearning.cfm

4. Web 2.0 Tools Can Support “Web 2.0 Definition: Online application that uses the World Wide Web (www) as a platform and allows for participatory involvement, collaboration, and interactions among users. Web 2.0 is also characterized by the creation and sharing of intellectual and social resources by end users.” -Leadership for Web2.0 in Education: Promise & Reality by Cheryl Lemke & Ed Coughlin, CoSN (2009)

5. But there are so many tools! “In education…we have not really seized upon the power and the tools that are now available to us in the Internet age” - Eric Schmidt, Google CEO http://www.google.com/events/digitalage/index.html

6. How do we know which tools to use? “Technology is a vehicle, not a destination... Rather, aspects of technology – like all components of an effective course – should be chosen according to how they help meet the learning objectives.” -Nine principles for excellence in web-based teaching by Jim Henry and Jeff Meadows http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/179/177http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/179/177

7. Examples of types of tools Course management tools Enable educators to:  organize & share content, research, multimedia  engage in ongoing discussions  assess and document learning  build formal & informal communities of practice  share and analyze student work  examples:

8. Voice and Content Tools Enable educators to:  personalize introductions and discussions  provide learning or project summaries  explain a technical piece  create online discussions  address auditory learners and accessibility  examples:

9. Collaboration Tools Enable educators to:  collaborate & co-create documents, plans, materials, media  brainstorm and share ideas, resources, data, etc  discuss and communicate with team members  examples :

10. Communication tools Enable educators to  conduct “live” discussions and meetings  blends synchronous and asynchronous learning  address varying learning styles  collaborate and share documents and resources  examples:

11. More tool types… Blogging and micro-blogging tools to share ideas or focus on a specific topic or project, such as Social bookmarking tools to share/save resources, such as

12. Lessons from EdTech Leaders Online Web 2.0 and Online PD enable: 1. PD to be extended over time (intensive, ongoing, connected to practice) 2. Teachers to implement what they’re learning in the classroom ( focused on student learning) 3. Strong focus on content and pedagogy through rich readings, multimedia activities, online explorations (address teaching of specific curriculum content)

13. Lessons, cont. 4. Capacity building approaches with local educators leading the PD (align with school improvement priorities and goals) 5. Learning community models with rich online discussions with participants and facilitator (build strong working relationships among teachers)

14. A final word “Some online tools have some affordances that, if the training takes advantage of them, can help with some of the classic issues of professional development.” - Dr. Chris Dede, EdWeek interview 10/1/09 http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2009/10/01/01dede.h03.html

15. Thank you! Contact: Barbara Treacy Btreacy@edc.org EdTech Leaders Online http://edtechleaders.org Education Development Center http://edc.org