Issues with Technology Implementation

Teachers face a multitude of issues when implementing technology in the classroom. Some of these issues are within the average classroom teachers' control; others are not. A primary issue for many teachers is their personal competencies and comfort with available technologies. In the building that I teach in, the majority of teachers are willing to try new technologies but often look for guidance from teachers who are more experienced with the technology or our library media specialist. Additionally, many teachers comment that they would be more willing to experiment with technology if there was additional time to investigate these opportunities. With our district going to a weekly early release next year, I see a possibility of staff having more time to investigate new technologies. Teachers also have some input into resources and training available. While administrators and the budget often have a greater input on the resources and training available, teachers do have some input into their access to technology training and resources. Our building is currently in the middle of a 3 year SMARTBoard initiative. As a part of this initiative, teachers are gradually being trained in using the SMARTBoard. My experience has been that the greatest growth in our comfort with the SMARTBoards has come with the informal collaboration between teachers. As we discover something that works well, we share it with others. Similarly, when we are struggling with how to use the SMARTBoard, we go to our colleagues before calling tech support or our technology coordinator. While our initial training was very good, the informal training that has occurred among our staff has been much more beneficial! Another issue which teachers have some control of is the expectations of the technology coordinator and the classroom teacher. We do not have a dedicated technology person in our building. Our library media specialist incorporates technology into her classes but also supports classroom teachers in using technology to meet learning targets. My general observation has been that these lessons are handled as a team approach with the LMS modeling the technology aspects, the classroom teacher handling the content, and both troubleshooting to make sure students are achieving their learning targets. Another main issue of technology integration which is typically out of the reach of teachers' control is administrator support. My principal is a former "computer teacher" which means any effort to incorporate technology in an effective manner is readily embraced and supported through the budget. As a non-tenured teacher, I feel quite a bit of personal pressure to embrace my principal's initiatives. Luckily, we usually see eye-to-eye on most technology issues. Administration at the district level (technology coordinators, student learning, student services, etc) also impact our access to technology. My experience has been that if technology is researched-based to be effective, financial resources have been found to support teachers' desire to obtain a certain technology. Finally, budgeting often proves to be the bottom-line as to whether new technology is feasible for a school or district. As stated previously, our district seems to be able to find resources when student learning is at the heart of the proposed technology. Many issues surround the effective or ineffective implementation of technology. Those explained above merely touch the surface of the multitude of issues classroom teachers face when considering the use of technology in their classrooms.

Integration

Integrating computer applications has great application for older students and staff. At the younger grade, I see greater importance in teaching student how to use applications successfully one at a time before integrating multiple applications. At the higher levels; however, I see a need to teach students how to meaningfully integrate so that they are ready to compete in a globally competitive market. As a portfolio consultant at UW, I worked with pre-service teachers to integrate documents into Dreamweaver. Had many of these teachers been exposed to the concept of integration at an earlier age, my job would have been much easier as a consultant! Additionally, their level of frustration would have been much lower. If students are exposed to these concepts at an earlier age, they would become part of a known skill-set such as using Word. The more skills we can "automatize" at an early age, the more competent computer users they will become as adults!

InTime

I investigated several teachers' lessons on the InTime website. Lesson content varied in quality and feasibility. I was particularly impressed with the "Show Me" Missouri's Temperatures unit. This unit was a cross-curricular unit taught to fourth grade students in a resource room setting.
This lesson incorporated music appreciation, graphic organizers, data collection forms, writing forms, and computer-based applications. Through each step, she clearly modeled processes, particularly computer-based processes, on a SMARTBoard and then walked students through the process again so that they could engage in the process. One point that Ms. Camden made that resonated with me was in regards to assistive technology. She stated that no matter how interesting a piece of assistive techology is, it is crucial to keep the child's best interest at the center of activity and only use the assistive technology when it is appropriate to the situation. I see this as an important point to consider. Often times, as a special education team member, we are trained in how to use the "latest and the greatest" and then look for opportunities to use them. Sometimes we rush in just to practice our skills. Ms. Camden provided me with a crucial reminder. I can see using this resource to investigate possible activities in the future. While the content of this lesson was more difficult than what my students would be able to achieve, it was a wonderful demonstration of successful language to use as well as an opportunity to view instructional methods that I am familiar with in a new light.

databases

In class last week, we used the Internet application DabbleDB. We first imported data from WINNS to become familiar with the application and then created our own database. I organized my Christmas shopping and preparation. (Sometimes you have to take care of the personal issues!) I was very impressed with the amount of tasks you could accomplish with this program. It has been about 10 years since I have used a database program. I'm quite impressed with how far they have come! I see the application of database programs to be more teacher-centered for me than for student use. I am on the Response to Intervention (RtI) committee at school. I could see using a database program to keep documentation on students' interventions and their effectiveness. Trends could then be analyzed over-time. I could also see using databases to document classroom materials, reading records, or behavior records on students.

Reflection on Spreadsheets

In class, we developed three separate spreadsheet activities. The first was a theoretical gradebook; the second was a theoretical college budget. The final was a magic square in which a 3 by 3 grid needed to have the numbers one through nine with each row, column, and diagonal adding to 15. Because my students are very young, these activities would be beyond their ability level; however, spreadsheets are something that I use in my classroom. I use them to develop math graphing activities and keep a database of reading activities. After our experiences in class, I am encouraged to start using Excel to track students' reading fluency growth. I used spreadsheet in the past with older students and can see the potential in using them with my students. In the coming weeks I am going to do the pictograph idea explained in one of my previous entries as well as work on fluency records for one of my reading groups. My hope is that once I make using Excel a part of one of my groups, I can easily extend this process to my other groups. I am also interested in using pictographs to help one of my lower math groups to better develop their counting and graphing skills.

Website Evaluation

I looked at Kathy Schrock's Guide and New Mexico State University's Library webpage to review evaluation criteria for websites. The students that I work with are not at the academic level to be reviewing websites. However, I could use these forms to inform other teachers of criteria for "good websites" and for possible uses in the upper elementary levels. My observation has been that many teachers need more specific instruction or training in how to choose good Internet-based materials. Many seem to take all information on the web at face value and don't look deeply into biases presented, undertones to the site, etc. New Mexico's site would be very helpful for adults to review sites, particularly those adults who have little Internet experience. Each of the criteria have examples or non-examples for those needing greater clarification. I have found Kathy Schrock's evaluations to be very user-friendly for young students and also more scientific in that sites can be easily compared using discrete criteria. In summary, I would use New Mexico's site for use with adults and Kathy Schrock's site for student evaluation.

Spreadsheets

The idea presented in this link would provide a basic starting point for me to use with some of my higher level students. While the picture here is semi-complex, I could come up with a simpler message to convey to my students. I would use the SMARTBoard so that the picture could be developed in front of the entire group. This would probably be more of a lesson in using co-ordinates instead of using spreadsheet programs to enter data. I also saw an idea in the "Spreadsheet Magic" book to make pictographs which could be used with some of my lower level students to reinforce basic counting skills.

Word Processing Assignment

Although the basics of this assignment were very much a review for me, I found the Google Docs aspect of the assignment to be promising. I am amazed that Microsoft has a basically free version of their office suite on-line! A single site license of the full program is quite expensive. I do understand that not all of the features are available; however, I think the Docs version would be sufficient for most individuals. In the field of education, Google Docs would also offer a better monitoring process for group projects than Microsoft words. Teachers could be added as collaborators and have the ability to log on to students projects to view which elements each group members edited. While this would be beyond the scope of what my students are currently able to do, I could see using Google Docs or Notebook to keep a parent-teacher communication notebook. It would eliminate the hassle of desperately scrambling to write notebooks at the end of the day and allow me the flexibility to do so after the school day is over. So while I felt very confident with Word before this class, I have explored new options and alternatives to enhance student learning.