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About the Formation of the Tech Integration Team
About the Formation of the Tech Integration Team
This voluntary committee was formed at Technophile High in response to our School District’s adoption of G Suite, including Google Classroom. In addition, the District has been providing funding for the purchases of additional Chromebooks for staff and student use. The numbers of class sets of Chromebooks which are available for booking through the IT department have been, and will continue to be, increased over the next year.
The school leadership team sent an anonymous survey to staff in anticipation of these changes, and the results showed that while a few teachers are already comfortable with many of these tools and are eager to begin as a school, others feel varying levels of anxiety about this transition and may need more support in implementing Google Classroom and exploring further. In response, the school leadership team decided that the focus for professional development for the upcoming school year would be on further integrating technology, particularly Web 2.0 tools starting with Google Classroom, into teaching practice and classroom instruction.
While this shift to Google Classroom and G Suite presents a challenging step for some, it also opens a world of opportunities with easier access to Web 2.0 tool integration. Thus, the school leadership team put out a call for staff volunteers to join a Tech Integration Team. This committee’s mandate is to develop and carry out a plan for supporting and encouraging their fellow teachers in learning about, testing out, playing with, and integrating into their teaching new Web 2.0 tools, starting with Google Classroom and G Suite and expanding from there.
Who is the Tech Integration Team?
Who is the Tech Integration Team?
The Tech Integration Team consists of:
- Joseph
- Jacquie
- Darren
- Shannon
Check out the Team Members page for more details about each of us!
The Tech Integration Team’s initial research results lead them to "23 Things" as an inspiration and model...
Background to the Original 23 Things
Background to the Original 23 Things
The World Wide Web began as a place to find information, a new resource. However, with the introduction of Web 2.0 tools, the average user of the internet has been empowered to create content for others to view. Web 2.0 tools have multiplied significantly since first arriving on the scene in the early 2000s. These new tools "allow the user to go beyond just receiving information through the web. The user is expected to interact and to create content with others” (Minneapolis Public Schools, n.d., p. 1). Social networking sites, blogs, and podcasts are all examples where users generate content using the specific tool, and encourage interaction between users.
Learning 2.0/23 Things was developed by Helene Blowers, who “stressed that she wanted staff to take ownership of their own learning” (Stephens & Cheetham, 2011, p. 36). Learners work independently to further explore Web 2.0 tools that are useful in the field of education. Originally designed with librarians in mind, the concept has been used around the world in both libraries and other educational settings. “Based loosely on the principles of the social networking site 43 Things (www.43things.com/), the focus of the original program was The 23 Things” to learn about over a period of a few months (Maxymuk, 2008, p.64). Gross and Leslie (2008) explain that “[t]he 43 things were goals for learners to engage in self-discovery learning using the free web tools available” (p. 794). Without a set agenda, learners are able to engage in areas where they may want to dig deeper, further their knowledge in a specific content area, or just explore new tools. With the flexibility in what to explore, “...it enables the learners to determine their own learning goals; [and] for another, the program sets the learners concrete tasks and encourages them to work collaboratively with others” (Gross & Leslie, 2008, p. 796). These skills continue to be highly sought after by employers, as predicted by Gross and Leslie when they stated, “the introduction of Web 2.0 tools and social media was going to transform the way we did business” (2008, p. 791). Recognizing that often there are often intentions to learn new tools, but we lack time or find reasons not to and simply continue to do things as they have always been done, means that we do not always challenge ourselves to learn something new. The 23 things model holds individuals accountable to their learning, without forcing specific tools on anyone, helping to provide the groundwork for successful professional development.
Examples of where 23 Things has been used
Examples of where 23 Things has been used
23 Horizons - a blog of an individual exploring the 23 Things program.
San Jose Library - a suggestion of a timeline for the 23 Things program that has been previously implemented.
The Original 2.0 Learning Program - another program that was hosted by Helene Blowers.
The University of Edingburgh - where the 23 Things program originated with guidance provided for each ‘thing’.
Google Sites
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