District Administration - January 2009 - (Page 86)

Technology, Reading & Learning Diversity Conference Presenter January 22-24, 2009 Professional oPinion • Mary Krenz Teaching adults requires strategies that work for them. asking aDULTs TO TakE PaRT in a professional development workshop will increase the likelihood of its success. Research tells us that adults learn best when they have control over what they learn, engage collaboratively with others, and connect new knowledge to what they already know. One theorist, David kolb, uses an adult learning cycle of experiencing, processing, generalizing, and applying knowledge (see “David a. kolb on Experiential Learning,” www.infed.org/ biblio/b-explrn.htm). i use his framework within the structure of my professional development sessions, with good results. To demonstrate this framework, let’s see what a half-day workshop to support struggling writers looks like. experience Knowledge after introductions and housekeeping details are shared, i acknowledge my respect for the participants by addressing them as leaders and informing them that the workshop will need their input to be successful. This helps to defuse the notion that i’m the expert and they’re the students. i give 10 minutes to participants to list their goals for the workshop by completing this sentence: “as a result of this workshop i will be able to …” Members understand they are holding the group accountable for the goals’ achievement. next, i set the stage for examining the participants’ beliefs and establish common background knowledge with a brainstorm activity called “Carousel Brainstorming.” Participants rotate around the room in small groups, stopping at posted charts to answer the following and writing their responses on paper posted with the chart: • What writing challenges do your students face? • What strategies are being used to sup86 January 2009 educating the educators “talking the topic through.” This phase allows them to organize and clarify their thinking. To assist the group in processing new information, i ask about the software, then about how it would fit into daily instruction, then for individuals’ thoughts and feelings. Generalizing Knowledge after adults experience and process new Mary Krenz teaches a Leader Summit Training knowledge, they must generalize it and session implementing a framework for software connect it to their everyday life, so i break tools that would increase the literacy perforthe audience into smaller, homogeneous mance of students. groups of primary teachers, secondary teachers and administrators. i ask them port your students? • What approaches empower your to discuss how this software tool will supstruggling writers to become indepen- port the writing challenges students’ face. Each group should emerge with ideas and dent and successful? i review the answers by grouping simi- define a vision for success. lar ideas together and asking clarifying questions. This shared experience estab- applying Knowledge lishes the “purpose for learning” of the application begins to take root when sosoftware. Referring back to the answers lutions to students’ writing challenges are during the workshop keeps our discussion connected to the supports the software tool provides. Committing to the impleconnected to their students. i personalize the workshop by using mentation can be enhanced by writing their initiatives, their language, and their a plan or “contract” that includes the reacronyms. This customization invokes a sources needed, a timeline, tools for meapositive response from the group. When suring success, an identification of who is you begin with a structured experience, responsible, and ideas for how the model in this case a Carousel Brainstorm, what might be replicated. By discussing in emerges is common ground on which to small groups and sharing ideas with the larger group, the process supports the acfoster discussion. countability of the application. i’ve learned that adults need to enProcessing Knowledge The software demonstration begins with gage in lively discussion as they take on the computer screen projected so that all new knowledge. i hope you catch my encan see. Participants then work through thusiasm. Think about the last time you the software together. Finally, i allow learned something new. What made it an them to “play” on their own as i circle optimal learning experience for you? DA the room answering questions. UnderMary Krenz is director of professional services standing begins by using this gradual at Don Johnston Inc. and chairperson of the “release of responsibility” technique. TRLD (Technology, Reading and Learning kolb’s processing section suggests Diversity) Conference. District Administration http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - January 2009

District Administration - January 2009
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Security
Facilities & Construction
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Conversations
Leadership Books
Research Center
District Web Site Essentials
The Second Annual X-Factor Student Achievement Grant
Social Studies for the 21st Century
Tech Disruptions
Professional Opinion
New Products
Product Focus
Understanding the Times

District Administration - January 2009