International Development Division : IDD
June 2009
Threading, Tagging, and Higher-Order Thinking: Coaching Teachers in Indonesia
EDC expert Mary Burns on teacher professional development using Web 2.0 tools
Can using Diigo, DimDim, and Flickr help teacher coaches improve their performance? Mary Burns, an EDC Senior Technology Associate, aims to find out—and the early indications are promising. Burns’ article on the subject, just published in e-Learn Magazine, explores an activity of EDC’s Decentralizing Basic Education 2 (DBE2) project in Indonesia.
DBE2 recently launched a pilot program in which a group of master trainers work as school-based coaches to encourage and support the use of new, more effective teaching methods. Recognizing that technology use has often reinforced, rather than helped, the coaches transcend "traditional" ways of thinking and working, Burns and DBE2 created an online course rich with “Web 2.0” tools, applications that facilitate collaboration and interactivity.
Though the results are not yet clear with the activity in its early stages, Burns and her team have observed some promising changes in the coaches’ behavior and interactions.
Read the article here.
IDD is a division of Education Development Center (EDC), an international, nonprofit organization with more than 325 projects dedicated to enhancing learning, promoting health, and fostering a deeper understanding of the world.
© 2009 Education Development Center