Internet Research for TechQuest

The Search:
As I began researching professional development for interactive whiteboards a few things quickly became apparent. First, there are a horrendous number of name brands and interchangeable terms referring to the same basic technology. Second, the majority of research focuses around subject-specific training. Third, effective training requires extensive hands-on training with meaningful follow-up. In this portion of my TechQuest I will discuss some of the lessons that I have learned in my research thus far and what direction the information that I have discovered is pushing me in.

As noted above, one of the first challenges that I encountered when searching for research had to do with simple semantics. While my school uses “smart” brand boards, this is just one of many brands and often times the information focuses around a particular system. The general term for these tools is interactive whiteboards, often shortened to IWB’s. My initial search was done using ProQuest and I was able to find a considerable number of articles involving general professional development and new technology training, as well as a couple of articles dealing with interactive whiteboard training. I also searched for articles using WilsonSelectPlus, ERIC, GoogleScholar, and I explored TechLearning.com. Each of these resources presented some useful articles and an unfortunate number of dead ends. Sadly, many research studies required a subscription to view them, while some promising dissertations were only available through other university libraries. Despite these challenges I found a substantial amount or research concerning professional development in the use of interactive whiteboards on a school-wide basis.

The Results:
My research thus far has brought up results focused around three primary subjects: general strategies for effective professional development for technology resources, case studies of interactive whiteboard training programs in schools, and tips and advice specifically centered around interactive whiteboard training. I believe that this combination or resources will help me to develop an effective hybrid training program which utilizes hands-on staff involvement and interaction with electronic resources to support and reinforce the training sessions.

General Strategies
This TechQuest marks my first foray into the world of planning professional development for my schools staff, and as such, I felt that it was important to look into what is needed for professional development to be as effective and painless as possible for both the instructor and the staff involved. In this research I found a great deal of literature focused around professional development in teacher technology use. In “An analysis of barriers and possible solutions in integrating computer technology into middle school curriculum: Findings from a mixed-method approach,” by Lois Cavucci the author surveyed teachers about the barriers to implementing technology in their classrooms. From these surveys, two of the top five barriers highlighted by the respondents were a lack of training and lack of time to learn how to implement technology in their instruction. Beth Coghlan also pointed out in “Addressing the barriers to technology integration” that there are four commonly noted barriers to technology integration: lack of tools, time, training, and support.

While the lack of time and training is quite obvious in my own setting, it is the atmosphere that this fosters that is troubling to me. We have an amazing tool at our disposal yet, due to the discomfort and uncertainty of my staff, many teachers do not feel comfortable taking risks and incorporating their interactive whiteboards into their pedagogical approach. In, “When teachers' computer literacy doesn't go far enough,” Cathy Jones noted that, in order for teachers to effectively integrate technology in their teaching, they must feel confident and competent in the training and use of the technology. In addition, in her article “Tech support: Preparing teachers to use technology,” Jones noted that simply having technology in the classroom does not lead to integration. Teachers need effective training in order for this investment to be effective. Cole explains in her article, “Technology has found its way into our schools...now what? ,” that the widespread purchase and distribution of technology to classroom teachers cannot be effective unless those teachers are given the training needed to use the tools with confidence.

So what have I learned from the research that I can apply to my TechQuest? In “Teachers As Learners: Implications Of Adult Education For Professional Development,” Amy Beavers points out that the key to effective and long-lasting professional development is collaboration and interaction during the initial training with continued follow up to reinforce the knowledge that was learned. Green and Cifuentes also support this idea in their article, “An Exploration of Online Environments Supporting Follow-Up to Face-to-Face Professional Development.” They also note that, while online support programs can be helpful to reinforce professional development it is most effective when it allows for collaboration and dialogue between the participants. As such, I plan on developing an online communication tool that will allow the staff at my building to easily share tips and tricks that they have learned with one another to continue their education beyond our group sessions.

Case Studies
With the background knowledge of general technology professional development underway I began exploring resources from educators who had either attempted to introduce whiteboard training programs or who had observed a program of this sort. In 2001, researchers Derek Glover and David Miller conducted a research case study entitled “Running with technology: the pedagogic impact of the large-scale introduction of interactive whiteboards in one secondary school,” which centered on the introduction of interactive whiteboards and the associated training. In this study the authors interviewed and surveyed teachers within the program to discover what they felt about the training and use of whiteboards in their school. The teachers generally stated that simple technique training is not enough to make whiteboards an effective educational resource. Teachers also need support in changing their pedagogical approach in order for whiteboards to be used to their full potential. In other words, rather than simply teaching the “how” of interactive whiteboards, training must also support the “why.” The most effective way that the authors noted to accomplish this is by supporting a mutual coaching relationship where staff members from various curriculum's can work together to develop resources and pedagogical strategies best suited to their content area.

In another case study entitled, “Teachers Tell Their Story: Interactive Whiteboards at Richardson Primary School,” Beth Lee and Maureen Boyle interviewed teachers who were going through interactive whiteboard training to discover what they felt was most effective in their training. One of the reoccurring statements of many teachers interviewed was that in order for training to be effective it must be followed up with opportunities for hands-on follow up and interactions. In addition, time must be given for teachers to collaboratively develop resources to share with fellow teachers in order to avoid overwhelming teachers with the sheer volume of “reinventing” ways to teach using a new tool.

Tips and Advice
The final area that I researched was tips and advice about how to go about creating an effective professional development program for my schools staff. Luckily for me, Diane Coggins wrote an excellent article for TechLearning.com entitled, “How to Introduce New Technology to a Staff,” which focuses on her own plan for developing a staff training program for interactive whiteboards. In this article, Coggins highlights the various steps needed in order to introduce interactive whiteboards into the school, obtain funding, and develop staff training. She stressed once again that simply having the technology is not enough. Teachers require training and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through mini-workshops that allow modeling demonstrations and training while also providing practice time to the teachers attending. In “Teacher adoption of interactive whiteboards,” J. Rosevear notes that in order for interactive whiteboards to be used effectively and be truly integrated into the pedagogical practices of teachers, their must be an investment of time put into meaningful instruction and training.