Teachers are faced with so many responsibilities on a daily
basis they are overwhelmed. We have to juggle a stressful schedule as a
teacher, referee, problem solver, and now technology expert. Adding one more
thing to their daily list of things is not something they get very excited
about. With the increasing need for students to be digitally literate teachers
are concerned with balancing technology and traditional teaching. Teachers face
the dilemma of helping students become college and career ready through content
standards and making sure they are digitally prepared for the world. Students
will always be a page ahead of teachers when it comes to the use of technology
but they need teachers to guide them through learning using technology. Whitehead,
Jensen, and Boschee give several reasons why teachers are reluctant to
integrate technology in their daily lessons (2013). Two of the main roadblocks
are resources and the teacher’s level of comfort with the technology (Whitehead,
Jensen, & Boschee, 2013). As a teacher I have always felt more comfortable
teaching math so because of this I felt my math lessons were more energetic and
detailed. From my experience most, teachers feel the same way. If they have
passion and knowledge of the subject they are teaching it make the teaching
easier. Teachers need to feel that technology has the same importance in their
classroom as reading and math. Through extensive training and understanding of
the technology, teacher can become more comfortable with its use. We are
teaching and learning in a 21st century world technology is a main
component in that new world. Change is difficult but administration can make it
less painful with training, vision statements, and a culture that supports the
importance of technology. When teachers and administrators realize how
important technology is to a student’s future success they will find time for technology
daily (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2013).
Check out these tips on how to add technology to the classroom and this video on the importance of technology in the classroom.
Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics
Costelo, V. (2015, September
16). Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com
Sapiens, L. (2013, December
24`). The Importance of Technology in Education [Digital image].
Retrieved
February 18, 2019, from https://elearninginfographics.com/the-importance-of-
technology-in-education-infographic/
Whitehead, B. M., Jensen, D.,
& Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for
technology: A guide for
school administrators,
technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks,
CA:
Corwin, a Sage Company.
Hi Tracy! Teacher reluctance is real. This is why your chart needs to be front and center, because motivation for the betterment of students has to be center in teachers' focus. Implementing technology is needed for the future of students' learning and careers, so it needs to be taught and implemented to fidelity. Technology is not just one more thing, but the thing for students' future. There is so much research on the benefits of technology use to students, academically, socially, and emotionally. Researchers Downes & Bishop (2015) list, "In one of the earliest and largest 1:1 initiatives, middle level students in Maine demonstrated increased engagement and reduced behavior referrals (Muir, Knezek, & Christensen, 2004) as well as a 7.7% increase in attendance during the first year of the program (Lemke & Martin, 2003). Other studies similarly have documented improved attendance (Lane, 2003; Texas Center for Educational Research, 2009), increased engagement (Bebell & Kay, 2010) and decreased disciplinary problems (Bebell, 2005).
ReplyDeleteResearchers have also observed relationships between technology use in schools and improvements in students’ attitudes toward learning, self-efficacy, behavior, and technology proficiency (Hsieh, Cho,
Liu, & Schallert, 2008; Shapley, Sheehan, Maloney, & Caranikas-Walker, 2011; Storz & Hoffman, 2013)." This is what school stakeholders need to consider. These past experiences can help with future implementation and decision making.
Reference
Downes, J. M., & Bishop, P. A. (2015). The intersection between 1: 1 laptop implementation and the characteristics of effective middle level schools. RMLE online, 1-16.
Tracy- we were actually just talking about this yesterday at my tech team meeting... One more thing, even answering a simple email has become increasingly difficult in the classroom. But by giving proper support as administrators and school leaders through professional development opportunities and a shared vision, the task of staying abreast of current technologies becomes more attainable (Whitehead, Jensen, Boschee, 2013).
ReplyDeleteWhitehead, B. M., Jensen, D., & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks,CA: Corwin, a Sage Company.
Hello Tracy,
ReplyDeleteI smiled at your title! Love it! Yes, one more thing for us to do but hopefully the implementation of technology will decrease that list. The infographic you inserted is informative, I was applying my daily behavior in the classroom to it and as I sure others will feel needs improving. According Whitehead, Jensen, Boschee (2013) technology should be used as a tool in the classroom and required with today's students. Great Read!
Whitehead, B. M., Jensen, D., & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks,CA: Corwin, a Sage Company.