Hard to Say Goodbye to the Technology of Yesterday!
Boys
2 Men- “Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”
There is nothing erroneous with having your individual
style of teaching, but it is imperative to embrace the transformations that
come with evolution. Although the utilization of technology in the classroom
has enlarged significantly during the last years, there are still educators
that are grappling with it, that feel left out of the loop, and don’t see how
to incorporate it in their instruction (Jewell, 1999). The saddest part is that
there are some educators that really completely refuse to use any type of educational
technology. Some educators can benefit from IPADs and tablets as well as
desktop computers or platforms can give teacher and student a feeling of
belonging.
According to Frazier and Hearrington (2017) states,” the technology coordinator can determine and recognize how to deal with MDM’s, IPADs, and other Bring Your Own Device in order to provide service to users while keeping school networks secure” (p. 182). One solution is to incorporate Mobile device management (MDM) in schools which is defined as the administration of mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers and laptops. The simplest way to solve various issues and problems is to show other teachers specific examples on how beneficial technology has been in your classroom. Educators learn better when we can show other educators the results of students that use different apps or platforms on how our results have improved.
Another component of understanding and collaboration
with the technology coordinator and teacher is to make sure we are adhering to
the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Ribble (2015) sets the stage by including how
to incorporate digital safety and citizenship inside and outside of the
classroom. The amount and quality of training that is given to educators on how
to use the systems is very important. I am reluctant to use technology unless I
have sat down myself and got a good understanding of what is going on. I have
to be prepared at all times for student questions and possible misconceptions. Please
keep in mind that implementing a new system is typically a tedious process and
it is vital to allot the needed people and time as well as resources to have it
done well.
A two hour training to absorb a complete platform
won’t be enough. The entire faculty and staff including the technology
coordinator need to come back with a follow-up training to see what educators understood
and where they’re having trouble. Schools need a technology person on hand, just
in case there are any concerns or questions. We as educators and future
instructional leaders need support to give our students the best possible
chance of a quality education. Professional Development needs to be continuous
in order to have lasting benefits.
References
Frazier,
M., & Hearrington, D. (2017). The technology coordinator's handbook.
Jewell, M. (1999). The art and craft of technology leadership. Learning and Leading with Technology, 26(4), 46-47.
Marcinek, A. (2013). Why BYOD makes sense: Thinking beyond a standardized 1:1. Edutopia.
Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
