Session 4 by Cissy

What Professional Development happens in your workplace? 

I have ever been a trainee teacher in the youth department Hangzhou Branch of Global IELTS, at that time, this school was prepared to set up a small-sized library for students and increase the chances for students to use resource online.

What strategies does your organization have in place to encourage development, change and innovation?

Strategies:

Care for old:

Implementation strategies to encourage the use of ICT in traditionally important teaching practices (as “care”):

è providing training on baseline technology skills for teachers and students,

è provision of a good technology infrastructure including computer access and network connectivity to teachers and students,

è challenging the teacher training institutes to systematically integrate ICT in the teacher education programs as well as to become actively involved in supporting the change process, and

è establishment of centers for learning technology in teacher training institutes to support the institute & related schools in the systematic integration of ICT for educational purposes.

1.      The institution provides a special time for teachers to collect、classify and upload the learning materials to the blogs and learning community online. And there is teacher can provide technical support.

2.      The office in this institution equips with computers for teachers, and multimedia equipment in classrooms and small-sized library.

Courage for new:

Implementation strategies to support the development & adoption of emergent teaching practices (as “courage”):

è stimulation, solicitation and funding of proposals that aim to create examples of desired future arrangements of education that integrates the use of ICT in ways that would develop students’ lifelong learning abilities, and move schools in the direction of a learning organization,

è establishment of an experimental teacher training institute to develop and experiment with new approaches to teacher education with the aim to transfer knowledge and experiences to regular training institutes, and engage universities and research centres in research integrated with programs of action on the use of technology in education to develop an adequate knowledge base to guide school efforts.

1.      Teachers will discuss how to use these equipment to make class diversity. And they will design new form classes together.

2.      Students are willing to try new kind of classes, and parents are happy to see the learning resource about class at home. They can give guidance and students can learn anywhere and anytime.
References:
Argyris, C.; Schön, D. (1978). Organizational Learning: A theory of action perspective. Reading MA: Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0201001748. Bontis, Nick; 
Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning (Ed.). (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. [online].  Retrieved 31 October, 2011 from http://www.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/
Drucker, P.F. (1999) Knowledge-Worker Productivity: The Biggest Challenge, California Management Review, 41, 2, Winter,pp.79-94. 
Drucker, P.F. (1997) My life as a Knowledge Worker, Inc. Feb. 97, 76-82. 
Imants, J. (2003). "Two basic mechanisms for organizational learning in schools". European Journal of Teacher Education 26 (3): 293–311.