ICT Decisions
Why are we using technology?
Technology is the vehicle that makes our information available and accessible to everyone at all times of the day. All the information will be collected, manage, maintained and viewed over the internet. By having it online, TOCs can refer to our website whatever time and place they desire. Therefore, a teacher can check our website beforehand (whether the day before, night before or morning of), and he/she can complete our survey anytime after work, or whenever he/she has time. Technology will makes the overall information processing faster, easier and more convenient.
What do we hope to accomplish?
We hope to compile a database of the ICT in the classroom throughout our district. We’ll be using online surveys completed by TOCs, based on their experiences from their daily assignments. The data collected will be compiled on our website. The success of our website is based on the number of contributors to our database (the more the better). We need to inform the TOC staff of our project and how it could benefit them. We have thought of several methods to promote our website and services:
- Email TOCs (through the district email)
- Talk to other teachers/TOCs in the staffroom
- Talk to admin
- Attend TOC functions
- Notify the TOC committee
- mention us in their newsletters
- put a link on their website
What ICT do we have at hand?
Most people have some type of device that can access the internet; hence, we decide to use application or software that is readily available online. We require some specific functions. We need a program that could collect and compile information. Then we need a platform to host and display the information, including links. Finally, we need the platform to have a blog function.
What ICT might we use?
1. Website
We wanted to present our information on a platform that was easy to use, easy to navigate, free, online and available without downloading. We decided to use Weebly to create a website to house our resources list, blog, survey and database. It’s very easy to use and offers free web hosting.
2. Survey
We needed to generate a survey to collect the data. I looked at SurveyMonkey and Google Docs form as possible options. We went with Google Docs because both Terrence and I were somewhat familiar with Google Docs already and it lends well to collaboration. We were able to work on the survey together simultaneously and instantaneously make changes.
3. Database
We need a format to allow users to retrieve the data that we collected. First, we thought about compiling the data ourselves and presented in a grid arrangement on the website, but that would be time consuming. Then, we thought about using another program or application that could neatly organize the data and included a search function. But once again, that would require us to transfer the data from on format to another (more work!). Finally, we decided to just embed the raw data onto a webpage. TOCs can use the find function to search for individual schools.
4. Blog
We wanted to provide a place where TOCs could share information and voice their opinions. Initially, we wanted to use a blog page as the mode of communication, plus it’s function on Weebly, but the blog format was too linear and didn’t allow for back and forth communication or direct replies. Therefore, we decided on a forum instead. The thoughts can be threaded and categorized neatly. We will be looking for a platform for our forum in the coming days.
Hi Sandy,
It sound like you have done some great work on this project. We have a forum for TOC’s in our district but it is primarily used to share union information as TOC’s don’t have a regular staff rep. to be in contact with. Also, on occasion, someone will ask a question about policy or expectations but there is little to no information for TOC’s about the schools they will be entering. I love that you have taken a topic that you personally would find use from and are running with it. Not only will it prove useful to you and other TOC’s but you are setting yourself out as a leader. This will not hurt the job prospects! I find that we are in a time and place in education in BC where we have to advocate for ourselves to create opportunity among a sea of qualified teachers. Any step that you can take to make yourself stand out above the crowd just a little bit will be noticed. This is also good training if you are to acquire a teacher librarian position as you must constantly advocate, year after year, for hours and budget. It is never too early to make a name for yourself in your district. Have a great rest of the summer!
What a great idea for a final project! I like how you took an issue that was relevant to you and created something that will be useful to you and the entire TOC community. I wish something like that had been available to me when I was working as a TOC years ago. It seems that Vancouver has organized online information for TOCs in recent years and I know that through these efforts, TOC conditions and improvements to working conditions have been at the forefront of our union’s work. Your project seems well thought out and I’m sure it will be well-received by the TOC community.
Sandy, it was a pleasure working with you. I really appreciated how we were on the same page, drawing from our own experiences and incorporating them into our final inquiry project. I was not familiar with the survey feature on Google docs and the spreadsheet function to showcase that information, so thank you for your expertise on that! One thing I was thinking about adding was a way to enter what district you’re working in. Rather than making a new site for each district, we could simply add another question field for users to enter.
I read over Lisa’s and Julie’s post and I agree that various districts seem to have different levels of support for TOCs. This project made me wonder if there are any other areas in the TOC or new teacher domains that are lacking that could improve with ICT. For me, a huge part of using technology or doing anything in the classroom comes down to “why and who cares?” We can create as many blogs as we like, but if our thoughts and contributions aren’t helping anyone, what’s the point. Creating sites like what we’ve done address an existing issue and just so happen to use various technologies to try to remedy the problem. I was wondering if you have any ideas on how to incorporate what we’ve learned when you move to Cleveland? Perhaps you can use the site as part of your portfolio to teach in the states or use some of the resources when you’re out and about. All the best!
I appreciate the variety of ICT you have used to put this project together. Not only that, you are going to be using social media and digital mailing lists to put the word out that the site exists and encourage TOC participation. Your use of Google docs as been inspiring. I would like to try something like this the next time I teach. For example, it is very useful to have some sort of data collection at the beginning of a course so you can get to know your students and gear the course contents to include their interests. This combination of software online would make a great resource for doing this.