Technology can be a rather frightening thing to some, especially older folks who did not grow up with computers in the home. Even when they become computer literate, many do not freely experiment like the younger ones tend to do. Thus the technology limit in the classroom of some older teachers is to switch from the chalkboard to the whiteboard. They are usually content with this. Many teachers would put up great resistance if asked to learn new teaching techniques using the computer. They prefer to continue as they are, and hope to retire soon. They say this openly and without fear of ridicule.
Having been exposed to last week’s lesson on the creation of blogs and having created and edited a blog several times in the last week, I realise that it is a lot simpler than I expected. The most difficult part was getting started. I also gained a lot of ideas from last week’s lecture and class activity which revealed the variety of lessons that can be done in the classroom to enhance reading skills by using blogs.
Whilst I would like to rush out and begin teaching lessons using blogs, alas, I cannot. The computers are not available to the students. This is another drawback teachers face when attempting to use ICT in the classroom.
5 comments:
I celebrate increased technology in schools to aid in the effective delivery of the curriculum. However, I am also aware of the challenges of using computers with internet access in schools. For example, in classrooms where computers are used like exercise books, teachers face the vexing problem of students entertaining themselves on social networks like facebook while teaching is going on.
So I think we must start considering the potential drawbacks ahead of time so that we would better be able to manage this powerful instrument so that we may reap all the positive aspects of this wonderful tool.
Teachers must overcome their fear and face the fact that technology excites and motivates youngsters; it is a great tool for getting them involved in reading and learning in a manner which interests them.
Children seem to have a natural 'instinct' for technology and for many teachers the fear may not be a fear of technology but a fear that our students know more than us.
Lets work smart, if they know more then learn from them and use them to teach. we will all benefit and your students will even realize that you are human .
I agree with what you are saying to a very large extent. I have noticed that the older teachers in my school tend to “shy away” from the computers. One of them does not even want to use the photo -copying machine because she is afraid she will press a wrong button. On the other hand, the younger teachers tend to use the technology.
Many of the younger teachers at my school have taken up a degree programme, most of them on-line so that they need to use technology. It becomes easier for them to use technology in the classroom. The older teachers seem to find it unnecessary because they are about to retire and they stick to what they are accustomed which is the traditional way of teaching using chalk and talk and they get the job done anyway.
What we have to understand, though, is that the world is changing and the face of education is changing. Technology is here to stay and one can only imagine what the future holds. As educators we have a responsibility to make learning fun and interesting. We also have a duty to expose our pupils to the technology of the day or else we will be left behind and we will be a “backward nation.”
Indeed, the new government has promised each student who has written the SEA examination, a laptop. While I see this as a positive move in terms of getting the pupils to access the computer, I agree with both of you that we must be pro-active in developing a proper plan as to how to get the children to use the computers wisely.
Also, we have to get the parents on board so that they too can monitor their children's use of the computers at home.
Finally, we must be good role models. According to McKenna & Stahl (2009), "Children must observe that you, in fact, practice what you preach."
Jody you are quite correct in your observations about older teachers not wanting to use the technology and are afraid of it. The problem however is that the older teachers are the ones with the experience when it comes to using pedagogy in the classroom .They are the ones with the know how when it comes to teaching difficult concepts and identifying learning problems with students. They have amassed this knowledge through qualitative research that they did not know they even conducted. Over the years they have observed and diagnosed learning situations and have recorded them in long term memory.
The older teachers are the best candidates to use technology because they are so aware of content and theory. When they are trained to use ICT they will be able to recognize which tool to use to teach a lesson or topic. Technology cannot be used to get maximum benefits unless it is used to enhance the learning capabilities of students. The bells and whistles associated with technology fades fast within the education system and then the students ask what’s next? This question can only be answered properly when teachers apply knowledge of content and educational theory and apply it to the tool that is technology.
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