Activity+4+Reflection+on+Webinar+Can+Web+2.0+Save+Teacher+Development?

**Reflection on Education Week Webinar:** **Can Web 2.0 Save Teacher Professional Development?**
==**Viewed on May 13, 2010 at** [|**http://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=lobby.jsp&even** **tid=167710&sessionid=1&key=A253DACED911F2EBE17405B75F45DCFD&eventu** **serid=36217884**]==

====This was a webinar hosted by Digital Directions which is part of Education Week. I have found Digital Directions weekly emails, website (Digital Directions, 2010), and this webinar to be extremely useful in becoming a technology facilitator and leader. Everyone in the organization is an educator and is looking for the best ways to implement technology to improve student achievement. At the time I attended this webinar I was taking EDLD 5368 Instructional Design and we were designing our own online class. In my current position I do a lot of professional development with teachers. So I designed my own class for teachers.==== ====So when I saw the title of this webinar and how it was about using web 2.0 tools (Solomon & Schrum, 2007) to “save” teacher professional development, I was definitely interested. The presenters each gave an overview of their expertise and then it was opened up for questions. Christopher Sessums, is an assistant professor in the College of Education at the University of Florida and he talked about the research for online learning. Actually, he talked more about the need for MORE research on online learning as the field is relatively new. The other presenter was Barbara Treacy, director, EdTech Leaders Online, Education Development Center and she gave us a ton of resources. There were organizations I have heard of like Moodle, etc. but there were lots of others that I hadn’t like Voicethread.==== ====The best part was where they answered questions like “How do you get started?” and “How do you convince teachers/administrators that this is viable?” Being a part of this group of professionals that are integrating technology into education is supporting my own professional growth.====

**Self-Assessment**
====I learned that web 2.0 is absolutely viable for teacher development. I realized that all the things I do at a face-to-face class, I can do with web 2.0. It was exciting to me as I watched the webinar to think how traditional teacher training can be supplemented with online training.====

**Learn as a Learner**
====I went into the webinar with an open mind, trying to decide how best to help the teachers I work with to improve their practice. I find the webinar format, rather ADHD. People are typing many different ideas on the screen, while the instructor is talking about something else. The information was great, but I find the medium distracting. I found the comments of both the presenters and the other attendees to be insightful and challenging.====

**Lifelong Learning Skills**
====I am convinced more than ever before that I need to be a part of online teaching in the future. My experiences with the webinar, and the masters program have shown me how viable it is. I know that it will continue to grow in popularity and I want to learn whatever I can to be a part of it.====

**Alignment with ISTE Indicators**
====TF-V.A.1: “ Identify resources and participate in professional development activities and professional technology organizations to support ongoing professional growth related to technology” (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p. 231). Attending this webinar let me hear from experts in the field about web 2.0 and teacher training.==== ====TF-V.B.1: “Continually evaluate and reflect on practice to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of student learning” (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p. 239) I was able to compare and contrast the training I was doing face-toface with what could be done online.==== ====TF-VIII.A.1: “ Discuss and evaluate current research in educational technology” (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p. 239). The presenters gave out a wealth of information about resources available for web 2.0 teacher development.====

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0:New schools, new tools. Eugene, OR:International Society for Technology in Education.
====Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards:What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education====