If you are currently a classroom teacher, please reflect on the nature of technology adoption in schools. Are there barriers in your school? Teacher-related? Resource related? Is there anything that can be done? If you are not currently in the classroom, please take an armchair quarterback approach here and judge local school districts, local educational institutions, etc.
I am currently a kindergarten teacher. This is my second year teaching. In my school district there is a constant push towards technology integration in the classroom. Even at the kindergarten level my students are being introduced to a variety of technology forms, especially due to the new Common Core Standards that our district adopted this year. My students are now learning how to type on microsoft word, explore microsoft paint and do simple searches online to complete research projects. I feel that all of these things are helping to build a foundation for my students in technology education.
On a school level there are still barriers in technology. The teachers are not all adequately informed about various modes of technology that can be implemented into the classroom. There may be brief mentions of technology integration concepts and ideas but there are not any guides to help the teachers implement the technology in such a way that the students are can obtain the most from the lessons and the material also be relevant. There is also a shortage of resources because a lot of the technology resources in our school are shared.
In order for things to change for the positive my school district needs to establish more professional development sessions where teachers are trained on various technology resources. Also we need more grants or technology resources in the classroom and in the school as a whole
It sounds like the greatest barrier to the inclusion of technology in your school district is the knowledge base of the teachers. I think the trend will probably begin to be an inclusion of technology education in teacher workshops, and in-services. I hope that your school adapts this. I think it is great that your school district is teaching kindergarteners some basic technology skills. It is definitely a skill set they will need through out their lives. This skill set is probably just as important as being able to read, write, and do basic mathematics.
ReplyDeleteI think your point about trying to keep informed of new technology is valid. It would be nice if the districts could help in this way by providing training or publications that keep their teachers informed. I teach high school math and there are many opportunities to go to workshops led by Texas Instruments to showcase the new technology they develop. As an individual teacher, I could work harder to stay current on technology. That is something I usually do during the summer break.
ReplyDeleteKevin Yaiko (it's my wife's account)