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.