The article we read this week suggests there is a divide between teachers who use web 2.0 technology and those who don’t. It is suggested the main cause for this is lack of time. No one disputes teachers don’t have enough time but I don’t think that fully explains why more teachers aren’t using these tools. I would like to suggest a reason the more experienced teachers don’t readily accept new technology is because they have seen it come and go before. Let me provide you with an example.
When I started teaching four years ago in the Highline School District, technology was hard to come by. I had a desktop computer and that was basically it. Four years later, in the Kent School District almost every part of my job has been effected by technology. I’ve made a list below of what I used at Highline four years ago and what I use at Kent today.
- Overhead projector –> Digital projector
- Whiteboard –> SmartBoard
- Microsoft PowerPoint –> SmartBoard Notebook
- Gradebook Pro –> Skyward (Online tool)
- Paper attendance sheets –> Skyward
- Actual calendar –> Outlook
I am only a new teacher so I can imagine how the more veteran ones feel. It seems like technology changes every few years so what is the point in developing new curriculum if something new will come along to replace it. New and more technology is not always better. Our district has put a SmartBoard in every room. These are amazing tools and I am not complaining that we have them. However, they are difficult and cumbersome to use at times when a whiteboard would work better. Also, the board is compatible with PowerPoint which all my lessons are in but the district is providing training using new software called Notebook which integrates better with the SmartBoard. In my opinion, this isn’t an improvement and I don’t want to transfer all my PowerPoint lessons over to Notebook only to have it go away in a few years.
My point is that technology is not always the best thing for the classroom. There are good reasons some teachers are not jumping on the bandwagon. I tend to wait and see if the technology will sustain the test of time and not go the way of the laser disc.
That being said, I don’t think all new technology should be avoided. Blogs, discussion boards, websites and instant messaging have stood the test of time and could be incorporated into classrooms. Education is a field constantly changing and teachers know how to deal with that more than most. Web 2.0 has some great tools to offer and we should do everything we can to advocate for more teachers to use some of these tools.
SmartBoards are new pieces of technology that allow you to use the computer by touching the screen.
Posted by ryanewest 
