Hew et al, begin their article with a definition of what technology integration is. As this new century marches forward so does technology and along with that almost a new language – the language of technology. It is important to understand the vernacular of technology, a challenge as the industry of technology changes at light speed. As defined by Hew et al, technology integration is, “the use of computing devices such as desktop computers, laptops, handheld computers, software, or Internet in K-12 schools for instructional purposes.” With this definition in mind, the researchers set out to discover
“barriers” to integration and broke those barriers into six main categories: resources, knowledge and skills, institution, attitudes and beliefs, assessment and subculture.
In this paper, I will summarize what I feel to be the key information of the important barriers, and then I will reflect on that barrier.
Resources- Summary: a) “Access to technology is more than merely the availability of technology in a school; it involves providing the proper amount and right types of technology in locations where teachers and students can use them” (p 3).
b) “The lack of technical support is yet another resource-type barrier...technology-supported pedagogical
knowledge” (pp 3-4).
c) “The lack of technology-related-classroom management knowledge and skills is another barrier. In a
technology-integrated classroom, teachers need to be equipped with technology-related classroom management skills such as how to organize the class effectively so that students have equal opportunities to use computers, or what to do if students run into technical problems when working on computers” (p
Reflection: a) I agree with this statement. I have finished two practicum’s of student teaching and before that I was an educational assistant for six years. I have worked in schools that have fantastic technology in the form of computer labs, laptop carts and permanent computers in classrooms.
Although computers were available, there are common barriers to using technology across the schools in which I have taught. The computer lab can often be booked up in September – for the year! Laptop carts are, in theory a fantastic idea. These carts are mobile and generally contain class sets of computers. The computers come the student, thus reducing wasted time transitioning from regular classroom to a computer lab. However, in reality laptops were never designed to be man-handled by children, they need to be powered down properly, and they need to be plugged in when not in use. These steps are not always followed, resulting in computers that do not work due to rough handling, it takes forever for them to boot up only to have to power them down properly before they will work and that is only if they actually have juice. One possible solution would be a BYOD (bring your own device) policy. The idea of students bringing their own laptops or tablets to school to complete their work with is a great idea. I am sure before my children (ages 13 and 10) graduate I will have to supply one. The Livingstone Range School Division is piloting this project this semester at the high school in Ft. Macleod. We will have to wait and
see if this breaks down some barriers for teachers and students.
b) Not only is it important to have on site or very accessible tech support, it is paramount that those “techies” understand and support pedagogical knowledge. I have run in to barriers several times in my education career (that is not very long!) already due to techies who do not understand nor support my technology needs in the classroom. There needs to be dialogue between all stakeholders. If all stakeholders including superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, and technical support would all benefit from discussions on what technology looks like in the classroom. It is very important to educate our students with technology – it is a way of life for this generation it is not a separate class that is offered on a one time basis. Teachers should use “teachable moments” and build technology right into the curriculum. Technology is a fact.
c) Students, on their own computers, with internet access could be a ticking time bomb of a classroom
management issue for teachers. Teachers need training in technology-related classroom management skills, so that they can feel confidant allowing students on technology. Students will need to have more than a working understanding of to further their education career, they will only gain this knowledge by hands on experience. Our teachers need to feel confident that they can manage students on technology, if
they feel secure they will allow students to explore further. It is by exploring that students will learn.
Attitudes and Beliefs: Summary: “Teacher attitudes and beliefs towards technology can be another major barrier to technology integration...the decision of whether and how to use technology for
instruction ultimately depends on the teachers themselves and the beliefs they hold about technology” (p 5).
Reflection: It is very important to educate teachers on technology. We all struggle with the beast that is
technology; sometimes it is your friend, sometimes your foe. It is important for educators to understand that we all struggle with technology at some point. Many educators feel that they need to be the foremost authority on a topic in order to introduce it in their classroom. We need to foster an environment where teachers feel safe to introduce technology. Teacher’s need to understand that it is okay to learn with their students and maybe even let their student teach them. Teaching is all about taking risks with the knowledge knowing that there is a support network for teachers.
Assessment: Summary: “High-stakes teasing can be defined as assessment with serious attached consequences such as promotion or graduation for students...or rewards versus sanctions for schools. The pressures of such testing can be a major barrier to technology integration. Such emphasis on testing undercuts the potential promise of technology as a teaching and learning tool. As a result, the focus of technology use in K-12 education has not been on the use of computers for teaching and learning, but rather on the financial benefits of computer-based testing and the warehousing of assessment results.”
Reflection: As educators in Alberta, with the recent announcement of the demise of PATs, we are fortunate as this is a barrier now has been erased. What is a factor is how do we assess technology.
We must be cognizant of what we are assessing. It is important that the technology is only the tool to help achieve the outcomes. When we assess, we must remember that we assess only the outcomes, not the student’s efficiency of technology. The two cannot be confused.
Subject Culture: “refers to the ‘general set of institutionalized practices an expectations which have grown up around a particular school subject , and shapes the definition of that subject as a distinct area of study’...teachers are reluctant to adopt a technology that seems incompatible with the norms of a
subject culture”. (p 6)
Reflection: Teachers are in the middle of a paradigm shift in regards to technology. Thoughts are shifting, and teachers are trying to grasp what their subject now looks like immersed in technology. It will take a great amount of professional development and attitude change to allow this immersion to take
place. Of course, pre-service teachers just graduating have had university instruction on technology
integration. There needs to be provisions for mentors for experienced teachers and encourage collaboration to increase the integration of technology that is available for their subject.
I found this article to be very informative. It provided a lot of food for thought. What I think that this article provided for me is a glimpse of what technology in the classroom is really like. I feel that there is a bit of a disconnect between what I have been taught in university on how to engage students with technology – to what is actually available and allowable in a K-12 classroom.
Hew et al, kuanza makala yao na ufafanuzi wa nini ushirikiano wa teknolojia ni. Kama karne hii mpya inavyokwenda mbele hivyo ndivyo teknolojia na pamoja na hiyo karibu lugha mpya <unk> lugha ya teknolojia. Ni muhimu kuelewa lugha ya kawaida ya teknolojia, changamoto kama sekta ya teknolojia mabadiliko kwa kasi ya mwanga. "Hew et al. (1990) hufafanua ushirikiano wa teknolojia kama ""matumizi ya vifaa vya kompyuta kama vile kompyuta za desktop, kompyuta ndogo, kompyuta za mkononi, programu, au mtandao katika shule za K-12 kwa madhumuni ya mafundisho.""[2] Watafiti walianza kugundua ""vizuizi"" vya ushirikiano na kuvunja vizuizi hivyo katika makundi sita kuu: rasilimali, maarifa na ujuzi, taasisi, mitazamo na imani, tathmini na utamaduni." Katika makala hii, nitaelezea kwa ufupi kile ninachoona kuwa ni habari muhimu ya vizuizi muhimu, na kisha nitafikiria vizuizi hivyo. "Kutumia teknolojia ni ""kutoa kiasi sahihi na aina sahihi za teknolojia katika maeneo ambapo walimu na wanafunzi wanaweza kuzitumia.""" b) <unk>Kukosa msaada wa kiufundi ni kizuizi kingine cha aina ya rasilimali... maarifa ya ufundishaji yanayoungwa mkono na teknolojia<unk> (kurasa 3-4). c) <unk> Ukosefu wa teknolojia-kuhusiana darasa usimamizi maarifa na ujuzi ni kizuizi kingine. Katika darasa la teknolojia, walimu wanahitaji kuwa na ujuzi wa usimamizi wa darasa unaohusiana na teknolojia, kama vile jinsi ya kuandaa darasa kwa ufanisi ili wanafunzi wawe na fursa sawa za kutumia kompyuta, au nini cha kufanya ikiwa wanafunzi wanakabiliwa na matatizo ya kiufundi wakati wa kufanya kazi kwenye kompyuta. Nimemaliza mazoezi mawili ya ualimu wa wanafunzi na kabla ya hapo nilikuwa msaidizi wa elimu kwa miaka sita. Shule za msingi zina vifaa vya kipekee kama vile maabara ya kompyuta, magari ya kompyuta, na kompyuta za kudumu katika madarasa. Ingawa kompyuta zilipatikana, kuna vizuizi vya kawaida vya kutumia teknolojia katika shule ambazo nimefundisha. Maabara ya kompyuta mara nyingi inaweza kuwa booked up katika Septemba <unk> kwa mwaka! Magari ya kompyuta ndogo ni, kwa nadharia, wazo la ajabu. Magari hayo ni ya kusafiri na kwa kawaida huwa na kompyuta za darasa. Kompyuta kuja mwanafunzi, hivyo kupunguza kupoteza muda mpito kutoka darasa kawaida kwa maabara ya kompyuta. Laptops hazikubuniwa kwa ajili ya watoto, zinahitaji kuzimwa vizuri na kuzungushwa wakati hazitumiwi. Hatua hizi si daima kufuatiwa, na kusababisha kompyuta ambayo si kazi kutokana na utunzaji mbaya, inachukua milele kwa ajili yao boot up tu kuwa na nguvu yao chini vizuri kabla ya wao kazi, na kwamba ni tu kama wao kweli kuwa na juisi. Njia moja ya kuepuka hii ni kutumia BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Wanafunzi wanaopaswa kuleta kompyuta zao za mkononi au kompyuta kibao shuleni ili kukamilisha kazi zao ni jambo la kawaida. """Nina hakika kabla ya watoto wangu (miaka 13 na 10) kuhitimu nitakuwa na moja." Idara ya Shule ya Livingstone Range inaendesha mradi huu katika muhula huu katika shule ya sekondari huko Ft. Macleod. Ni lazima tuangalie na kuona kama hii inavunja vizuizi fulani kwa walimu na wanafunzi. b) Si tu ni muhimu kuwa na mahali au rahisi sana msaada wa kiufundi, ni muhimu sana kwamba wale "techies" kuelewa na kusaidia maarifa ya kielimu. Nimekutana na vizuizi mara kadhaa katika kazi yangu ya elimu (hiyo si muda mrefu sana!) "Hii ni kwa sababu ya ""techies"" ambao hawaelewi wala kuunga mkono mahitaji yangu ya teknolojia darasani." Kuna haja ya mazungumzo kati ya wadau wote. Wanachama wote wa jamii, pamoja na wakurugenzi, wakurugenzi, walimu, wazazi, na msaada wa kiufundi, wote watapata faida kutoka kwa majadiliano juu ya jinsi teknolojia inaonekana katika darasa. Ni muhimu sana kuwaelimisha wanafunzi wetu na teknolojia - ni njia ya maisha kwa kizazi hiki, sio darasa tofauti linalotolewa kwa wakati mmoja. Walimu wanapaswa kutumia "wakati wa kufundishwa" na kujenga teknolojia moja kwa moja katika mtaala. Teknolojia ni jambo la hakika. Wanafunzi wanaotumia kompyuta zao na kupata mtandao wa Intaneti wanaweza kuwa kama bomu la wakati kwa walimu. Walimu wanahitaji mafunzo katika ujuzi wa usimamizi wa darasa unaohusiana na teknolojia, ili waweze kujisikia wa uhakika kuruhusu wanafunzi juu ya teknolojia. Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na zaidi ya ufahamu wa kazi ya kuendeleza kazi yao ya elimu, watapata tu maarifa haya kwa mikono juu ya uzoefu. Walimu wetu wanahitaji kujisikia uhakika kwamba wanaweza kusimamia wanafunzi juu ya teknolojia, ikiwa wanahisi salama watawaruhusu wanafunzi kuchunguza zaidi. Ni kwa kuchunguza kwamba wanafunzi watajifunza. Mtazamo na imani: muhtasari: <unk>Mtazamo wa mwalimu na imani kuelekea teknolojia inaweza kuwa kizuizi kingine kikubwa kwa ushirikiano wa teknolojia... uamuzi wa kama na jinsi ya kutumia teknolojia kwa ajili ya mafundisho hatimaye inategemea walimu wenyewe na imani wanaoshikilia kuhusu teknolojia <unk> (p 5). Maelezo: Ni muhimu sana kuwaelimisha walimu juu ya teknolojia. Sisi sote tunapambana na mnyama ambaye ni teknolojia; wakati mwingine ni rafiki yako, wakati mwingine ni adui yako. Ni muhimu kwa walimu kuelewa kwamba sisi sote tunapambana na teknolojia wakati fulani. Walimu wengi wanahisi kwamba wanahitaji kuwa na mamlaka ya kwanza juu ya mada fulani ili kuanzisha katika darasa lao. Tunahitaji kukuza mazingira ambapo walimu wanahisi salama kuanzisha teknolojia. Mwalimu anahitaji kuelewa kwamba ni sawa kujifunza na wanafunzi wao na labda hata kuruhusu mwanafunzi wao kuwafundisha. Kufundisha ni juu ya kuchukua hatari na ujuzi unajua kwamba kuna mtandao wa msaada kwa walimu. Tathmini: Muhtasari: <unk> High-stakes teasing inaweza kufafanuliwa kama tathmini na madhara makubwa yaliyounganishwa kama vile kukuza au kuhitimu kwa wanafunzi... au tuzo dhidi ya vikwazo kwa shule. Mfadhaiko wa majaribio hayo unaweza kuwa kizuizi kikubwa kwa ushirikiano wa teknolojia. Kusisitiza hivyo juu ya kupima kunadhoofisha ahadi ya uwezekano wa teknolojia kama chombo cha kufundisha na kujifunza. "Kwa hivyo, lengo la matumizi ya teknolojia katika elimu ya K-12 halikuwa juu ya matumizi ya kompyuta kwa ajili ya kufundisha na kujifunza, bali badala yake juu ya faida za kifedha za kupima kwa msingi wa kompyuta na kuhifadhi matokeo ya tathmini. ""Kama walimu katika Alberta, na tangazo la hivi karibuni la kuondolewa kwa PATs, tuna bahati kwani hii ni kizuizi sasa imefutwa." Jambo la muhimu ni jinsi tunavyotathmini teknolojia. Ni lazima tuwe na ufahamu wa kile tunachokichunguza. Ni muhimu kwamba teknolojia ni chombo tu cha kusaidia kufikia matokeo. Wakati tunapochunguza, lazima tukumbuke kwamba tunatathmini matokeo tu, sio ufanisi wa mwanafunzi wa teknolojia. Mambo hayo mawili hayawezi kuchanganyikiwa. Somo Utamaduni: <unk>inarejelea seti ya jumla ya mazoea ya taasisi matarajio ambayo yamekua karibu na somo maalum la shule, na huunda ufafanuzi wa somo hilo kama eneo tofauti la utafiti <unk>...walimu wanakataa kupitisha teknolojia ambayo inaonekana haipatani na kanuni za utamaduni wa somo<unk>. (Soma: Mwalimu wa sasa anafanya mabadiliko makubwa katika teknolojia yake) Mawazo yanabadilika, na walimu wanajaribu kuelewa jinsi somo lao linavyoonekana sasa limezama katika teknolojia. Itachukua kiasi kikubwa cha maendeleo ya kitaaluma na mabadiliko ya mtazamo kuruhusu kuzamishwa hii kutokea. Bila shaka, walimu wa kabla ya huduma tu kuhitimu wamekuwa na mafundisho ya chuo kikuu juu ya ushirikiano wa teknolojia. """Ni muhimu kuwa na mipango ya kuwapa walimu wenye uzoefu ushauri na kuwahimiza wafanye kazi kwa pamoja ili kuongeza ushirikiano wa teknolojia inayopatikana kwa somo lao." Niligundua makala hii kuwa yenye kuelimisha sana. Ilikupa chakula kingi cha kufikiri. Nadhani makala hii imenipa ufahamu wa jinsi teknolojia ilivyo katika darasa. """Ninaona kuna tofauti kati ya kile nilichofundishwa katika chuo kikuu juu ya jinsi ya kujihusisha na wanafunzi na teknolojia na kile kinachopatikana na kinachoruhusiwa katika darasa la K-12."