Leadership Weekend Findings

Participants generated the list below in groups and then had to pick their individual #1, #2, and #3 priorities - a weighted total was created using #1=3 points, #2=2 and #3=1.

1. People Skills (defined as empathy, compassion, listening) - 53 (weighted total)
2. Creates Environment for risk, growth and reflection - 43
3. Content Knowledge - 38
4. Organized - 36
5. Initiative - 31
6. Commitment - 17
7. Communicator - 12
8. Model for others - 12
9. Delegate tasks - 10

Summary - participant pointed out that some of the lower ranking items could be due to them being subsumed by People Skills. The first 5 items were clearly considered the most important.

Participants were asked to think about failed professional development they had experienced and then to list the things they would do to make the professional development better.

• Make it relevant to the audience
• Something new - novelty
• Variety of meaningful activities
• Freebies - t-shirts
• Know audience
• Minimize use of dots (colored), post-its . . .
• Keep moving . . . reduce repetition
• Clear goals and agenda (outcomes)
• Communication/schedules/agendas/finances
• Individualize goals
• Specific tasks (time, tools, space)
• Assistance, expertise to accomplish the above tasks
• Variety of activities
• Provide follow up
• Hands-on!
• Know your own material
• Agenda with meaning and flexibility
• Only ask for participation if it will be used
• For the love of God, PLEASE don't do this!! - “this” is scripted talk, inappropriate language and behavior, lousy facilities, NO FOOD, no breaks or open time, doesn't know or adjust to audience, don't sell me anything, patronizing and/or attempt to psychoanalyze, bad examples, no focus/goals/objectives/follow up, terrible use of time, time=$$, no peer-to-peer interaction, no good ideas or applications, content not=program, we all hate ppt. readings, lecturing on inquiry (using bad teaching to cover good teaching), bad use of bad media, no interaction and no reflection, new vocabulary for old concepts, too many acronyms and no definitions.
• Schedule based on school needs and not on open slot in schedule - input from participants
• Address relevant school issues by surveying staff and obtaining feedback.
• walk the talk - practice what you teach
• Present engaging activities: multiple delivery modes
• Respect the intelligence of your audience
• Be competent
• Know your audience
• Value participants' expertise
• Plan for the unexpected
• Provide opportunities for interaction
• Stay on topic/task
• Provide opportunity for reflection
• Plan for continuity
• Varied/random groupings
• Contains humor
• Effectively manages the group for disruptive participant behavior
• Make handouts available electronically
• Topic/content specific
• Add additional content and info - don't just read to participants
• Respectful, constructive and positive
• Effective use of time
• Be brief

Summary - Many ideas were presented. Knowing your audience, using the expertise of the participants, and varying modes of presentation cover most of the topics above.

• Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic
• Gardner - Multiple Intelligences

1. Linguistic intelligence (word smart)
2. Logical-mathematical intelligence (number/reasoning smart)
3. Spatial intelligence (picture smart)
4. Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (body smart)
5. Musical intelligence (music smart)
6. Interpersonal intelligence (people smart)
7. Intrapersonal intelligence (self smart)
8. Naturalist intelligence (nature smart)

• Gregorc's 4 quadrants (see link below)
• Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model (see link below)

1. Active - Reflective
2. Sensing-Intuitive
3. Visual-Verbal
4. Sequential-Global

• 4MAT (see link below)

1. Concrete experience
2. Reflective observation
3. Abstract conceptualization
4. Active experimentation

summary - There are many different ways of learning. Each person has a preferred way to learn. It is important to remember this when planning a workshop so that we can hit all of the participants' learning preferences if possible. See some links below:

Gregorc's 4 quadrants http://www.toughteams.com/papers/concrete.htm
Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model http://chat.carleton.ca/~tblouin/Felder/felder.html
4MAT http://www.algonquincollege.com/edtech/gened/styles.html
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During the Planning Process

• Agenda - let participants know in advance what to expect
• Organize room - seating, lighting, etc.
• Assess prior knowledge - formally (paper/computer) or informally (show of hands)
• Group Norms - have group list items to keep in mind while meeting, revisit norms as needed
• Objectives - know where you are going
• Measurable outcomes
• Time Frame - plan time well, time to move around
• People leave with implementation ideas, stuff, contacts, enthusiasm
• Virtual organizers
• Evaluation - use QuarkNet evaluation form to find out what you did well and how to improve on what didn't go so well

Things needed

• Credit/CEUs
• Set-up and clean-up
• Camera
• Name tags
• Appropriate place
• Tables, outlets, lighting, space, etc.
• Computers for detectors and presentation
• Projector and screen
• Internet Access
• Notebooks/pens/markers
• Reserve Place
• Passes if Necessary
• Travel Arrangements
• Book Speakers
• Arrange Stipend Form
• Email confirmation
• Arrange Tour of Facilities
• Food related
• Sign up
• Handouts
• Pointer
• Allergies/food preferences (vegan, etc.)

Tools (e-Lab fellows):

1. DVM (Multi-meter)
2. Scissors
3. Meter Sticks
4. Razors
5. Tongue depressors
6. Tape (duct,scotch, electrical, .5 inch teflon plumbing tape)
7. Oscilloscope
8. Cotton Gloves

• Outdoor access for GPS
• Hyperterminal/Zterm
• Microsoft Office
• Computer Access for participants
• QuarkNet Users Manual
• Safety Procedures

summary - keep in mind all of the above topics (Leadership Skills, Professional Development Improvements, and Learning Style Preferences) plus the first part of the above list while doing your planning. The 2nd list is things to negotiate with the workshop requester as to who is going to provide what, i.e., nametags, sign-in sheet.
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• Wikis - practice for everyone before leaving for home
• Contact directory - how to distribute safely - people list own personal info on wiki - as much as they feel comfortable with
• Have QN Fellows contact centers to make sure they are covered
• Blog off a wiki
• E-mail
• Phone calls
• Skype
• Elluminate - pay by the “seat” in the meeting
• Virtual Math Team - free - no audio
• Joint meeting - local area
• Pony express??