Report reveals teachers’ fear of classroom technology
this story goes right along with a story i posted a few weeks ago . . . that teachers aren’t using technology appropriately in the classroom. this report comes to us from England, but confirms what we know about American teachers as well.
Report reveals teachers’ fear of classroom technology
The four-year research project at the University of Bristol confirms recent Ofsted reports which found use of information communication technology (ICT) in schools to be “sporadic” and disappointing”. Some 30% of teachers surveyed failed to make good use of computers in the classroom - despite the government’s 1 billion dollar investment.
The study, which was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, reveals that many teachers fear computers will interfere with ‘genuine’ or book-based learning, particularly in the humanities and creative subjects, and use ICT only for administration and routine tasks.The report says that many teachers lack the confidence to take the risk of using technology in their subject areas, although they have reasonable facilities at school and they use computers at home.Rosamund Sutherland, who led the research, said that teachers could be helped to make more effective use of computers in a wide range of subject areas.
i find it interesting, not surprising, that teachers would value book-based learning = “genuine” learning. i know we don’t teach our preservice educators to pick a nice little textbook that is perfectly aligned with the curriculum (as if such a thing exists) and stick to it, but i have a sneaking suspicion that “book-based” is a codeword for, “i am a lazy teacher.” anyone disagree? can a lazy teacher be a good teacher?
but, there is hope in the last paragraph of the above snippet . . . teachers CAN be helped to make more effective use of computers. the difficult thing is breaking into the cycle of teachers wanting to teach how they were taught, especially if they weren’t taught in an environment that valued technology.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:57 am
I completely agree with the thought that “book-based” teaching is “a codeword for i am a lazy teacher”. I believe these teachers are in a realm of comfort in their preferred teaching methods and are not willing to step outside that realm to see if there are possibly other, better, methods for use out there. They just want an easy way out, that in being the book-based education because that is what they know, and in order to introduce this new way of learning through technology, that would require the teacher learns the methods themselvesbefore they can adequately pass them on to students. There is then a fear of failing so they do not even attempt this new way.
September 17th, 2005 at 4:53 pm
I value book learnng, but also agree that technology plays a huge role in education. We have a super information database that is accessable to us, and should be utilized in teaching. Grant text books are of use, but students can still benifit from learning extended information that was given little or no thought on in the book. Teachers should be able to work with new technology adequatly enough to use and learn from it themselves. From personal experience, my geography teacher was very old fashioned, but he did finally started using the internet, and computer in general. Finding new information broke through the old routine, and made the materials more interestng. By that reason, I see know excuse for being a just a straight from the book teacher, unless you utilized multiple texts, but that would take more work than the internet. Just using the book is limiting, and effortless. So some teachers may fear technology, and some may be lazy. Either way, all that can be used, should be, if it comes down to education.
September 18th, 2005 at 9:47 am
I agree with what everyone has said so far in the fact that book-based learning is an easy way out for most teachers. I feel it is important for the child to read the text, but also not to soley rely on the text. The teacher should also be able to explain through class lecture how that certain subject works. I also think that technology as it continues to grow is a very important part of education and should be used as much as possible in the classroom.
September 18th, 2005 at 11:32 am
Teachers that have not been exposed to using compuers in the classrooms may have a fear of teaching by using technology. But, perhaps many teachers have not been taught to properly integrate both book learning and technology. I feel if motivated teachers were given the opportunity to use programs that would improve both their teaching styles and improve the students skills they would step forward and implement these programs. Frist we must educate our teachers on the benifits of technology before we buy all the programs!
September 18th, 2005 at 2:00 pm
I think that teachers should be able to use textbooks effectively regardless of whether people think it is the lazy way out. It is important to remember that some students learn best this way, even if it isn’t many of them. However, at the same time i think its silly that those teachers from the article that received a technology grant were not using it effectivly. Like several people have said already, it is important that teachers integrate technology in with their lessons so that the students that learn best interactively have that chance. I also think that it is difficult for some teachers to ‘break the cycle’ of teaching from a book because like you said, that’s how they were taught. I think that most upcoming teachers know better and are working toward breaking that cycle and becoming teachers that are able to use technology as well as texts effectively.
September 18th, 2005 at 3:49 pm
I think that teachers that do not use technology are not necessarily “lazy teachers†but by not using technology they are blowing the opportunity to have more effective lesson plans. I think that after these teachers learn how to implement various technologies in the classroom they will find that it makes teaching much more efficient. They will probably find that the students will respond better to say a PowerPoint presentation then a lecture and reading out of a textbook. Teachers should face their fears of technology for the sake of their students.
September 18th, 2005 at 5:37 pm
I do not agree that book-based teaching is an “easy” way out. I think it can be a very effective method and obviously it is the most traditional method. Teachers can do quite well with a book-based curriculum if they include a variety of other teaching methods. One of those teaching methods being making better use of technology. If a teacher can impliment other effective ways of keeping the kids interested and engaged in the material while still effectively teaching…more power to them. Teachers are only wasting their potential use of teaching with technology only when they are still failing to teach the material in new, fun, and an effective alternative ways.
September 18th, 2005 at 5:37 pm
I believe that it is important for teachers to teach the best way they are able to. I think it is a waste of time when the technology being used is to difficult to operate for the teacher using it. Many times, teachers spend more time trying to figure out how to work the laser disc than they do showing pictures. However, as the technology incereases and allows for easier learning methods, teaching teachers how to use it becomes very important to the evolution of todays Educational System. All in all, it is to the students advantage when they can fully understand what is being taught, so whether its with new technology or not, it depends on the teachers ability to teach their material effectively.
September 18th, 2005 at 9:56 pm
First of all I feel that the above report is rather ambiguous, {Some 30% of teachers surveyed failed to make good use of computers in the classroom}what exactly is “good”? There isn’t any standard used that clearly defines what good use is. Is it using powerpoint in class or teaching students how to use the internet? If so, for what percent of class time? I think the fact that there is not a clear standard for measuring a “good use of technology” is not only true of this study, but is true in school systems across the US. Eveyone has some form of acess to technology, they simply don’t implement it into the classroom because, by and large, it was not how they were taught. Every district has different standards for implementing technology, some good some bad. The blame can’t be placed entirely upon teachers who are under the authority of a school district, whose policies may be bogus and antiquated. Additionially, the idea that teachers who rely on book-based learning are lazy is ludicrous; they’re just showing their age. And I imagine that the older the college degree certificates get, the less those teachers use technology. I really believe that this generation of teachers (graduating within the last five years) have a good grasp of what to do with technology in the classroom; how to use it effectively and enhance their cirriculum. Hope I wasn’t too mean:)
September 19th, 2005 at 10:17 am
People in our society is very routine based. They get up in the morning and do the same thing time after time. Some whom are scared of change. People also fear what thy don’t understand. A lot of teachers are stuck in their way of doing things they often don’t want to try something new.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:23 am
A lot of People in our society is very routine based. They get up in the morning and do the same thing time after time. Some whom are scared of change. People also fear what thy don’t understand. A lot of teachers are stuck in their way of doing things they often don’t want to try something new.
November 10th, 2005 at 11:09 am
I think the biggest thing that really holds teachers back from incorporating different technologies is lack of knowledge. Until taking this course, they only types of technology I’d seen used in the classroom were pretty basic…PowerPoint, Excel, Overheads, all the stuff we learned in the first few weeks. I for one was not aware of tools such as WebQuest, which once I found out about it and explored it, I really liked. I think that if the knowledge were more redily avialable that teachers would be more apt to use it.