Professional Development Colleagues,
Researcher, teacher and teacher educator Erik Jacobson has written in Adult Basic Education in the Age of New Literacies (Vol. 42, Peter Lang Publishing, 2012. Page 79.) “When it comes to technology, this means that professional development should start with the kinds of questions a teacher wants to answer. Thus, rather than beginning with the latest technology, professional development efforts should start with the issues and problems teachers and learners are wrestling with. That is, teachers should identify a need and then look for a tool that would be a good fit. This stands in contrast to starting with the tool and then asking, ‘Now what can you do with this?’ “
My first purpose in bringing this to your attention is to start a discussion here in which we explore what needs, issues and problems adult education teachers have for which there may be some useful solutions from technology. I hope you and others will post the needs, issues and problems you and other teachers are wrestling with, and perhaps get some solutions here.
For example, a common problem, especially for part-time evening adult education teachers who work at other jobs during the day, is not being able to attend face-to-face professional development. A technology-based solution might be (the now large number of) online or blended professional development resources. (See http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AlePDOnline for a good list of these.)
My second purpose has to do with the Harnessing Technology web pages that I created in the late 1990’s. Their purpose is to “help adult literacy education (ABE/GED/ESL/ESOL) teachers and learners to use computers, tablets, smart phones, television, CD-Roms, DVDs, audio and video cassettes, and other electronic technology to help solve learning and instructional problems. The Web pages grow and improve as practitioners and learners describe problems and contribute good solutions which use technology. “ I am beginning to revise these pages, and am hope to add relevant adult education teaching problems and good technology-based solutions to them. http://home.comcast.net/~djrosen/newsome/harness.html
Please look at the Harnessing Technology web pages to see what kinds of problems and solutions are already listed. Then please post your issues or problems here and. if you have good technology-based solutions, please add them. If I add your teachnology soution(s) to the Harnessing Technology web page I will credit you.
Thanks for your help
David J. Rosen