Over the course of
the past year, I have refined my interests in professional development to the
point where I knew I wanted to focus on PD offerings directly related to
educational technology. Learning to read research and ask critical questions
about it was my first task in EDUC 571: Paradigms in Research. Key points from
previous study in EDCT 586: Teaching and Learning were reinforced, but it never
failed to surprise me that while much of the work we read is peer-reviewed, it
is not flawless. The most important thing I learned is that I should looks for
trends over several studies rather than rely on a single piece. The more
evidence one has, the more likely it is to be true. Hence, my research focused
on educational technology professional development opportunities offered to
teachers in a variety of grade levels across the United States (and two
overseas).
Two key questions
guided my research in EDUC 571:
1.
What
are the best practices in technology-based professional development programs?
2.
Which
attitudes and beliefs are helpful for teachers learning new technology-related
skills and strategies, and then implementing those in the classroom? Are there
any attitudes and beliefs that serve as barriers for teachers?
Through exploration of
these questions, I gained the understanding to explain why so many professional
development programs in education fail to take root. Two findings struck me as
particularly important. First, PD must be long term; one-shot workshops do not
bring about change. Second, mentoring teacher participants can mean the
difference between change in practice and no change. As I move forward in my
research, these are key areas that will guide me to create the best possible
program for our teachers.
