Professional Development Reflections

Spoilers, I still hate online PD.

I began an online DP Design Technology cat 1 PD at the end of the last school year, within 3 weeks (closer to 2!) of Summer break. This PD ran until early July. I also completed an in-person DP Design Technology cat 2 PD in Hong Kong in September, and finally, attended and presented for our in-school PD sessions in October. 3 in a row! The online session was- put nicely- awful. Constant busywork, and ultimately very little useful content or connection. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong session was extremely useful. Our instructor had actually helped to develop the newly revised design technology guide, and had a lot of insights into 'what IB wants'. Reviewing and marking sample IA's was tremendously instructive, and a wealth of resources were shared with us. This PD had an immediate impact on my teaching and how we approached the topics in DP. As with most IB PD's I've had parts of the session felt rushed- such as attempting to map curriculum across 2 years in a ~75 minute chunk. Connecting with other design teachers in person was awesome, and it was a delight to brainstorm product ideas and activities with them. Many of the online communities I've joined are fairly silent, with mainly new or unsure folks asking relatively open and shut questions. In contrast, several of the group in Hong Kong, and the instructor, were are more engaging and eager to share their successes and challenges.

Our in-school PD in October was wonderful, and I hope we are able to continue that format for the coming year. I didn't feel that the consultants online added much to the preparation, and perhaps we can handle the event on our own instead. Conversely, others might have had valuable meetings with the coach. Mine mostly felt like general purpose validation "that sounds so cool!" and confirmation that I had a reasonable handle on the planning, when I would have preferred more specific, thoughtful questions. I realize that it can be challenging to find this type of feedback as I move into more niche or "advanced" areas, but I also highly value people stopping me and asking for a better explanation, or to focus more on different elements, etc.

My session was focused on exploring 3D printing, and I struggled with where to begin and where to go- ultimately settling on a less structured session. Attendees could float around the room and watch printing in action, check out a range of materials and possibilities laid out on tables, ask questions, or explore shared applications and online tools. I gave a brief talk at the start laying out the value of this technology in school settings, and provided specific ideas for how 3D printing could be used to drive engagement and retention in classes. (Such as functioning models of hydroelectric dams for Physics or INS). After this session I created a Wechat group with staff who owned or wanted to buy a 3D printer- and that has grown to 11 now- with a lot of shared projects and knowledge.