This has become more clear to me as my career has progressed. I have noticed that many students are not as technologically advanced as I had presumed. I had always thought they would have more knowledge in this area than I do, but it does turn out that they lack in the areas of technology tools that can help them with day to day tasks and organization. Things like Google Drive, Dropbox, and even email are not in they're sights and if a teacher doesn't show them the benefits of these tools they won't have the advantage that is almost a standard in the working world. Staying current is important for the teacher to show the students current methods that they can then utilize.
Chapter 8: "As with the issue of access, however, this does not mean holding back on demands for more and better professional development and inservice teacher education -- or, for that matter, preservice teacher education."
Now I am not in the public school system, but I often wonder if this is what is holding some teachers back from not participating in technology professional development or if it is just them not being comfortable with the technology. Having this training and information can help teachers find ways to get these new technologies into the classroom and many times the technology is free. Putting more efforts into applying for grants and helping teachers get these technologies is just as important and training them. I think having a more well rounded professional development for all teachers is what is needed.
Sean, Great point about teachers and technology..."I often wonder if this is what is holding some teachers back from not participating in technology professional development or if it is just them not being comfortable with the technology" which I often wonder too. I think about myself in this scenario (because I'm Most familiar with myself) and come to this thought... I am Not a digital native... I am an explorer in the technology world... most of what I know is from trial and error... I am as fearful as I am courageous when presenting technology to students the first time... But I have also had some great exposure to the possibilities of technology in the classroom that many other Non-natives have never had and that exposure came during my recent undergrad education and continues through my Master's. Seeing technology work in a PD setting is Not enough... a more experienced technology learner needs to implement it the first time in an actual classroom setting for the reluctant educator, which means many of those educators will never try to use that technology because they fear failing... sad but true. I try to use the technology tools available as an extension of what students are already interacting with in their everyday life, but maybe in a different way to use the tools... because like I tell them all the time when it comes to calculators... "calculators do Not solve math problems they only offer a possible answer faster if you put in the correct information." This means to me... learning how to better operate or use the calculator is just as or more important than the math... because students are going to rely on that tech tool in the future, so they need to know how to use it properly! This means sometimes the PD needs to be about philosophy shift, before technology introduction. Good quote choices!
ReplyDeleteTo combine your thoughts on these chapters, I agree that many young people are not prepared to use a lot of the technology available to them in advanced and meaningful ways. I've discovered this with pre-service teachers, to your second point. Many of them are not skilled with Google Docs, Office365 tools, Drobbox, etc, and all of the advantages they offer. Students in education need to be just as skilled with these tools as students in other areas of study, where I think it's made more of a priority. There definitely should be coursework in the early stages of earning a degree in education that cover these tools and skills, so pre-service teachers are not only adept at them, but are able to teach the use of them when they're in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI can only speak to my limited observations from a local college teacher prep program, but I can tell you that the few people they have sent to observe or work with me were very intimidated by technology and were ingrained with the philosophy that kids only "play" with technology. They had no concept of kids learning through play and/or technology. They didn't see the point of even using computers or smartboards. It's bizarre. When they see what I do with a 1:1 classroom, they are like WOW. My main use of technology is to support individualized learning so that I can provide experiences to students on their levels-meet them where they are, and build them up to where they need to be, with adaptive platforms. Those who only think of tech as "useless toys" are depriving themselves and their future students of opportunities they can't even imagine.
ReplyDelete"I have noticed that many students are not as technologically advanced as I had presumed." I have found myself thinking this on multiple occasions with my students. I teach 5th and 6th grade, so I do not have a ton of expectations, but I have students who do not know how to find Microsoft Word by using the Start/Home button. I assumed they had been using Microsoft Word for years, and some say that they have used it before, but it was always an icon on the desktop.
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