Ready to Get My Feet Wet!

     I had the opportunity yesterday to meet with my mentor and finalize my research plan.  It was a validating experience to have Dee Ann look over my plans and support my goals and activities so wholeheartedly.  I discovered that the district has already begun to develop a lesson exchange forum through HEB Learning (the district’s Moodle environment) and will providing access to any teachers interested in participating.  The presence of the Moodle environment streamlines much of the logistical component of my plan.  Dee Ann also advised me to consider use of the interactive response system that is being implemented as part of our SMART system.  There are some significant disadvantages to using Survey Monkey as a data collection technique, including the size limitations of the surveys (on a basic membership) and the difficulty ensuring maximum participation in the survey.  Creating ‘quick questions’ for the response system ensures that every faculty member to participate in a survey while they attend a faculty meeting.  Results can quickly be shared during the meeting, or I can simply collect the data for later analysis.   Most importantly, it models the technology in a way that is engaging and non-threatening for faculty members. 

     My colleagues have also given me much to consider over the past weeks, and I owe them a debt of gratitude for their additions to the scope, depth, and overall quality of my research plan.  Sarah A. touched on the experiences of her campus, where the technology facilitator offered ongoing training that highlighted different features of the technology.  I hope to work together with my mentor, who is the technology facilitator for my campus, to supplement our PLC meetings with campus professional development that focuses on exploring the technology itself.  Sharron B. commented that success of the PLC might depend on the interest level of the teachers, and that the age/experience level of the teachers might have bearing on their willingness to incorporate the new technology. This is such an excellent point: there is no question that the makeup of the PLC will have a significant impact on the goals and pacing of the group.  If my initial presentation to the campus is received as I hope, I will have a wide spectrum of experience both in the classroom and with the technology.  This will afford opportunities for members of the PLC to coach each other on both integration of the technology and instructional best practices.  Sarah’s suggestion to offer ongoing training, taken in conjunction with Sharron’s suggestion to work closely with members who are reluctant to take chances with the technology, creates an entirely new action step in my plan: to organize and facilitate professional development for the faculty to feature various features of SMART Notebook, then work with the PLC to develop lesson templates that use those particular features. 

     I attended district facilitator training today, and the enthusiasm of the group for this technology and its vast potential has energized me.  I can hardly wait to return on August 13 and share my vision with the campus.  Enough planning – let’s jump in!