What teachers know . . . NOT!

So here's the deal,

I was just at an HOA meeting for my community and a candidate for the Educatoin Board spoke to us and educated us about changes that need to take place in the school system.

The speaker provided a scenario in which she visited a school and noticed that the teachers were provided with new technological equipment and resources to assist in their instruction or the learning of students but had made limited attempts to use all of the resources. When she questioned an administrator, he/she replied that their "older" teachers are a bit resistant and uncomfortable using the new resources so the school just "waits" for them to try it or eventually leave and they get new teachers with more skills.

The speaker made the point that in the regular job force, you either catch up with the work force or get fired and replaced. The point being that the teachers need to be proactive and start using the equipment and follow new standards as they arise.

My issue with that is, like our "roll out" of Edline, NO LEVEL OF TRAINING WAS PROVIDED (either formal or informal). And I'm finding this is usually the case.

Administrators with the forethought to move along with current advances and add new systems and technology to schools need to work out a deal with the sellers or vendors of these resources so that they can train the users.

This is not new, its common protocol for responsible leaders.

Edline Continued

Well,

So far, it as been quicker to simply instruct the few individuals in my department hands-on via a demo and I sit with them as they set up their grade books. I have offered to work with the contact for Edline and want to possibly set up a workshop and demo.

I have an interest in diffusion and adoption of this program and will analyze it further. I have seen no real change management occur thus far.

Edline - Who Knows?

I am currently working in Edline and am finding it hard to get support for small glitches or access issues. Is this common? Does anyone really know Edline? I was able to get help (visual instruction) from a co-worker who toyed with it as I did but "got it".

FORESEABLE BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION
We are fortunate to have an assigned "contact" amongst our faculty for Edline assistance. Unfortunately, this person has just about the same schedule as the rest of us; causing me to assume any assistance will be on her spare time- responses will not be timely and physical/ hands-on attention will not be available (its just not possible).

INITIATIVE FOR THE GREATER GOOD
I have resigned to assign myself as the liason for my particular departement. We currently have 7 faculty in my department. I plan to read the manual front to back, develop the Edline gradebook for my class and demonstrate it as a model for my co-workers individually. In turn, we will meet our requirements of actually USING Edline and be better versed should our students need help navigating the software or faculty from other departments need assistance. The spread of knowledge is sure to follow. If anything I will volunteer to aid the assigned "contact" for Edline and provide technical demonstrations and larger meetings with all faculty.