Category Archives: A. Video cases

Video Case 5 & 7

Video Case 5 was interesting because it highlighted the different perspectives that teachers have about integrating technology who all worked at the same school. This case did an excellent job at showing the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A retiring teacher and a new teacher are interviewed, and they express similar frustrations and challenges to integrating tech into their classrooms and aren’t very open to using it. They both explained that one of the main reasons why they are reluctant to use tech is lack of time. They didn’t think that they had enough time to properly learn how to use the technology to use with their students. Also, they both felt as if they did not have enough training in the tools to be able to use them confidently.

In the same school, we see another teacher who has an entirely different mindset when it comes to integrating technology. This particular classroom teacher embraces technology by accepting and describing to her students that she is not the instructor when it comes to technology in her classroom. Instead, she creates a learning community by explaining that they are all part of a team of learners, working together and solving problems as they arise.

Video Case 7 shows a professor who although feels the same emotions as the retiring and new teacher from case 5, overcomes his challenges by taking a risk and trying something that is out of his comfort zone. In his interview, the professor explains that he uses an online program called ‘Clickers’ that gathers feedback anonymously. This program allows him to check for understandings and misconceptions, as well as keeps his students engaged by getting them to participate and collaborate.

In both cases, the students are interviewed, and their responses are positive. It is clear that they feel motivated to engage and participate, and in both cases are building their collaboration skills as they are working with their peers. If we know that there are definite gains to using technology, how can we help those teacher overcome their fixed-mindset to be more open and embrace the challenges and struggles that they may face when using tech in their classrooms?

Video 5 and video 8

I chose to watch video 5 and video 8 as they were dealing with technology use in upper intermediate classrooms and I am currently teaching grade 7. In video 5, the first teacher interviewed was very positive about technology use in the classroom. She stated that she uses it in her classroom almost everyday as it challenges the students, compensates for language barriers for her ESL students and it levels the playing field since her students are all tech savvy. The students interviewed were very excited to share the video about hurricanes they were creating. The professor in the video 8 was also very passionate about technology use and helping teacher candidates learn how integrate it into their practice and make sure that it is enhancing student learning. It appears that both of these teachers understand the benefits of using technology and how to integrate it to deepen student understanding.

However, the rest of the teachers interviewed were not so excited, or positive about technology use in the classroom. One retired teacher and one new teacher (video 5) both stated that technology is frustrating as there is not enough time to use it, not enough training, they are not equipped to problem solve issues, and they don’t feel comfortable using it. I think both of these teacher highlighted one of the main reasons as to why technology is not integrated into some classrooms (What I found interesting is that the new teacher was not integrating technology it into her classroom) These teachers do not feel like they receive enough professional development time to comfortably introduce technology into the classroom. How do we overcome this? Even when professional development does happen, the new teacher stated that she doesn’t have time to reflect upon this new knowledge and then she quickly forgets it before she has a chance to try it out with her students. Unfortunately, some teachers do not see the value in technology use and therefore, refuse to integrate it into their daily lessons. I think the best way to overcome this is to start with the teacher education programs. I think these programs should be integrating technology into all of the courses offered. Each year, new teachers will be graduating ready and excited to use technology in their new classrooms. Most of the teacher candidates in video 8 spoke positively about technology use in the classroom stating that it creates more engaged learning, helps visual learners see the process, and helps ESL and struggling learners.

Many teachers are very excited to integrate technology into their classrooms, but others still see it as a hindrance. How can we change this? What can we do to better support these teachers? Should we focus on the teachers who are interested in hopes that this will “snowball” and get others excited once they see positive examples of technology use? Is it fair that some students are able to explore some of their conceptual misconceptions with technology and others are not?

How do we get everyone on board?

The Case Study videos were all very impressive in their exemplary teaching. Particularly, I enjoyed watching the Case 1 videos, and felt strongly that the student testimonials and interview with the other members of staff who were on the STEM team were powerful. In contrast, the video labeled ‘New Teacher’ in the Case 5 video had a teacher who was struggling to make a case for technology integration in her own classroom, despite being able to describe many of its benefits. To paraphrase, she cites ‘not enough time’, and ‘not being taught more about technology integration in her teacher education program’ as barriers that stand between her personal practice and bringing technology into the classroom on a regular basis (as her colleague has done).

For me, the underlying issues are the facts that time, willingness to collaborate, and additional reliance on others for troubleshooting and difficulties are all required in order to have successful outcomes. It’s clear from all of the case study videos that the students and teachers alike are engaged and enthusiastic about the learning going on.

This raises the question: how do we get all teachers on board? How can we facilitate this mind shift where teachers don’t see tech integration as an add-on, cumbersome, and frustrating addition to an already over-scheduled checklist of things that need to be done?

Once the mind shift switches to technology as something that can not only improve the quality of the lesson, but more importantly the quality of the learning, it appears that teachers are ready to jump on board. The majority of the videos presented showed teachers that were keen on trying out new tech initiatives and wanted to learn about them.

In following the lead of the exemplary teachers in these videos, I’d encourage some kind of buddy system in a school, so that teachers can slowly grow their network of in-house technology experts. In the Case 1 video, the teachers that collaborated and worked together had a practically seamless approach to their STEM program. They were all very clearly on the same page, each teacher played a critical role, and they fed off of each others’ energy and commitment to the program. Additionally, they mentioned going on [school board approved] professional development sessions to further develop their skills, which accentuates their being committed learners and teachers. In many of the videos, there is some sort of mention of ‘knowing that you don’t know everything’, and seeking expertise, professional development, and relying on the resources around you (skilled and enthusiastic staff) to help alleviate some of the stress around not feeling able to incorporate technology effectively.

The issues with conceptual challenges students might have, I feel was best addressed by technology usage in the Case 7 video. Where the ‘clickers’ allowed students anonymity in admitting what they may not know, it also had them actively participate so that the professor could speak to misunderstood concepts in the moment. The ability to use the clickers as whole-class formative assessment without causing any kind of embarrassment to the individual students is a great way of making sure all the students understand the lesson. Though there isn’t much room for them to ‘dig deeper’ and explain their thinking (and thus their potential misconceptions), it does give the teacher a snapshot of what they do and do not understand without putting anyone on the spot.

Teacher A & Teacher D

As I reflect on my answer to ‘What is a good use of technology’ in the previous lesson, a lot of those thoughts/issues were raised in the videos that I watched for this week’s lesson. In my previous post, I had said that “good use of technology would encourage and motivate students to explore questions that they may have and use technology to enhance their understanding of those questions and answers. A good use of technology would also allow for collaboration with other learners and personalize learning.” My answer was reflected in the videos; I watched Teacher D (Science, Secondary Preservice Teacher Education) and Learning Environment with Teacher A. Teacher D stated that there “needs to be a support network of people who know more [about technology] and need to have access to those individuals.” Furthermore, he stated that “the district offers no support in terms of technology [how to use it, etc.] … and there is no financial or tech-support coordinator”; in other words, you are on your own.” This is one of the biggest challenges facing educators; even if they want to use technology in their classrooms, there is no or very little support; no training and no professional development workshops on how to correctly use technology in the classroom.

Teacher A stated that “[for him], what is most important is the transferable skills that his students take away when they are using technology.” The students learn to collaborate with individuals who are not their friends and how to integrate technology into everyday life. Teacher A also stated that 1/3 of his class he has not worked with prior and 2/3s he has; he uses the students he has worked with prior as “experts” to teach other students who have not been in this class about the technology. The experts act as a support system if and when help is needed.

Teacher D lacked a support system whereas Teacher A had no choice but to use previous students (because they knew how to use that technology) as a support system to ensure that new students had someone accessible to answer technology-related questions. In this scenario, Teacher A had students to act as experts and even though teacher D was using technology in his classroom, he and his students had to figure out any technology-related issues on their own. I wonder what happens in Teacher D’s class when they cannot figure out an answer due to lack of support. I wonder whether their administrator is supportive in their classrooms. I see how involved and supportive my own administrator is and I am fully cognizant that not every school has an administrator like that. I wonder if teacher D will get fed up of the lack of support and minimize the amount of technology he and his students use; I know how frustrated I get when I need to get an assignment done and my computer refuses to co-operate but in a room full of students where learning is taking place and then a big part of that learning shuts down is extremely challenging.