School Technology School Technology Inquiry Groups as Inquiry Groups as

Professional Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

by:by:

Joan E. HughesJoan E. Hughes

Ann OomsAnn Ooms

Reflective Questions…Jot Reflective Questions…Jot down an answer on a sheet down an answer on a sheet

of paper…of paper… What’s an enduring problem in your What’s an enduring problem in your

teaching or in your work in a school teaching or in your work in a school organization?organization?

Are you interested in knowing if and Are you interested in knowing if and how technology impacts you or your how technology impacts you or your students?students?

Think of an effective Think of an effective inservice/professional development – inservice/professional development – what made it effective for you?what made it effective for you?

Our AssumptionsOur Assumptions

Technology infrastructure in place; Technology infrastructure in place; training and use by teachers not training and use by teachers not necessarily;necessarily;

Students use technology to learn subject Students use technology to learn subject matter;matter;

Technology for higher order thinking (not Technology for higher order thinking (not low level skills);low level skills);

Teachers are interested in learning;Teachers are interested in learning; Knowledge, thinking, learning is situated in Knowledge, thinking, learning is situated in

physical or social contexts and with toolsphysical or social contexts and with tools

Our Technology Inquiry Our Technology Inquiry Approach included the Approach included the

following following characteristics…characteristics…

Participants having a common subject area Participants having a common subject area focus;focus;

Grounding teacher inquiries within Grounding teacher inquiries within teacher-identified problems of practice;teacher-identified problems of practice;

Locating group activities at the school site; Locating group activities at the school site; Including university or outside facilitators;Including university or outside facilitators; Working as a group and dyads, when Working as a group and dyads, when

requested. requested.

The Urban Inquiry GroupThe Urban Inquiry Group

5 middle school teachers focused on “arts- 5 middle school teachers focused on “arts- and technology-infused humanities”and technology-infused humanities”

Urban K-8 school; 610 students, 83% are Urban K-8 school; 610 students, 83% are eligible for free/reduced lunch and 47% eligible for free/reduced lunch and 47% receive ELL servicereceive ELL service

Participation of university professor and Participation of university professor and graduate studentsgraduate students

On-site, monthly meetings with individual On-site, monthly meetings with individual meetings/support as requestedmeetings/support as requested

Research Findings Research Findings related to related to

Implementation ProcessImplementation Process Phase 1: Defining the Technology Inquiry Phase 1: Defining the Technology Inquiry

Group’s Identity and Purpose. Group’s Identity and Purpose. Phase 2: Reviewing Inquiry Group Purpose Phase 2: Reviewing Inquiry Group Purpose

and Identifying Technology Inquiries.and Identifying Technology Inquiries. Phase 3: Initiation of Technology Inquiries.Phase 3: Initiation of Technology Inquiries.

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Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

Phase 1:Phase 1: Defining the Defining the Technology Inquiry Group’s Technology Inquiry Group’s

Identity and PurposeIdentity and Purpose Identifying the group’s focusIdentifying the group’s focus Sharing experiences with technologySharing experiences with technology Identifying content areas for improvementIdentifying content areas for improvement Demonstration of software and hardware by Demonstration of software and hardware by

university partnersuniversity partners Conversations about appropriate uses of Conversations about appropriate uses of

technologytechnology Creating a safe environmentCreating a safe environment

Phase 2: Phase 2: Reviewing Inquiry Reviewing Inquiry Group Purpose and Group Purpose and

Identifying Technology Identifying Technology InquiriesInquiries

Reviewed purposeReviewed purpose Identified topics to pursue and technologies to Identified topics to pursue and technologies to

learnlearn Cory: GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for Cory: GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for

geographygeography Holly: Alphasmart for writing workshopHolly: Alphasmart for writing workshop Maureen: Digital Recording (music); CD music Maureen: Digital Recording (music); CD music

across humanities topicsacross humanities topics Nora: Video editing for school videoNora: Video editing for school video

Participants prepared for initiation of inquiriesParticipants prepared for initiation of inquiries Troubleshooting of software/hardwareTroubleshooting of software/hardware Training on software/hardwareTraining on software/hardware

Phase 3: Phase 3: Initiation of Initiation of Technology InquiriesTechnology Inquiries

ActionAction Teachers learning, using, and reviewing technologyTeachers learning, using, and reviewing technology University participants supporting learning and useUniversity participants supporting learning and use

Reflection/CritiqueReflection/Critique Inspiring new ideas for colleagues (e.g., Frank)Inspiring new ideas for colleagues (e.g., Frank) Discuss implications and complications of using Discuss implications and complications of using

technology and integrating arts and humanities in technology and integrating arts and humanities in lessonslessons

Discuss instructional problems with technology-Discuss instructional problems with technology-supported activitiessupported activities

Issues with technology availability and Issues with technology availability and supportsupport

Recommendations for Recommendations for Establishing Technology Establishing Technology

Inquiry GroupsInquiry Groups Take time to establish group identity, focus, Take time to establish group identity, focus,

and ensure participationand ensure participation Consider both on-site and outside facilitationConsider both on-site and outside facilitation Focus on “problems of practice” in subject Focus on “problems of practice” in subject

areaarea Provide both in-school and after-school time to Provide both in-school and after-school time to

maximize progressmaximize progress Consider supporting coordinated action Consider supporting coordinated action

research projects - especially that which research projects - especially that which involves data-driven decision making (NCLB)involves data-driven decision making (NCLB)

Limitations and Limitations and ChallengesChallenges

FundingFunding Technology to examine (solved by univ. collaboration)Technology to examine (solved by univ. collaboration) Technology to invest in (solved by grants/tech Technology to invest in (solved by grants/tech

budget?)budget?) TimeTime

Investment in technology integration vs. other Investment in technology integration vs. other curricular improvements (make tech part of overall curricular improvements (make tech part of overall curricular inquiry?)curricular inquiry?)

For longitudinal work such as thisFor longitudinal work such as this Appropriate thematic groupingsAppropriate thematic groupings

Solved by cross-school collaborations?Solved by cross-school collaborations? Solved by online environment for greater connections?Solved by online environment for greater connections?

Three Activities To Three Activities To Explore Teacher Explore Teacher

Technology LearningTechnology Learning Tech Skill Approach: Developing Tech Skill Approach: Developing

technology skills (e.g., technology skills (e.g., http://www.atomiclearning.comhttp://www.atomiclearning.com))

Video Cases Approach: Examining video Video Cases Approach: Examining video cases (e.g., cases (e.g., http://www.intime.uni.eduhttp://www.intime.uni.edu))

Problems of Practice Approach: Discussing Problems of Practice Approach: Discussing problems of practiceproblems of practice

After, pose question for group to discussAfter, pose question for group to discuss Based on this activity, list ideas you have for Based on this activity, list ideas you have for

using technology in your classroom for using technology in your classroom for teaching and learning? teaching and learning?

Tech Skill Approach Tech Skill Approach (PowerPoint)(PowerPoint)

Research presentation (Lecture)Research presentation (Lecture) Introduce themselves to classmateIntroduce themselves to classmate Create classroom journal - in foreign Create classroom journal - in foreign

language or artslanguage or arts Organizing ideasOrganizing ideas

OVERALL: Generated General OVERALL: Generated General Pedagogical Ideas (Techniques for any Pedagogical Ideas (Techniques for any content area)content area)

Video Case ApproachVideo Case Approach

Help students become aware of reading Help students become aware of reading strategies for reading on the computer vs. strategies for reading on the computer vs. texttext

Help students become familiar with the Help students become familiar with the nature of gaining knowledge via online toolsnature of gaining knowledge via online tools

Help students become critical decision Help students become critical decision makers as they use technologymakers as they use technology

PlagiarismPlagiarism

OVERALL: Generated Content-Specific or OVERALL: Generated Content-Specific or New Content (for Literacy)New Content (for Literacy)

Problems of Practice Problems of Practice (Mathematics)(Mathematics)

Multiplication Multiplication FractionsFractions

Pythagorean Pythagorean TheoremTheorem

Dynamic Dynamic software to software to explore explore fractions and fractions and multiplication multiplication as actionas action

Geometer’s Geometer’s SketchpadSketchpad

OVERALL: Generated Pedagogical Content OVERALL: Generated Pedagogical Content Ideas (Techniques specific to Mathematics)Ideas (Techniques specific to Mathematics)

Future InitiativeFuture Initiative

Cultivate technology inquiry groupsCultivate technology inquiry groups Access to content and technology expertsAccess to content and technology experts Develop data analysis techniques Develop data analysis techniques Conduct action research projects on inquiriesConduct action research projects on inquiries

Compile (district, state, national??) Compile (district, state, national??) database of research studiesdatabase of research studies

Interested? Email Joan at joanh@umn.eduInterested? Email Joan at joanh@umn.edu Possible funding from E2T2 GrantsPossible funding from E2T2 Grants

Comments & Comments & QuestionsQuestions

Resources for this presentation available Resources for this presentation available at: at:

http://www.umn.edu/~joanh/research.htmhttp://www.umn.edu/~joanh/research.htm