I am working in an elementary school that has many different types of technology in the classroom. There are LCD projectors and interactive white boards in every classroom. There are also equipment such as document cameras, digital cameras, and student response systems that can be checked out of the media center. The only issue that we face is that many of the teachers do not know how to use the technology and many are unwilling to learn.
These teachers moan and groan as we sit through professional development about the new technology then never use the technology in the classroom. We usually only have one training that is an overview where we watch the instructor use the technology and we will watch. We have a training next week on creating our teacher websites. We had this training two years ago and I think we had about ten teachers who published a website after the training. Unfortunately, I am not expecting a much better turn out this year. There is very little hands on training and I think that is part of the reason teachers do not want to use technology, they don't feel comfortable using it. I have some experience with technology and I usually need to go and play with the equipment to figure out how it works.
If I were to deliver a training on a new piece of technology there are a few things I would do differently than the trainings I am attending. First I would have a one page help guide that the teachers could take with them to reference on their own. If there are a lot of steps I would break it up into sections. I would compile the help guides in a notebook that would be stored in the professional section of the library as a resource. I would also post a link to the guides on the school media center web page as a reference. Secondly, I would break the trainings into shorter sections during the day. This would prevent overload on information and also more time to practice. Which leads to my third change, I would make the trainings interactive and meaningful. This means I would give the teachers a chance to use the technology in a real life setting to model uses in the classroom.
April's DOs of technology training
- Do give plenty of time to practice using the technology.
- Do keep it simple and as basic as possible.
- Do create a help guide for teachers to reference on their own.
- Do connect the technology to practical uses in the classroom.
- Do encourage all teachers to use the technology. Excitement is contagious!
- Do share ways that teachers are using the technology in their classroom.
- Do be mindful of the other responsibilities of the teachers.
- Do be available for questions or modeling.
April's DON'Ts of technology training
- Don't get discouraged by the teacher's reactions.
- Don't lecture about the technology to the teachers.
- Don't stop after one training.
- Don't be surprised when you need to show a teacher the same thing multiple times.
- Don't expect the teachers to get it the first time.
- Don't use technical terms that your audience will not understand.
- Don't monopolize the teachers time with trainings.
You made some excellent points in your post. I've worked with teachers who didn't want to learn the technology and therefore did not use it. Years ago I had a principal who told those teachers to get off his boat if they didn't want to sail with his expectations! Media specialists and teachers do have to be lifelong learners and must be willing to learn and use the many types of technology that are in the schools. Our students must know these tools to be successful and it is our job to teach them. You also made some good points in your do's and don'ts. We've probably all been in training where we were shown something and left not knowing what to do when we got back to our rooms because we weren't given the chance to practice. How frustrating! I agree that the training needs to be meaningful, useful, and hands-on!
ReplyDeleteOne of our jobs as an instructional consultant is to provide training for teachers so they have the skills needed to help their students be successful. We also must be knowledgeable so that we can help the students use the technology for projects. We can't teach what we don't know. I'm excited about all the technology that we are learning in MEDT 6467 because I know I'll use it as a media specialist.
Thanks for your great thoughts in your post.
April, you gave some great pointers on how to introduce technology to the staff at your school. I feel that one of the reasons that teachers are reluctant to sign up for technology in-services are because they are so busy with everything else on their plate, or they just don't have time. One way I would relieve the pressure of having to come to a meeting is by having in-services available online. This allows the teachers to learn the information needed to use new technology on their own time. They can also move at their own pace. Having the in-service online can also serve as a way teachers can look back on technology they have had in-services in the past.
ReplyDeleteI really like your do's and don'ts list. Teachers do get discouraged with long and detailed training. We seem to forget our attention span is about twenty minutes long. It does make such a difference if the training is meaningful and can be immediately applied in the classroom. Patience is a definite virtue here also. People who are not comfortable with technology need a lot of encouragement and reassurance - and need to feel like they CAN ask the same question multiple times until they "get" it. It's also helpful if they have the training and the technology piece at the same time. It's kind-of fruitless to go to training months before you actually get the equipment. I attended a Smart Board training two years ago....I still do not have a Smart Board. (Due to economy and budget cuts). Giving the teachers a tip sheet (not longer than one page) is extremely helpful too. I find that I will keep something like that handy. Especially if it isn't pages long and I have to search and search for the commands I need.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your candor in discussing teacher attitudes towards technology training but also the causes for the resistance. Haven't we all sat in training sessions all the while thinking about what we could be doing instead of being there? I so agree with your point about making sure there is a hands-on component to training. What was it Harry Wong said, "...and I remember 90% of what I DO". And as to your point about many teachers not using current technology, I totally agree and just can't understand why.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you are determined to learn from past experience by the thought you put into your Do and Don't list. I like your intention to use printed Quick Start guide and keeping the sessions short. Posting a link to a podcast or How To video on the school website is a stroke of genius! Great ideas and informative posting.