Findings and Recommendations B -
Plan for Technology Implementation
Montague Area Public Schools
Section B: Teacher Training in Use and Application
of Technology
Situation:
Technology can be used for a variety of purposes in an educational setting.
Many of these purposes relate to the use of technology as a tool for developing
an understanding of curricular material. If technology is to be used to
address content issues, it is important for teachers to become familiar
with such technologies in order to find appropriate ways to infuse technology
into their pedagogical process.
Research indicates that a variety of training modes must occur in order
to advance appropriate and efficient use of technology in the classroom.
First, teachers must feel proficient in the use of technology to some degree
before they attempt to utilize technology in the classroom. This use includes
ability to operate the technology appropriately, ability to respond to
minor difficulties which may arise from the use of technology, and ability
to recognize and manipulate software for application of the technology
to the content area. Secondly, teachers must understand methods of inclusion
of technology in the educational process of their own content material.
This includes an exposure to a variety of ways that technology might be
used to further the learning process of specific content material (i.e.
exposure to lesson plans or concepts used by other teachers in similar
situations). Finally, teachers must recognize basic concepts of the development
of technology in order to plan for the most efficient use of technology
in their classroom.
Concerns:
There are a variety of concerns in the MAPS school district regarding
training of faculty and staff in technology matters. These include the
following:
Time Related Concerns:
- Teachers need appropriate time for hands on learning of technology
operation and use of appropriate software for content needs. This includes
time for practice in use of technology in order to achieve the appropriate
comfort level. This also includes extended access to in-service instructors
(beyond the time-frame of the in-service) in order to address questions
or concerns regarding technology.
- Teachers are burdened with other concerns, including professional and
personal matters, and do not have time for extensive additional training.
- In-service training is difficult to schedule on a district-wide basis
due to schedule conflicts.
Financial Concerns:
- Expenses for training of teachers through the use of outside consultation
or training may exceed budget appropriation for such matters.
- Expenses for off-site professional conferences for educators relative
to technology use are sometimes excessive (beyond budget appropriation),
and substitute teachers are needed to allow such conference participation.
Information/Perception Concerns:
- Teachers do not have appropriate information about the application
of, planning of, or social and ethical concerns regarding use of technology.
- Teachers are often confused about technical terms which arise with
new technologies. This confusion leads to inappropriate decisions regarding
use of technology in the classroom.
- Teachers are not informed about new technologies or applications of
these technologies to the classroom setting. Teachers have neither time
for research on such concerns, nor a central repository of information
regarding new information.
- Various apprehensions regarding technology result in antipathy regarding
technology use. Teachers may not be meeting the educational needs of students
as they continue to resist necessary use of technology.
- Teachers are disinterested in technology, as they view it as a separate
curriculum with little connection to their field of interest. Teachers
are therefore unwilling to involve themselves in education regarding use
of technologies.
Recommendations:
- MAPS should attempt to provide teachers in-service training in use
of, application of, and planning of technology for educational use. This
in-service training should include hands-on training, as well as presentation
of information regarding various technologies and their application in
the classroom. Supplemental support should be provided, so that teachers
may seek out additional help from presenters after the in-service is complete.
Due to financial restrictions, primary support for such in-services should
be sought from faculty within the district. Such an in-service should be
conducted at least once per academic year, preferably once per semester.
Such workshops may also include inter-district cooperation with surrounding
school districts.
- Funding for out-of-district presenters for in-service presentations
should be established within a specific line item of the budget for teacher
training. Funding may also be achieved through a variety of external sources.
This may include negotiations for inter-district presentations to be held
at MAPS (modest payment or return of services by those other participating
districts), solicitation of local business and community interest to provide
funding for such services, or solicitation of such groups in return for
in-service training of those participating parties.
- MAPS should designate one individual per school to be a information
repository and gatherer regarding technology in the short term. This person
would be allowed membership (paid by MAPS) in various professional organizations
and participation in technology related conferences in order to further
collect information regarding technology. Suggested membership in MACUL
(Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning) and ISTE (International
Society for Technology in Education) is recommended.
- MAPS should subscribe to educational journals relative to technology
use in the classroom. These journals should be accessible by all teachers.
Teachers should be informed of the contents of these journals as they become
available. MAPS should also subscribe to various technical journals to
inform faculty, staff, and students of new technologies, and inform potential
purchasers of technology of market trends. A list of such journals, documents,
and other references is contained in the appendices.
- MAPS should encourage use of on-line information retrieval regarding
technology use in education. There are a number of on-line sources dedicated
to educational issues, which provide accurate, up-to-date information on
technical, curricular, and pedagogical issues, as well as external funding
sources. A reference manual addressing these issues has been developed
for MAPS which includes information on a variety of on-line services, how-to
documentation on use of such services as well as hardware and software
configuration, and concerns and comments related to use of such services
in educational settings.
- MAPS should attempt to establish training opportunities for teachers
through use of community education classes. MAPS should continue to provide
free tuition to those educators taking such classes in the community education
project. MAPS should encourage more extensive use of these services to
educators in the district.
- In order to make most efficient use of outside workshops for educators,
MAPS should attempt to develop an application procedure for approval of
technology related workshop participation. Teachers may be required to
provide materials from such workshops to the technology information repository
in order to disseminate information to other educators in the district
who do not have the opportunity to attend.
- MAPS should attempt to develop a full-time, non-teaching position for
a technology coordinator for the district. See Issue: Technology Leadership.
- MAPS should attempt to find individuals willing to assist teachers
with technology related issues on a part-time, after school basis. This
position may be filled by community college students familiar with a variety
of technologies, other educators in the district familiar with technology
issues, or students showing exceptional proficiency in use of such materials.
Due to the growing need for such individuals, this position should be decided
by the 1995-96 school year.
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