As much as I love technology, I am concerned that people are using technology for technology's sake. Although it can be a tool, I think some use it just as that. For example, is a document camera just a glorified overhead projector? I have seen it used this way often. Also, I have seen teachers design lessons around a interactive whiteboard and the lesson just doesn't seem natural. Integrating technology so that it enhances, not drives, the lesson is difficult.
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I agree. There is considerable pressure on teachers to incorporate technology, and in some cases, this does lead to an imposition (or somewhat thoughtless substitution), rather than a careful weaving-in of technology into lessons and projects.
ReplyDeleteAngelika
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ReplyDeleteWe take it a different route in our district. We continue asking teachers to take on new technologies just for technology sake. We already were using quia.com, which is an online site that will auto - grade objective assignments, provide activities for review and much more. Then they gave us: mastery manager, moodle, clickers and a new in house web-based template to do all the same things. How many new technologies do you want teachers learning? Wouldn't it be better to become a master of one instead of aware of many?
ReplyDeleteLast school year, 08-09, my elementary school moved to a brand new building. We were very lucky to have a Promethean Board in every classroom. As you mentioned Sherrry, some teachers use it strictly as a projector and do not use it for its purpose to make the students interact with the lesson. Another problem I see when teachers are pushed to use the boards is that they download premade lessons from Promethean Planet and do not view them before they do with the class. A problem with this is that some lessons have errors and you are not familar with everything on the flipchart, so you do not always look like you know what you are teaching.
ReplyDeleteThey can be very beneficial if preview before class!
-Comment from Marycomment #2 - Technology for Technology's Sake
ReplyDeleteI understand the situation all too well. I have a smartboard in my classroom and as of yet I have not had enough training with it to use it to its full potential (I have another grad class on smartboards later this summer) Therefore, right now I admit it is a glorified projector for me. I realize that technology is something we need to embrace in the classroom because it is a very critical part of the generation we teach. Yet, I agree with Ms. Shriley above that sometimes we are asked to handle one more type of technology and we haven't mastered what we have.
Oh boy this is SUCH a tough one! I agree... it seems at times so many teachers are formatting their lessons around technology vs the subject or skill they are trying to teach which in my opinion is "wasting technology". When using technology my "rule of thumb" is figure-out the skill 1st & then how/what technology you can incorporate to enhance that skill/topic/subject. It works most of the time but even I have to sit back & think at times "is the focus right now the skill or the technology". It's a "fine line" at times I guess.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points about the use of technology, everyone. I agree, that you have to start somewhere, and at least people are using it. A document camera is still better than an overhead, right? I like your rule of thumb, Megan. I think once people get over the learning curve of these technologies, they will be ready to evaluate how it's used in lessons. I know when I learn something new, I am just focusing on the mechanics, not the higher level application of it.
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