In this article, the author writes about what it means to be a teacher in a blended learning environment, and gives 8 important characteristics of a teacher in a blended environment. The first characteristic the author describes in being flexible. Thing go wrong! Its important to have a digital plan B, or possible even a non-digital plan C. This happens A LOT. It happened to be a lot in the beginning of our 1:1 program when our network wasn’t strong enough to support all the devices yet. The most important thing to remember in these situations in not to get too frustrated. It’s impossible to not get a little frustrated, but if you are prepared, and you can not get the tech to work, just move on. Don’t complain, or blame the tech people, but start teaching as if you planed it. As long as there is a plan B, or even C, technically you did plan it. This can be a problem, and I see it with some of our staff. They too tried things at first, and when the network couldn’t handle it, they gave up and moved on. You have to stick with it.
The next characteristic is tied to the first, and it’s the ability to problem solve. Basically, the author states that the tech person has a lot to deal with, and it’s the responsibility of the teacher to learn how to take care of themselves in as many situations as possible. I feel like it’s important for staff to know their limitations, but to always be bettering themselves on this front. I know there are some things I do not know how to fix, but there are others that I try to take care of on my own.
Willingness to handhold and step by step scaffolding are the next two. Some kids have no idea what you are trying to do and need extra help, specifically step by step instructions on how to work the tech. Others need a direction and to be set loose so they can figure it out on their own. In my class, I have had to get to know the students. When I assign something, I always try to give detailed instructions, and then I go to the students that I know may need extra help, and try to walk them through the process step by step. This boils down to knowing your students.
The author states that a full digital tool box is also important to bring to the classroom. It’s a good idea to have a few go to programs to give the students a sense of routine, but having a wide variety of tools can also help when certain programs go wrong. It’s a good idea to have more then one avenue to get from point A to point B.
Finally, the author talks about being able to use email proficiently and being willing to work after school. Being I started using google classroom, my inbox was always full. I eventually started filtering student email into its own folder, and then breaking that up by class period,. It was the only way I knew to keep everything straight. Finally, and I agree with the author, a blended classroom is going to take some work, and if you are an 8-4 type of teacher, this probably will not work. It is going to take some time at the end of the day.
I totally understand how easy it is to give up on technology when it doesn't go as planned, or when the students just don't seem to get it the first...few times. I like that the author tells that there needs to be contingency plans for lessons that include technology. There have been many times here that our teachers struggle because we aren't at 1:1 on our devices. We are heading there, but many teachers still want to use paper and pencils because they have been burned when technology has not worked the way they needed it to.
ReplyDeleteEmails, holy cow. Using emails proficiently is a skill that many of our teachers lack. Emails are the most efficient, less disruptive way to communicate information, but there are over a dozen teachers who refuse to check it unless it is the beginning or end of the day. We even have an administrator who rarely emails back, and when he does, it is never timely or even addresses the issue posed in our emails. This is frustrating.
The issue of tech support must surely affect every school. There is not enough staff to meet the user needs. That is why it is so important for teachers to deal with as many of their tech hurdles as possible. In my experience, the frustration level of some teachers pushed them away from technology use, but it is improving. Newer staff with a higher tech comfort level provide peer to peer support. To your other main point, teachers definitely need to put in time outside of class. Email is a simple and effective means of allowing students to connect after hours. Additionally, teachers need to plan the content that appears on that technology...such as an up-to-date website.
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