http://www.tech.port.ac.uk/staffweb/duke-wie/blog/2006/11/14/why-b
Doug Belshaw has got a long post, but one well worth reading, looking at the current state of technology in education.
The point that he brings out throughout is that technology isn’t the answer to all ills in classrooms - that teachers have to not only know how to use it, but how to integrate it into exciting, relevant lessons. He concludes:
I’m not saying school should entertain students, necessarily, but what’s being presented should be at least mildly relevant and interesting. After all, we as teachers get grumpy and fractious when single day in-service training sessions don’t pique our interest. Let’s start selling the benefits of educational technology and lead by example
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Without the technical support structures (IT technicians), professional support structures (headteachers and governors) and social support structures (other teachers), ICT-based learning initiatives are unlikely to take off.
Certainly, agree with this, but also it is so important to have ILT Champions in colleges. At South Downs College, we have one or two per curriculum area, which does help, but still there is a long way to encourage all teachers to use ILT.
The problem is that teachers who are somewhat technophobic aren’t going to read about how to integrate technology into the classroom. Why? Because they tend to publish their findings on their blogs, wikis and in email conversations with one another.
I am not sure how to interpret this statement because it is not clear. However, I am hoping it is saying that technophobes rarely access emails and wouldn’t know what are blogs and wikis to see how technology could help them with integrating it into their teaching as the technical people tend to publish on their blogs, etc. JI would agree as I have had some experience with this. For example:No different in primary schools either Martine. We are installing a data projector in every classroom at the moment (40 in total) and I know what will happen. 10 years ago teachers complained that they needed OHPs to teach with and the school wasn't supplying the 'latest' technology. So, the school supplied an OHP to every classroom and guess what! When I joined the school 5years ago most were lying in cupboards gathering dust! Will the same happen with the data projectors? I suspect yes. When teachers realise that IWB lessons take more time and effort to prepare they'll start complaining about not having enough 'non-contact time'.
At a meeting last week I was asked, "How does the Smartboard software work?", "How do you make PowerPoint presentations?" - I won't go on as the rest would be too embarrasing. Teachers constantly complain to children about not making an effort but they are no better. I replied to one teacher that there are over 5 million pages on Google if you type in "Learn PowerPoint" and their reply was, "It's ok for you, you're the ICT teacher." Why don't teachers take some responsibility for their own learning? I could understand it if they were my age (digital immigrant that I am) but most are half my age and have been brought up with technology as an integral part of their daily lives.
I don't know what goes on in other organisations but talking to other ICT colleagues in the UK and in the UAE one of the main problems stems from the fact that SMTs (senior management teams) do not have the skills either and forcing teachers to take control of their own learning would not be taken too well.
So true, Kevin. SMT may encourage a budget for ILT and a VLE, but is that as far as it goes? Do they embrace the technology themselves?
I have been to several meetings run by SMT and guess what - most use OHPs. Not a computer in sight. I loathe OHP transparencies because from what I have seen it is just projecting handouts onto the wall; and I have seen them being read from (usually the same people that complain about 'death by PowerPoint'). All I want to say is: "Just give me the handouts and I will take them home to read".
So, what is the way forward? I realise that there are some that would like to use ILT but need a bit of hand holding - that's great and I am happy to help. For those that don't even try I think that it is a pity as I believe they owe it to their students. I could go on and on but I think I had better get off my soap box :)