Interview Analysis
Jan 25th, 2010 by daddis
Transcripts and Analysis of Interview.
Interview was conducted on Friday January 22/10.
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Transcribed Exerts from the Interview |
Analysis |
| Q. How do you incorporate technology within your classes?
A. How I present the lessons, with OneNote and PowerPoint as well in organizing my lessons. I try using a wiki to post information to the students. Also I use my wiki to have a compilation of student work and ideas. I have tried to work with some blog as well and have students express their opinions within the blogs. I use some data collection probes for pH, pressure, temperature for some of the experiments and uses Excel to help them manipulate the data. I primarily use probes to help students become more aware of the technology in data collection because that is the way of the future. |
My interviewee’s use of technology within the classroom is expansive. He tries to incorporate technology into most aspects of the class. I found it interesting that he alluded to the fact that he uses probes to give students a taste of laboratory technology rather than using probes for every experimental situation. This indicates that he sees value in students learning how to solve laboratory problems without the use of technology. |
| Q. Why do you use technology within your classroom?
A. Sometimes I am trying to do something different. Experimenting and trying to see if I can help students who are having difficulties understanding difficult concepts. I try to incorporate some technology because of some underlining expectations from the administration as well as parents |
My Interviewee’s responses were very interesting. It seems that he uses technology for three reasons, to try something new, to help students understand course concepts, and the feeling of pressure from admin/parents to do so.
Like my Interviewee I to use technology because it is interesting to try new technology and I am trying to help students who I cannot help learn concepts find another avenue to learn. However, I have never thought that technology is being used within classes because of admin/parent pressure. Upon hearing his views I remembered multiple times where technology has actually been pushed by admin. Districts see value in technology use within the class and want their staff to start to incorporate more technology within their lessons. |
| Q. How have you developed most of your technology skills?
A. Mostly by trial and error. I took a program at SFU and that forced me to be exposed to some technology in education and I have attended some workshops and listening to other teachers. |
My interviewee’s response is indicative to many teachers (as well as my own) experience with learning technology. My interviewee alluded to using technology due to pressures from admin. However, the majority of his knowledge has been learnt at his own accord. If districts wish teachers to learn how to effectively teach with technology, where are the resources to learn how to do so? |
| Q. Do your students like having access to your class notes and simulations about topics covered in class within your wiki?
A. I think it is convenient to them. They can access, if they miss class the notes and they access the answer keys. Only a small percentage use it in that way and an even smaller percentage use the simulations. |
A question I was most curious about as my notes and class resources are posted on a website. I to think that my students use my website out of convenience, laziness, rather than for a deeper understanding of course content. Or am I wrong? |
| Q. You have been using a tablet pc to present notes to students. Do you think it would be beneficial for students to have a tablet in front of them so they can have access to your notes and simulations as you are going over it?
A. I do not think it is necessary because I am showing them and going through the simulations and usually I have questions and I use that as a way to teach a particular concept. OneNote is good because they can use that in a way to take and organize notes; however, the computer in front of them would be too much of a distraction. They would be tempted to browse the internet and it would be really hard to control and sometimes as teenagers they do not have the maturity to understand the limitations. Take for example texting in class they cannot handle that technology. If we give them a laptop it makes you wonder what they would do with it. OneNote is a beautiful program and I think they could use it to organize their notes well and in that sense it is a benefit, but I do not know if it is beneficiary. |
The interviewee stated to me in past conversations that he loves his tablet pc as it has helped him stay organized. He sees value in students using a tablet pc, but does not believe that the benefits out way the distractions this tool would bring to the class. As a teacher who teaches classes with laptops I would believe that tablets, in slate mode, may actually help students pay more attention in class as it may be harder for them to play games and surf the web. |
| Q. Would you ever go back to not using technology?
A. I will even pay to have a tablet. |
I agree with the interviewee. I would never go back to a regular computer. The tablet has not only helped me professionally, but also academically. |
| Q. Is the use of technology worth the time required to learn? Is it enhancing their understanding of your course enough to be worth your time?
A. Is it really helping them understand concepts or is it a new bell and whistle. Is it beneficial, we do not know and we need to evaluate to see if it is worth our time. |
The interviewee does not know if his time spent in using/learning how to use technology is actually beneficial to students understanding of course concepts. I agree with him. I do not use technology within my classes because I know it helps students learn. I use it because I hope it helps them learn course content as I use technology as a tool to assist my own learning. |
daddis