Because at least once a month I am trying to introduce some new technology or device to someone or a group of people, this chart is so fitting. My latest questions were about “the Seesaw app“. Now I know the answer. Although I would still ask a few more questions, given it presents excellent features and could be a game changer.
As a new tech integration specialist, moving to a school where they were changing from the tech class to the tech integration model there were certain things that needed to be understood beforehand.
Some of these key ideas I posted in a post called Technology Integration: a six-pronged approach. Other ideas, however, had more to do with dealing with the emotions of colleagues and I will touch on this now. I would liken these Kübler-Ross’ “Five Stages of Grief” to the emotions that many of the teachers went through when learning they were dealing with a new strategy for technology:
Denial: Most home room teachers who have been at the school for sometime, upon hearing that their school will be moving to this model will be in shock, and do not really understand what this means. Some may decide that they do not have time to meet with or interact with the new ‘tech integrator’ assuming this stance as one where they can keep their heads in the sand as long as possible until they will have to deal with what has been given to them.
As a tech integrator it means you need to explain the process to teachers, knowing full-well that many of the words you say or write are falling on deaf ears. It is of utmost importance that you have patience knowing that they are dealing with change, and are there to offer reassurance, help and support when they are ready to receive it.
Anger: One of the biggest gripes from teachers is that they “have lost their prep. period”. They do not see the big picture yet and feel like they have gained nothing, but definitely lost what most teachers treasure most – time.
As a tech integrator, this means that you have to be ready to act as the messenger, fully realizing that some teachers will be ready to shoot you. Again, patience and understanding are key here. Note that I am not saying, “push for your right to integrate tech”. A tech integrators role, especially in the early stages, has more to do with empathizing and supporting than it does with integrating technology. Be kind, be patient, listen, and support.
Bargaining: At this stage many teachers are still not ready to accept the role of the tech integrator and may decide that they will ‘leave for a coffee for the entire period’ while you teach the class in their classroom. Although this may need to happen at first to ease into the transition there needs to be bargaining and compromise from both sides. For instance, the tech integrator eventually needs to explain that his role is to be working with the teachers to integrate technology into the classroom.
The tech integrator eventually wants to work his way out of the job. Essentially, he should be developing computer skills in all the teachers to such a degree that he can begin focussing his role more as a learning coach than a tech integrator.
Another worry from teachers is about how they will do the tech teaching themselves, how they are going to mark, who is going to mark, etc. These questions should all be explicitly focused upon over time with the tech integrator helping out along the way. Remember, this is not a journey that will take a year. In my experience and that of others, it takes between three and five years to fully move to tech integration.
Depression: There may be some hidden or some outright depression along the way. Teachers may say things like, “I don’t know how to teach technology; I just don’t have the skill set; or Please, can you come and teach my class.”
As a tech integrator, the initial stage will mean getting to know all the teachers needs through regular meetings and setting up classroom visits. However, upon you understanding the support necessary for different teachers, accommodation takes place at different levels. For example, some teachers may want a lesson to be taught completely by the tech integrator. Others, may want to team teach. Other still, may want you there only as moral support or support when something gets tricky. And finally, many may want you to teach them individually either for personal or professional purposes. This is where the acceptance stage has started kicking in.
Acceptance: Not only is there a light at the end of the tunnel, but it is a bright shiny light when everyone reaches the end of that tunnel. Here are some reasons:
While the stages are not the same for all teachers, a technology integrator stepping into these shoes in a school where they are changing from tech classes to integration is unwittingly going to stumble across some, if not all, of the teachers in one stage or another. He needs to mentally prepare himself for the situation and recognize that he won’t be liked by most upon arrival. He needs to remember to support, support, support. In two or three years he will be loved even more than the tech teacher who would take the kids off the teachers hands so they could have a break. Eventually, he will become the most loved teacher through all the school, even more than the gym teacher!!
“Should I? Shouldn’t I”
These are the thoughts I have behind the idea of putting a proxy (physical equipment or a software program used to allow or block certain websites) into my home. On the one hand it seems like a great idea because the proxy is a safeguard for little ones which helps prevent them from stumbling upon unwanted adult websites. However, there are drawbacks. First, as adults, we are taking away the ability to our kids to make the right choice for themselves. Second, we may be kidding ourselves into thinking that we have battened down the hatches and secured the fort.
Older kids, and sometimes younger ones are figuring ways around proxies faster than we can implement them. Proxies including, the free OpenDNS, or inexpensive NetNanny, etc can soon be circumvented by the sly child.
My advice is to:
This was a web clipping update that Jeff Utecht took “Colorado schools are beginning to write off cursive handwriting” found here at Coetail@Bkk.
I thought the clipping was interesting and also agreed. In fact, I was just talking with another teacher about how I don’t usually allow students to hand in assignments that are hand written. I like to read assignments that are typed “10 or 12pt Arial, Helvitica, Garamong or Times, single-spaced, narrow margins, double-sided”.¹ The reason for this is that I like the standard, easy to read font and the lest three traits are to save with paper.²
In my class I most often have students using a digital device to write notes. More recently I have had a few ingenious [read: crafty or possibly even lazy] students who have asked if they could just take a photo of the board after I have written or typed notes, so just as this title suggests, they are no longer taking notes in my class.
Now that I allow students to be friends with me on Facebook I also often notice that notes, book clippings, photos of the board and many other things pertaining to assignments in classes are turning up as photos on walls.
It’s definitely a different world that we are living in. I can’t even imagine if I asked my teachers back when I was in high school or elementary school if I could take a photo of the board and how they would have reacted.
As a teacher I can see the benefits of writing the notes. Writing things down means that we are visually and physically processing all of the information. Still, due to time constraints I will allow students to take photo notes with their gadgets … AND some actually even seem to refer back to these photos. Cool.
When all is said and done I don’t think we should throw the baby out with the bath water. I counter my argument with the fact that everyone will need to pick up a pen or pencil to fill in a form or write something down the old fashioned way. In these cases, students do need to have knowledge of how to write with their hands.
I ponder this thought about the future, but what will happen to synaptic connections in the brain and also to our hands fine motor skills due to the fact that we are using them less and less for holding a pen? I know that the art of penmanship has gone out the window, but will there be other consequences?
I think, as with everything, there is a time and a place. Technology is allowing new and useful ways for students to change their habits. It is up to the educator to decide in what amounts they will teach or allow certain skills. I look forward to seeing the next ingenious and crafty strategies my own students bring to class, as it usually brings humor to my day and also makes me think.
¹I also insist upon: Headers with ‘Class – Assignment Title – Student’s Name‘; Footers with Page Numbers styled bold2 ‘Page 3 of 42‘; the use of Headings and Subheadings to be referenced with a Table of Contents; and a Conservative Title page with an Abstract
²Most of the time I try to have students hand things in digitally through one-note, a wiki, a Ning, or through Google Docs.
Mr. Jayzeer
education | technology | design 