alastair.turnbull

Glow is huge. There is so much for teachers to use and get to grips with that it has to be broken down. Too much at one go will put some yeachers into shell shock mode! I think that if teachers see “Glow – the Movie” as an introduction it would raise many questions and concerns. Questions about whether their own schools will have the equipment and will they be competent to use it, and concerns about learning and time implications both for teachers and children. Having access to PCs is obviously crucial. Many school are strictly timetabled as to when they can use the computers. The timetable is very full.

When teachers have their first introduction to Glow I think that the video with teacher notes part should be shown first. There is a lot here, but it also gives plenty to think about. There is so much to Glow (net conferencing, document storage, on-line whiteboard resources, up to date news, chat rooms, instant messaging, internet groups, etc.) that it has to be broken down into manageable chunks.

I would suggest a phased approach to Glow. Let teachers feel confident at a certain level before moving on to other parts.

For the first session, perhaps it could be called a Core Session or Level; I would show the video with teacher notes part first. Followed by a hands-on session to log on to the home page. The mentor has to have the entire log on details for the group. Let teachers explore this first and fill in any details on My Glow. (The diary might not be pertinent to primary teachers. As a primary teacher myself, I am asked to have a daily diary open on my desk, so that any supply teacher who may come in can immediately see what is happening in the class and school. Supply teachers will not have access to a PC. Would they know how to access Glow anyway!)
Glow Learn (teacher resources) would be immediately popular to teachers. Teachers should be shown how to find their way to get and download resources. Teachers like to be prepared, hence the downloading bit! Nothing is more annoying or frustrating to be prepared to go on line with a class and the technology, for whatever reason, does not work. This I think would be plenty for teachers to practice with and feel happy with for a first session. A point here, which will no doubt be asked is, will the interactive material that is mentioned be available on both Smart and Promethian board formats?

Other sessions could be tailor made according to staff needs and requirements. A bespoke training programme could be developed for schools in liaison with their mentor. Mentors who have specialist areas could possibly be used.

The idea of video conferencing, for many primary teachers would be well down the line, simply because, will they have access in their schools to the equipment needed?

Moving on to Stirling and the training for Glow mentors. There has to be careful training in all the aspects of Glow, allowing plenty of time for hands on time to explore and understand the whole package. We should go through the exact same process, as we will be showing it to our teachers. For many of us, as mentors, our experience of Glow has basically been at SETT and looking at the movie. Time will have to be spent on preparing plans of exactly how to introduce Glow or will this already be done for us? I think that, in spite of the move towards a paperless environment, simple printed notes should be created especially in regards to the core level. I am very aware that teachers do like printed notes, which are easily read and bound.
Will special software e.g. QuickTime, Windows Media Player, Flash Player, etc. be needed on computers to get the full benefits of Glow? Should there be a checklist?

These are just a few of my thoughts. I am optimistic, but there are practical issues that should be looked at so that we have a smooth ride both for mentors and teachers.