Abstract

This paper describes a project recently undertaken by the Centre for E-Learning Development at the College of Extended Learning, University of New Brunswick to create professional development opportunities in information and communication technologies (ICT) for New Brunswick educators.  Project stakeholders include First Nations teachers, New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) instructors, K-12 public school teachers and University of New Brunswick (UNB) teaching faculty.  The project probes the effectiveness of a “blended” delivery approach using a combination of face-to-face and Web-based initiatives.  Project partners include the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC), the New Brunswick Teachers' Association (NBTA), the University of New Brunswick (UNB), the Mi'kmaq-Maliseet Institute (MMI) and the Office of Learning Technologies (OLT).  The New Brunswick Department of Education has also contributed to the project.

Introduction: The Challenge

While much has been done to get computer hardware and software into New Brunswick classrooms some work remains to help educators use these tools in the classroom more effectively.  In all of the major sectors of education in New Brunswick there is a common acknowledgement of the need for more and varied professional development (PD) opportunities in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)[1].  To provide these opportunities, four key stakeholders partnered with the Office of Learning Technologies[2] in a two-year project entitled:  Breaking Through Instructional Bottlenecks: Technology-Aided Solutions to Instructional Challenges.

The goals of this project are to create opportunities for training and development for those educators[3] currently using or considering the use of ICT, and to facilitate an exchange of knowledge, viewpoints and experiences through the creation of a virtual learning community.

The objectives are to:

·         Help educators recognize where ICT can make the most impact in their teaching;

·         Create opportunities for training and professional development for educators so they may take full advantage of ICT;

·         Encourage the sharing of knowledge amongst educators through a virtual community;

·         Create a resource base from which educators can draw.

At the heart of this project are the needs of the teaching members of each stakeholder group.  Collectively, these six to seven thousand individuals represent educators from First Nations schools, K-12 provincial Anglophone schools, community colleges, and universities.  They are an aggregate of many different of professional and experiential backgrounds - from trade expert to practicing teacher to PhD.  Each of these individuals also has a unique level of experience with ICT.  Some have no familiarity with ICT and some are using ICT in their personal and professional lives on a daily basis.

This variety of backgrounds, education and experiences presents a significant challenge to any kind of collaborative ICT professional development initiative.  This being said, our project team has worked to make the greatest impact with as many educators as possible.

Using a “blended” approach, our team has completed some significant work on several initiatives, both web-based and face-to-face resulting in some promising successes.  This paper briefly describes project challenges, our solution and some of our results.  A more formal evaluation of the impact of our efforts is planned for the fall of 2003.

Identifying the Needs of Stakeholders

Although the project proposal identified a need to promote the use of ICT as a means for solving instructional challenges, a more detailed assessment was required to determine the kinds of initiatives to be undertaken.  In the fall of 2002 we carried out a needs assessment with all stakeholder groups.  This study included the gathering of both qualitative and quantitative data through various methods including interviews and surveys implemented with members from various levels within each stakeholder group, and reviews of current organizational professional development initiatives.  Using this data, we were able to get a more accurate (yet admittedly ever changing) picture of the needs of New Brunswick educators, and then develop an appropriate strategy for meeting them.  A brief summary of our findings follows.

Access to Technology and the Challenge of Time

Technology seems to be readily available to educators in all stakeholder groups.  For example, UNB and NBCC employees are given a personal computer and access to a network as part of their employment.  Although K-12 and First Nations teachers do not receive personal computers, K-12 teachers have access e-mail accounts and members of both groups seem to have at least some access to a computer at school.  Data collected as part of this project shows that most educators have access to a computer and are making use of it in their day-to-day activities (Table 1.). 

	I have access to a computer at school	I use a computer at school
K-12	Yes - 98.5%	Often – 51%, Occasionally – 44%
First Nations	Yes - 97%	Often – 33%, Occasionally – 44%
NBCC	Yes - 100%	Often – 92%, Occasionally – 8%
UNB	Yes - 100%	Often – 90%, Occasionally – 10%

While educators may have access to a computer, there appear to be some limitations on when they can make use of it (Table 2.).  Access is sometimes limited.

	Access to computers in my school is adequate.
K-12	Disagree – 25% (Agree – 54%)
First Nations	Disagree - 32% (Agree – 53%)
NBCC	Disagree - 11% (Agree – 73%)
UNB	Disagree - 19% (Agree – 57%)

Those that do have access to a computer may not be using it to full potential.  In many cases educators feel they have not received enough training or time to learn how to use the technology they have been provided with (Table 3 and Table 4.).

	Training on the use of technology has been adequate.
K-12	Disagree - 32% (Agree – 31%)
First Nations	Disagree - 59% (Agree – 12%)
NBCC	Disagree - 37% (Agree – 30%)
UNB	Disagree - 24% (Agree – 33%)

	I have been provided with time to learn to use the technology.
K-12	Disagree - 46% (Agree – 22%)
First Nations	Disagree - 54% (Agree – 14%)
NBCC	Disagree - 55% (Agree – 19%)
UNB	Disagree - 43% (Agree – 19%)

Our qualitative data seems to support these points.  Many educators have told us that timely access to a computer and lack of time seems to be a significant challenge to their professional use of a computer.  Most lead busy daily lives with little time for professional improvement.  In some cases, the opportunities are just not there for those who do have time.  It appears that, while much has been done to ensure that technology is available, little has been done to ensure that educators can take full advantage of it.

On a positive note, we found that while educators may not be fully leveraging technology in the classroom, most feel it will improve student learning (Table 5.).  This is an indication that, given the opportunity most educators are ready and willing to learn about ways to incorporate ICT into their teaching.

	I believe that using technology will improve student learning.
K-12	Agree - 73%
First Nations	Agree - 83%
NBCC	Agree - 77%
UNB	Agree - 62%

How Educators Are Learning

Currently, educators are learning about ICT independently, through another educator, or through a workshop provided at the school level (Table 6.).  It is important to note that these are private or face-to-face learning moments.

	Self-Taught	Workshops provided at the school level	Mentoring by another teacher
K-12	Yes - 98.5%	Often – 51%, Occasionally – 44%	Usually – 20%, Occasionally – 58%
First Nations	68%	63%	Usually – 17%, Occasionally – 41%
NBCC	41%	12%	17%
UNB	69%	0%	0%

Most educators seem to prefer these types of learning experiences.  Interviews with educators suggest that private or face-to-face learning moments fit best into their busy daily schedules.  When asked to prioritize different types of professional development opportunities, educators showed a strong preference for face-to-face activities such as school-based workshops on a specific topic, mentoring, a staffed teacher resource centre, courses for university credit and leave time.

Currently, when educators learn it is usually through their own efforts or through help from a colleague.  This learning style seems to fit best with their busy schedules and the amount of time available to put aside for professional development.  Our research shows a strong preference to continue learning in this way, through personal and face-to-face interactions, and through professional development that meets their demanding schedules.

The challenge then is how to support this learning with meaningful, relevant professional development opportunities.

Meeting the Needs of Stakeholders: Our Solution and Some Initial Results

Using the feedback we received over the course of our needs assessment we developed a solution that, we felt, would make the most impact given the resources at our disposal.  If we were to place all stakeholder members on a continuum, it is clear to us that the largest group is educators who have some or no experience using ICT in their teaching.  We decided to focus most of our efforts on this group.

 

With this group, our strategy has been to:

·         Introduce ICT to as broad an audience as possible.

·         Promote ICT as a means for teaching.

·         Provide training and resources for those educators who wish to learn about how to use ICT.

·         Provide training and curriculum resources that focus on the use of ICT.

·         Encourage the sharing of ideas, knowledge and best practices amongst educators.

A “Blended Approach”

In considering our approach, it was difficult to ignore that educators desire some face-to-face interaction.  Given our resources however, it would be impossible to implement a wholly face-to-face program.[4]  We also considered the many different learning styles, educational backgrounds and ICT experiences of stakeholder members.  Many are open to online resources, but it was clear that in order to be effective, we would need a combination of the two.  As a result, we chose to design our program using a “blended” approach.  While the most significant component of the program is Web-based, we also have a face-to-face initiative as well.  The blended approach is not a new idea; however, we have found few instances where coordinated Web-based and face-to-face initiatives have been used for professional development for educators in New Brunswick.  None have taken place with the involvement of so many different stakeholders.

Initially, we considered up to five initiatives in our solution, however, due to time and resource constraints we settled on three with two of those being implemented on a pilot basis.  These initiatives include an ICT for educators Web portal, a mentor pilot program, and the piloting of the UNB FITness resource as a tool for professional development.  Each of the initiatives are designed to be integrated.  For example, mentors would use the Web portal and the FITness courseware in the field for training and information.  The Web portal is an extension of the mentor’s activities when he or she leaves.  Educators can use the two online resources to follow-up on opportunities discussed during face-to-face visits.

ICT for Educators Web Portal

While it may seem ironic to use technology to teach about technology we knew from our research that most educators had some access to a computer and were willing to start using it if they could be shown the value of ICT as a teaching tool.  While still implementing face-to-face initiatives, we felt that if we were to keep the design simple and effective, stakeholders would use a Web portal to access Web-based resources.  “The Link” website (http://thelink.unb.ca) has become a significant component of our project.

The Link is a centralized, meeting place for the members of each stakeholder group.  The online delivery format is designed to facilitate the growth of a virtual community of practice and provide a means for self-paced professional development.  It has also proved to be an important way to accommodate the busy schedules of educators.  The site is composed of three major sections, a top-level page, or the “stakeholder” page, the Staff Room, and the Resources section.  Because of the way the site is structured, each of the four stakeholder groups have a section customized specifically for them, yet they all share many of the same resources.  With this simple design it is possible to put our energies into the design and development of one set of resources that serve everyone.

The top-level page is designed to be the most dynamic, similar to a magazine, with new editions on a regular basis. It is a direct link to each community of practice.  We hope to change the face of this page on a regular basis. At the top-level page, stakeholders will find a profile of one of their peers describing their experiences with information and communication technology. A regularly changing poll question will give an opportunity for stakeholder members to have a voice and let us know where priorities lay. The top-level page will also contain feature articles and news of interest to each community of practice. As word about the site grows, we hope to see contributions from those practicing in the field.

The Staff Room is a web discussion designed to improve communication between members of each community. The discussion is asynchronous, free and doesn't require any special software to participate. Currently, discussions are unstructured.

Resources are shared between all of the groups participating in this project. We have created a variety of resources that can be used by educators with varied learning styles and experiences with information and communication technology. These resources may also be used to support other efforts being implemented through this project.  Currently, there are seven main resources available to all groups participating in this project.  They include, Exemplars, a Glossary, Helpers, Ideas, Links, Tutorials and a page on WebQuests.  In some cases we have also provided links to other significant resources that may be available to a stakeholder through their own organization.

Both administrators and some end-users in each stakeholder group reviewed the website in a limited release.  Following formal acceptance by each stakeholder group, we were able to more broadly release the portal site to all stakeholder members just prior to the end of the 2003 winter school year.  We saw some good use of the site towards the end of the school year, but a decrease in traffic as the school year ended.  With some additional promotion of the site and the release of new content at the beginning of the new school year, we hope to see traffic increase again in September 2003.

Piloting of the UNB FITness Resource as a Tool for Professional Development

Currently, there are few resources available to educators that provide training on the basic concepts of ICT.  It makes sense that in order for educators to effectively use ICT as a tool for teaching they must acquire some basic level of skill and understanding.  The University of New Brunswick holds this belief and has created an online ICT training courseware called Fitness.  This courseware is available to UNB staff, faculty and students free of charge.  During the fall of 2002, FITness underwent a substantial renovation of the course content and a non-credit Certificate is also available.

We felt that if we were to challenge educators to use ICT in their teaching we had to provide opportunities for them to acquire ICT skills.  While we can do this through the portal to a limited extent, there are often other ways available for educators to acquire ICT skills.  One example of this is through access to courseware such as Fitness.

The piloting of the FITness resource as a professional development resource has, so far, been well received.  The courseware is available free of charge to UNB faculty and is consistently used as a tool for professional development.  We have also chosen to pilot the resource amongst instructors at two community colleges and teachers at two First Nations schools.  New users of ICT are especially grateful to have access to the resource.  Many teachers, professors and instructors have expressed their openness to the online concept because it allows them to study at their convenience.

Mentor Pilot Program

In our needs assessment we determined that educators were most interested in face-to-face initiatives.  In personal interviews, many educators expressed the fact that they learned best by mentoring through a colleague or through face-to-face interactions.  Many said that they simply needed someone to show them a single task or procedure using hardware or software, or an example of ICT in action in order for them to start using it in their teaching.  With this feedback in mind, we initiated a face-to-face mentor program with First Nations schools.

Mentors are skilled ICT users, typically with backgrounds in education.  They perform several functions including:

·         Scheduling site visits with First Nations schools

·         Attending stakeholder PD days and organizing workshops about integrating ICT into teaching

·         Continuously assessing stakeholder needs and developing solutions to address them

·         Contributing to the development of portal content

·         Monitoring online discussions

To date, our mentors have met with over 60 teachers at six of the seven First Nations schools in New Brunswick.  Because of similar efforts already underway within at least one stakeholder organization and resource limitations we chose to pilot this program with First Nations schools only.  Participation has been voluntary.  Mentors have met with single individuals one-on-one and with groups as numerous as 15 at a time.  Our mentors have been well received and have been asked back to several schools again and again.  While mentor visits have slowed for the summer break, we hope to conduct at least a few more in the fall, before project evaluations begin.

Conclusion

In spite of the good support we receive from stakeholders it would not be possible to attempt to fully implement our approach with all stakeholder groups simultaneously.  Instead, our project continues to be a vehicle for testing and proving the effectiveness of the integrated approach while still resulting in resources and professional development opportunities that extend beyond the life of the project.  It will be up to each stakeholder to see the value of the approach and continue to support future design and development of the initiatives within their organizations.

Overall, the blended approach has worked well.  Educators seem to value the face-to-face interaction and appreciate having professional development opportunities available to them through The Link and the FITness courseware.  Teachers at Red Bank and Big Cove First Nations schools will have experienced the full effect of our approach, having participated in all three initiatives.

Although initial feedback has been positive, it is largely informal.  In late 2003 and into 2004, we intend to conduct more formal evaluations as part of the project deliverables.  When we complete our project evaluations early in the winter of 2004 we will have a better picture of the impact of our efforts among this educators in these schools and in all groups.

References

The Link: http://thelink.unb.ca

The College of Extended Learning: http://www.unb.ca/extend

The New Brunswick Teachers Association (NBTA): http://www.nbta.ca

The New Brunswick Community College (NBCC): http://www.nbcc.nb.ca

The Mi'kmaq-Maliseet Institute (MMI): http://www.unbf.ca/education/mmi

The New Brunswick Department of Education: http://www.gnb.ca/0000/index-e.asp

The Office of Learning Technologies: http://olt-bta.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca