Tag Archives: School Administrator

Bringing Professional Development and Tech into a 1:1 District

Photo by Ben Rosett - Unsplash.comMuch is made of the effect a 1:1 move has on students in a school district. But what about the teachers and administration? How are they affected and what can they do to better handle the change? This is the premise behind Edutopia’s piece about bringing professional development into a 1:1 district. In the article, they focus on the Salisbury Township School District and its mission to not only bring 1:1 devices to the students in the district but also change the mindset of its teachers and administration as well.

[1:1] requires a shift in mindset and in the daily practices of school leaders, teachers, and students. In order to support school leaders and teachers to become their most effective at using digital technologies with new pedagogies, it is vital that a district support the digital transformation through varied building-level and district-level professional learning opportunities.

Changing the mindset and daily practices is no small task, but Edutopia gives us some helpful hints:

  1. Align PD goals with 1:1 program goals – with goals clearly defined, professional development efforts can be fine-tuned.
  2. Rethink use of human resources – rethink the human and financial resources dedicated to supporting change.
  3. Personalize the PD program through differentiation and choice –  adult learners come to the work environment with a variety of knowledge.
  4. Instructional Technology Cohorts – professional development took the form of a cohort model over three years.
  5. Summer Academy – professional learning offerings has been provided for professional and support staff.
  6. Conferences and Workshops – encourage staff to attend conferences and workshops offered outside the district.
  7. Learning for School Leaders – school and district leaders meets monthly in a lunch and learn format.
  8. Evaluate PD efforts to meet developing needs – professional development should be monitored and evaluated to stay relevant.

Read the whole article now!

Image credit: http://unsplash.com/BenRosett licensed under CC0 1.0

20 Great Blogs by and for Education Administrators

think hardPamela DeLoatch of Edudemic writes,

It’s not easy being a school administrator.  As leader of your school or department, it may be difficult to find peers you can confide in, discuss challenges or get insights.

DeLoatch combats tough administrative issues with a list of 20 blogs that can come as welcome assistance for education administrators.  Most of them are written by and for administrators, but some “are written from people who aren’t in the trenches, and can provide a different, but necessary perspective.”  See the post now for the list, which includes brief descriptions.

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/o4dqj4s, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0