So close, yet so far. . .

Summer rolls around many teachers enroll in different professional development classes. Some teachers overload themselves with work all summer. The school year begins, and they present teachers with new, fun, and exciting programs your school will integrate. They squeeze weeks and years of research into half-day professional development sessions. They offer websites with built-in chat, email, and 24/7 contact. Boom! You’re now using the latest and greatest! Hold on, but have you tried this in a live environment? Have you tried it with the different learners you will have this year compared to last? Have you investigated the reports and effectiveness this software program will have in your classroom? The answer is probably not.

As presented in the Case study, Hughes et al. (2018) represent Figure 1 and teachers express the lack of time as the highest barriers that they felt impeded their ability to incorporate technology into their instruction.  We do not spend the time necessary to thoroughly work with these new software programs. We as teachers complete ‘requirements.’ And it gets better! Once April of the next school hits you will finally get it, and then the school year will end. In summer they will introduce you to the new, latest and greatest. It is a revolving door for educators regardless of the level of education.

Anyone involved in the education system can appreciate new technology, especially when it serves as an aid to help our students on a one-to-one basis. However, we need to know our stance. We need to speak up and state what is working for us and what isn’t. Depending on experience and comfort, we may or may not overcome and adapt. Some teachers are tech-savvy and jump on the bandwagon, they are excited and go figure out the new program. Others may not be so much, so they shy away and use it when they must. How we use new software can really show the effectiveness. Based on the results, Obara et al. (2018) represent that neither of the teachers served as facilitators. As we navigate students through advancing technology, teachers need to be facilitators.

Teachers can express all the concerns and likes or dislikes, but the fix is education. Teachers once properly educated and given time to explore these software programs will gain comfort and confidence. Using a software program will be easy in the classroom. We need many environments where it is exposed. And the comfort of knowing we have options is always a plus. We can’t place blame and pass the buck, what we can do is come together, collaborate, communicate, offer help and learn as a team. According to the International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE) teachers play the role of learner, leader, citizen, collaborator, designer, facilitator, and analysts’; these are the perspectives in which we must analyze the software programs for effectiveness. The ultimate reason we are doing this is to educate the leaders of technology in the days to come.

 

 

Works Cited

Hughes, E.S., Bradford, J., & Likens, C (2018). Facilitating collaboration, communication, and    critical thinking skills in physical therapy education through technology-enhanced        instruction: A case study. TechTrends, 62(3), 296-302.

ITSE Standards for Educators. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2020, from https://itse.org/standards/for-educators

Obara, S., Nie, B., & Simmons, J. (2018). Teachers’ Conceptions of Technology, School Policy and Teachers’ Roles When Using Technology in Instruction.