The basic technology tool kit of a teacher in 2009 has exploded from something filling a small handbag in 1999, to a full set of luggage in the last decade.
In 1999 we would have taken for granted that a teacher could use pen (in several colours), pencil and paper, could operate a photocopier and telephone and we would have presumed they had a driver's licence. Since then, with the exponential growth of technologies in our schools, the list of what we take for granted that a teacher can do and use is extensive.
We have an immersive eLearning environment, and we want to let new teachers know what will be taken for granted - without being overwhelming!! Tall order. This needs to acknowledge new teachers will be a mixture of beginners and experienced teachers and have used a variety of operating systems on computers. Help us create our list of skills that are as basic as breathing for new teachers to our school in 2010. Anything you would add or subtract would be appreciated in the comments.
Here we go....
As we induct new teachers for the year beginning 2010, we are creating a list of what we would expect that teachers know how to do. Just as no judgement is offered when from time to time we encounter a teacher who doesn't drive a car, the list following is not 'success criteria'. But to function effortlessly in the 2010 environment we WILL presume the following:
All our teachers are able to:
- check an email account daily and manage it efficiently
- use a computer or laptop and trouble shoot basic functions ie on/off, connect to printer, connection to internet
- use the internet to search, find information and to communicate
- particpate in online environments eg blogs or forums or Nings or Trademe or Facebook etc
- manage music files in software eg in iTunes
- manage photo files using software
- download photos from a camera
- use a word processing document efficiently
- store and retrieve data from a hard drive eg your computer
- access Google Docs
- edit a short video clip using simple software ( was "create a movie" - changed due to feedback below *)
All our teachers are able to use the following independently:
- video camera
- still camera
- laptop
- cellphone
All our teachers will need to learn quickly (with help available) once on the job:
- administer a student blog ie upload content, manage commenting, manage student use
- edit online pages e.g blog or Google sites or KnowledgeNet
- social networking
- store and retrieve from network
- Google Apps - personally and with students
- how record and edit audio
- a graphics programme your level of students is using (e.g Kidpix, Hyperstudio, Pixelmator, Photoshop)
- create a basic presentation eg Keynote or Google or Prezi or Powerpoint
- MacOS basics
- saving files in a variety of file formats (e.g .mov,.dv, .jpg, .aiff, .doc etc)
- student management system
- printing to networked copiers
- use of sound field
- use of data projector
- use PhotoBooth
Do you mean new grad teachers or teachers in general?
ReplyDeleteTeachers in general. Any new staff arriving at the school for the start of next year is what staretd this train of thought.
ReplyDeleteI like that you have a list of expectations vs skill sets around technology use and identify what teachers will be supported to learn once on the job.
ReplyDeleteHow important is it to demonstrate a disposition to be willing to learn and try new ways of working and also be able to apply what you already know?
An interesting list, and idea!
ReplyDeleteThe 3rd item on the list (use the internet to search, find information and to communicate), should probably have some of the other items listed under it - eg - participate in online environments, use Google docs.
Most people would say they can find information on the internet, but I very few who can actually search efficiently and effectively. So, is this where you'll need to go a step further and have a rubric....
Create a movie - hmmm, does this need to be more precise?
Thanks to @Fiona and @Carol for sharing your thoughts. I have already been back into the Google Doc we are working on to make some changes as a result :)
ReplyDeleteThis was very clearly a checklist of eTool skills - something we have never done before with teachers. We don't want to go near rubrics (even thought that may add clarity Carol) because we are wanting to be very clear that this is NOT a success criteria. More a 'piece of string' to gauge progress. Current teachers have already fed back that A. it is good to see a transparent list to remove the feeling of 'am I doing enough' and B. they felt it is affirming to see a list in writing of things they are competent at. So many teachers feel overwhelmed or inadequate when faced with eTools.
You are right Fiona about the disposition to try new things is essential - but we are hopeful that was ascertained in the employment interviews ;)
Also doesn't have any of the ethics and digital citizenship stuff here. But we have masses of paperwork on all of that. This is a list we have never done before....
Actually, I was just kidding about the rubric :-) What a dreadful thought!
ReplyDeleteStore and retrieve data is an interesting one - creating folders and labelling files accurately and saving them into appropriate folders on a network may be something to add to your list. The issue of accurate labelling leads next to the creation of tags and labels for web 2.0 tools, too - eg Delicious, blogs etc.
Carol
@Carol - That is an interesting thought, scaffolding for tagging begins with the basics of mangaging files on a network. We had quite a discussion over the wording of the save and retrieve data one. We thought that a keen BT should not be disadvantaged by not having had access to a network in the past. We thought that if you had a well organised HD on your computer the skills would probably transfer very easily.
ReplyDeleteI certainly take your point from your first comment about most people not using Google to search efficiently. The memory lingers from my day at the GooglePlex of watching searches roll in from round the world for words like "Sport" and "Food". You wonder what people do with the millions of hits they must get....
Hi Dorothy
ReplyDeleteI'm drafting out a similar list of expectations for our staff. We are grouping them into levels - maybe Level 1 to Level 5. As teachers progress they receive a certificate to show where they are at. Also workshop will be run by various staff members on a regular basis to support them. What do you think? I'll email you a draft.
Jeff
I would add something there at the basic level to have a desktop background that is not so busy that you can't even see the eighty downloads to desktop.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the list is being revised, added to for 2011.