Between 2009 and 2011, I led technology institutes at several schools. During these week-long sessions held in the summer, I worked with teachers to develop technology skills. In most cases, these were taught from the perspective of “a new starting line” as the teachers had become complacent with technology and several new tools (hardware, software, and web services) had been developed, and they had not learned about any of them.
For these institutes, I wrote brief books in which I identified the skill, gave a rationale for it, then left space for the participants to record whatever they needed so they could continue to perform the skill with independence later. We all found this to be a very successful model for professional development. Four of the books survive, and are available here:
- The New Starting Line: Information Technology Skills and Knowledge for the 21st Century Educator, 2009
- Starting Line 2011 21st Century Skills for Educators
- Technology in Your Classroom
- Flipped with Purpose (this one does not have space for participants to write notes)