adult alt ed

An interview with another teacher about uses of educational technology

Teacher Interview

Stacy is a middle school English/social studies teacher in a suburban school district. I have known her for a little over five years. As we discussed various technologies and how she utilizes them it became apparent she supports the use of many of the available formats in working with her students. Her philosophy tends to be use as many of the assets as are available to the most effective utilization for the students. The corollary might be that when the technology does not work properly time is wasted waiting on the technician to arrive and while the repairs are made. Technology failure can take away one-third of a class period very quickly.

Among the most utilized technologies are the ceiling mounted projector and the teacher’s computer which is directly cabled to the projector. Stacy indicated she can achieve a great deal of flexibility when working with these assets so she weaves their use into her lessons and student based projects. She likes the ways she can utilize the projector for PowerPoints, both teacher and student developed. She also can display video clips from films or the Internet, which reduces her need to rely upon a DVD player. In one instance the film she ordered arrived but it was in Japanese. The translator capability on the computer allowed her to show the film in English rather than Japanese. Stacy sees the computer as her most versatile tool.

Her students worked in groups for a PowerPoint development exercise. They were able to use words, pictures and videos in their presentations through the combination of the computer and the ceiling mounted projector. Stacy said most her students are enrolled in a computer class and by coordinating with the teacher the students use computer technologies for class work. The students develop the projects and store them on flash drives until presentation time in Stacy’s classroom. In her school district each student is assigned a number that will work on any of the 

district computers. Therefore, her students have access to their files from any computer in the district. 

One building now has smart boards in every classroom. I think Stacy is a bit envious as she hopes that technology will also filter into her building some day. The administration at all levels as well as the school board support the various learning technologies. However, teachers must apply each year for the assets they want in their particular classroom. The application varies between five and six pages in length. Funding for technologies is always and issue and as an English/social studies teacher Stacy believes the math and science departments get greater consideration for new technologies than other departments. 

As we discussed cool technologies and how they are used Stacy pointed out how Power Grade/Power School is used to communicate with parents. This technology allows parents to keep track of not only grades but assignments and projects, along with the due dates, as well. The parents really like this and tend to use it as a communication tool among the teachers, parents and students. She said from 60% to 75% of parents use this tool to keep informed regarding their children’s progress.

On item Stacy would like to employ more often is the wireless laptop cart. It has to be scheduled so utilization has to be planned based on availability. During the Pre-Test (September-October) and Post Test (January-February) periods the cart is used for the standardized testing programs. She enjoys using it when she can however because of the 25 laptops that may be used by the students. She indicated there are only four or five computers available in the library and that getting class access to the computer lab is sometimes also a challenge.

Students appreciate and respond well to various groupings for projects, research, and etcetera. Stacy prefers groups of three students for group activities. When using the three person group for a PowerPoint project she divides the responsibilities for the total project among the group members and she rotates the tasks among the group members as well. Even when not using electronic technologies the students like the ‘hands-on’ aspects of being in a group, interacting with one another to accomplish some goal.

Stacy pointed out that from an early age kids seem to always have a ‘controller’ in their hands or at least available. Current technologies do not intimidate most of these same kids because over time they have become ‘technologically minded.’

Reflection

As I discussed the uses of various technologies with Stacy I thought about the tools that were available to me when I first entered teaching in 1961. It was pretty much a text based pen/pencil and paper environment. Between 1961 and 1969 I taught a total of four years as an English/social studies teacher. 

As a result of military service and other factors I left teaching until the 2001-2002 academic year when I returned as a substitute teacher while recertifying for a teaching license in a 7-12 English/social studies/speech environment. I completed recertification and returned to full time teaching in 2003. The educational technologies had certainly advanced exponentially! 

When I taught in the 1960s the technologies included the opaque projector, mimeograph spirit duplicator and reel to reel movies. In the 2000s the technologies include all of those used by my friend and colleague Stacy and many more besides. For example, the overhead projector, 

which used transparent film sheets was available, if on its way out. Classrooms had at least a computer for the teacher; computer labs had replaced the ‘typing room.’ By 2003 I was learning about student held Palm Pilots interacting with the teacher’s computer. A year or so later I heard about a school that used smart boards that interacted with student handhelds: what was on the smart board was transmitted to the student device. 

I currently teach at a school that does not have a text book for each student. Rather the text is delivered via computer along with the quizzes, unit tests, essay instructions and research assignments. Students go the Internet (and sometimes a library) to conduct research. Some students are ‘virtual’ in that they work offsite from the school. Yet the objectives of education have not really changed. Teachers and schools just seek to help learners learn even if it is done differently from the environment I entered forty-seven years ago.

The changes in the technologies are exciting! The ability to create interactive learning opportunities for students is probably unlimited. As exciting as they may be and as awesome as some of the potential technologies of the future no doubt are education still involves getting the student/learner to interact with the curriculum. The teacher/educator of both the present and the future must identify the most effective means to help each learner/student develop not only intellectually but also help she/he develop into mature self-confident persons who have learned how to learn and who can delve into the opportunities of the future to explore concepts, ideas, technologies and other realities on their own.

G. Hemmingway

ED300

Teacher Interview

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