Training Teachers to Integrate Instructional Technology

Training Teachers to Use Instructional Technology

Every year, it seems, there is a stronger push for integrating technology in education.  It is no different at my school.  This year teachers were provided with new touch-screen laptops that could be taken in and out of the classroom, home, and to training sessions.  Our campus received Chromebooks, Kindle Fire tablets, and new HP laptops.  Our campus also uses interactive white boards and projectors, drawing pads, iPads, and has three computer labs.  Our district also has the “Bring Your Own Device” initiative, where students are encouraged to use their own technology when deemed necessary and appropriate for learning in the classroom.  Every year, for the last three years, it has been my job to encourage the use of technology.  And ever year, teachers seem reluctant to try my suggestions.  Their excuses include: students abuse technology, students steal technology, students damage technology, and “I don’t want to be held responsible." I usually get, “its just too much trouble to keep up with." 

Well, these excuses are not good reasons.  It is vital that students, as well as teachers, use technology in the classroom.  The problem is not that people have failed to address the importance of technology, but the advantages that teachers will experience, once they take the time to learn and set up the necessary parameters for the correct application and integration of the technology, is not being seen.  Roblyer and Doering in Integrated Educational Technology Into Teaching (2013), cite instructional technology is "the subset of educational technology that deals directly with teaching and learning applications" (p. 422). We must help teachers understand how to use technology, but even more importantly, we must help them learn to integrate it effectively.  NEA is cited by Burns (2010), “Many teachers report that the instruction they receive in technology integration, whether online or face-to-face, is still too focused on learning how to use the software versus integrating it into the teaching and learning process." This year our professional training was focused on how to integrate technology to address issues on our campus.  Our campus has already had a professional learning session on how to use our new ThinkPad touch-screen laptops.  It was followed by a session on how to integrate a few aspects of the ThinkPad to classroom teaching.  Upcoming professional learning development days will continue to take place.  As cited in Mark Smith's article on technology integration, “You can spend all the money you want on hardware, software, and infrastructure, but unless you train teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum — which is not the same thing as training teachers to use computers — you've wasted every dime you've spent.”  We must continue searching out ways to balance “how to use” technology training with “how to integrate” technology training.  Teachers may have an arsenal of technology at their fingertips, but without proper training, students are the ones that suffer the consequences. 

We must, for the sake of our students, whether they are in elementary school, middle school, or high school, or even in higher-learning institutions, learn to use technology, teach technology and promote correct application and integration of technology.  Most districts have technology specialist that are available for training people how to use technology.  There are also personnel who help teachers in the classroom by training students to use technology to successfully accomplish the tasks that teachers challenge them with in an effort to integrate technology.  I notice a learning curve with older teachers on our campus.  They are open to learn, but they have a precious limited resource called time that keeps them from making a commitment. No matter what the reason may be, we must continue to gap the curve, and change the course and overview of our technology training to take advantage of new technology.  Ultimately, the difference it will make in our students educational and vocational careers will make us glad we made the commitment.

References:

Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2013). Educational Technology in Context: The Big Picture. In Integrating Educational Technology Into Teaching (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Burns, M. (2010, September 1). Elearn Magazine: How to Help Teachers Use Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://elearnmag.acm.org/featured.cfm?aid=1865476

Smith, M. (n.d.). Strategies That Work. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=60

Check Out These Websites for Additional Information on Technology Integration in Education:

http://www.educationworld.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com
http://www.edtechmagazine.com
http://www.academia.edu
http://www.edutopia.org