I did not find the survey
results of “How Teachers Are Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms”
surprising because of the selected participants that compose the sample
population. The majority of the teachers
were affiliated with College Board and/ or the National Writing Project; as a result, they are exposed to distinct
resources and training. I anticipated that the majority of the teachers would
have said that technology has had a major impact in their profession. I found
it super interesting that a large amount of teachers (84%) concur with the statement,
“‘Today’s digital technologies are leading to greater disparities between
affluent and disadvantaged schools and school districts’” (Purcell, Heaps,
Buchanan, & Friedrich, 2013) because the lack of access to digital technology within and outside of school might affect
the existing achievement gap.
On another note, my high school
experiences are accurate with the generational differences in how teachers
integrate technology in the classroom. Older high school teachers rarely, if
ever, integrated the use of technology in the classroom. I only recall my
mathematics teachers using the overhead. On the other hand, I do in-class
support in a mathematics classroom that incorporates interactive lessons
through the SMART Board. Also, last semester a professor used a student
response system called Socrative to assess students on assigned readings. As a
future teacher I feel comfortable with digital technology and strive to
integrate it into the classroom when appropriate. I am also open to learning about
new digital tools that can help enhance learning in the classroom.
Refrences
Purcell, K., Heaps, A., Buchanan, J., Friedrich, L. (2013,
February 27). How Teachers
Are Using Technology at
Home and in Their Classrooms. Retrieved February 10,
2015.
Hey Gustavo! I found it surprising that you rarely used technology in your high school classes. In my experience, it was about the opposite; in elementary and middle school technology was rarely utilized in the classroom, but in high school it became an every day tool. Perhaps a reason is because the school I attend was concentrated in science and technology. I hope that more teachers take use of the advantages that classroom technology provides!
ReplyDeleteHey Shafika,
DeleteI find it interesting that "it became an every day tool" for you. How so? I also hope that more teachers meaningfully utilize the classroom technology in the classroom.
Thanks for the reply, Gustavo. Each classroom in my high school was provided with their own access to IPads. In turn, technology usage became an every day activity as each class incorporated it in some way. It was definitely an interesting experience.
DeleteHi Gustavo. I did not find the survey results surprising either, and my high school experience was very similar to yours. It was comforting at the time to not be forced to use different technologies, but now I kind of regret not being exposed to it more. I find myself worrying that I might not be able to implement as many digital devices as I could in my own future classroom because I do not have the background knowledge.
ReplyDeleteHey Stephanie,
DeleteYou can also implement digital tools into your future classroom. For example, you can use Prezi as an alternative for Microsoft PowerPoint. Prezi allows you to make your presentation more personalized, animated, visual, and meaningful for your audience. Also, Google Docs makes it easier for people to share work and peer review their papers. You will find ways to implement digital devices and tools into your future classroom.
Gustavo,
ReplyDeleteI really like how you noticed the kinds of teachers that they surveyed. I think it's important to note when you realize what kinds of answers the teachers gave.
I also think it's really important to discuss the achievement gap. Technology, in my opinion, is kind of a double-edged sword in that respect. In my opinion, it has the power to close the achievement gap and level the playing field. But it all comes down to money and resources; disparities between schools in terms of technology only adds one more difference that widens the gap. I would like to see how we, as a country, could figure out how to provide these resources all schools in order to close the gap for good.
Hey Lauren,
DeleteThe sample population in research studies are vital in the interpretation of the results.
Technology is a great educational resource, but only when you have it. Students might not have access to technology at home, but I personally feel that there should not be a lack of access to technology within schools. As you said, "it all comes down to money and resources."
Hey all,
DeleteI'm just chiming in because I think your discussion of economic disparity as it relates to an achievement gap is crucial. Your agreement that "it all comes down to money and resources" is stated perfectly, and that's unfortunate. The issue here is not only about distribution, again, as you've concurred, but also that this distribution is fundamental to the levels of success in these districts. I mean only to pop in and say that I appreciate your awareness of socioeconomic issues, as they sadly creep into our present, and often, our future.
Hey Gustavo,
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with Lauren -- your insight to the teacher's surveyed was important. Knowing the inner-workings of any research is crucial to interpreting the data as an informed reader.
Moreover, I think this is massively pertinent information considering the rising controversy over the PARCC testing. I've heard numerous cases of schools not being able to fund the technological aspect of the exam (i.e. taking it on a computer), or even the lack of bandwidth for the internet access. Where this article weaves into our discussion, however, is in the sense that not all of the students are proficient in computer use. Not only does this information about technological inequality strike us as a gap needing of closure, but it also situates the deprived students at a marked disadvantage for their success in the eyes of the state, so long as they are graded through a system contingent upon computer use.
Gustavo, I'm really glad you pointed out the fine print about the "types" of teachers who took part in this survey!
ReplyDeleteYes, you are part of a new generation of teachers who tend to be more tech-proficient than those who came before you. This is a tremendous asset for your marketability for future employment. But, like with any technology, always asking yourself the question, "How will this enhance learning in my content area?" is of critical importance. Perhaps this is a way to begin a dialogue with "older" experienced teachers. You have the tech-know-how; they have the pedagogical understandings.
Great post and great responses from everyone!