The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Internet-Using Educators

A book written by Stephen R. Covey titled, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and a 1998 FETC conference presentation based on the book by Dr. Donna Baumbaugh (University of Central Florida), "The ABCs from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Educators", inspired me to consider taking the basic ideas put forth and applying them to some strategies which educators might use as they are trying to incorporate the use of the internet into their curriculum. I will try to briefly outline the essence of the 7 habits and include some strategies for achieving effective internet use in your classroom.

Habit One: Be Proactive.

Sometimes the way we see the problem is the problem. Educators wanting to learn how to effectively use the internet need to believe in themselves and look at their teaching situation from every angle in order to decide what action will head them in the right direction.

 "Proactive people are smart, they're value driven, they read reality, and they know what's needed."

-Covey

Don't wait to find the perfect unit or lesson plan for using the internet. Begin by making a list of internet resources you can start with NOW. An easy way to do this is to use a "hotlist" of resources someone has already researched. There are many of these lists out there. Preview the sites which fit your content from one of the lists and categorize them:

  • Reference material to print out for student use
  • Lessons or materials for your own use
  • Student activities or interactive sites to use during class sessions
  • Sites to use for student research
  • Projects on the topic - collaborations with others

Expect internet access. If it not available in your classroom or school find out how you can gain access. If need be begin with access at home while you work with your school's technology personnel and administrators to gain access at school.

Find ways to schedule online time. Even small blocks or infrequent access is better than none at all. Start small if you have to, but the key is to start.

Habit Two: Begin With The End In Mind.

All effective teachers plan and plan well, creating different scenarios to cover the ways that lessons might go. Utilizing the internet and its resources means planning and being prepared in the same way that you would plan for using a new text or video or science experiment. This type of planning is nothing new for a good teacher.

 "To begin with the end in mind means to start with an understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction."

-Covey

Know what your objectives are for your lessons and seek out the resources to help you meet them. Make sure the students also know their objectives for using the internet. That is the best way to keep everyone on task and ensure effective use of online time.

The use of any new strategy takes time to perfect. Realize there are management skills, scheduling, and new ways of approaching curriculum which will be more consistently effective with the use of all technology, including the internet.

Searching on the internet for lessons to use can be time consuming. Seek instead to find repositories of lessons which have been researched and organized to be a resource for educators such as the K-12 Internet Resource Search Page .

Habit Three: Put First Things First.

For teachers their students are the number one priority. If you believe that using the internet can bring the real world issues, up-to-date information, rich primary source material and all of the other benefits you have heard that using the internet can bring to a classroom, then focus on its use as a professional goal. This will help you set aside the time to prepare and schedule the class time needed.

 "Don't prioritize your schedule, instead...schedule your priorities."

-Covey
  • Start with one lesson or unit.
  • Look for ways to modify what you do already so that you can take advantage of online resources and add information that is more current, in-depth, or compelling than what can be found in a textbook.
  • Bring equity to your classes. Those who do not have online access at home should be provided with the opportunity. Those who do have access at home should be able to use this tool to enhance what they may already be doing and to have the opportunity to share their expertise.

Habit Four: Think Win-Win.

In school settings where interactions with students and colleagues are paramount, "win/win" is a most important philosophy. The win/win process has four steps:

  • See the problem from others' point of view, in terms of their needs
  • Identify the key issues and concerns
  • Determine what end results would make the best acceptable solution(s)
  • Identify options to achieve those results

Consider working with the school's media specialist or another teacher who can bring their expertise and ideas to your internet venture. Planning with others and developing a team approach can help all contributors. Like wise be willing to reach out and help others learn from your experiences or share in lessons you develop. We all win when we can share and learn from as well as with others.

Work with students to help them understand their responsibilities in using the resources of the internet. Evaluation of sources, organizing information and other information processing skills students need to use and you need to teach will be critical skills for the 21st century. Don't be afraid to learn side-by-side with your students. Seeing how they react and interact with online resources can help you revamp your teaching strategies and restructure your lessons.

Habit Five: Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood.

Listen empathically. Get inside the other person's frame of reference so you listen with one purpose - to understand. Then work on ensuring that you clearly communicate your thoughts and ideas.

 "Seeking first to understand, diagnosing before you prescribe, is hard but it's the mark of all true professionals."

-Covey

Open the door to the potential that exists in students by finding out what it is that will make a win/win situation for them. Providing the rich resources of the internet for their use, engaging in a collaborative online project, participating in challenging activities/contests (such as Think Quest) making information available in new/exciting ways, or providing opportunities for "authentic" research may be the key to reaching the potential waiting to be unlocked.

Habit Six: Synergize.

Synergy means the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The essence or key is to build on strengths and compensate for weaknesses. Synergistic communication means opening your mind to new possibilities and realizing that your new creative endeavors may be somewhat unpredictable.

Become a team player with your students. Build a safe environment which encourages risk-taking, experimentation, creative endeavor and use of the information available online. Work in collaborative groups. Encourage team projects, brainstorming and idea sharing. Bring colleagues, administrators, parents, community members and others into your work on line. Perhaps a parent has expertise to share on building web pages which will help you publish student projects online. Perhaps a colleague has an upcoming unit on a topic which your students can research. Together you can achieve much more than working in isolation

Habit Seven: Sharpen The Saw.

Sharpening the saw refers to a commitment to continuous improvement in each of the four aspects of human existence: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, and Social-Emotional. The process of continuous improvement is essential for schools and also for those who work inside of them. Educators must continually renew themselves, moving upward in the spiral of growth and change.

 "Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be."

Goethe

Affirm the proactive nature of your students by treating them as responsible people. Support them, appreciate them and help them become confident, independent learners. Let them develop research questions and projects to investigate. Help them to design products to demonstrate their learning.

Never stop learning yourself. Read professional journals and books. Attend workshops and in service sessions about using the internet to "sharpen" your skills and learn new ones.Research new topics online. Learn to create your own website to publish student work. Find time for yourself to better yourself.

 

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May, 1999
Carla Schutte,Technology Specialist
Moton Elementary School
Brooksville, Florida