How can we stimulate teachers to integrate (not just use!) technology in education?

This morning I had a meeting for volleyball practice (I give volleyball training) and there was also a teacher (primary school) present. If you have read my blogs well, then you know that I am a teacher also. And what often happens when there are two teachers sitting together: we talked about education. The woman with whom I talked has a lot of experience in education. She told me that there are many things that a teacher must do according to other people, such as people from the government. Sometimes she feels that there is not much time left where it is all about: teaching and helping children. I think she is not the only teacher who feels this way. What I try to say is that teachers are not always glad with innovations or meetings in which something new is explained. This also applies to integrate technology in education.

This blog goes about the integration of technology in education. How can we stimulate teachers?

Before teachers start using TPACK, it must be very clear what TPACK is and what the advantages of TPACK are. So, the first step is that teachers become aware of TPACK. It is very important that the instructor who explains TPACK is a teacher himself or at least he must have some experience in teaching. Otherwise the teachers will think: ‘How can he tell us how to teach, he is not even a teacher!’ Another important thing is that the instructor knows the context, so he can give an explanation more specific.

An important aspect of integration technology in education is ongoing learning and support for teachers. This means that there is not only support before the integration, but also during the integration, so teachers are not thrown in at the deep end. After a first meeting in which is told to integrate technology in their teaching, their should be follow-up meetings. Or there must be a possibility to ask an expert questions, for example by the use of an electronic learning environment. Penuel et al (2007) ass that when professional development is stretched across longer periods of time, it is more likely for the learning to align with teacher practice and thus be better transferrable.

It is important that the integration takes place in a supportive organizational context. The teachers should get support from the school, but the school should get support from the government. For example extra money or extra staff.

Another aspect that also something has to do with support is the schoolculture. The schoolculture must support the integration of technology in education. That means that the staff must have a shared vision. It is important that the teachers also may give their opinion about the vision. It is undesirable that teachers are not motivated. To prevent this, the teachers must be involved in the development of the vision. Within a good schoolculture the school leader set an example to the teachers. The school leader must show that he support the integration of technology and that he works hard to finish the integration successfully.

When you want to integrate technology in education, it is important that you start with that on the teacher training college (PABO). When those students finished their study and become a colleague on a school, they can help or motivate their colleagues. But it is also nice for those students that they already know a lot about technologies and how to integrate that in their teaching. When you start as a teacher, a lot of things are new for you and you must consider many things. It is nice that you, as a beginning teacher, do not have to learn how to use technology.

 R

Reference:

Penuel, W.R., Fishman, B.J., Yamaguchi, R. & Gallagher, L.P. (2007). What makes professional development effective? Strategies that foster curriculum implementation. American Educational Research Journal, 44, 4, 921-958.