This week I have taken the step to email my administrator to let them know I would like to share with them an electronic portfolio I have set up with my class. My administrator wrote back, suggesting not to tell my peers that this is a mandated item they must do…I agree with her…I would like my peers to buy into an electronic portfolio through its own merits, which are…a great place to store items, provides another purpose for completing an assignment if students know it is going to have a longer life than being thrown in the garbage can. It will be easy to use as the students will be trained in using it in one class and will be able to carry this forward to other classes. I hope all these reasons will get the teachers motivated to use it…If not I will resort to the students using peer pressure “when are we going to put this into our electronic portfolio?” “Can I put it in now, I know how to do it?”. The next step would be to develop an generic reflection piece, a “scaffolding technique” mentioned by Ertmer and Simons (2006), by developing a routine, a structure to the openness of an electronic portfolio, will help ease the stress of using it.
Ertmer, P., & Simons, K. (Spring 2006). Jumping the PBL implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K-12 teachers. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1(1), 40–54. Retrieved from http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=ijpbl.
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Lori to James:
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it just frustrate you to know the fight that colleagues will put up because they are encouraged to grow and change. Imagine the response they would have if their students reacted like this?
I am constantly trying to word things so that my educated, trained, paid, professional colleagues will do the right thing bytheir students. It is situations like this that give educators the bad wrap we so do not need.
HOw can we as technology leaders fix this?? If our administrators realize that their would be a huge mutany how are we supposed to promote it?
Our poor technology teacher leader just had to inform everyone of a required proficiency exam we all must take and I felt a burning in my gut by the comments and reactions these adults had for her.
Good luck James! Thansk for being a productive teacher leader that is looking ot for our children!
LORI POWERS
James,
ReplyDeleteI admire the determination that will drive your efforts. I understand how difficult it can be to get other professionals to get on board with the new wave of technology. It seems many are stuck in the dark ages, but some are there by choice. I applaud your use of students to help bring others into the 21st century. Electronic portfolios are wonderful tools that our students will use when they continue their education. Learning how to effectively "grow" a portfolio will only benefit them in the future. Keep up the good work with your students, and good luck as you continue to educatuate other professionals at your school.