Monday, August 22, 2016

Interview with Teacher

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.


 How are district resources being strained by increased dependence on technology within the classroom?

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.


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