I recently read a post by Dennis Harter from the ISB titled, “Is the term “21st Century” hurting or helping our cause for thinking, communicating, collaborative thinking“.
In this post, he brings to mind several important considerations. Past models for technology integration generally failed because teachers did not believe it was their job to teach technology. Back in 1995 when the report “Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection” came out, it was discovered that most teachers did not feel prepared to use technology effectively. I wonder if it has changed in 14 years. I am now in Guangzhou and feeling some nastalgia … not necessarily a good feeling.
Last year a survey was done among the faculty. Here are some of the results.
On owning a video camera, using it and having students work with video, faculty said:
83% own a video camera or a camera that takes video clips
44% don’t use a video camera
8% said they have their students create, edit and share video in their class
Regarding all those data projectors we purchased over the past two years, faculty said:
54% use a projector to show things to their students
21% have their students use the projector to show things to the class
When it comes to podcasts, faculty said:
58% periodically listen to podcasts
2% have their students create podcasts
Regarding social networking sites and collaborative features, like wikis, blogs and discussion folders, faculty said:
54% use social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace etc.
26% have their students participate in discussion folders in FirstClass
6% have their students use wikis or blogs
On crunching numbers in a spreadsheet, faculty said:
64% don’t know how to use a spreadsheet or rarely if ever use one
10% have taught their students or colleagues how to use one
If we remain status quo we will only be watching the world pass us by.
Here are some suggestions.
1. We need to think outside the box and not let logistics of how we do the schedule bog us down. We’re back in 1995 when the report “Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection” came out. This report discovered that most teachers did not feel prepared to use technology effectively. Do our survey’s imply the same thing?
2. Faculty need vision.
Perhaps with our lack of time, we cannot take time to discover a whole new world that is growing exponentially each day. Perhaps what we could do is partner with a school to do some training for a day … our own learning summit. The rewards for PD time can be exponential. Again, in 1995, best practices were already saying 30% of a tech budget should go to the Professional Development of staff.
3. Faculty need to take ownership.
Who are the users? The faculty. They should be the force guiding the tech department with what they need. The ground swell needs to come from the bottom up, not the top down. If this is accomplished, then real change will happen.
4. The kids seem to be doing well dispite our inadequacies.
While reflecting on the ISTE student standard’s, I think most students get it. They know how to manipulate technology. They’re good at it. What they don’t always know is how to use it in a meaningful way for a presentation. Too often they are using a power point when another option may be far more effective.
It must be remembered that technology is a tool. It is moving from a stand alone class to integration in the curricular planning units. As Dennis says, technology is merely part of a much bigger conversation about Communication, Collaboration, Innovation, and Thinking.
How do we do gain teacher buy in? One way is to remind teachers that they have ALWAYS valued effective communication, collaboration, innovation, and thinking in their students. Only the media and the degree to which each is possible have changed.
Where are we today? We still need the ways of the past, but we have added dynamic changes from the present and future. What this is doing is taking 18th century skills and adding a 21st Century twist of tools. This is the core principle of 21st Century Skills.
So how do we build a real and enduring understanding of this? Dennis provides an out-of-the-box suggestion.
Perhaps we need to take a step back and change our vocabulary. Don’t put them off with catch phrases and “excluding” words. (blog, wiki, tweet, glog, vlog, apps…) Instead, remind the educators, it’s about adapting what they already value to a world that requires new ways to do them.
Maybe the song is somewhat right … We don’t need no education. Maybe the teacher’s do.
83% own a video camera or a camera that takes video clips
44% don’t use a video camera
8% said they have their students create, edit and share video in their class
And regarding all those data projectors we purchased over the past two years, faculty said:
54% use a projector to show things to their students
21% have their students use the projector to show things to the class
When it comes to podcasts., faculty said:
58% periodically listen to podcasts
2% have their students create podcasts
Regarding social networking sites and collaborative features, like wikis, blogs and
discussion folders, faculty said:
54% use social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace etc.
26% have their students participate in discussion folders in FirstClass
6% have their students use wikis or blogs
On crunching numbers in a spreadsheet, faculty said:
64% don’t know how to use a spreadsheet or rarely if ever use one
10% have taught their students or colleagues how to use one
