This was an interview done back in August of 2016. A teacher was doing research, and wanting to know some of the latest technology trends, and also some of the obstacles we Technology Directors go through. I actually enjoyed the interview, this being my first one.
What are the latest applications being used in schools
and why are they important? How is the new technology changing the role of the
teacher? This will be especially enlightening if your school has IPads or
laptops for all students.
The latest applications that are being used in the
schools would mainly be any software, program, or device, that is inexpensive
to almost free, and user friendly for students, teachers, and
parents/community. For example, being a one to one district, we moved from IPads
to Google Chromebooks, for all of these reasons. Switching from our current
environment, which included Microsoft and Outlook, to Google Apps for
Education, has made the device transition even easier.
The Chromebook, in comparison to the IPad, is more
affordable for districts and parents. Because it runs the Chromium software, it
makes it easier to run Google Apps and the Google Play Store. The Chromebook
offers keyboarding, which is a difficult function for the IPad since you would
have to purchase one to make IPad work in standard classrooms. This change to Chromebook is actually
happening globally for most school systems. Software companies and such are
getting on board as well with creating apps and extensions that work on the
Chromebook.
In what ways are, technological improvements affecting
the ways educators deliver knowledge.
These types of technological improvements are
affecting educators in both positive and negative ways on delivering knowledge.
The positive nature is the fact when the educator understands that most
technological improvements are to enhance how they are currently teaching.
Great educators understand this concept, and then use it this knowledge to
advance themselves as well as their students. Some teachers, look at these improvements
on the negative side, and feel like technology can become a distraction to them
and students. This creates the thin line between “engaging students” and
“students learning”. The teacher must first understand the content that they
are teaching/delivering. Then the teacher must understand the “how” and “why”
on using technology.
For instance, the biggest key with Google Apps would
be its efficiency in collaboration among teachers, parents, and students.
Educators who already understand collaboration, and have great means on
collaborating, would normally see this technological improvement as a way to
enhance what they are already doing. A document that is normally graded from
teacher and handed back to student, becomes a document that can either be done
in a collective group of students, which allows students to learn how to work
together, then the teacher can continuously give feedback which increases
student achievement. From this perspective, you can see that the student and
teacher are collaborating amongst each other and other students, versus just
the normal turn in document and receive grade.
On the flip side, the teacher who lacks management and control and runs
more of a “dictatorship” model classroom, finds this method of collaboration as
wasted time and unnecessary. Their thought process keeps them in mindset that
the student should only gather information from teacher, then answer questions
or document and send back to teacher.
How are these changes affecting the work of the
instructional leader?
These changes affect the instructional leader on the
level of expectations. Leaders who understand how technology can improve
student learning, are more adapt to technology changes. These leaders are
always looking at the changes, and whether or not they comprehend them, are
normally asking questions to a technology director, a technology coach, or
someone on how this can impact them for the better. These instructional leaders understand how
technology can only improve what’s already established as a culture, and
normally they create high expectations for themselves and teachers on
incorporating technology.
Some leaders fear the technological changes because
they don’t want to place “too much” on their faculty. Technology becomes an
“added thing” so they only request that teachers do the bare minimum when it
comes to using it. These leaders, in most cases, don’t have high expectations
on moving with technology, and may not even require much use out of it. I call
these leaders the old “pen and paper” leader, meaning they are use to working
with what was best for them and they will only expect the same from teachers.
What are the concerns this technology coordinator has
about the future of education as new hardware and software are developed?
There are several concerns I have in regards towards
changing of hardware and software. First and foremost, the environment and
culture has to be accepting to change when it comes to technology. Educators,
administrators, and any other person who works in education has to understand
that you cannot remain stuck in your ways. There is a reason why technology is
outdated after 3 years because someone is always coming up with another trend
or a way to make a trend better. What you teach may remain the same, but how it
is delivered will and must change on a case by case basis. All students think
and learn differently. So technology should only be used to identify how the
student learns. I am seeing more and more teachers who shy away from technology
because of fear, the expectation is not there, and they don’t comprehend how it
can help them improve what they are doing; not hinder it.
The other concern with future of technology trends, is
the fact that sometimes it seems as if only the technology director, tech admin,
or coordinator understands that as much as technology is needed in most
situations, it is an afterthought when it comes to planning. Technology
planning is vital in every situation in education today. Because of lack of
planning, several problems occur. Administrators, teachers, and others purchase
or want to purchase technology out of impulse; what they think is needed at
that particular time. There is really no assessment done on how this will
impact other teachers and even the students. This problem creates the lack of
sustainability which in my opinion, cripples a lot of districts. When
technology is bought just because it is new or it’s the new trend, hardware and
software are bought without having future goals in mind. This causes turnover
when the teacher feels they don’t have the adequate tools to teach, or when the
administrator cannot deliver an effective plan on student achievement because
the resources aren’t available.
Most districts are being strained financially and
mentally, when it comes to the dependence on technology in the classroom. If
you promote technology, but teachers feel they don’t have enough of it or the
updated technology, mentally they breakdown and stop using technology
altogether. Trying to keep up with initiatives and replacing old technology for
new, drains districts financially. Because of the issue with lack of planning
and sustainability, districts buy technology with the assumption that either
the hardware or software will last forever, or the fact that it will be address
when that time comes, when technology becomes outdated. This becomes a
financial drain because you will never stay on track with maintaining what you
have in a district as far as technology is concerned. This turns into a mental
drain when you can’t accommodate the changes, and then teachers become
unmotivated, and stop caring about using technology.
What are the ethical and legal concerns the Technology
Coordinator has in terms of using technology throughout the teaching and
learning environment?
The only ethical and legal concerns with using
technology in the teaching and learning environment is dependent upon
expectations from the administrators and teachers. When teachers do not care
about how technology is being utilize in their room, and they are “forced” to
use it, students can then take advantage of the situation. This can then lead
to poor choices made by the student; posting on social media, creating videos,
stealing information/data from others.
When educators show a lack of interest in technology,
and students has access to it, then they abuse it. Just as the administrator
should have expectation for the teachers, teachers should have same for the students.
Not having this causes the students to not have any care or concern for what technology
they have.
When these types of situations occur, it becomes a
legal concern because of the potential of what can happen. Theft, vandalizing
of technology, making videos of others without consent, posting bad behavior on
social media, and cyber bullying, are some of the mishaps that can become a
legal situation which could bring in law
enforcement.
