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The purpose of this blog, maintained by the North Carolina Association for Educational Communications and Technology, is to discuss the latest in technology trends, news, and ideas related to the North Carolina K-20 educational community.
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25 comments:
One reason I think that a shift has not happened is that education in general has been like a pendulum. For awhile we believe that we should teach like this...and a few years later, we should teach like that...and then we swing back to what we had in the past (kind of like the 80's fashions making a comeback!) Career teachers have lived this and think that they do not have to change as it will always come back to what they are already doing.
The other issue that causes teachers not to shift their teaching is the belief that we are asking them to work harder than they are already working. What we are actually suggesting, though, is that we work smarter and in a different way.
I find teachers who either will never change just because they choose not to change, teachers who are afraid of "new," particularly technology, or teachers who do not have the training to use newer technology. Fortunately, I have not dealt with this sort of teacher as a majority, but when I run across one or two, they seem to be extreme. Also, in the defense of teachers, (keeping in mind that I not only facilitate technology at my school but also teach Art and AIG,) once we learn one curriculum framework, one rule, one way of doing things and really begin to take ownership of it, we are often asked to try something else, do something else, or learn something in addition... This does make one contemplate the idea of "mastery."
Five reasons -- off the top of my head...
1. Lack of resources (especially digital content and digital content tools),
2. Lack of time to retool,
3. Lack of willingness to pay attention to our students, and sadly
4. Many teachers became teachers because they wanted to be like the teacher who taught them, not necessarily the teachers who our children deserve today.
5. And finally, a lack of vision at all levels, resulting largely from Government Regulation (NCLB)
For many teachers, "shift" has happened, as technology was opening up as they went through high school or college. For many teachers, there is a "fear factor" and I think that comes from the desire to be the best and having to re-learn teaching methods and styles that are long entrenched. It is difficult to give up something that you know works. I look at my students and think, "If it's not good enough for my child, then it's not good enough for any child." It's difficult to step back and re-learn. Here's the "but" -- technology is fun and students seem to automatically pay interest, so engagement in activities is easier. Teachers who have not chosen to "shift" should try one new thing a semester and feel success and build on that with another new thing. The thrill for the teacher is mastering something new, just like the students.
Why does “shift” not happen in every classroom in every school?
Perhaps too simply stated, we treat classrooms like Jeopardy—focusing over much on minutia rather than on methods. Only a few chosen will actually complete in the game of Jeopardy when specific knowledge is the requirement for winning. Success for the rest of the class will depend on how well they grasp the methods for learning that will guide them in all else they attempt. Yet we schedule “Methods” in college only after a major has been declared and most of the learning (and I use this term loosely) has taken place. Go figure.
Fortunately, many of our students pick up a method or two along the way despite the continued focus on minutia—watch how they seem to adapt to the latest and greatest—although that tendency may be more the inclination of their youth. Unfortunately, we work hard to stifle that youth and make them less inclined to the world of learning and more inclined to our box of knowledge. And so it goes and so it goes.
It’s a vicious circle, this square. :)
I think there are a number of factors that cause a large population of teachers to resist the “shift” from happening in their classrooms. There is a large population of teachers that did not grow up with technology in their lives, nor were they exposed to it in their college years. They are comfortable with the teaching methods they have been using for years because they have had success with them. Learning to teach a different way takes time (which they feel they lack) and they have to get over their fear of trying something new in the classroom. Another factor for is that technology changes too fast for this group of teachers/learners. Some of them feel that if they do learn something new, it will change in the near future. That may involve learning a new version of the software or a new hardware system all together. Another factor for this group of teachers is that they know that the students they teach are very techno literate. This is “their world”. A teacher is supposed to be the know all; see all leader in the classroom. They are in control of the classroom environment. They may be afraid to take that walk in the student’s techno world because they feel that they will loose that control that makes them feel so comfortable. There is another group of teachers that embrace the “shift” in the classroom. They love the new technology. They see the benefits for the students. Our job is to help teachers understand that technology is a knowledge that they have not acquired yet. A teacher who understands and absorbs technology is not any smarter than a teacher who does not learn it as quickly. Learning to use the mouse is no different than learning to use the pencil. It is a motor skill that they can master. We just need to be there to help them.
My personal observation, and this is only mine, is that any "new" event(s) is/are influenced by the following:
1. there are some who embrace new thought/technology/action immediately,
2. there are some who are slow accepters but do come around to new stuff; and,
3. there are some who will never accept new things because of a lot of different factors (usually it is just harder to do than rolling with the flow.)
Now, in schools, there will always be some combination of 1,2 and 3. Each plays off of and gains credibility from others within their particular classification. Only by getting those in categories 1 and 2 to "beat up" on those in category 3 will shift happen. Of course, there are some that say that there is nothing new under the sun and what goes around comes around. Is this not especially true in education...
Technology is broadly defined as "The use of tools, resources, and intellect to solve real world problems and extend human capabilites" Many teachers equate technology with "computers" and feel that they are using technology if they occasionally take students to the computer lab or when they use NCWISE. This perception has been promulgated by those in the ivory towers who make decisions about what the latest and greatest technology shall be, and make edicts about it, like it or not. When a better technology comes along, those same powers prevent teachers from using them either by telling them it is forbidden, or cutting off funding or making it so hard to get that technology that the teacher gives up.
Curiously, computer technology was supposed to bring the end to paperwork and make record keeping digital. In reality, MORE paper is produced because it is actually easier to make more paper. The volume of data has increased, but the ability to make sense of it has decreased. So large volumes of data on all sorts of things exist, if one has the time to glean it. In short, more technology has made the POTENTIAL to teach easier, but that potential has only made it easier to make things more complicated. That complication spills over into the teaching profession and because we are human, we shy away from things which make our lives more complicated. The unspoken message is "Technology will only COMPLICATE your life, it won't make it easier"
Of course, those who are proficient in technology know just the opposite is true. A master of technology will make their effectiveness go up for themselves and their students. Very few, however, have the ability to master the technology. Most teachers just want to be told which button to push and when. Therefore, I believe that unless we create more pre-packaged technological solutions to real-world issues, we won't get buy-in. Just telling teachers to use more technology won't make it happen. Solve the problems in simple ways, and teachers will use it. In other words, build it and they will come...
Shift is not happening in every classroom in every school for numerous reasons. In my opinion, these are the major impediments:
1.Personality, and not just those resistant to change, but passive personalities who go with the flow instead of advocating for the tools needed to reach and teach students most effectively—not just addressing teacher personalities—there are others who should help get and keep the ball rolling—parents, community leaders, etc.
2.Funding that could be used to provide technology is funneled into other resources that support goals related to ABCs/NCLB.
3.Timing—
a.Unless there is sufficient planning at all levels to allow for training prior to implementation, many teachers will not seek out technologies that will force them to change their traditional instructional delivery and tried and true student products.
b.A more-work mentality results when teachers have to both, learn the technology on the fly and figure out how to adapt the content.
I believe that when this shift does happen it is because a teacher has seen that the resulting benefit was worth the effort to get there. In some cases (such as SmartBoards, document cameras, etc...) I am seeing many teachers excited because they get a lot of bang for the buck - in other words not too much extra time has to be used in preparing to use these tools - but the increase in student interest is huge.
I believe not all technologies are created equal - for example, even though the voting systems are very interesting to the students, if an elementary teacher has to spend alot of time figuring out how to enter questions, entering them and setting up for the activity - for a one time enhancement - the overall time investment may not have been worth it - whereas perhaps a middle or high school teacher who can use the same set of questions with several classes may have a different outlook on these.
Each tool out there has its fans and those that are not as thrilled with it. I look at my school and if I see teachers using technology in any way to enhance or even drive their teaching, I am happy and encourage it. The enthusiasm spreads quickly once a couple teachers are hooked. The biggest thing we all need to remember is that not every tool is the perfect match for every teacher.
I have seen a correlation between teacher age and willingness to “shift” into a technology infused curriculum. Many teachers that have been in the classroom for a number of years are reluctant to change – and I really believe the changes technology integration force are the biggest changes they have ever been asked to make. I find it frustrating at times. And then I watch this phenomenon and understand that one day I will be the older teacher. After 16 years of teaching I am still excited by new and better ways to teach children. I only hope that I will continue to have an open mind and be willing to try innovative practices throughout my career.
I think the reason the shift hasn't happened with career teachers is education.
I find teachers are afraid of the unknown and then get caught in the "I don't have enough time in my already full schedule to find out about the unknown". Given the chance, and shown the "new stuff", they usually get excited about technology.
So as a tech facilitator, my job is to work with teachers on the unknown and make them comfortable and excited about the "new stuff".
Lynn, I agree that I have seen some connection with age, but the willingness to "shift" also depends on the person's attitude, personality, and willingness to learn. Hopefully as you are still excited about new things after 16 years, you will still be excited about new things after 30.
I think a number of things influence the rate of technology adaptation: the vision, adminstrator support, access to tools, time for training and planning. Through the years, the places that I have been amazed by have ALL these characteristics.
I am lucky enough to work in a school (K-5 w/95% F&R )that has unbelievable administrator support. The principal has supported our requests for more hardware and software(what I condsider the tools). We are lucky enough to have an instructional tech person and a "fix it" tech person, as well as a planning period a week for every teacher for training and planning. These have all been part of the vision... a plan we stuck to for years.
The shift has occurred at this school. It took 4 years of lots of work, but it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! Now the issue is, what happens for the students when they go to middle school?
So many great thoughts and comments here!
All I want to add is that unless we come to the table with an attitude of professionalism and a sincere passion for continued growth and maturity in our field, it doesn't matter what is coming down the pike... whole language, phonics, four block, manipulatives, simulations, learning styles, multiple intelligences, open classrooms, back to basics, standards, accountability, high-stakes, outcome-based education, assertive discipline, mastery learning, merit pay, ... To tell you the truth, I think we have made many teachers who have been in the classroom for a while quite dizzy! example
But, regardless of it all, those who have a passion for teaching, student learning, engagement, meaningful knowledge construction, and are learners themselves... these folks will always rise to the challenge when supported. The other ones, I just don't know.
look... i don't mean to diss any of you "enlightened" teachers out there (i mean you're blogging, right!) but i think the biggest reason shift isn't happening is because the students aren't part of the conversation. Your talk is about the teachers and the leaders and while i get that, where are the students? How come nobody is talking about how schools are using students to help them shift? I mean, i know some math, and with a 30:1 ratio in most schools, there are a lot of us that would like to help but don't have a way.
sorry to barge in on this professional conversation but thought you might want to know how a student in your state thinks too. i think you guys have some good ideas.
I’m a technology facilitator at a large middle school.
I think the shift has not happened in all schools at all levels for several reasons:
1) not enough time to plan and create;
2) lack of or inconsistency in accountability;
3) too much emphasis for too long on the mechanics instead of on the integration;
4) lack of understanding of and models for technology integration in the classroom;
5) lack of nonjudgmental and ongoing support in planning and implementation of technology integration.
I think that reasons 1, 2, and 3 are self-explanatory, so I would like to explore reasons 4 and 5.
Our school is lucky to have the resources required to integrate technology. But, I couldn’t understand why more teachers weren’t using it. I did a survey of my middle school staff at the end of last year. I was trying to get an idea of what kind of technology staff development teachers really wanted, as well as honest answers about what they needed to help them integrate technology in their classrooms. Although I was surprised that many teachers still did not feel comfortable with the mechanics of some software (e.g., Excel), I was especially surprised that many teachers did not know what I meant by technology integration.
Having the summer to think this over, I decided that I would no longer put my efforts in training on the mechanics of MS Office software, but instead, I would focus on integration. I thought that maybe teachers didn't need to know every aspect of Excel in order to use it effectively with students. Once I shifted my focus, I realized that what they really need is someone to show them how a program like Excel can be used to help them teach a piece of curriculum.
So, I tried a different approach. I attended grade level and department meetings to find out what they were teaching. Then, I practically begged them to call me when they were ready to start a new unit so that I could offer some suggestions on integrating technology. And, taking it one step further, I promised to choose what I thought would be the best software vehicle(s) for the lesson(s) and design the activity based on what they wanted their students to learn. The design process eventually became a joint effort as the teacher and I refined the activity. Thus, the model…
Finally, the time came for implementation. I agree, as mentioned by others in this blog, there is the “fear factor.” It is very real, not because teachers don’t want to try something new, not because they don’t want to provide a variety of learning experiences for their students, but because they don’t want and don’t have time to fumble around alone in front of 30 students who might know more than they do about computers or software. So, I believe the answer to reason #5 is someone needs to “be there” with them all the way. You can’t lead them to the design without joining them in the implementation.
This year, I have joined these teachers in the lab, in the media center, or in the classroom. I have talked with and taught their students, and I have taken care of the “technical difficulties” that always happen. Most importantly, the teacher and I have become co-creators, team teachers, and truly wonderful lessons are happening at all grade levels. And, best of all, truly wonderful projects are being created and shared by students.
I sound very confident, but I have been winging it along with the teachers this year. All of what I have described has been an experiment, and not all of it has been successful. But I think I’m on the right track. I still have a lot of work to do, and there are many teachers who aren’t quite ready to make the shift, but I believe, most of them will. But only if someone shows them what technology integration looks like, and only if someone is always ready and available to support them, to cheer them and their students on, to “walk the talk” with them.
(I hope you can sense my excitement about these discoveries!)
I think that often our greatest obstacle to shift can be our memory.
We remember how school was for us and it is tough to get out of that mind set. Change is difficult. It is messy and uncomfortable. We have so much vested that to unlearn and relearn is insurmountable sometimes.
Here is a cute video that illustrates my point.
Click here
yikes-- wrong video
I mean click here.. sheesh
Fierce Daisy said, "look... i don't mean to diss any of you "enlightened" teachers out there (i mean you're blogging, right!) but i think the biggest reason shift isn't happening is because the students aren't part of the conversation."
I just saw your post and wanted to let you know I agree! I think often kids are left out of the solution. I mean 94% of schools are made up of students. And we are trying to solve the problem with 6% of the stakeholders. Not smart.
So, I am curious, how would you deal with this issue?
hey, sheryl
thanks for asking!
i know that teachers have problems and challenges -- like kids that can't read. i think they could ask a group of kids to give them ideas about how to help those kids, maybe with some new tools that the teachers don't even know about. i have some great ideas about how to use an ipod to help them read!
i just wish my teachers would talk to me about how i learn rather than assuming they know.
I believe that when we are new teachers we are quite ready to do and learn new things, whatever it takes to help our kids. Something happens over the years of laminating classroom resources, seating charts and high stakes testing that wrings this pioneering spirit out of even the best of educators. What is amazing is to see an educator reignited. Like a student who finally finds their thing or purpose, these teachers become newly exciting as they re-remember how much fun learning is. I mean learning here, not training! As we look at the many exciting possibilities and challenges our kids will deal with in the future, I think we can do no less that get back in the learning race!
Engineers had Star Trek; doors that opened without touching, hand held communication devices. What do we have? No one has SHOWN what the future should look like – only described parts of it. We need to get some hot-shot Hollywood director to record a vision of what the future could look like. Not the glamour part – but the used and beat up hardware of Star Wars used in everyday life. Once we see students learning, and being bored by (let’s be realistic here), technology and how it allows the teacher to engage learners and streamline and personalize student learning, then I think real progress will be made. We have pockets of visions of what the technologically advanced classroom looks like – sort of like those 30 second Super Bowl commercial spots, but where is the Terminator of Teaching?
Why does shift happen in any venue? It's because those required to make a change are inclined to do so -- they see advantage for themselves in the ways in which they live, work and play. What prevents this in the area of instructional technology? Lots of good reasons already in this blog -- perhaps another is that we still haven't arrived at common understandings and knowledge of what technology can and should be used for. In other words, we have a lack of vision (one essential condition for change). Without vision, we can't begin to approach the other needed elements: time, access and support.
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