We believe, as does the Holmes Group (1990), that staff development must be situated in the context of practice. That is, participants should be introduced to instructional strategies in the setting of real classrooms and have the opportunity to observe those practices employed in the routine of actual school days. Unlike typical after-school programs, this model of staff development allows participants to see expert teachers modeling instructional practices as they work with students, and it provides them with a framework in which they can examine the results of these practices on student work and interactions.

In addition to situated learning, participants need time to reflect on what they observe in classrooms and to discuss the instructional and learning principles at work. They also need supervised practice. During the school year, participants should be observed by a mentor as they teach practice lessons in their regular classrooms, and they should have time to reflect about each practice session. Finally, after receiving technology training and working in technology-rich environments, participants must have access to a computer, printer, and software to assist them as they learn to appropriate the technology in their regular classrooms. (By “appropriate,” we mean understand it well enough to use it naturally to accomplish real work.).

The key finding's can be summarised thus:

• Situated learning.
• Learning by doing.
• Specific plans for change.
• Technology-rich environments.
• Peer support and information dissemination.
• Ongoing assistance and time for reflection.
• Continued access to technology.

Download Complete report: Creating an Alternative Context for Teacher Development:

ACOT Teacher Development Centers (Report #18, 1994) An innovative staff development project that assists teachers as they learn to integrate technology and move toward a more constructivist approach to teaching. Ê

Learning Environments (Report #19, 1994). The physical impact of adding technology to traditional classrooms, the consequent effect on teaching and learning, and teachersÕ recommendations for improving classroom design. Ê

Media Fusion (Report #20, 1994). The teaching/learning observed when students use prototype tools provides for further development of the tools. Ê

Student Engagement (Report #21, 1994). How technology-rich learning environments facilitate student engagement, the potential challenges for teachers, and the implications all of this has for technology integration.