Technology
use in schools today is dependent on many factors. One of those factors deals
with the availability and resources that the school has. If the school has
ample resources available, then the teachers will be more likely to use
technology. Another factor is the familiarity and confidence level of the
teacher to effectively implement the technology. In a study by Durik and Eccles about teachers’
attitude towards technology the teachers’ answers were analyzed and the conclusion
was that “teachers favored activities with which they were
familiar and that took little time to prepare” (2006, p.33). The final factor
that affects true integration of technology is the school’s expectations of how
and when technology should be used in the classroom. Many schools today are
moving toward a more technology enhanced curriculum. Much research is being
done to determine the effectiveness of authentically integrating technology
into daily lessons and instruction. The key is how the teachers use the
technology. In five to ten years I believe most schools will be paperless or
working towards that goal. Students will have tablets with all of their books
on them and be able to submit all assignments online. Many universities already
of these capabilities so K-12 schools are soon to follow.
Reference
Durik, A. M., & Eccles, J. S. (2006).
Classroom activities in math and reading in early, middle, and
late elementary school. Journal Of Classroom
Interaction, 41(1), 33-41.
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post, and you have provided some wonderful information through your post. I too elaborated on some of the similar factors that affect technology use in school. Training and budget for technology seem to be the biggest and most prohibitive factors most school face. I found the information you mentioned by Durik and Eccles interesting, and have observed this in my service at various schools. As a tech person it is difficult to understand, but path of least resistance is often time applied when educators examine technology integration. Good point that the school’s direction and initiative will drive technology use, or lack of it. I too agree with your assessment of the classroom of the future, we will see far less physical paper, and more touch input technology devices in the hands of the students. Thank you again for your information, and have a great rest of the day.
Serving in Christ,
Thomas Walls
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteYou brought up several influential factors regarding technology integration within the school system, being availability, teacher confidence, and staff expectations. Concurrently, I believe there are resource-related barriers educators must overcome. Often times, technological devices have hiccups, malfunctions, and bugs or viruses. As a result, educators must have a backup plan, though many issues can be persevered through. Though many barriers present themselves daily, they are minute in comparison to the purpose and possibility of technology integration. Eventually, I see a similar scene to what you describe: the disappearance of paper and textbooks, and the appearance of tablets and SMARTboards.
Stephanie DiCesare