PowerPoint Presentation

Is Time Your Roadblock?

Reasons why time is an issue:

SchedulingPersonnelAfter-School Commitments

Reasons time can be an issue:

Master Schedules

Lack of Personnel

After-School Commitments

Creative Scheduling

Block SchedulingCommon PlanningFunds for Additional Personnel Vertical Team TeachingSubstitutes Teacher Assistants Extended Week ContractsVolunteers

Block Scheduling: Different from traditional scheduling that consists of 6-8 subject periods a day, block scheduling offers 3-4 longer period per day. There are several options to this type of scheduling including but not limited to the alternate day format, the 4/4 semester plan, and the trimester plan.http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin029.shtml. Retrieved 2016.

Common Planning: Any period of time that is scheduled in the day when multiple teachers or teams of teachers can work together in a planning session.http://edglossary.org/common-planning-time/. Retrieved 2016.

Funding: A supply of money or resource for some purpose.http://www.dictionary.com/browse/funding. Retrieved 2016.

Creative Scheduling Just Wont Work!

What Now?

Alternative Methods to Face-to-Face Meetings

Google: Google Hangouts, Google Docs, Google Educator Groups

Facebook Zoom Zoom

Twitter edWeb

The Educators PLN

Twitter (https://twitter.com/)DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderCreating a free account allows users to post messages of 140 characters or less. Followers view these tweets in their timelines, react by liking them, retweet (sharing another users tweet), and reply to the user. Search for and follow others to view their tweets in your timeline. Using hashtags to mark keywords in tweets allows those messages to become categorized and searchable by other users (if your account is public). (Getting Started- https://support.twitter.com/articles/215585; Hashtags- https://support.twitter.com/articles/49309) Education chats on Twitter allow teachers in small schools or those who are the only person in their school or district to connect with educators across the world. The two heads are better than one approach has unlimited potential as your network increases. (List of Twitter chats: https://sites.google.com/site/twittereducationchats/education-chat-official-list).The more you put into Tweets and building your personal learning network (PLN), the more you will gain from it. To those unfamiliar with social media and using technology to connect with others, it can seem like learning another language. (Teachers Guide to Using Twitter: http://www.edudemic.com/guides/guide-to-twitter/)

Twitter

Google Hangouts (https://hangouts.google.com/)DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderWith a free Gmail account, users can message individuals or small groups through text or videos. Voice and video calls can accommodate up to ten people in a group. Members can be invited via email or direct link. (How Hangouts work: https://youtu.be/g2-tsGelk4U)In a video chat, users can share their screens, which is useful for presentations. This function could also be used for data analysis and sharing student work samples in a PLC. Video chats require a webcam and microphone or a smartphone.

Google Hangouts

Google Educator Groups (https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/landing/geg/about/) DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderCommunities of educators work together to learn, share, inspire, and empower others to meet the needs of students. The focus of these networks is using technology for education. Find a Google Educator Group using the interactive map and join the group to receive updates. Events can be scheduled within the group so educators can meet online to share ideas and resources (https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/landing/geg/). The network is only as strong as its members. A Google + account (free using Gmail) is needed to join the group. Because the focus of these groups is using technology, the resources shared typically relate to Google Apps for Education.

Google Educator Groups

The Educators PLN (http://edupln.ning.com/)DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderThis site is focused on developing personal learning networks for educators. It is a ning, which means it was created by someone as a social network designed to build a community of like-minded users. The homepage provides information on how to personalize your profile and navigate the ning. Participation in this group is free, but your membership must be approved. Like all networks, it is only as good as the contributors.

The Educators PLN

edWeb (http://home.edweb.net/)DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderEducators can connect and collaborate through online communities and engage in professional learning. Certificates are available for participating in webinars on topics within each community. Accounts are free to create. Webinars are offered at various times throughout the month and are recorded for later viewing. A calendar of all topics is available so users can view what events are scheduled in communities other than theirs. Within each community, viewers can participate in discussion forums, view resources, and read the blog. You can invite your colleagues to join and connect with other users. I cant believe its free.

edWeb

Facebook: Private Groups (www.facebook.com) DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderFacebook has the option of creating private groups that can allow for connecting and collaborating through online chatting, book studies, data analysis, and the sharing of online resources (ex. Professional development video links, etc.). Accounts are free to create and secure.All participants can be active participants through interactive communication. Links can be shared, data trends can be shared with links to PD, resources, etc. Every participant can view and participate from any place or device that has internet access. No one knows your private group exists except your group users!

Facebook: Private Groups

Zoom (www.zoom.us) DescriptionBenefitsThings to ConsiderThis program allows individuals to meet face-to-face from afar through virtual chat. This allows all of the benefits of a real PLC without having to physically be in the same room.Meetings lasting no more than 40 minutes can utilize Zoom as an option for FREE. Additional packages for longer meetings are available.

Zoom is a video conferencing solution that allows participants to meet via video chat from your desktop, mobile device, or conference room. Zoom

Now What?

Follow these steps!

Identify an alternative method that you and your team could utilize.

Identify the weekly goals for data analysis and team discussions.

Set a weekly agenda.

Stick to it!

After going through this segment, you may determine that time is not your roadblock to participation in PLCs. If that is the case, you may want to go back to the beginning and view the other segments. Regardless, as you worked through this segment, you may have found yourself reflecting on a colleague that could benefit from this information.

Whether this roadblock pertains to you or a colleague, you should be able to move forward from this information knowing how:

To recognize the characteristics of a lack of time for participating in PLCs.To recognize and utilize creative scheduling options to allow for PLC time.To detour to the use of online alternative methods when face-to-face time is not available for PLCs.

As a result, you should be better equipped to advocate for yourself or your colleague(s) to increase participation in PLCs by constructing a plan of action utilizing the information from this section. Remember the ultimate goal of PLCs is collaboration and sharing of professional knowledge and experience to help each other grow both personally and professionally.

References:http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin029.shtml. Retrieved 2016.

http://edglossary.org/common-planning-time/. Retrieved 2016.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/funding. Retrieved 2016.

https://twitter.com. Retrieved 2016.

https://hangouts.google.com. Retrieved 2016.

https://www.google.com. Retrieved 2016.

http://edupln.ning.com. Retrieved 2016.

http://homeedweb.net. Retrieved 2016.

www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016.

www.zoom.com. Retrieved 2016.