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Article Excerpt
This article discusses the staff development strategies included in the technology plans of 27 school districts. There was evidence that districts were moving toward long-term development strategies as opposed to a series of "one-shot" activities. Many plans called for strategies for follow-up support and addressed various levels of teachers' concerns about the implementation of technology. Some evaluation efforts included measures of teacher and student performance. The article concludes with recommendations for strengthening technology staff development initiatives to increase the likelihood that they will result in improved teaching and learning
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Policy makers and administrators do not always support staff development for teachers. The typical rationale is easy to understand. Teachers describe negative staff development experiences in great detail. "Presenters were not familiar with the needs and interests of the teachers in the audience." "Participants were expected to sit still and listen to information that was irrelevant to their students." "The presenters demonstrated some interesting software, but there were no opportunities to try it ourselves!" It is not surprising that when workshops are over, many ideas that were presented go unused in classrooms. Fullan and Stiegelbauer (1991) observed that "nothing has promised so much and has been so frustratingly wasteful as the thousands of workshops and conferences that led to no significant change in practice when the teachers returned to their classrooms" (p. 315). Unfortunately, their observation continues to strike a familiar chord.
On the other hand, staff development can be helpful. When groups of teachers are planning to implement new programs, staff development is often the first strategy they suggest. This is particularly true in the area of technology, and it reflects a continuing faith that staff development is an effective strategy for implementing change in education. There is broad recognition that teachers must have new knowledge and develop new skills and attitudes before they can teach others about technology or integrate technology into their classroom instruction in meaningful ways. In fact, many technology grant initiatives require a staff development plan as a condition for funding and then support the staff development strategies if the proposal is funded. However, the link between staff development and implementation is not automatic. Workshops and conferences, by themselves, do little to ensure that technology will be used in our schools and classrooms in ways that improve student learning.
Technology staff development is big business, and a continuing emphasis on technology in education provides a unique opportunity to shift the culture of staff development away from "one-shot dog and pony shows" to delivery models that promise more lasting effects. To accomplish that shift, staff development strategies must extend over time, respond to the needs and concerns of teachers, and impact student learning.
In 1995, the North Carolina General Assembly designated specific funds for educational technology. The funds were distributed to local school districts through a grants program administered by the NC Department of Public Instruction. Local district technology plans were required to specify needs, goals, and strategies in the areas of hardware, software, technical support, and staff development. This article presents the results of a review of the local technology plans of the 27 school districts in the northeastern part of the state. The purpose of the review was to identify the staff development strategies that were included in those plans and to highlight examples of strategies supported by research as most likely to result in improved teaching and learning. The results can be used to strengthen planning for technology initiatives. Research on staff development is reviewed first. Sample strategies from the district technology plans are discussed next. Finally, recommendations for strengthening technology st aff development and increasing the likelihood of classroom implementation and improved student learning are summarized.
RESEARCH ON STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Three themes from theory and research on staff development were used to review and discuss the strategies included in the plans: the effects of staff development, teachers' concerns about an innovation, and the evaluation of staff development activities.
The Effects of Staff Development
Joyce and Showers (1995) recognized that the effect of staff development on student learning could not be measured until the staff development had been implemented in the classroom. Therefore, they began their study of staff development efforts by examining three levels of impact.
1. Did teachers understand the concepts that were presented in the staff development activity?
2. Could teachers demonstrate the new skills?
3. Did teachers use the new information and skills in their classroom?
Next, they identified four "incremental" categories of staff development activities:
1. presentation of theory;
2. theory and modeling or demonstration;
3. theory, demonstration, and opportunities to practice with low-risk feedback; and
4. theory, demonstration, practice, and follow-up through coaching, study groups, or peer visits.
The impact of the each type of staff development activity is described (National Staff Development Council (NSDC), 1995) and presented in Table 1.
Presentation of theory. When staff developers talk to a group of teachers and present theory and information, the typical "one-shot dog-and-pony show," relatively few teachers (5-10%) make changes in their classroom teaching behavior. In other words, 90 percent or more of the investment in instructional improvement is lost. Theory and demonstration. If the presenter includes a demonstration in the staff development presentation, the results are only slightly better.
Theory, demonstration, and practice. When the staff development activity includes a presentation of theory and information, a demonstration, and additional time for the participants to practice the skill and receive feedback, there is a marked increase in the number of teachers who can demonstrate the skill. Still, only a few more teachers actually use the new skill in the classroom.
Theory, demonstration, practice, and follow-up. When staff development efforts include a presentation of theory and information,...
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