One of the issues being faced in the videos that struck me are the same those faced now: reluctance to integrate digital tools. Early adopters tend to be way ahead of the curve, those in the middle are scrambling to learn the tools, and resistors simply don’t use the tools. In the videos for Teacher S both the teacher retiring and the new teacher cited the same barriers to using technology: lack of time to learn the tools and and lack of support.
In my previous courses, I explored the issue of teacher onboarding to the use of digital technologies and found that a major factor in convincing teachers to begin using digital tools is to show them the utility and to provide scaffolded support. In my position of learning leader, it is part of my role to provide support for teachers integrating digital portfolios in their classrooms, which I see as being an essential tool in the math and science classroom. Students reflect on what they already know and what their next steps are. Dylan William discusses the importance of effective student feedback as a tool for learning. Digital portfolios allow significantly eased work for teachers in the long run related to assessing, evaluating, and the ability to provide feedback and the ability to access to student conceptions related to math and science. In addition, there is significant learning for students as they are able to metacognitively reflect on their learning.
In my first year in the position, there was lots of whole-staff PD and some small-group support as needed. In the second year, the support has been more one-on-one and in the classroom with teachers. As I watch teacher uptake of the tools, I am not convinced this has been successful. Most teachers are still not using the tool with their students and those who have taken it up are those already using other digital tools in the classroom. In order for teacher uptake to be successful, I think there has to be more support for teachers. At present I have 60 minutes per 6 day cycle to support teachers, which is simply not enough.
I would be interested in hearing from others about how teacher support for technology use is supported in your contexts.
William, D. (2016). The Secret of Effective Feedback. Educational Leadership, 73(7), 10-15 http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr16/vol73/num07/The-Secret-of-Effective-Feedback.aspx
Tracy,
I like the approach that you took the videos and how you have tied it in with your current position and past coursework.
In my district, the technology support is very scattered and varies on a campus to campus basis. There is a tech team, but they are mostly focused on the hardware and making sure that proper maintenance is done on all the equipment. The actual technology coaches are qualified teachers in the district who are occasionally granted release time to travel around and visit teachers in their classrooms and see what they are doing and gather ideas for what could be done more. These ideas are put together and then a “Tech Camp” is organized by the tech director. He will open up spots during the school day and send out an invite asking for teacher to volunteer to come and be trained. A roaming substitute covers classes during this time. There are two large problems with this that I can see: 1) many teachers are uninterested in technology and won’t sign up for times, electing rather to stay in their traditional comfortable bubble. 2) With attendance being made mandatory, teachers who are mildly proficient are not motivated to learn more and progress, as they will view the camps as basic training for new users.
Recently, to help remedy this, a Google Classroom has been set up for our district where resources and tutorials are posted. Teachers can post questions and receive answers from a wide variety of colleagues. While this has a lot of users and activity to start with, it has since died down, again because presence was not mandatory.
I usually am not a fan of required trainings and forced attendance, but, it does seem like this is one of those areas where, if teachers are not intrinsically motivated to attend and participate, they will not see it as necessary, as there ARE ways to teach without technology. But again, just because something is possible, doesn’t mean it’s best. It’s possible to pull a tooth without anesthetics, but not ideal. If your dentist wasn’t trained on the best ways to do something, you would find a new dentist. Perhaps taking this approach to PD will help teachers to branch out and practice the activity of being a “lifelong learner” like we teach in our classrooms. At the end of the day, all teachers want their students to be successful and prepared as best as they can be for life. Technology is one of those necessary skills that they need constant exposure to in order to be successful in the 21st Century. Maybe this approach will help those who are reluctant.
-Jonathan-
You made me laugh… possible to pull a tooth without anesthetic but doesn’t mean it’s best…
Definitely can’t force teachers to sit through PD they don’t see as being useful. I had a conversation with my assistant principal once where she called the early adopters “lighthouses” and I liked the metaphor. I think it’s ok to be an early adopter and share the advantages. With some luck that adoption will inspire others to do so. She called the late adopters “plodders” and they are the ones who always will be late to adopt new ideas and need some kind of incentivisation to pick up new tools. I’m still looking for the article this comes from…
Hi Tracy
I think you made a fantastic point by stating that teachers need SCAFFOLD support. When we teach our students, we would never expect them to understand the information if we presented it all at once. When I have attended past personal development seminars around technology in the classroom, the presenter will demonstrate a tool, tell the teachers to “play” with it for half-an-hour and make a statement along the lines of “now you need to find how it works in your classroom”. I think that this can be too much information and too little time for a teacher to feel confident in their abilities to integrate these tools effectively. Instead, they need that consistent support from the school/district and someone that they can go to with questions.
Shayla
This has definitely been a learning for me. Both students and teachers need that scaffolded release of responsibility and, frankly, it’s a little embarrassing that it didn’t occur to me until last year that this might be the case. Budgets are always an issue in education, though, and I see that time being whittled back and back while numbers of students in our classrooms continues to climb.