PART B: Application of TPACK -- The Wicked Problem

A I recently learned in Session 2, there is a formal name for teaching teachers or Professional Development. I will therefore be using andragogy to teach my fellow teachers how to use the Compass Learning program.

I have found that training other teachers or Professional Development is successful when things are broken down into steps and can be accessed after the initial training has finished. This training would cover the four needs Malcolm Knowles outlined: I will address why the staff needs to know it; it will build on their previous experiences with PowerPoint and the initial Compass Learning training; it will be presented as a problem I want to solve for them; and it will be relevant as teachers are expressing a need for help on using Compass Learning.

I have decided to use PowerPoint as the technology to deliver my training for several reasons:

1. Teachers in my building are more familiar with PowerPoint than using videos.
2. As Brian pointed out, PowerPoint might be easier for my district to utilize in the future.
3. I would not have to worry if a teacher’s computer does not have the ability to play a video because it is out of date. All computers in the district seem to have PowerPoint and I can save it in Word 97-2003 format to ensure it is compatible for them.
4. Teachers can be given print outs of the slide show with an area to take notes on. Teachers would be able to click through the slides at their own pace after the initial training has been completed.

PowerPoint will make the content knowledge (learning how to use Compass Learning) more accessible to teachers because I can use it to directly show teachers how to do tasks in Compass Learning step-by-step. I can insert screen shots and audio to enhance what I am teaching them. Those functions will help those teachers who just need to “see it” without have to use video. I feel a lot of the teachers in my building would just be overwhelmed it I put the content into a video. They would struggle with getting the video to play and give up on trying to learn what I am showing them about Compass Learning.

However if I put it into a PowerPoint format, teachers can watch the presentation. They can take notes. I can make it a hands on activity by having them open the Compass Learning program and do each step or each task as I explain it and not have to pause a video. The PowerPoint would be available for access after the fact. I could also print out the PowerPoint presentation to act as a pseudo manual to reference as well.

Again, I have chosen to make sure that focus on using andragogy to create a quality professional development experience. As a teacher in the same building, I am uniquely aware of the technology limitations and the nervousness that older staff members have when it comes to learning technology. In some ways, I feel that because of this, I can address these issues more effectively than a trainer coming in from the outside. I can use the same terminology that I know my colleagues use every day to help them understand exactly what I am doing so that they are not caught up in trying to translate what they are being taught into what they already know.