The participants of the Library Database workshop were selected and invited to attend by the District Technology Coordinator. The selection process was informal, but involved evaluating the teacher's interest in learning, enthusiasm, willingness to share experiences with other teachers, and openness to technology. About 25 teachers from throughout the District were invited, each bringing a wide variety of expertise with them. Librarians with one computer and scheduled classroom visits Librarian with a media computer lab for 4 schools Computer Lab Teachers with students for one class once or twice a week Classroom Teachers for 2 through 6th grades with several computers Classroom Teachers for 2 through 6th grades with one computer Classroom Teachers for 2 through 6th grades with no computers Teachers with access to the lab and support from the Lab Specialist Teachers with no access to computers Teachers with access, but no technical support Besides the variation in the teachers teaching environment, the participants also had a range of experiences with technology and literature-based learning. This mosaic of experiences can often cause mayhem in a workshop.
Some teachers are bored, while others are overwhelmed.
We attempted to plan for the educational and technological differences in experience. Ten sessions were scheduled to cover a selection of topics in depth. Since many teachers are self taught on computers, there are often gaps in knowledge that structured training can fill. The teachers with technological expertise were encouraged to assist those without during the workshop. The attrition rate was approximately fifty percent, with 25 teachers starting and 12 completing most all of the 10 sessions.