We are in an age where technology is used in just about everyone’s daily life, at home, at work, in school. Because of the rise of everyday technology use, there has become a bigger and bigger need to be implementing technology into classrooms not only to keep students engaged, but to help keep them well versed in new technologies that become available. To think every teacher is going to go off on their own and learn all of these new tools is an unrealistic goal. Enter: the technology integrator. Technology integrators need to work with teachers before, during, and after lessons to stay in the loop with how specific technological tools are working in a classroom. They need to communicate with administrators about the types of technology and professional development is needed; sometimes they even are the ones doing the training and professional development. Technology integrators research and stay up to date in the latest technologies that can be used in education. They also test out new technologies and help problem solve with educators when their are issues.
To help best implement technology into schools, schools need to have good professional development. “Teachers attending a workshop or training on a new curriculum or behavior-management technique begin the day with a strong command of the vocabulary of teaching and dealing with children and considerable classroom experience. This in not the case, however, when beginning a workshop on learning how to use newly purchased software or how to integrate computers into the classroom. Many teachers do not have that knowledge base.” (Meltzer, 2012, p. 3) Professional development regarding technology needs to begin with computing basics. A teacher must feel comfortable around computers before teaching others how to use them. Picture me trying to teach high school spanish when my only exposure is watching Dora The Explorer with my daughter; sure I know a few things, but they’ll only get me so far. Teachers can’t teach students how to blog when all they know is how to log on and check your email.
A big challenge for technology integrators is “The intricate relationship between technology and pedagogy has not been adequately explored.” (Okojie, 2014) Most teachers just haven’t taken the time to look into what types of technology can be effectively implemented in lessons, and how technology can fit in with learning on a daily basis. The technology integrator needs to take on this challenge head on. They need to present ideas to teachers for which technological tools match up with current lessons, and show them how they work. Waiting for teachers to come to them isn’t enough, they need to seek out technological opportunities in all classrooms.
Another challenge that schools face while trying to implement technology in the classroom is how decisions on technology are made. Many administrators do not talk with teachers regarding making decisions on purchasing technology, when the teachers are the ones that are to be implementing technology into lesson. “Technology should be implemented in the classroom only if its role in a given instruction is determined along with pedagogical issues related to a given instructional task. The role of technology in education can only be determined if teachers who implement technology at the classroom level are involved in technology decision- making because teachers have the responsibility of facilitating instruction.” (Okojie, 2014) Technology integrators fit into this problem as someone who can keep an open line of communication up with teachers so they know what types of technology teachers want to be using in their classrooms, and they can advocate to administration for them.
References:
Meltzer, S. T. (2012). Step-by-step professional development in technology. Larchmont, NY: Eye
on Education.
Okojie, M., Olimzock, A., & Okojie-Boulder, T. (2014). The pedagogy of technology integration.
The Journal of Technology Studies. Retrieved from
