Technology and its Effect on the Academic Community

1. Technology and its Effect on the Academic Community Dave Barton EDU 545

2. High School Principal • Article referenced: The Impact of Technology on High School Principals • One-hour interviews conducted with 10 different principals from different school districts • “All 10 participants acknowledged that they, as principals, and their school organizations communicate differently as a result of electronic communication” (p. 280).

3. High School Principals (cont'd) • Obvious concerns about the ability to maintain face-to-face interactions with staff and parents • Analysis of the 10 interviews yielded 12 themes

4. Themes • Increase in time spent at work stations • “the danger of becoming chained to the computer” • Volume of communication/information sent and received • extraneous information with which regularly find themselves saturated • Time spent at work • makes it easier to work 24 hours a day • Ease of accessibility • receiving e-mails on issues that should be handled by someone lower • Training for aspiring principals • need to provide additional training • Training for staff • need to provide training to campus staff members

5. Themes • Staff interaction • campuses now have different dynamics • Style and syntax • most tend to write differently in e-mail than formal memo • Immediate and impulsive properties of communication • “…one can be plugged in all the time” (p. 285) • Absence of social presence • “In the absence of social context cues and non-verbal behavior, the computer-mediated communicative discourse is left in a social vacuum quite different from face-to-face interaction” (p.285). • Rate of speed of communication • expectation to generate an immediate response • Complications regarding open records, legal issues, and student privacy • additional training needed in this area

6. Principal Q & A • What technological devices do you utilize on a daily basis that you consider to be crucial to your ability to perform your job effectively? • Email, GoogleDocs, EdLine, PowerSchool • What do you say to those who believe that communication technologies disconnect people from their social networks and reduce public participation? • “That can be true at times, so it shouldn’t replace it. It is helpful, however, when staff can work from shared docs when they can’t sit down together”.

7. Principal Q & A • What type of example do you hope to set for how employees should be using technology in their classrooms? • “I do all of my presentations on the computer and send emails with attached docs to cut down on paper consumption. It also gives teachers access wherever they need it”. • In what ways do you believe technology has changed the way your staff communicates? • “They are in constant communication through email and can share info on GoogleDocs”.

8. Principal Q & A • With the seemingly 24/7 nature of electronic communication in mind, do you feel any added pressure to be accessible to the community at all times? • “Yes, definitely. Parents and students contact us via email at all hours”.

9. Teachers and Technology • Article Referenced: Reviewing the relations between teachers’ knowledge and pupils’ attitude in the field of primary technology education • Teacher knowledge is essential for stimulating a positive attitude among students towards technology • We need to know about and fully understand our technological environment

10. Teachers and Technology • With the rapid development of technology, education needs to adapt to this increased importance • Subject-specific teacher knowledge is important for successful implementation of technology education • Primary school teachers need a thorough understanding of the subject matter of technology • “The central aim is to elucidate how technology-specific teacher knowledge affects pupils’ attitude towards technology” (p. 16).

11. Teachers and Technology • A teacher should know about subject-related difficulties and how to handle those difficulties • Enhanced knowledge is related to enhanced confidence. • Primary school teacher have very limited or narrow perceptions of design and technology • Such views may adversely affect ability and confidence to teach the key learning area

12. Teacher Q & A • I recently read an article that discussed teacher knowledge in the field of technology as essential to fostering 21st century skills in our students. How much training have you received, either prior to accepting this position or training you’re currently receiving? • “We receive ongoing training. All of our reporting out to parents is done through EdLine. The students also access assignments that way. We are also starting GoogleChrome training”.

13. Questions for Teacher (cont'd) • The nature and purpose of technology has been found to positively affect teaching and learning. Can you share a specific experience in which you believe the use of technology enhanced the lesson? • “The use of web-based teaching has allowed students to virtually experience many labs/experiences that they would not normally see in a classroom”. • What changes do you hope to see made in the near future related to the use of technology in the classroom? • “I would like to see each classroom have laptops that students would have immediate access to”.

14. Teacher Q & A • Please share your reaction to the following quote from a 2008 article on teachers’ attitudes towards technology: “…it is expected that a teacher who has a negative attitude towards technology or has little confidence in teaching technology, reflects this in the classroom, and in turn affects pupils’ attitude towards technology”. • “I can see that it could negatively impact students, but with proper training, there is no reason all teachers can’t get comfortable with it”.

15. Teacher Q & A • What type of message do you hope to send to your students about the impact of technology on learning and development? • “I want them to understand that it is the way learning is headed. It needs to be used as a way to compliment traditional learning”.

16. Students' Perceptions of Technology • Article Referenced: Laptop initiative: Impact on instructional technology integration and student learning • 105 high school students enrolled in grades 10-12 participated • Examine how 1:1 laptop initiative affected student learning • Study findings suggest that integration of 1:1 computing positively impacts academic engagement and student learning

17. Students' Perceptions of Technology • There is need for teachers to implement appropriate computing practices with students • Creation of 21st century classroom has provided opportunities for students to use various forms of technology • Local, state, and federal funding sources have demonstrated a strong commitment to computer technology use in the classroom

18. Students' Perceptions of Technology • Laptops increased student engagement in wireless classrooms • “While laptop computers are perceived as powerful tools, the goal of technology in education is to integrate technology into the classroom so its use advances learning goals and helps students focus on the subject, not the technology” (p. 138) • 92.5% of responders agreed with the statement that laptops make schoolwork easier to do • 85% of responders believed that laptops improved the overall quality of their work

19. Questions for Student • A 2011 study on the impact of laptops on student learning reported that over 90% of the students believed technology made schoolwork easier to do. Do you agree with these students? Can you think of a time when technology made an assignment easier for you? • “It is easier to get some assignments in but it can be harder if you are having power problems in storms, etc.”.

20. Questions for Student • Research has indicated that there is a need for teachers to implement appropriate computing practices for students. Do you believe technology is being used enough in your classroom, or would you like to see if made available more? • “I like how you don’t need to worry about buying the books or paying to make copies of pages so it takes up less space in your backpack. Technology costs a lot, though, so it gets outdated fast and you can’t always get that replaced”. • The use of laptops in the classroom is believed to increase student motivation. Personally, do you believe this to be the case? • “I have always liked physical things better with things like books because you don’t need to worry about malfunctions”.

21. Q & A with Student • How would you respond to those in the world of education that believe technology is a disruptive distraction? • How comfortable do you feel using the technology available to you? Do you think your school could be doing more to educate the students on how to access resources through technology?

22. Parents' Views of Technology • Article Referenced: So What Do Parents Want and Expect from a Technology Education Programme? – An Exploration • Majority of New Zealand primary schools available for children until age 10 • 1989 reforms gave schools more decision-making authority, including the ability to choose which programs were appropriate for their children • Children are taught the “core learning areas” by a classroom teacher, but rotate around a variety of specialists including technology teachers

23. Parents' Views of Technology • Fifteen parents responded to questionnaire asking about their initial expectations of the technology department • The parents were asked how they regarded the technology department and why this was the case • They were asked what the key aspects of a successful technology program were • Parents expected technology to be taught in a traditional manner, with any improvement in the new program coming from better qualified and more experienced teachers

24. Parents' Views of Technology • Many of the parents had low expectations for the technology staff “because of my own experiences” • Other parents stated a positive regard for technology teachers, stating that they are often enthusiasts and experts in a given field • Parents expectations appear to have been influenced by teachers’ personalities or teaching styles as much as by the subject

25. Questions for Parent • How satisfied are you with the amount of technology being utilize in your child’s classroom? Feel free to mention any changes you’d like to see made. • “Our school has a great deal of technology. My oldest daughter benefitted from additional technology direct instruction. I think she has more tech. knowledge than my son”. • What role do you believe technology should ultimately play in the classroom? • “I think it should replace the use of paper but not the teacher”.

26. Questions for Parent • Many schools have recently moved toward a 1:1 laptop ratio for students. Is this a format you would like to see utilized in your school district? Why or why not? • “I think it has pros and cons. The students need to be monitored so that they are not cheating or playing games”. What response would you have for those parents who believe technology serves as a distraction to their child’s learning experience? “I would tell them that like anything, there is good and bad”.

27. Parent Q & A • A 2003 study found that many parents have low expectations for their child’s technology staff because of their own bad experiences. How comfortable do you feel with the staff put in charge of teaching technology in your child’s classroom? • “I rely heavily on what they learn at school. My husband and I frequently ask our children for assistance on the computer”.

28. Technology Coach • Article Referenced: Impact of Technology Coach on Confidence and Skill Levels of Teachers in a Technologically-Driven Classroom • Infrequent training, or training scattered throughout a school year=not effective • Administration believes having a technology coach helps teachers/students focus on process of learning • High School in rural setting used in study • Enrollment 786 (Grades 9-12) • 45 Teachers, 3 administrators

29. Technology Coach • “The purpose of this study was to report the findings to determine if teachers use technology more effectively and with more confidence before or after the integration of a technology coach” (p. vii). • Findings: • Teachers confidence levels improved in nearly every personality category tested AFTER working with a technology coach • 62% of teachers believed working w/ coach was more effective than taking a computer class off-site

30. Technology Coach Q & A • I read an article detailing the effect a technology coach may have on the success of students and teachers in the school community. Can you please share your thoughts on how you believe your presence benefits teachers and students? • Quite simply, they trust me with all of their technological needs. With everything else going on inside and outside of the classroom, it’s one less thing they have to worry about”.

31. Technology Coach Q & A • Based on what I’ve read, I would imagine you are most effective when you’re using programs you’re most comfortable with. What types of programs do you usually introduce to students and teachers in the classroom? • “We’ve started using GoogleDocs a lot lately. It’s a great way for the teachers to give feedback and have everything in one convenient place for the students, not to mention it’s very user-friendly”.

32. Technology Coach Q & A • In the article I referenced earlier, the study mentioned working with teachers to get them acclimated to new types of software. Specifically, the study measured teachers levels of comfort based on several personality traits. For someone looking to gain familiarity in the advanced world of technology, what types of personalities or learning styles work best? • First and foremost, an open mind. I believe that goes far beyond just gaining familiarity with technology. Learning something new for the first time can be extremely frustrating, and you can’t get that sense of helplessness. I do my best to assure students and teachers that, in time, they’ll catch on.”

33. Technology Coach Q & A • The study revealed that 62% of teachers felt more comfortable consulting a school-appointed technology coach than utilizing computer classes off-site. What do you believe to be the difference between these two resources? • I’ll say this: any help students and teachers can get in familiarizing themselves with technology and it’s capabilities is beneficial. Perhaps that high number has more to do with accessibility than comfort. In my opinion, the immediate accessibility of in-house IT staff is at the forefront.”

34. Technology Coach Q & A • Where do you see the technology in the classrooms of the immediate future? • “Technology is, and should remain, a tremendous compliment to the skills of teachers.”