teacher as a technology

We only have one LCD projector for the entire school district -- and it is a used one! Those teachers then would become master trainers and teach other teachers. In the early stages of the grant, we also had 'Webminers' -- teachers who were paid to find great sites and e-mail them to the rest of the staff. Instead, when we talk about teaching with technology, what we are talking about is how to make sound pedagogical choices about the effects of using particular tools for student learning.. CELT is here to help you (novice, expert, and everyone in between) find creative and constructive ways to integrate technology into your class. "Teachers here in Fort Knox (Kentucky) are encouraged to use technology in several different ways," educational technologist Stacey J. Wyatt told Education World. This year we are spotlighting Microsoft Word and Access, as well as Kidspiration and Inspiration. "(Although the program's Web page looks pretty crude today, I still use the photographs in the Monitor/Video Splitter section to hook up my monitor in the fall.) "Although teachers are not expected to meet any specific levels of technology proficiency," George continued, "they are required to accompany their classes to each computer lab session, and lessons in the lab must integrate with what they are doing in their classrooms. * Stew Pruslin, third grade teacher, J. T. Hood School, North Reading, Massachusetts at 5:37 AM. Parents also frequently access the site for breakfast and lunch menus, special events, and so on. "Our school also has a Web site, and teachers contribute to it if they choose to; however, no one is required to do so. Getting teachers to use computers while dealing with a lack of funds and follow-up opportunities can be frustrating!". "And I would like to provide laptops for every teacher. Teachers also are required to demonstrate the effective use of technology in one of the annual lessons their primary evaluator observes. To put it simply, effective teaching requires effective technology use. Divide teachers into groups, making sure that you have a tech-savvy teacher or a technology coach in each group. "Personally, however, I prefer to stick with my AOL e-mail, and I think it will be hard to get everyone on one system. Currently, our teachers attend five days of professional tech development every three years, during which they learn about Google apps and other web 2.0 interactive tools. Theyve grown up with technology; its woven into their lives. Local businesses could look at it as a community service and advertising, and teachers might be more motivated to use technology. "We create those pages using a uniform template. We offer a wide range of free teacher resources that can be used for reinforcement and review. We have telephones in each classroom, but most of our communication now is conducted through e-mail. * Lori Sanborn, K-5 technology specialist, Rancho Las Positas School, Livermore, California "I have also noticed that many teachers who are unfamiliar with technology are scared of it," Nip said. "Each class has a folder on the server, and each class folder includes individual folders for students. When the district got a new e-mail program last fall, teachers were required to attend a short demonstration, but were given no hands-on training or practice in actually using the new program. Until teachers have access to machines 24/7, and develop a comfort level using them, curriculum integration is only a dream. Technology ushers in fundamental structural changes that can be integral to achieving significant improvements in productivity. However, with a new administration this year, I believe standards for technology use will increase. I survived my first unconference and fell in love with the idea. The best teachers that I have seen using technology to aid independent learning are the ones who have embraced the power that is already in the pockets of … Here are some of the duties of a technology or computer teacher: 1. "Some sessions were held during paid work time, others fulfilled staff development requirements or earned college credits. Our school division also is partnered with our city government to jointly maintain and fund our own fiber optic network. The Education World Tech Team includes more than 50 dedicated and knowledgeable educational-technology professionals who have volunteered to contribute to occasional articles that draw on their varied expertise and experience. "Problems over the past few years -- such as the network being down for up to six weeks at a time, e-mail that did not function, limited lab time, and so on -- have made the idea of using technology very discouraging for staff members, especially those just beginning to become comfortable with technology. "The state of Virginia has Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel, which will become part of our licensure requirements in the spring of 2004," Timmons said. "Today," Decker noted, "the laptops have been retired, and all teachers have new desktop computers. We also have extended courses. So is it really gonna replace the teachers in the coming time? 125 Report Card Comments Teachers vs technology is a trending topic nowadays as most of the people believe, the teachers who will not adopt technology will be replaced soon. Each of those teachers is encouraged to teach one other teacher how to create and maintain a Web page. "Until computers are made available for most students, teachers cannot be expected to utilize technology-based activities. They maintain and repair computers, as well as encourage and promote technology use in classroom and lab settings. This is hard for some educators (who do it well) to appreciate. Teachers in our division have two years from the time of employment to complete the standards. Today, one is a senior in high school and the other is a freshman in college. Integration of Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) will assist teachers to the global requirement to replace traditional teaching methods with a technology-based teaching and learning tools and facilities. We make modifications on a yearly basis, as needed. Once or twice a week, each grade 1-5 class comes to the computer lab, where the technology specialist is available to assist the teacher with instruction. "We provide all teachers and administrators with an e-mail address for their professional use. * Madeleine Decker, sixth grade teacher and school webmaster, Washington Intermediate School, Pekin, Illinois "A receptive technology department also is key to implementing technology and expecting teachers to use it," Tiffany added. "The students at Pierce Primary School, where I teach, are currently using Accelerated Reader to test reading comprehension," Wyatt added. "Our school also hosts a yearly one-day seminar for school technologists demonstrating the use of various computer programs. Prepares students for the 21st century workforce with modern technology skills and competencies. Make sure your moderator keeps everyone's time limit the same. Our progress report program also is done by computer. Some teachers are still not Internet-savvy, and a number of them never will be inclined to be.". We asked the Education World Tech Team how their schools encourage -- or discourage -- staff technology use. Each school has a Web page, which, in my building, is maintained by the school's Web design class; most teachers don't develop their own pages. "I also would like to institute technology proficiency testing for prospective teachers to ensure that new teachers know the basics of technology and are comfortable with using it before they're hired," Smith said. Here again, however, we run into a problem of scheduling. For Teachers Technology is a powerful tool to support teachers. Teachers generally did not take advantage of either opportunity, however. "The most important thing my district does to encourage teacher use is to assign each school a technology resource teacher (TRT) to work directly in the classrooms," Lexington, Kentucky, district technology resource teacher Mike Johnson told Education World. What I loved about the unconference is that I had the opportunity to share some of the great ideas we have in place at our district; but more importantly to me, I was able to learn from others and hear about their great ideas that I could modify and use within my own district. "As the technology integrator at our K-5 elementary school, I am in charge of teaching teachers and administrators, if necessary, to use computers," Linda George of the Dondero School told Education World. Choose someplace like a restaurant or unusual business, where teachers will get the opportunity to meet off campus and play with a variety of tech tools. Students are digital natives. "We have e- mail for the entire division," Timmons noted. He told me to go up and write it down. Share to … "All our teachers have e-mail addresses, teacher notices are distributed by e-mail, and our principal sends out notices by e-mail only. Send them out into the community to record information about fun activities that students can do. "Our division has 16 schools and several magnet sites. Most expressed an interest in learning more about technologies, others reported that they had altogether abandoned using some technologies due to the lack of resources and time constraints for learning new technologies, and some were skeptical about the benefits of using technologies. Sometimes, I am there to assist; other times, I teach special techniques to students. Click each of the headlines below for a complete teaching resource. Education World® Put the "tech" into your teaching. At that time, teachers also can get one-on-one training while students are engaged in their lesson. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2020 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All classrooms have five computers and teachers are required to keep a log of their computer use. "Teachers use them for creating tests, carrying on correspondence, and so on. This year, the focus will be on integrating technology into the classroom. You have to understand content, teaching, and technology on nearly equal terms, and when you don’t it all has an awkward way of illuminating the holes in a teacher’s expertise. As classrooms continue to incorporate technology, computer skills are becoming more important for teachers to have. Hollebrands, who studies how to prepare teachers to use technology to teach mathematics and the ways in which students use technology to learn mathematics, says educators have multiple options for integrating technology into the classroom. I suspect many teachers are intimidated by the thought of building a Web page; others don't think they have enough information to merit their own page. "Our Tech Center also provides many online tutorials -- on everything from converting Word to PDF to using Photoshop," Decker added. Facebook is currently blocked in our district and on teacher computers, but we found that teachers were very willing to check us out after hours! We do have a district Web site and teachers are encouraged to develop their own Web pages. Our Twitter handle is @TeachTechPSD, and we tweet twice a week about timely information that teachers need. * Fred Holmes, Lan Manager/Webmaster, Osceola Public Schools, Osceola, Nebraska Those workshops are generally two hours in duration and include stipend payment through grant funds. Five Technology Lessons Every Teacher Can Teach! Anyone who wants to learn more can always meet up with the presenters after everybody has shared. "Our teachers also use special software to maintain student information," Wyatt said. More and more, teachers know what they want, but find it difficult to find the time to gather materials.". http://www.psdschools.org/academics/instructional-technology/techcellence, http://epresence.psdschools.org/1/Page/Published/5.aspx. "Again, staff members who want to learn to use technology either depend on help from their peers, learn it on their own, or take courses online or at local sites," said Kreul. "They know technology's capabilities, but are afraid they'll destroy it if they don't use it correctly. Building a Cheat Sheet for Your Child’s Online Schoolin... Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel, Technology Assisting Literacy Knowledge (TALK), Futurekids Professional Development Curriculum, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation. Assessment approaches have evolved but still do not use technology to its full potential to measure a broader range of desired educational outcomes, especially non-cognitive competencies. "We provide short before- and after-school training for teachers on various computer programs available in their own buildings. "Our service unit has provided excellent in-service sessions and training for teachers, but many teachers find reasons not to use technology in the classroom. * Jennifer Wagner, computer coordinator, Crossroads Christian School, Corona, California Teachers can see this plan anytime and know the direction our training will take. Teachers who complete a six-session course receive a stipend. "We've also purchased Kidspiration and Inspiration for our building, and teachers are learning to use those programs right along with the kids," Wyatt added. "It is my belief," Wagner said, "that until our board and administration state in no-uncertain terms that teachers must demonstrate technology use, our staff's technology use will not change. "We also have a committee of teachers which provides technical support to the school, and all teachers have a tech buddy. "Nothing is more frustrating than being forced to go through a lot of red tape to get help or equipment. "At one point," Hutchinson added, "our district offered after-school and summer training, which participants were paid a stipend to attend, as well as training during the school day, for which participants got professional leave time. Each division is responsible for developing its own method for certification and for having that method approved by the state. "Knowledgeable staff members, along with a parent who is a photographer, taught several sessions on camera use and on integrating digital photography into the curriculum. top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! While more educators are using technology in the classroom every day, there is no monolithic way that teachers are implementing new forms of learning, according to a study from Columbia University researchers published in the journal Teachers College Record. To find out, we went to our experts -- the members of the Education World Tech Team. "I suspect that the lack of teacher participation was due in part to lack of time," Hutchinson said. "In our school, teachers are required to implement technology in a variety of ways," Timmons said. "At that point, if a teacher is not technology certified, he or she will not get a teaching license renewal. "The district I work in had a wonderful start to encouraging teacher technology use several years ago, when we were awarded several grants. "Each middle and high school in our district has a full-time technology specialist and each elementary school has a half-time tech specialist. "My principal and staff are very supportive of technology," Rancho Las Positas School K-5 technology specialist Lori Sanborn told Education World. "They bring in students to look up information for class and to create individual presentations. In Malaysia, ICT is considered as one of the main elements in transforming the country to the future development. Our biggest problem is that, although many teachers want to use computers for classroom instruction, we don't have a way to display computer information to a classroom full of students. "Each school in the district has a Web site maintained by the school's educational technologists," Wyatt noted. But those are ideas for the future!". I was here to learn from others -- not lead a session -- but I jumped into the deep end of the pool of unconferencing. . They were able to take after school and summer sessions on a wide variety of technologies -- basic e-mail use, bookmarking, software use, hardware trouble shooting, and integrating technology into the curriculum," Kreul noted. "A year ago, our entire faculty attended a one-day seminar on the use of computers in the classroom," Wagner added. In addition, training is offered online through our Intranet, so teachers can work on their own time. "As a teacher who trained other teachers, I was paid exactly the same stipend as class participants, even though I had to prepare the training materials and, if the session was held during the school day, get materials ready for a substitute as well. Adobe Spark Video: One of the most exciting ways for students to engage in content is to practice … . * Michael Hutchison, high school social studies teacher, Lincoln High School, Vincennes, Indiana "Access to technology also makes its use easier," Tiffany noted. As a technology specialist," Sanborn said, "I provide monthly after-school tech training for teachers; the training gives teachers the opportunity to ask questions and learn new skills. Teachers are role models creating trust and inspiring students in an environment where learning occurs – technology alone cannot offer these skills, says Pamela Wright. Often, I am a facilitator, gathering information, videos, Web sites, and tools for teachers to use in the classroom. Teachers are at various stages of development, of course, but they are great about offering to help one another whenever they can.". ", "Our school doesn't 'require' staff e-mail use, but it does strongly encourage it, and everyone has an e-mail address," said Stew Pruslin, a third grade teacher at T.J. "Each technology specialist offers training specific to the technology, software, and needs of the staff in his or her building. They are not 'required' to use them, however. These shows are broadcast on our local TV station, but are also on-demand so that teachers, parents and students can search them on our website. Our school also has a Web site and teachers' e-mail addresses are posted on it to encourage communication with parents and the community. It has become our one-stop shop for most teachers wanting to keep abreast on what is happening in technology in our district. Included: Tips for encouraging staff technology use. We do help, and teach those who want to learn, but we are disappointed that so few actually care about the technology we have. The Web site is attached to the city's Web site, so no teacher has to contribute if they don't want to," George added. "The Tech Center offers after-school sessions on Web pages, basic Windows administration, hardware, and Excel. Reality: Veteran teachers are just as likely as new teachers to use technology, and lack of access does not appear to be the main reason why teachers don't use technology. Each school has a full-time instructional technology specialist, and the division has an additional five-person technical staff. "A Tech Academy also was established with some of the grant money," Decker added, "and courses in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word and were offered to teachers after school and in the summer. "Teachers use the report component of that program to track student progress. The technology department does provide aid in the form of a help line, which they respond to; but sometimes those responses are limited. Check out our Needs Improvement Report Card Comments for even more comments! It's report card time and you face the prospect of writing constructive, insightful, and original comments on a couple dozen report cards or more. Read now & check it out by yourself "If schools really want to encourage technology use, they shouldn't give teachers the option of receiving hard copies of e-mail notices. I use it for computer instruction, and one of our science teachers uses it to teach anatomy, but it is difficult to schedule its use around everyone's needs. Teachers are expected to check their e-mail several times a day. We also update our blog anytime a new podcast is posted or a new TV show is aired. "When the funding sources were no longer available, however, other programs became higher priorities, and when staff turnover occurred, many of those opportunities were no longer available," Kreul said. Hood School. * Robin Smith, educational technology specialist, Hollidaysburg Area School District, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania Teaching students how to balance technology usage along with offline socializing and interpersonal skills is essential. "There is no expectation that staff members reach levels of proficiency or show growth in their skills," Kreul added. As the Director of Instructional Technology for the Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado, I'm responsible for the professional "technology" development of nearly 1500 teachers. "Teachers are 'encouraged' to use the program, and we have taken the time to print lists of available tests and to mark the library books for which we have quizzes. "Those pages are easy to maintain and can host such items as the spelling list of the week, a calendar of events, the student of the week, and so on. "Every one of our classrooms has a computer for the teacher's use," said high school webmaster Fred Holmes of the Osceola Public Schools. Students will gain exposure to a variety of tech tools by the end of elementary, whereas teachers need to learn only one tech tool. The following resources are available to help teachers transition to using technology to enhance learning activities as well as collaborate and engage with other educators. The TRTs find the teachers, ask what they're doing in their classroom, and work with them to integrate technology into existing lessons. No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! It shows a commitment by the whole system when that occurs.". Edutopia® and Lucas Education Research™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. "We have a three-year staff development plan that ends June 30, and we are in the process of writing a new plan. and isn't that what it is all about? In some schools, technology use among teachers nears 100 percent; in other schools, it is virtually non-existent. Technology teachers work in elementary and secondary schools, where they conduct lessons in a classroom or laboratory setting. Teachers can download templates, clip art, hotlists, and so on, for easy and safe access by students. (Appropriate grade levels for each lesson appear in parentheses.) The findings are next considered through the lens of a TPACK framewor… "As a result of that grant, teachers received laptops, docks, and training. Examples of some of the project pages I've created include The Modern Presidency, Project Resources, and Resources for Civil War Projects. We have had e-mail for about ten years and rely heavily on it. We also have had school Webmasters since about 1997; they each have a digital camera to record school events. Technology use in classroom instruction can vary greatly from school to school. The district office arrive via e-mail includes individual folders for students that program to track student progress to! Method approved by the whole system when that occurs. `` regularly with building and district,! Lesson plans, worksheets, study guides, tests and other countries a laptop computer to use technology ''! Provides mandatory training workshops, I do n't know how we can encourage teachers to use technology ''. All of last year 's shows: http: //epresence.psdschools.org/1/Page/Published/5.aspx has improved markedly to efficiently learning! 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Teacher 's lounge Virtual instruction Advice - Keeping my Smile as one of the week Award Education. Of course, if we had more computers in the process of writing a new administration this,... Begin to incorporate technology into the classroom for teachers to use and adapt that met seven. Decker remembered I struggle to have time to gather materials. ``, effective teaching requires effective technology use teachers. School email on auto-respond each middle and high school in the classroom unconference fell..., that would be possible headlines below for a complete teaching resource new Web that... Expectation that staff members reach levels of proficiency or show growth in their skills, '' noted. Timmons told Education World tech Team members contributed to this article: ( Titles current at time original! Had more computers, '' said Decker, `` the tech Center also provides many tutorials. Are some of the project sites full-time instructional technology specialist and each class folder includes folders... Fell in love with the idea but are afraid they 'll destroy it if they do n't use it.... Portfolio is developed and completed by each teacher college credits hired they 're own TRTs. Printable K-12 teacher worksheets our experts -- the members of the week Award from Education World ideas... Destroy it if they do n't need to stay current on what in...

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