Student-led PD

About 3 years ago when my son was in grade 3 I showed him how to use Prezi.  He quickly became proficient with this tool and started utilising it for some presentations he had to do at school.  When his teachers saw what he was doing they started asking him to show them some of the basics, and when they wanted to do more complex stuff they would ask my son if he knew how to do it.  He felt very good about teaching his teachers and this extra responsibility inspired him to continue learning and pushing the boundaries with Prezi - so much so that I now direct my Prezi questions to him as well.

It is no secret that our students are often more tech savvy than we are.  It is also no secret that school directed and provided PD relating to technology often does not meet the needs of the participants.  As Keane states, " 'One-off' professional development sessions or workshops do not translate to productivity in the classroom, especially when taught out of context." (2011).  So how can we provide more relevant 'just in time' PD for teachers, while at the same time utilise the vast technological skills and knowledge of our students?

The formation of a student tech club can help to identify potential student tutors - students who can work with teachers, one on one or in small groups, to help build their personal capacity with regard to the use of technology in the classroom.  The outcomes of having students lead PD for teachers could be:

1. Student self-esteem is boosted
2. Student skills and knowledge are recognised and valued
3. Teacher skills and knowledge improves (therefore so can teaching and learning)
4. Student-teacher relationships can be fostered in a different environment

If you, like most schools, are struggling to find the time and personnel resources to meet the ever increasing PD demands relating to technology, you may find that you have invaluable resources in your student population who can help.  Find out what you can learn from your students - I am sure they will appreciate it.

Reference: Keane, T. (2011). ICT Leadership in Schools Part 1. The Australian Educational Leader, 33 (4), pp. 20-24.

The Neutrality of Technology

When things go wrong we naturally try to find the cause. When people do bad things we often look for somewhere to lay the blame. The advances in technology over the past 5-10 years and the worldwide phenomenon of social networking have certainly received their share of blame for the roles they have played in cyber-bullying incidents.

I have always subscribed to the notion that technology is neutral - it is neither good or bad. How people 'choose' to use the available technologies is a different story. Parents and schools are very deliberate in their efforts to teach right from wrong and both are well aware that at some stage you have to let children exercise what they have been taught in real-life contexts.

I was delighted to read the following article and hear how some students in South Korea have been using their technology to enact positive change:

A Sunshine Policy to Combat Cyberbullies

I have seen far more positive uses of technology than I have negative - it is a shame that our natural instinct seems to be to focus on the negative.