Comments on: Five Reasons Why We Aren't We Integrating Technology in School

By: Curmudgeon

Curmudgeon — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:02:09 +0000

In my school, and in many others nearby, the greatest problem seems to be that the teachers do not want to spend time on their own with a manual or a For Dummies book. They are always insisting on “we need training” – for even the simplest things.

Sometimes, admittedly, the cry is used to short-circuit some really dumb initiatives from the administration by raising a big enough stink that the new ed-fad of the week is avoided on a temporary basis.

I’m a technology geek who also LOVES blackboards – I’ve got five of them, covering two of the walls. It is awesome for math class. I enjoy using a SmartBoard, but it’s not essential. So I’ve resisted buying one for my room on the rather limited budget the math department has. I’ve played with the idea, though. Borrowed the mobile one from the lab fairly regularly.

The science teacher across the hall, on the other hand, bought a huge one (84″ diagonal) and it’s still leaning against the file cabinet in the corner! After nearly a year!

Why? Because he spends so much time on his lesson plans – almost three hours a day – and he has no time to learn how to use it (his claim). Now this guy has been teaching for years and is in his third year at this school – how is it possible to spend that much time on lesson plans alone? Beats me. When I asked him, he said “I need training in how to use it!”

Now, how much time would it really take to learn? Maybe a few hours to get the basics and start a few files. 30 minutes one day each week to “learn something new”. You’re off and running.

I offered to help him but he refused. So I asked if I could set the Board up in my room, to get some use out of it until he needed it. To my total surprise, he agreed.

I’m thinking “I’ll get it running and working and then show him how to use it and move it back” but I have a feeling I’ll get to keep it for a while.

But this mind-set of never wanting to try something new, of being afraid to use technology, to thinking “I’m overwhelmed and can’t deal with this” – this is something I just can’t understand.

Are we teachers really that “stupid” that we can’t learn something new without a consultant guiding our every step?

I sometimes think so.

By: H Chu

H Chu — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:23:04 +0000

Of all the many reasons, the two biggest problems are: 1) many teachers are still afraid of technology and can’t maintain computers/printers/Internet working in there classrooms. Many can’t even connect the keyboard, mouse, monitor cable, power cable and network cable properly. They don’t call HelpDesk to fix the equipments and just let them sit and collect dust for years and complaint about the computers are too old and slow or not working. Many teachers let students play games and abuse the equipments. Many teachers and students do not use the equipments with respect. Drink and food are spilled on the keyboards and tables or they put computers under the sun and next to the heater. Network switch boxes and cables are tangling on floor and being kicked around. Also many teachers are not trained properly in technology and they model wrong concepts and usages for students. Some examples that bother me a lot: teachers refer to the computer system unit as CPU; have students creating one page per file; have students sharing network passwords and even their teacher accounts with special privileges.
2) Improper student altitude: many students treat the computers as entertainment and game machines because that is what they do at home or in elementary classrooms. Students are looking for fun and speed but not thinking, especially high order thinking.

By: Tina ONeal

Tina ONeal — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:30:42 +0000

I am a third year teacher. Unlike most of my colleagues, I feel somewhat comfortable using technology. I absolutely love my new Smartboard. The thing that discourages me from using technology, is my own frustration over spending half of my teaching time trouble shooting. I can honestly see why teachers do not integrate technology into their lessons.

It’s like having a 2 million dollar CNC machine in your garage. And your adminstration wants you to teach with it!

I love using technology but if you are not familiar with how it works and what you can do with it then how can you use it to teach with.

By: Clix

Clix — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:45:44 +0000

Around here, I think it’s mostly cost. By the time you figure in how much for peripherals and software, even a relatively inexpensive computer – isn’t!

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:01:03 +0000

I agree with many of your points. Techies are usually few and far between. But as an administrator who is a techie I encourage technology use and to the best of our budget provide and support use. I see the last item on the list as the starting point of why the integration of technology in the classroom is slow. I see the two biggest issues are one, teachers lack of familiarity of technology use, in general. And two, the shift of teaching that may not look like the way the majority of us learned. Both of these require a whole new skills set for teachers. And I don’t believe that they don’t want to learn, there just isn’t enough time with all of the prescribed instructional material and assessing.

By: Jim McGuire

Jim McGuire — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:58:13 +0000

One reason/excuse I hear is, “I would like to use technology, but I just don’t have the time for all of that.”

I always respond with two points: 1. Students deserve teachers that take the time to do all they can to improve instruction. 2. Using technology significantly saves time, once it is implemented.

I agree with Mobbsey’s point, “It’s all about finding the ways around blockers.”

By: Mobbsey

Mobbsey — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:23:25 +0000

Some incredibly valid points here. Really the only real answers I see are time, money and support. In the meantime it’s all about finding the ways around these blockers – it’s an exercise in creativity.

By: teach5

teach5 — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:37:24 +0000

And the ridiculous thing in my school lately is that there are more and more components of our core areas that are technology based. As in -put the kid on a computer to do reading, language arts testing, or math, Envisions math and Voyager Learning both have online components. I don’t have enough computers, and I don’t have enough access to the lab. Oh, besides the fact that my kids can’t read or type……….

By: Kobus van Wyk

Kobus van Wyk — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:43:48 +0000

I took the liberty of referring to this posting on my blog.

By: Kobus van Wyk

Kobus van Wyk — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:43:41 +0000

I can only say ‘amen’ to your list of reasons (or like your Irish friend would say, ‘me too’). In South Africa we can relate to all the reasons you are giving. In the Western Cape we have a very successful project where technology was provided to over 1000 schools (remember, in Africa we are not as richly resourced as you are!) but we find that the greatest challenge is to get teachers to integrate the technology into the curriculum delivery process. The teachers are the barriers to learner access to available technology, for the reasons you, and some of the other commenters listed.

The one I would like to add is the role of the principal (school manager, lead teacher, or whatever this person is called). When the principal has bought into the concept of using technology as a curriculum delivery tool, and is a good manager/leader who encourages (and enforces) the use of these tools, the results are far better. Our major problem lies with apathetic principals.

Our second problem is teacher attitude. The efforts to train them to become ICT-competent is reasonably successful – but to affect a paradigm shift (that technology is a wonderful teaching and learning tool) … that is a different matter.