Now what do we do with it?
A look at technology training for teachers

Lawrence J. Flint; EDCI 601
Dr. Hossain; April 19, 2000

Abstract
Today schools must face the challenge of educating students in an ever increasingly technological society. In order to keep up with the rate of technological advancement they see it necessary to purchase computing equipment so that students can utilize the many and varied online resources and stand-alone educational applications in their educational quests. Not only are many teachers unfamiliar with computing technology, they are often provided little training and support. Each teacher must continually keep up with changes in subject area content but the rate at which they must keep up with technological developments accelerates at a much greater rate.

Introduction
The issue of technology training for teachers is a relatively new one. Just over half a century ago, in 1946, the world's first electronic, large scale, general-purpose computer, the ENIAC, came to life. This single event brought about the birth of the information age and an entirely new society that is infiltrated with computing technology.

The growth of computing capability has grown significantly over the past few decades and the computer has become a mainstream appliance in the school setting. In trying to keep up with this change American schools have poured a great deal of their financial resources into purchasing computing technology. With the equipment comes another challenge-training. Many school districts have not undertaken the equally daunting task of training their teachers on how to use these computers and other related software and peripherals.

Teachers must also step up to the plate and take responsibility for their own level of expertise when it comes to technology literacy. Even the most veteran teachers must learn to adapt to our changing educational landscape and cultural setting as it has been molded by the injection of technology into every day life. It is the role of every educator to guide students in their learning while aiding them in proper and responsible computer use.

More and more teacher education programs are requiring some computer literacy training but current teachers are being left behind as they may not have to complete any formal training (as cited in Anderson and Perry, 1994). Even still, these teacher education programs face an uphill challenge as they attempt to prepare our next generation of teachers to plan better, deal with more and varied diversity among their students, and provide technology training and support. In short, colleges and universities have to prepare teachers to deal with the more demanding requirements of tomorrow's classroom while continuing their focus on core subject area content.

Analysis
There are many reasons why teachers must be technologically literate. Computer use in the classroom runs the gamut from simple e-mail communication to elaborate multimedia presentation technology. Students today are growing up in a society that is permeated with computer use and the academic environment is an ideal setting for them to learn the potential of computers and responsible use.

Each school district should have a technology plan that is periodically reviewed and updated to include current shifts in educational technology. When a district technology planning committee sits down to compose such a plan, they must have the full support of all affected constituencies (Anderson and Perry, 1994).

The teaching staff is, of course, a key component in making a technology plan come to life. In Technology Planning: A Recipe for Success, Anderson concedes

Only when teachers are attuned appropriately to the purposes of the plan, given sufficient ownership in ideas and opportunities for growth though the plan, and provided the level of training they deserve will they ensure full infusion of technological concepts into the curriculum and its related activities (2000).

Teachers must also begin to expand that ever crucial link between school and home by encouraging parents to explore the World Wide Web and communicate by the use of electronic mail (Roempler, 2000). There are many avenues by which teachers can communicate with parents. Electronic mail newsletters and announcements as well as classroom companion web sites serve to augment parent­teachers conferences and printed matter that is sent home with the students. Students are often called upon to serve as a communication link between parents and teachers. If this link is broken then communication can fail-that is why direct electronic communication can serve as a great asset for parents and teachers alike.

Once teachers take the initiative and learn how to use the technology they leave other teachers behind. The results of a 1998 study conducted by the US WEST Foundation concluded that in some schools teachers who are willing to be among the first to integrate technology into their classroom and serve as technical advisors and trainers are ignored or penalized for their initiative (Foa, Schwab and Johnson, 1999). Rather, they must be appreciated for their expertise and applauded for their effort.

The same study recognizes that technology is just as important as the equipment that is purchased and that serious budget considerations must be made to support these training efforts. A recent survey of American school districts reported that school districts only spend about five percent of their technology budget on training-much lower than is recommended and apparently is necessary (Sulla, 1998).

There is a recognized generation gap between today's students and teachers. This "digital divide" spawns from the fact that today's students are growing up in a wired world that is proliferated with electronic communication and games. The learning curve is much steeper for teachers to climb since children have the twofold advantage of vast technology experience and the ability to learn quickly because of their malleable neurological pathways (Tenbusch, 1998).

This gap can be overcome if teachers spend enough time willingly learning how to work with the technology. Another advantage that teachers have in the classroom is that they will have a number of students who are very computer literate and who can communicate well with their peers in their own "technobabble."

Some teachers completely reject the notion of using technology as part of their curriculum and stick to the more traditional approaches that have seemed to work in their eyes for years. Not only does this take the variety out of education that is necessary with a group of diverse learners, it disenfranchises them from the opportunity to learn how to use a research and learning tool that will play a significant role later in life (Sulla, 1998).

Teachers need to be turned on to the technology in order to be interested in being trained. Teachers have in their heart a desire for sharing their knowledge and skills in a particular content area. If teachers can be shown how their passion can be more clearly communicated through electronic means then they will be more willing to learn how to use the technology (Tenbusch, 1998).

Every technological advancement is met with both skepticism and fear, computers included (Tallarico, 2000). This has been the case for quite some time and will continue to be so. There has never been a thrust of change that has been completely embraced in our society, whether in our schools or in the public.

The potential of the World Wide Web alone substantiates the cost of computing technology for it has boundless opportunities. Teacher companion web sites, search engines, interactive presentations, and simulations are just a taste of what the web has to offer our students of today and surely our students of tomorrow.

Those who challenge the potential of the World Wide Web only have to look at the history of the web to find that its roots are in educational institutions who needed to be able to share information more efficiently. There are many features that not only make the World Wide Web a valuable resource but also give it a strong foundation in education. These include increased information sharing, low cost distribution of information, faster information deployment, interactive exchanges, and ease of use (Bozelli and Ruffin). Each of these features stand on their own as a useful tools in education. Together they form a powerful, yet flexible tool for education, research, entertainment and commerce.

Conclusion
Students and technology­literate teachers can communicate in new and exciting ways both about and over the Internet. Teachers who are not technology literate set a poor example for students both because they do not challenge students to seek out technology as a learning tool and because they do not set a standard for learning about technology. Even though these seem like anecdotal comments, they fit the mold of most teacher­student relationships regarding technology.

Teacher preparation programs do a wonderful job of preparing educators to enter the classroom as skilled and able professionals. Each new teachers who goes through such a program and is trained in the use of technology must continually keep up with technological developments since they accelerate at a much greater rate than subject area content.

Conservative education professionals fought against the use of calculators when they began to show up in schools in favor of the slide rule and hand calculations. The fear was that students would lose appreciation for the mathematical concepts underlying the use of the instruments. Today we completely accept the use of calculators in the academic arena and are even allowed to be used on the standardized tests like the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). It is this type of change that the will be observed in education with our the current shift from traditional methods to more technology enhanced delivery. The overall impact will be more profound than any other shift in education.

Significant financial resources must be directed toward the purchase of software and training for teachers so that schools can utilize computing technology more effectively. Teachers must also continue do a better job to assist students in locating resources they need to succeed at their academic studies.

All in all, it is essential that schools be held accountable by students, parents and taxpayers to effectively get the most use out of expensive computing technology. All educators must be committed to their own professional growth and development when it comes to technology.

 

Works Cited

Anderson, L. S., & Perry, J. F., Jr. (1994, March). Technology planning: Recipe for success. National Center for Technology Planning. [Online], 43 paragraphs. Available: http://www.nctp.com/tp.recipe.html [2000, February 18].

Bozelli, C. & Ruffin, L. (No date) Making the most of WWW technologies in education, training, and outreach programs. Internet Society. [Online], 46 paragraphs. Available: http://info.isoc.org/isoc/whatis/conferences/inet/96/proceedings/c9/c9_1.htm [2000, February 18].

Foa, L., Schwab, R., & Johnson, M. (1999, August) Introducing technologies into the schools: Triumph or train wreck? Focus on Technology-NEA. [Online], 25 paragraphs. Available: http://www.nea.org/cet/briefs/13.html [2000, February 18].

Roempler, K.S. (2000). Using the Internet: School and home connect through the World Wide Web. Focus-Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, 2, 11.

Sulla, N. (1998, March) Winning teachers over: How you can battle resistance to technology-and win. Electronic School. [Online], 28 paragraphs. Available: http://www.electronic-school.com/0398f2.html [2000, February 12].

Tallarico, P. (2000, February). Are you ready for the 21st century? Pennsylvania State Education Association Voice, 2.

Tenbusch, J.P. (1998, March) Teaching the teachers: Technology staff development that works. Electronic School. [Online], 39 paragraphs. Available: http://www.electronic-school.com/0398f1.html [2000, February 12].