This week, I have been asked to assess a local school district's use of technology in the classroom as an educational tool. I have two kids in the Garland Independent School District, so that seems like the best place to start.
Garland ISD appears to have adequate access to basic technological tools. Classrooms have computers available inside them, even in the elementary schools. All computers have adequate network access and teachers provide adequate technical support to the students for the use of the computers within the limited scope of their intended purpose. It is the limited scope of that purpose which causes the Garland ISD to fall short of it’s potential.
Some programs, such as the Advanced Reading program, utilize student assessment and data tracking brilliantly, yet educational technology tools are more often treated as window dressing which can be pointed at as proof of use, rather than as fully integrated and useful tools. The primary problem in this respect appears to be that teachers do not really understand how to integrate technology into the classroom and lesson plan, or even why they should. Short a real reason accept the need for the added work of familiarizing and integrating the technology, teachers in Garland ISD are simply failing to explore these tools.
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteHere we are again right? I very much so agree that using technology sometime becomes to much of a "check off" and not something that is maximized. I have joked for years about something that happened to my wife in her student teaching. The teacher she was with checked out a digital projector out of the library and brought it into her classroom. When she got there she told my wife that they were "required" to use technology in their lesson twice a year, and this was her second time (early May). The counter part is that I had one lesson a year where I used an overhead projector. I always told my students I was meeting my "throwback" lesson requirement of the year. Things are changing since then, but we are way behind the curve. Thanks for the post.
Be Blessed,
Alan
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteSame place different class right? I agree that technology many times becomes more of a “check it off” than the tool that it really can be. I have joked for years over a situation that happened to my wife while she was doing her student teaching. The teacher she was with brought a digital projector into the room one day. She told her she was “required” to us technology twice a year. And this completed her obligation. It was May. My joke was that I had one lesson each year that I used an overhead projector. I told the students (who were astonished to see an overhead, that I was meeting my “throwback” lesson requirement of the year. We are doing better, but we’re way behind the curve.
Be Blessed,
Alan