Jan
9
Written by:
Dan Maas
1/9/2009
Recently, I stopped by Randy Stall's desk when he shared some survey results of an online course he helped deliver on web 2.0 in the classroom...
The professional development that goes on in the Littleton Public Schools is always of good quality. Recently, I received the survey results of a Web 2.0 course conducted by Randy Stall and Dana Levesque during the fall. Here is Randy's description of the course:
LPS Learning 2.0 Online Class
Transforming classroom instruction starts with transforming teacher instruction. Last fall, the District Integration Specialists tried a new approach to staff development for LPS. It is called LPS Learning 2.0 and it uses Web 2.0 tools to train teachers how to use Web 2.0 tools to change the approach they use with their students in the classroom.
The concept of the class is to give teachers in LPS an avenue to start learning about the wide variety of Web 2.0 tools that are available on the Internet. The topics range from wikis to blogs to social bookmarking to online communications and many more. They learn how to use the tools then spend time investigating how these tools can transform the way they are conducting their classroom activities. All of this is accomplished in a self paced online atmosphere. They create a personal learning network of peers in the class as well as the class instructors to exchange thoughts and ideas about 21st Century classroom practice.
The response for enrollment into the class from the teachers in Littleton has been overwhelming.
In reviewing the results, people were generally satisfied with the course. A number of comments gave us some good lessons including working for more depth and less breadth in our plans. Respondents told us that the number of required comments in wikis and blogs sometimes seemed redundant and that the amount of content covered should have resulted in more credit. The message was clear that the world of Web 2.0 is big and we should think about focussing our efforts.
The energy for this course is high and we already have filled our seats for the next round. Lessons I take awya from this effort include how important it is to have a focus and not to underestimate just how much work it takes to perform in an online class. While people seem to still hold the stigma of online as easier than face-to-face training, I think it can often go the other way.
To Randy, Dana and all the teachers who participated in this venture, good job!