In an attempt to improve the integration of wireless computing, educators and policymakers are reevaluating ways to incorporate technology tools into the grade level performance standards without separating the two educational standards (Collins & Halverson, 2009; Weston & Bain, 2010). Presently, students and teachers at the rural school district under review have the ability to transmit information through wireless technological resources. Francis and Mishra (2008) explained that teaching-learning with wireless computing effectively will demand that classroom teachers are knowledgeable of the security of information. The researchers insisted that teachers need to know about the stored or transmitted information through wireless technology. In addition, teachers will also need to learn the practicality and effectiveness of using such technology for educational purposes.
Although both the schools and students possess different wireless technology tools within this southeast rural K–12 district in questioned, the devices are not used to augment new pedagogical strategies due to teachers' technology attitudes, lack adequate training or beliefs (Hayes, 2009). Teachers will continue to be uncomfortable with wireless technology unless their attitudes about technology changes (Hennessy, Harrison & Wamakote, 2010).
Teachers' who lack confidence in instructing with wireless technology tools may hesitate to use them (Francis & Mishra, 2008; Teo, 2009). Teachers’ attitudes, awareness, lack of autonomy, lack of skills to assess what wireless technology offers, and technophobia appear to be the primary barriers that hinders teachers from integrating technology into their instructional practices (Hennessy et al., 2010; Ursava...
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...udes towards technology and the uses of such technology. In addition, this study will apply quantitative measures to generate numeric quantifiable concrete analyses of the findings (Deeptee and Roshan, 2008; Leedy and Ormrod, 2010).
This study attempts to distinguish a concrete analysis between the measurements found and the natural abilities of teachers using available technology during instruction. From those measurements and descriptions, the researcher will design an online support network (OSN) as an instructional resource (Snider, 2009; Hennessy, Harrison & Wamakote, 2010). A professional learning network will assist K–12 teachers with integrating available technology effectively in the classroom. Access to professional learning resources will encourage teachers’ confidence through the use of available technology and help with any possible technophobia.
Andrew Zucker examines computer use in the United States in both elementary and secondary education. It addresses issues such as teacher training, technology availability at home and in schools, and current technology projects that were ongoing at this time. The article ends by discussing computer usage in schools in a larger context, which provides a different perspective on educational technology.
Shelly, G. B., Gunter, G. A., & Gunter, R. E. (n.d.). Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology in a connected world.
The article, How and Why Digital Generation Teachers Use Technology in the Classroom: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, discusses the use of technology in the classroom. Traditional teachers have been viewed as an obstacle to introducing technology in the classrooms. It is also believed that this issue will resolve once the technological generation of teachers enter the profession.
“ . . . Hank Becker’s research shows that the preferred teaching strategies and styles of teachers usually determine or shape their patterns of technology usage. Those he calls “traditional” teachers are far less apt to allow students to use new technologies than “constructivist” teachers even when they have 5 or more networked computers in their classrooms.” (McKenzie, 2001,).
...may have difficulty with their wireless internet. Teachers may be placed with a challenge when adapting their teaching style to include the new iPads.
Windschitle, M., & Sahl, K. (2002). Tracing teachers' use of technology in a laptop computer school: the interplay of teacher beliefs, social dynamics, and institutional culture. American Educational Research Journal, 39(1), 165-205.
Within technology comes the gateway to almost everything that is out in the internet, it opens a whole new world to the students and the teachers that use them. The outcome of the uses, if they happen to be good or bad, come from the restrictions and the management of usage of said technology inside a classroom. Educators see firsthand how the used in their daily lives influence how a student learns. Thanks to technology not only has students and teachers changed the ways they learn and teach, learning itself has changed as well. It is not only crucial to have the technological tools needed in a classroom, but also an educator that can mend and mold the technology to their rightful use. The use of technology in a classroom not only expands the tools and gadgets, not to mention adds much needed knowledge that will help students later on in life, but also brings a whole new and better way to teach and learn.
Micro, P., & Koehler, M.J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for integrating technology in teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
Technology is becoming more and more dominant in our society.Everyday upgrades are being made and new innovations are being discovered. Technology is all around us whether we want it to be or not: it is the vehicles we drive, it can be found in our homes, and can even be found in the grocery store.Every place we look there is some type of technology.I believe technology has had a major impact on our school systems and is still impacting it today.There are those who do not agree, though, that technology has impacted our schools.Eric Gormly writes, “In fact, many theorists point out the overall impact of technology on education has been quite small, manifesting little discernible change in the classroom.” [1]Yes, there are some schools that are not as advanced as others, but many of them do have a significant amount of technology in them.I find it fascinating that so much technology has been incorporated into our classrooms, but I believe that, even with all of the positive aspects that are associated with technology, there are some negative and even dangerous aspects that should be taken into account.I will be sharing some of the equipment that has been used in the schools, how both the students and the teachers use the equipment, and also the positive and negative effects that technology has had on our schools.
Often times, these learners will participate more freely in instruction because there is less fear of failure or judgement when independently working with technology. Helt (2003) states without the “face-to-face contact,” students often feel less inhibited and are more willing to participate in the learning activity. However, the process of including technology in literacy instruction in all content areas is faced with many barriers such as support, training, and teacher attitudes, beliefs and skills. Once again, throughout the research a recurring theme for increasing content and technology literacy involves ongoing and supportive professional development for teachers (Zoch
Some of the requirements that teachers are trained in involve vocabulary, social, math, and science developmental skills. Education-Portal.com (n.d.) also states at this grade level teachers, “Learn how to create environments to facilitate development; how to select developmentally appropriate materials and equipment; and how to work cooperatively with parents to develop specific plans for helping their children in areas where they might need focused attention.” Teachers include many different tools into their curriculum to help them effectively be better educators and one of the important tools they turn to in order to help them meet all their requirements is the use of technology within their classrooms.
Wright, Vivian H. and Elizabeth K. Wilson. "Teacher’s Use of Technology: Lessons Learned from the Teacher Education Program to the Classroom." 20.2 (2011): 48-58. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
Andy Carvin states “ internet access in schools isn’t worth a hill of beans if teachers aren’t prepared to take full advantage of technology” (2000). Schools spend a lot of money on computer hardware and software as well as other technologies without realizing that many of their employees are unprepared to include them in their teaching and use them to their advantages. Educators often use technology as a classroom management tool rather than an educational one, allowing computer time as a reward for good behavior (Clark & Gorski, 2001). The problem with this is that students learn to use the computer for games and such because it is their reward instead of using it on their own time for educational purposes. This is teaching them the wrong idea. Margaret Honey, director of the Center for Children and Technology in NYC said it best, “The bottom line is, you don’t just put technology into schools or into homes and expect miracles to happen. The technology is only as good as the program that surrounds it” (Meyer, 2002, p.2).
Based on what I have read, technology effectiveness is a highly debated and argued topic among educators. There are many myths and misconceptions that even I myself have argued about technology use. For example, I always assumed that because I was a young, new teacher and used technology that most teachers who used technology were new and young like me. According to the article Research dispels common ed-tech myths, this idea is not the case. Veteran teachers are just as likely to use technology as new, young teachers (eSchool News Staff, 2010). A 2009 survey by Grundwald associates, found that as many as 34% of teachers were infrequent technology users compared to 22% who claimed that they used technology frequently, more than a third of their class time. This number is astounding to me. The research in this article seems to argue that even among those who do use technology in the classroom, many use it for tasks such as email, word processing, or games. Very few classrooms seem to be using the technology for actual learning and teaching.
Mundy, M., Kupczynski, L. and Kee, R. 2012, “Teacher's Perceptions of Technology Use in the Schools”, SAGE Open, pp. 1-8, viewed 15 Jan 2014, retrieved from Sage Online Article.