Have you ever tried to learn a foreign language? This is an important, but challenging skill set. However, many multilingual speakers agree that, once one learns a new language, others tend to be incrementally less challenging to acquire thereafter.
We are all learners with different skills, backgrounds, and experiences, this is something that we must take into consideration upon offering professional development to educators. In fact, the advances in technology are so significant that learning new technology might be like learning a foreign language. For those who already know one or more technologies, acquiring another new one can be simpler than for those who are new to technology learning.
As such, it has been established and broadly accepted that the one-size-fits-all professional development model is not the most efficient. As Roberts (2017) states, “the sooner we unlock the full potential of the tools, the sooner we can unlock the full potential of the teachers to use them, and ultimately redefine the role education plays in student development.”
We believe that when introducing education technology into a school community, it is important to offer various ways of supporting teachers and administrators with how to use said technology. Further, as Quattrocchi (2014) reminds us, “tech-enhanced professional development is only as good as the model it supports.”
It is vital to offer a continuous and supportive professional development for educators, as technology alone does not create change. Our KiNVO Engagement Specialist offers professional development both virtually and on site. We aim to ensure that our teachers and administrators feel comfortable and confident when using KiNVO in their daily practice. Here are four ways that our team at Kinvolved supports our users:
- We make monthly phone calls to administrators to discuss the challenges and benefits to KiNVO, and ensure the school is progressing toward its goals in using the software.
- We send administrator monthly utilization emails, which offer quick insights as to how the staff at school is using KiNVO
- We host Summits for various user communities, which encourage in-person collaboration a a place to share best practices in an authentic way.
- We offer dozens of videos and articles to support our community, which supplement direct virtual support through our personal help desk.
Technology is as effective as the way we use it. Thus, we continue to work hard in improving our practices and usability in support of our clients. We work collaboratively to reach their goals for our students and families.
KiNVO has proven to be effective in elevating attendance, and if used well, it can be transformative for our educators, students, and our nation’s future. The best way forward is as a community, join the movement with Kinvolved.
Xantal Tejada is Kinvolved’s Engagement Specialist. She is from Guatemala, and moved to the United States to attend University of San Francisco. After graduating with honors, Xantal moved to the East Coast and is now thrilled to be part of the Kinvolved team.