Research Questions:
How do we measure to see if podcasts have a positive significant impact on timely and effective professional development?
How do you, as part of the iPod LC, feel about how the iPods/Podcasts have or have not enhanced your job performance?
What barriers have you encountered when trying to use the iPods/Podcasts? For those who would like to learn more, how have you overcome those barriers?
I am interested in this topic because. . .
Eventually:
How do we know that this technological tool will impact our participants? What evaluation tool can we implement in order to have a systematic measurement of the podcasts to ensure they are timely and effective for the end users?
Right Now:
In order for us to continuously improve we need to look at what we are doing to see if it has a positive impact on job performance. Right now, I'm more interested in looking at the impact of the iPods/Podcasting on the iPod learning community.
Problem identified and validated:
Several people have mentioned that there have been a few barriers with learning the new technology and how to incorporate it effectively and efficiently into their work environment.
Target Audience:
The iPod LC
Background Research (tbc):
What research already exists on evaluating timely and effective podcasts in any type of educational environment? . . . in professional development? What is timely? What is effective?
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There are so many facets to evaluating podcasts and this blog is opened with the intent of examining several to narrow them down to one. Evaluation, right now, is open to the evaluation of the information contained in the podcasts and of the use of the podcasts. How can we tell that the podcasts are useful?
Links
About Me
- Rebecca Kerr
- I work at the Broward County Public Schools Human Resource Development Department in Professional Development Support and Inservice. Each year, I try to make sure that the Professional Development System is aligned with state mandates and that it is more user friendly for program managers, administrators designers, trainers, coaches, inservice facilitators, organizers, and participants in professional development events.
16 comments:
Have you had the opportunity to “chuck” these question? Does one question provide a simple answer while another lends itself to a cycle of inquiry?
“The cycle starts when someone poses a question about the work in relation to the vision of teaching and learning, then identifies possible sources of information that might help answer it. The next step involves gathering the relevant data and breaking it into parts that make possible comparison, reflection, and analysis. Finally, that analysis yields new action, which in turn suggests new inquiry into the results; and the cycle begins again.” - HMMMMMM, sounds like Action Research : )
A few “additional” questions to narrow the focus:
Is your question important to you & something you often think about?
Does your question focus on you & your role, your clients, your practice and not a specific packaged program?
Will studying this question have some immediate practical benefits for you and/or your clients?
What are your values, beliefs and biases about your question?
Are you genuinely curious about this question and willing to make changes in your practice?
Wow, the comments are profound and true. Did they help you focus on your question? where do you go for the data?
Ooops- I meant "CHUNK" not "Chuck".
I would wonder how do you know the podcasts are of quality?
Great questions. Have you done a lit review yet to see what if any research already exists? I'd be interested in follow this up with you.
I am not sure there was an "intent" in developing this technology- besides making money. Podcast technology, like all technology is evolving. Perhaps it is up to us to determine the best use depending on our needs and priorities.
Randee,
I was wondering about chucking the whole thing, but think I understood what you were saying in the end.
I am constantly trying to understand the purpose of what we do and how it impacts others--positively or negatively.
How can we improve if we don't understand where we're coming from in the first place?
Kathleen,
Exactly, how do we know the podcasts are worthy of a continuation in PD/training? If we have a baseline and 'judge' the podcasts from there, we'll know where we are and where we're heading.
Anamarie,
You're on. I really think I need to add a literature review on this to my 'to do' list. What studies have already been conducted and what did they find?!
Tanya,
I do believe it is up to us to determine the best routes to follow, but to have an actual evaluation of what we've done to prove that it works (or doesn't work in order to improve next time) is imperative in any business.
It looks like you have developed all of the questions you will need to answer in your quest to support your initial question that you posted. It's great that your analytic mind focuses in on a topic so quickly. I can't wait to read about the data you are collecting to answer the subsequent questions.
Great questions - I have similar ones but not sure where I am going.
very cool site! I personally think the gist of your questions is critical: is there embedding of the technology? how do we really measure impact? The question sounds strangely familiar :)
When you say"measure podcasts" do you mean content, context, or process? How you focus on one without considering the other?
If using film/tape/movie/video has been around for years, how is this technology different?
Sounds great.
Madeleine, You are absolutely correct. How can we utilize the Podcasts, not to add more to the plate, but to make learning more about PD more efficient!?
If support begins where the Clients "are at", then who also can answer the question, "How can we utilize Podcasts for PD?"
Please take a look at this site:
http://www.nmc.org/projects/lo/el lo shtml
Academics are taking a serious in-depth look at learning objects such as podcasts.
Podcasting will be efffective in Professional Development if it is easy to use and enhances the particpant's learning. We have to be really careful about just plugging technology into training because it's there and not because it enhances quality...
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