I really like this textbook. Chapter 2 seemed to lay out a lot of the issues I've always had with integrating technology. The TIP model especially worked for me, largely because it was based upon two premises I find compelling. The first is the need for teachers to evaluate their TPACK base. It makes sense that in this day and age, we not only need to know content and pedagogy, but technology as well. The second aspect of the TIP model is that it's based on "relative advantage." This year I've been an instructional coach, and one of the "rules" I try to help teachers understand is that if you do the planning and legwork ahead of the teaching, it helps student learning and saves headaches in the end.
Our district just finalized its K-12 Technology plan, and will start assessing teachers' technical proficiency next year, using an online assessment based on NETS-T. There's a lot of angst among teachers in the district, who are struggling with the idea that familiarity with current technology - including blogs, wikis, advanced searches and website evaluation - is a job expectation. I think if our district used an approach such as TIPS, to show teachers that technology is a tool that teachers should be using to improve instruction and not just another expectation piled onto our already busy lives, teachers would be more understanding and less threatened.
Probably the "muddiest" point for me is how to proceed when (what Roblyer and Doering call) "essential conditions" aren't present. Our district really struggles with keeping technology current and providing timely technical assistance. We moved from a model of having Technology Liasons in each school (techie "jacks of all trades") to districtwide Instructional Technology Teachers who are only supposed to support and help with teacher training and student instruction. This means that if machines, labs or printers aren't working at a school, the work order is submitted and someone from the district office comes out to fix it. It frustrates teachers, which in turn makes them generally anti-tech and also anti-district-wide anything. I see our district really trying to refocus to provide on-going, need-based professional development, yet folks are resistant. I recently had to give a presentation to various schools on Atomic Learning, which is a service our district subscribes to that provides quick online tutorials as well as ideas for incorporating technology in content areas. It's east and helpful, but just getting folks to be willing to check it out was a challenge.
I have to agree with the teachers, making that a "must" and a PDAS evaluation point is too much. I'm not saying that technology isn't important and that it isn't great for the occassional classroom lesson, but it's just one more thing that must be addressed. It just seems to me that much of what you mentioned, WIKIs and blogs, can be addressed in technology classrooms. My principal recently approached me about blogging in the classroom and I told him no. We are pressed for time as it is before testing that I did not have the time to dedicate to such a project, the length, time, and involvment it would require just wasn't practical and I did not see the benefits for the reading the test. I did tell him that it would be great for 7th grade, since they take a writing test, if he could get them to concede to it.
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie, Great blog as usual!! I like chapter 2 as well. It really makes intergrading technology seem much less overwhelming. Thank you again for all your help! I printed your instructions on how to include pictures in my blog and I did it! I know you will get the teachers to accept technology because you are so good at explaining things. Have a great rest of the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI can understand teachers not being comfortable with having to know new technologies. We have a lot of teachers in our district who feel the same way. There are many that dive right into new technology, and with fellow teachers showing others how to use it has helped to get the scared ones on board. It's the new way to do things and we all need to be on board!! :)
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