So you want technology in your classroom?
Many teachers dream about having the most innovative, engaging technology resources available for their classrooms. It would be nice to blink like a genie and have it magically appear. Unfortunately, it takes more than a blink and a nod to get technology added to a school or classroom.
Frazier and Hearington (2017) describe the different stages of introducing technology in a school setting. It refers to the first stage as the pre-procurement stage. During this first stage, a technology committee
should be formed. Next, a needs assessment should be conducted in order to identify what technology each teacher needs (p. 91).
With most schools, funding is a big concern. Most schools do not have a big enough budget to purchase all the technology teachers may want. The technology committee's job is to review the data from the needs assessment. This process is vital, and it will provide a more refined list of teacher needs. With the budget being the driving force behind the deciding factor, the committee must contact vendors in order to receive current price quotes and determine which purchase will fit in the budget. Next, once they have made the selections, the rest of the building staff should vote on the suggested purchases. After the vote, the orders should be placed.
According to Frazier and Hearington (2017), when the technology arrives, the training and implementation process will begin. This stage is the deployment stage. This is when the technology coordinator ensures that the newly purchased tech is configured to the current school's network (p. 93). During the deployment stage, teachers will need to have direct access to all the components of the technology and a training session if needed. Most teachers will benefit from a tutorial rather than a printed manual. In most instances, the teachers are already familiar with the technology; either they had a free trial, or they have spoken to other educators that have used it. So it may be best for the coordinator to get the technology up and running and allow the proficient teachers to start implementation.
What to do to help younger students use new technology? The video shows how a 1st-grade teacher began implementing new technology into her classroom setting.
As for the teachers' training, there is a great deal of importance in making sure the teachers are trained and supported during the deployment stage. Lynch (2018) describes eight ways for old school teachers to embrace technology. His advice is for older teachers to be proactive, learn from the students, take small steps, set limits and goals, solicit feedback, establish class rules, and collaborate with their colleagues.
One of the biggest challenges for older teachers is confidence. Most of them do not possess the confidence and ability to use new, emerging, innovative technology. According to Vareberg and Platt (2018), "external considerations such as access to technology and time available for training affect teachers' integration of technology" (p. 3). Then here comes a pandemic, and some seasoned teachers are being asked to teach remotely. This has caused a shift in the whole education process. Does this video remind you of someone you know?
References
Bored Teachers. (2019, June 13). Teachers vs technology. [Video]. YouTube.https://youtu.be/G-3f3J9kU5E
Frazier, M., & Hearrington, D. (2017). The technology coordinator's handbook. International Society for Technology in Education.
Lynch, M. (2018, December 8). 8 Ways For Old School Teachers to Embrace Technology. The Tech Edvocate. https://www.thetechedvocate.org/8-ways-for-old-school-
teachers-to-embrace-technology/
McGillivray, P. (2019, June 13). Technology in teaching [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Jle-QztZN88
[Photo]. Giphy. Retrieved February 11, 2021 from
https://tenor.com/view/jeannie-blink-idreamofjeannie-gif-7769980
Vareberg, K., & Platt, C. A. (2018). Little Tech on the Prairie: Understanding teachers’ adoption of and resistance to technology in the rural classroom. Journal of the Communication, Speech & Theatre Association of North Dakota, 31, 27–42.
I enjoyed reading your blog! You have some very interesting views on seasoned teachers. I’m a seasoned teacher and I think it’s more of a mindset. This is my 21st year of teaching and I am leaving my younger newbies in the dust when comes to Zoom conferences and ALL of my students have their cameras on and love being with me because they know I know my stuff and I make math easy for them to understand. Some teachers old and young need help. I’m glad I can offer assistance to any teacher who needs me. I enjoyed the genie lady!
ReplyDeleteJohanna,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is always full of the dynamics occurring in your building and I love it. I completely agree that a needs assessment should be conducted in order to truly determine the needs of the educators you serve. Carpenter et al. (2021) state "older teachers do not invest less time in professional development than their younger peers, but prefer different media or learning opportunities" (p.2). I found this statement interesting. Not only do we need to understand the needs of teachers, we also need to consider how they learn best. You seems to invest intentional time in communicating with educators about best practices in instructional technology. You will truly be able to see the benefits of funds allocated to technology. The professional development for educators utilizing any technology for instructional purposes is essential to see a return on the "billions of dollars" spent by school districts "in the past 35 years" (Frazier and Hearrington, 2017, p. 2). It's a mind boggling amount of money. Collectively we can continue to support educators and attempt to make good on the investment of time and funds.
Frazier, M., & Hearrington, D. (2017). Technology coordinator's handbook. International Society for Technology in Education.
Carpenter, J.P., Krutka, D.G. & Trust, T. (2021). Continuity and change in educators’ professional learning networks. Journal Educ Change . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-020-09411-1