Last years I facilitated a professional development workshop on the components of our model classroom. Our staff was surveyed in August about what type of training they would like throughout the year, and this was in response to the surveys. Most of the teachers were used to the traditional classroom setup and they were surprised when they arrived in their classrooms at the beginning of the year to find that all of the classes were now considered 21st Century Classrooms. Three teachers were trained the year before the initial roll out and were instructed to redeliver for the other teachers.

During the first hour of the workshop I was inundated with basic question like:
“How do I turn on the Promethean board?”
“How do I calibrate the board?”
“What are docking stations?”
“How do I work the TV?”
“How do I use the performance system?”

I wasn’t expecting such simple questions because the same groups of teachers should have already been using the components to deliver instruction in their classrooms. I realize then that no one had done redelivery.

At that moment my whole plan had to change. This is just like I would have done in my own classroom if I found that the students just weren’t getting it. Keller’s ARC model for the motivation of learners can be used to analyze this situation. Keller listed four conditions for motivation that must be met to have a motivated learner (Driscoll, 2005, p333).
A- Attention R-relevance C- confidence S- Satisfaction

1. I had the attention of this group of teachers, but I knew it could change quickly.
2. The teachers’ only relevance was the fact that they were forced to learn how to use the components in their classrooms
3. My goals and objectives for the Staff Development were overshadowed by the fact that the teachers’ skills were low.
4. What would satisfy the teachers’ needs? This had to be redefined.

After the first hour I asked the teachers if they were using any of the components. Over half responded “no”. From their response I invited the principal and assistant principal in to see if we could add additional PD workshops. These workshops would focus on the new components in the classroom. I also enlisted the help of our Instructional technology specialist and the three teachers who were trained to develop a plan for training teacher on how to use the new technology in their classroom. The ARCs model worked and by the end of the second nine weeks all of our teachers were using the promethean board, the projector, the docking station, the camera, the Sherwood audio system, and all of the computers in the classroom for instruction.