Interview Transcript

What types of technology have you integrated into math and science lessons to enrich your classroom experience? I frequently use my own document camera to display diagrams and visuals. Much easier for graphing than a chalkboard or even smart board. It can be done on graph paper which models what I need the students to complete. 3D objects and any items can be displayed I once used it to show matrices with a rubix cube. It is much faster than other display. I also use probability apps for rolling dice, Smart board apps for demonstrations and many other forms of technology.

Do you feel that using technology requires a substantial amount of your time and energy to plan and learn? I suppose sometimes it saves time but sometimes it can add a lot of time. For example; spreadsheets for calculating compound interest can actually save both me and the class a substantial amount of time. Sometimes learning and using a new website or application can take up a lot of planning time. Also learning programming etc. can take up a substantial amount of time.

In your experience is the additional time and effort worth it for the benefit of the students? It can always be worth it for the wow factor and student engagement. The students are not as likely to get bored when they are interested in the technology.

Do you think it is a benefit to your teaching career? Yes, It adds additional skillsets that I can build upon and makes my job more interesting and in the long run it makes my job easier to perform.

How has technology enhanced the students learning and engagement? The web 2.0 applications have made abstract concepts more concrete an example is using an online simulation of wave motion or circuitry and interactive circuit diagrams. Being that we teach in a remote community this is a job with very limited resources and supplies. The online simulations and videos can provide access to experiences that children would never have experienced.

Do you feel that all teachers should spend more time learning and implementing technology and do you feel it is a necessity of the job for teachers to be highly proficient in technology today? Yes it is a necessity of the job and even though the teachers with limited skills can get by today but within the next 2 to 3 years I think they will become a “rock in a stream”.

So, overall you feel that technology proficiency is a critical skill and necessity of the teaching profession for today and the future? Yes, absolutely! I feel that the youth of today cannot get by without having a good understanding of technology and it’s proper use. The problem is teachers are competing with technology as purely entertainment and it is becoming harder and harder to keep their attention.

Analysis

The subject I chose to interview is a colleague I worked with in a remote First Nation Community. The colleague is the secondary Math and Science teacher at the school. His undergraduate degree is in physics and he has an interest in using technology within the classroom and in his daily life. The permission and arrangements for the interview were discussed and sent back and forth over Facebook. We decided that it was easiest to arrange a teleconference interview the evening of Wednesday Jan22nd. There is limited access to technology and resources where the interviewee works and technology is used uniquely in that it can often provide resources or an experience that the children living on a remote island would normally not be afforded. “Being that we teach in a remote community this is a job with very limited resources and supplies. The online simulations and videos can provide access to experiences that children would never have experienced.” Because of this the teacher often will bring his own technology into the classroom for the benefit of student use. “I frequently use my own document camera to display diagrams and visuals. Much easier for graphing than a chalkboard or even a SmartBoard” He feels that technology although sometimes can take up a substantial amount of planning and research time it can often be a time saver for him. “I suppose sometimes it saves time but sometimes it can add a lot of time. For example; spreadsheets for calculating compound interest can actually save both me and the class a substantial amount of time.” The overall consensus on the importance of technology use in teaching was that proficiency and familiarity in new technology is a necessity for the teaching career. “teachers with limited skills can get by today but within the next 2 to 3 years I think they will become a ‘rock in a stream’”.

The insights of this interview illuminate the profound positive effects that technology integration can have within a math or science environment.  It also sheds some light on an issue that there exists a large number of teachers today that are either not comfortable or not properly trained in the use of up to date learning technologies (Sherman & MacDonald, 2007).  This is of particular concern when we see that North America is not graduating as many professionals in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines as other countries are (Johnson 2010). The benefits of math and science teachers embracing and incorporating high levels of technology in the classroom are vast and constantly growing. Teachers that have this training and schools that prioritize technology spending are giving Math and Science students a benefit over the more traditional classroom models (Li, 2005).  The use of technology by educators can be the instrument of change that can encourage creativity and help students grow profoundly in their learning. When it comes to all educators, most vitally those who teach math and science, the title of technology professional and teacher must become a shared role in the life of an effective educator. Proper preparation of pre-service teachers needs to give authentic experiences regarding the use of 21^st century technology. (Williams, Foulger & Wetzel, 2009) Without this type of training and experience, it is clear that a large number of STEM teachers will fall behind and become ineffective in preparing their students for the future.