Comments on: Waiting to be won over http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting_to_be_won_over.html Musings on the use and impact of technology in education, and of the future of education in general. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:43:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Conor Bolton http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting_to_be_won_over.html/comment-page-1#comment-1239 Conor Bolton Thu, 15 May 2008 23:56:14 +0000 http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting-to-be-won-over.html#comment-1239 Hi Robin Yes, it makes perfect sense. We are enthusiasts, and it is about change, which is never easy. Hi Robin

Yes, it makes perfect sense. We are enthusiasts, and it is about change, which is never easy.

]]> By: Robin Sutton http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting_to_be_won_over.html/comment-page-1#comment-1238 Robin Sutton Sun, 11 May 2008 06:21:51 +0000 http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting-to-be-won-over.html#comment-1238 Conor While I agree totally in principle, I fear that this is a nirvana we will never achieve.. we are talking about human beings. Motivations for change will continue to be as diverse as the people in schools, and I believe that (despite my fondest wish to the contrary) most colleagues aren't driven by the same professionalism I feel; they still ask that classic change question: 'What's in It For Me?" My own attitude is: I simply need to establish and prove WIIFM for my colleagues when I want change to happen. Does that make sense? Cheers Robin Conor

While I agree totally in principle, I fear that this is a nirvana we will never achieve.. we are talking about human beings. Motivations for change will continue to be as diverse as the people in schools, and I believe that (despite my fondest wish to the contrary) most colleagues aren’t driven by the same professionalism I feel; they still ask that classic change question: ‘What’s in It For Me?”

My own attitude is: I simply need to establish and prove WIIFM for my colleagues when I want change to happen.

Does that make sense?

Cheers
Robin

]]> By: Conor http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting_to_be_won_over.html/comment-page-1#comment-1237 Conor Thu, 08 May 2008 06:43:23 +0000 http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting-to-be-won-over.html#comment-1237 But what you are doing Rob is "winning" the teachers over, and the teachers themselves are saying "win me over". Isn't that the point - we have to move beyond the "win me over" mentality. But what you are doing Rob is “winning” the teachers over, and the teachers themselves are saying “win me over”. Isn’t that the point – we have to move beyond the “win me over” mentality.

]]> By: Rob http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting_to_be_won_over.html/comment-page-1#comment-1236 Rob Thu, 08 May 2008 00:46:27 +0000 http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2008/05/waiting-to-be-won-over.html#comment-1236 I agree that the problems identified in the US study are largely reflecting in the NZ school. As noted, there are a range of reasons for not changing ones teaching methodology. Something I have learnt, while an IT coordinator in a secondary school, is the need to be both patient and non-evangalistic about new technologies. Blogs or wikis most would agree are educationally useful - I have been working towards the use of these in our classes for a couple of years and are just now beginning to see some uptake by our teachers. Teachers will adopt a tool if I can show them my puposeful use of a tool. I make it easy for them to use the tool (eg I organise student blogs, set up aggregation, export subscriptions, notify parents of process etc). So I guess the point is change can always happen. IT coordinators need to pick the moment, the person, have the right "product" available. You also need to take care with your level of evangelism - too much is a turn off. I agree that the problems identified in the US study are largely reflecting in the NZ school. As noted, there are a range of reasons for not changing ones teaching methodology.
Something I have learnt, while an IT coordinator in a secondary school, is the need to be both patient and non-evangalistic about new technologies. Blogs or wikis most would agree are educationally useful – I have been working towards the use of these in our classes for a couple of years and are just now beginning to see some uptake by our teachers.
Teachers will adopt a tool if I can show them my puposeful use of a tool. I make it easy for them to use the tool (eg I organise student blogs, set up aggregation, export subscriptions, notify parents of process etc).
So I guess the point is change can always happen. IT coordinators need to pick the moment, the person, have the right “product” available. You also need to take care with your level of evangelism – too much is a turn off.

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