This week we had an amazing opportunity to provide technology professional development to all of our district’s administrators. While the group does receive periodic training for technology, the tone of the day was much different than the typical training.

Our district has invested a lot of time and money into technology. We have invited speakers from other districts to talk to teachers and administrators, and have made sure that our staff is aware of the technology available to them. However, we have also felt that we are beyond just being exposed to the technology. In order to take the next step with the technology, we would need to begin to look at how we use the technology and using it to transform learning and productivity.

The training consisted of each admin getting to use an iPod touch with the challenge of modeling the tech to their staffs. Rather than teaching applications, or how to, much in the way we would want to work with kids, we allowed them to play and learn on their own. In providing them this opportunity, many of the admin found things on their own, and could share with the group. Ultimately they found things that we as trainers hadn’t known. This is a powerful way to expose people, especially children, to technology.