M. Bennett Consulting

Let's Improve Tech P.D.

2012-02-16T17:07:00.000-06:00

Let’s Improve Tech Professional Development

Today’s workshop will focus on _____planning________ and ______executing______ successful Tech PD workshops, to help our Teachers achieve success with technology.

Vocab for today’s workshop:

“Tech PD” workshops / in-service plans for teaching teachers technology

*when WE are tasked with doing it. Real world practicle.. not at a conference, but at our building, at our admin office, etc..

“Tech Immigrants” FOCUS of my workshop…help YOU teaching and reaching these folks

“Tech All-stars” NOT the focus of my workshop today.. sorry.. how do we make them happy too? Problem: Workshops conducted by all-stars don’t communicate with Immigrants

CORE CONCEPT #1 When you prepare a Tech PD workshop, ____less is more_____

*They don’t need more FEATURE, BELLS WHISTLES.. they need more TIME on BASIC features, repetition, analogies, etc

CORE CONCEPT #2 Teaching “tech” is like teaching someone how to _____drive a car_____________

*How did you learn to drive?

*tangible vs. abstract?!

*many times we presume our teachers know ____already…

*learning to drive was proportional to value of certain features

CHUNK #1: Preparing a Tech PD workshop:

1. Reasonable goals / Big Picture (what is the goal of SMART Board Level 1?)

a. Whats something they can DO TOMORROW to have success?!

b. Will there be time for REVIEW and PRACTICE?

2. Chunks. Helps you set reasonable goals / keep big picture in focus / make sure to REVIEW. Don’t take any skill for granted. Just a few chunks. Chunks let you keep adults on ‘same page’ with you

a. EXAMPLE: walking through 25 buttons in a row and saying what they do is not a chunk.. focusing on one skill that utilizes a couple buttons IS a chunk.

3. VOCAB: Plan for it! Define key words software uses… that users may have NOT seen before. Ask yourself.. what words will I use will be new to them? Tech PD is filled with foreign words.. doing VOCAB up front can lay groundwork for understanding later

4. Differentiate: PLAN ON IT. Plan simultaneous tasks for all-stars / bonus tasks if they have mastered the basic skills / basic goals. PLAN for immigrants, PLAN for having bonus for the all-stars not the other way around. PLAN for time to practice basic skills so you have built-in time for all-stars to move ahead on their own with your ‘nuggets’ of bonus features

---Recap: DECIDE, and learn to discern what is CRITICAL and what is just COOL. How did you learn to drive..? --- Less is more.. practice is crucial, PLAN on it. ---

Mark Bennett | Broken Arrow, OK | 918-859-3121 | mbennettconsulting.com

CHUNK #2: Executing Tech PD:

1. Micro Tasks. (DO IT. Start small. Start with tiny achievable goals.. like driving around the parking lot) Give your tasks a real-life clear purpose.. a start, an end point.. Practical not just abstract. Give your teachers substantial time to DO IT. Repeatedly. Even if it means sacrificing cool features. multiple opportunities to see, do, and repeat the most critical basics. Don’t “show it 1 time..” have them “do it 10 times”. Guide them.. small tasks.

2. ASK repeatedly what your participants know and don't know! Don’t take any step or skill for granted

3. Utilize TEAMS for Hands On: Teams / Pairs (put allstars with immigrants à but make sure immigrants are driving and allstars helping not other way around.. My favorite is to have 1 laptop for every 2-3 people so FORCE “hands on” to happen in teams, with focus and purpose.

4. Eliminate distractions and obstacles: Laptops going to be used? Then we need to include external MICE too if our teachers haven’t ever used a touchpad mouse!… laptops have different operating system than their computer?! We’re forcing immigrants to learn additional skills on the fly… minimize as much as possible.

5. X factor stuff: Enthusiasm! Hope! Encouragement! You (the trainer, even if its for only 1 hour after school one time this year…) have MORE power and influence over the success or failure of new technology than anyone. Your attitude, your patience, (or lack thereof), will set the tone. PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE. If your teachers tell you you’re going to fast..? Then you set too high a goal, so slow down and gracefully adjust.

SUMMARY:

1. Less is more. We know we are drowning our teachers in tech – but so we need to lighten the load in our PD workshops. Find ways to train more often but with smaller goals each time. I see and hear about way more tech success when I reduced (dramatically!) the amount of content I cover in my workshops.

2. It’s like teaching them to drive. When you break down the process of learning to drive, we realize there are easy steps we take for granted: unlock car.. put the gar into drive.. gas and break, gas and break.. start small, in a parking lot… forget about the radio and airbags and climate control we need to focus on getting the car from here to there safely… Keep that analogy in mind!

Mark Bennett | Broken Arrow, OK | 918-859-3121 | mbennettconsulting.com

About Us

2010-04-16T11:03:00.007-05:00

M. Bennett Consulting provides education technology and highly specialized technology training for K-12 public schools.

LATEST NEWS: We are very excited to announce that M. Bennett Consulting now represents Turning Technologies student response "clicker" systems!

Services

2010-04-16T11:02:00.008-05:00

NEW: M. Bennett Consulting now represents Turning Technologies student response "clicker" systems. Please contact Mark directly for more information!

In addition to representing Turning Technologies, we provide energetic and effective Half Day, Full Day, and Multi Day on-site workshops and in-class instructional 'coaching' sessions for teachers using SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards, SMART Response systems, etc.

In addition to SMART Master Trainers, M. Bennett Consulting also provides eInstruction Training Consultants for eInstruction CPS, ExamView, Interwrite Learning and Interwrite Response (PRS).

Client Comments

2009-10-18T10:28:00.010-05:00

"Mark Bennett's intuition is surpassed only by his intentional instruction. He meets the needs of our school district and our individual teachers by providing 'just in time' professional development. Teachers can implement what they learn about technology immediately. Teachers at Union are always ready for Mark to visit their building."

Lisa Witcher
Director of Professional Development
Union Public Schools, Tulsa, Oklahoma

"M. Bennett Consulting has provided our district with superior customer service and support. We very much appreciate their passion and care which directly contributes to our teachers and students' desire to use new technologies."

Kimberly Park
K-12 Instructional Technologies Coordinator
Fayetteville Public Schools, Fayetteville, Arkansas

"Mark knows how to work with teachers - he makes it fun but also very informative. He will not disappoint you. Teachers always leave his training sessions feeling like the time spent was well worth it."

George Lieux
Professional Development
Fort Smith Public Schools, Fort Smith, Arkansas

Comments about other M. Bennett Consulting team members:

"Kellie did very well and my teachers loved her..."

Steve Ziegler, Principal
Clarksville Primary School, Clarksville, Arkansas

"Just wanted to let you know what a great job Kurt did today for my Inservice... he was able to help my teachers tremendously. He's a good presenter.... personable, knowledgeable with just the right amount of humor... I hope he'll be able to come back..."

Tammie Shepherd
Copan Schools, Copan, Oklahoma

Training Clients

2009-10-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

Union Schools, Tulsa OK
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Eigth Floor (TCC), Tulsa OK
Fayetteville Schools, Fayetteville AR
Fort Smith Schools, Fort Smith AR
Bentonville Schools, Bentonville AR
Copan Schools, Copan OK
Clarksville Schools, Clarksville AR
Russellville Schools, Russellville AR
Pickett Schools, Ada OK
Tecumseh Schools, Tecumseh OK
Dermott Schools, Dermott AR
Kansas Schools, Kansas OK
Gordon Cooper Tech, Shawnee OK
Warren Schools, Warren AR
DeQueen Schools, DeQueen OK
Bixby Schools, Bixby OK
Afton Schools, Afton OK
Chouteau Schools, Choateau OK
Indian Capitol Technology Centers, OK
Maryetta School, Stilwel OK
Norwood Schools, Hulbert OK
Rocky Mountain Schools, OK