http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech004.shtml
The very first thing that this article addresses is that technology is a tool to be used for instruction. Using technology because it is cool and we think students should know how to use these cool new gadgets is the wrong way to approach technology within a school. Technology can provide the opportunity to take instruction to the next level. Not only can it stream line many processes, but it allows students to explore and create rather than sit and listen.
The other main point is that educators need to take part in the process of designing and choosing tools. In the past programmers designed software and teachers adapted their instruction to fit the software. These days educators have become part of the development process. Within each school teachers need to educate themselves on the technology tools that they want to learn about in their professional development as opposed to being told what to use.
I agree that technology is just a tool to give students the opportunity to learn. I do believe that they do pick up valuable problem solving skills as they explore and figure out how to use the technology they are given, but since technology changes so quickly the skill is much more important than the gadget they are using. Technology allows students to do so much more, it really shifts the landscape of teaching. The information is at the tip of their fingers, it is our job as teachers to show them how to sort through that information and create something from it.
I also agree that teachers need to take ownership of the technology that they want to learn about. Administration should not have to force technology tools onto teacher, I believe it is their responsibility to convince and motivate teachers to see the impact that technology has on their students. Then teachers, the experts in their fields, can explore and direct where they want to go.
In our district this would be showing teachers the research that shows the impact of technology in the classroom and holding teachers accountable to learning and experimenting with technology in their classrooms. This looks like teachers modeling what they do in their classrooms at professional development meetings.
I think that school is stuck in its ways because its tough to change. I see teachers resistant to use technology because they do not believe that it will improve student learning. Maybe I am impatient, but this frustrates me, but also motivates me to convince them otherwise.
I agree that teachers should be involved in the development and creation of technology rather than be forced to adapt to the technology, but I question how that can be done when so many are reluctant to even use the technology that has already been developed.
ReplyDeleteSometimes technology integration means a shift from teacher controlled and teacher-led classroom to a student-led classroom, and letting students have that control is a challenge for some in my district.
Lastly, I think a large part of the obstacles to full technology integration in every classroom is the lack of time provided to make sure teachers are comfortable with and know how to integrate technology into their classrooms. Too often teachers are handed a device and told, "Here, use it." and because of the challenges listed in the article I read, the teacher tends to use it only to replace their paper projects with using the computer for research and word processing. There will not be full support of using technology to support instruction until there is full support from the administrative level to make sure teachers know how to use technology to support instruction.