teaching.mrstacey.org.uk

Over here Doug Belshaw is asking for help drawing up the job description for his new role as ‘E-learning tutor’. Rather than leave a lengthy thread there, I’d thought I’d add more thoughts here…

Doug,

As you know I’ve been battling this one myself (although unofficially) for the last couple of years. For what it’s worth, here’s a few reflections on what’s worked, what hasn’t (and why) and how we’ll be taking it forward in the future.

We’re moving towards a three pronged approach to staff development. There will be a minimum level of effective ICT use that every classroom teacher will be expected to display, with training and support to help them get there. ¹. 

At the top end we’re looking to recruit a small number of teachers from a few departments who will work with us over the next academic year to move a number of their units of work on to the school VLE and experiment with various online tools. They’ll be supported with resources, and time outside of their classroom to develop this. Our future approach for the rest of the school will very much depend on their experience. 

In the middle we’re also looking to support the growing number of teachers who want to ‘give it a go’. We’re going to get them all set up as course creators on the school moodle, give them a basic intro and see where they go with it. Support will be available (although nowhere near to the extent you’re going to be able to offer), although the form that takes will be driven by them.

From next year we will have the full support of the SLT in encouraging departments to adopt e-learning. This is also tied in to environmental awareness of the enormous volume of paper that is being used by the school, and some of the e-learning budget is coming from reduced reprographics budgets to departments. This ‘top down’ element, meeting our ‘bottom up’ approach will (I hope) make a big difference both to staff perception, and to impact. 

Be prepared for some set backs. Realise, going in to this, that not everyone will see the relevance or need for this, not have an interest in it, and in some cases will be genuinely frightened, as they know they will end up demonstrating to pupils that there is something they are not a master of. Focus, at least on the short term, on those that are willing. And more of those will come out of the woodwork over time.

Don’t offer too much choice. In the past I’ve tried offering staff a range of tools to suit their possible various needs and the take up has been negligible. Now we’re switching to having Moodle as our sole focus, people are stopping me in the corridor and asking me how to use it. I read a great quote the other day -’If you chase two rabbits, you will lose both’. Remember that. 

Although we haven’t addressed this issue yet, the idea of working with parents is an excellent one ². I’ve been conscious of it since listening to the Edtechroundup podcast with Ollie Bray and I would have thought the kind of ideas he’s suggesting would be an excellent addition to your role, and show it in the wider context

As for how you measure it? Set yourself some hard and fast targets at the start of the year (Number of staff trained, number of additional lessons being taught in an ICT suite…) Focus (at least for now) on targets you can control, so be careful of setting numbers of teachers adopting specific technologies. Towards the end of the year, collect some data both from staff and students on the perceived impact and needs, and (if you can) follow it up with a focus group. We did this with some pupils after the pilot year of SMART and their input and perspective were very useful. 

This is one I’ll be watching with interest, especially as we embark on something similar at the same time. I must say I’m VERY jealous of the time you’ve been given for this, but I’ve no doubt you’ll make the most of it