At my current school, technology resources in the Upper School (6th – 8th grade) is extensive; however, I have found that the teachers have received technology that they have not been properly trained to use, or they have built their curriculum already and do not want to change it to utilize the new technology. I have seen Smartboards used as glorified projectors, and iPads used simply for viewing presentations. In the article, “Barriers to teachers’ technology use,” Serhat Kurt and Muhammed Ciftci describe the biggest obstacles for teachers are “teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills, and not enough training opportunities for teachers” (p. 226).
While the resources are becoming more available for teachers now, I look for the training for teachers to gradually increase in the coming 5 – 10 years. This means that teachers will learn how to use discussion boards, vlogs, apps, etc… in order to meet the needs of a problem/project based classroom. Through Carolyn Thorsen’s text, we can see that technology has not only grown, but it has become more accessible. It is in the best interest of the students and the teachers to learn how to build curriculum that allows for significant interaction from the students through the use of technology.
Ciftci, M., & Kurt, S. (2012). Barriers to teachers' use of technology. International Journal of
Instructional Media, 39(3), 225.
Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?
id=GALE%7CA298171661&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=
bf09ee1e1c7d27a95aafe8140ed64fc1
Thorsen, C. (2009).
TechTactics: Technology for Teachers (3 ed.). Boston: Pearson
I have not taught in the public schools although I have been teaching for 20+ years; therefore I have never used a Smartboard. If I had one while teaching I imagine Skyping or having a Google hangout with other classes in the country we are studying, or with a judge regarding a current events case study. I imagine having Sal Khan's explanations for geometry or algebra up as I field questions or doing a Webquest together for a unit study. I confess, virtual dissections in science sound very appealing and I could save the messy part of classes for art. (Note: I teach across all subjects and integrate them.)
ReplyDeleteIn my fondest dreams I picture teachers being required summer school at least every other year to adjust their lesson plans/curriculum/pedagogy,,,,sigh. I have a hard time hearing about teachers who have this and don't use it to the fullest.
Debra White
Several classmates have commented on the fact that teachers do not use technology because they are not fully trained. For those that are not 'interested' in technology, becoming familiar with something unfamiliar is a task rather than something exciting like Debra described. I think the challenge for leaders in education comes in many forms as far as technology. First, school leaders must inspire teachers, old and young, to become passionate about technology. This is best done through modeling great technology practices in teacher in-service training. (Who hasn't been forced to sit through a long and boring power point presentation). Once teachers are excited about the possibilities that technology can provide them, the school leadership must provide ample training and time for implementation. This means making sure that new equipment or software is available when teachers are writing their course plans rather than on the first day of school. Technology, fully integrated into educational plans, has unlimited potential for expanding our students' learning experiences.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteI agree when you said, teachers have received technology that they have not been properly trained to use. The school, I currently teach at the elementary teachers received Google chrome laptops. They received an hour of training when they received the equipment. As the computer instructor, I was not asked to help assist the teachers with training because I had classes. The majority of the teachers are not utilizing the technology. As teachers we should not wait for someone to train us on technology. When, I need to learn something that I do not know, I will YouTube the information and found out how to accomplish what I need to learn. A good number of teachers do not think to research what they do not know.
In a 2006 study, Hew and Brush found six general barriers typically faced by K-12 schools in the United States and other countries when integrating technology into the curriculum for instructional purposes. These include lack of resources, inadequate knowledge and skills, institutional barriers, attitudes and beliefs, assessment and subject culture. Sarah you stated that you look for the training for teachers to gradually increase in the coming 5 – 10 years. If the training gradually increases in 5 – 10 years, how many barriers do you think will still come into play with integrating technology in the classroom?
Reference
Hew, K., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: Current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research & Development, 55(3), 223-252.
Sarah, I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I definetly have heard my share of excuses from teachers about technology throwing their routine off. I have also heard teachers complain about not getting enough training. I am an explorer. I will do whatever it takes to teach myself how to use a form of technology. However, I believe that as an educator, that can seem daunting. Along with everything else that is required of educators, changing lesson plans and learning new forms of technology just seems tedious and time consuming. I believe that technology will continue to grow and along with it, schools will get more accustomed to training teachers properly on how to use it. Great post!
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