At grade-level meetings from 02-01-06 to 03-22-06, I've been soliciting input from K-6 teachers regarding the nature and relative significance of the obstacles they face with regard to using technology effectively in their classrooms. Obstacles were categorized as follows:
- Academic (lack of well-designed, integrative activities)
- Time (for teachers to learn, for students to practice)
- Pace of change (too much, too fast)
- Software (non-existent, inappropriate)
- Technical (unreliable network, broken or inadequate hardware)
- Access (not enough computers)
- Logistics (table height, overcrowding, classroom space)
- Training (not enough, inconveniently scheduled)
- Emotional (technophobia, overwhelmed-ness)
- Environmental (distractions, interruptions, etc)
Teachers were asked to rank obstacles on a scale of 1-to-10. The graph below is derived from 77 responses.
Teachers were also given the opportunity to comment generally on issues
related to using technology in the classroom. In the following remarks,
text appearing in [brackets] was inserted to enhance readability -
otherwise, the words are the teachers' own.
“I don’t feel I have
all the skills needed to teach computer literacy. I think we need a
computer lab with someone with the great skills to teach it.”
“Is a computer lab being talked about for the new construction at Norridgewock? That would be a great place for skills.”
“Access
and technical [problems] seem to be ongoing issues. With a limited
amount of computers and the limits of available computer time,
scheduling becomes difficult.”
“Typing skills and [the] number of machines are [the] biggest problems.”
“Stabilize [the] system.”
“Tech
people [should] work with each curriculum committee and assessment
committee to give examples/input [on] how to integrate technology.”
“I would love to use computers daily. Our network is a mess. [It] needs to be easier to navigate, save, etc.”
“[Using
the computers] is frustrating because it takes so much time to finish a
project, due to the number one obstacle — [technical].”
“Why
can’t we have a computer teacher and [a computer special]? Is it money?
I don’t quite understand. I have a friend who works in another district
and they have a computer teacher and 'computer time' twice a week. They
also have a tech team.”
“[It is] frustrating being told one
thing by “tech people” then being told to do things differently by
another “tech person.” One should fix, one should teach - the fixer
just needs to fix us!”
“[I have difficulty with] Appleworks vs.
Word because I don’t have Appleworks on my home computer. This year
logins have been very frustrating - creating folders, etc. When using
computers in the classroom, any aspects of use must be simple! Simple
logins, etc. These small things enable me to use computers more
efficiently. Given time obstacles/issues, it’s important.”
“An instructor for a regular computer lab.”
“A computer lab with a teacher.”
“I wish for a computer lab with a teacher there to teach and collaborate with me, almost like another special.”
“[We
should] look at less is more and streamline objectives in curriculum,
eg. All Kindergarteners will know how to use [the] mouse.”
“I
think we need a lab [to] teach all at once with someone who is
knowledgeable. [The] teacher helps — [it’s] not a free time for
teachers.”
“Sometimes it is helpful to have another person when
you are working on a project. You can’t get to kids as quickly as you
[would like]. I appreciate you looking at the essentials and working on
consistent procedures. You help teachers feel comfortable and that is
great.”
“If I had the #1 concerns under control, I would make
the time. [I have some] fear of damaging [them], not knowing how to
deal with [the] laptops. I feel that when I finally have the [software]
under control, I don’t know how to deal with the [hardware].”
“When
I use a program with my students I like to know it well. I knew KidPix
and HyperStudio well. I used them every year with my science units and
now they are gone. I have to start over. I want a program that I know,
enjoy, and am excited about using with my students.”
“I really like the term guidelines vs. curriculum.”
“[We’re] heading down the right track with designing teacher specific goals for computer integration in classrooms.”
“I would like to see some of the ways [other] teachers are integrating technology into their curriculum.”
“Computer
projects take a lot of class time. Then if there [are] technical
problems, !@#! I think [the items on the skills list] should be taught
in a structured lab situation. Otherwise these are not going to be
taught adequately.”
“A computer lab would be wonderful when the budget is considered. Each school should have one.”
“Labs. Computer class once a week.”
“I
would like to see a computer lab with a teacher offered at least once a
week as other specials are. I do not find the laptop carts manageable —
too much work for short amounts of time.”
“I think there should be a computer lab in each school, where a computer ‘teacher’ meets with the students on a weekly basis.”
“[I’d like] the programs we lost back for the children to use.”
“[I’d like] software for math [like] James Discovers Math [and] writing [software] similar to Easy Book.”
“It
would be very helpful & beneficial to have a computer “teacher”
(just like we have music, art, and phys ed teachers) work with the kids
at least once a week on a project correlating to the curriculum. Please
consider!”
“I have no challenges to using the computer. It’s
used daily in my classroom. I would like to see some writing software
like Easy Book and possibly some math software like James Discovers
Math.”
“[We] need [a] computer room in school.”
“For such
a large district, we need more than one tech instruction person at the
lower elementary grades. I suggest a ‘Bernie Huebner’ type schedule
where they instruct certain tech skills in our classrooms 5-6 times a
year, and then teachers can practice with [the] classroom after the
lesson or build off the instruction depending on [their] comfort level.”
“Half-day
K allows very little time for much other than basic and social skills.
However, the new guidelines seem very appropriate for the K level.”
“[There
is] a lack of time [in] half-day K. I wish the server format wouldn’t
change so frequently. I’d like ‘over-the-counter’ programs like
‘Clifford’s Counting,’ etc. Each room should have its own printer. It’s
hard to keep running to anoother room. Kindergarten designed computer
tables and chairs [would be helpful]. I cannot be working with students
in reading [or] math to go troubleshoot the computers. You are
constantly interrupted to intervene with behavioral issues. I often
wonder when we’ll priorize the [elementary] teachers and provide
laptops for them; or a computer for them to use separate from the
kids.”
“Kid Pix has been the program I’ve used. It would be
nice to try others. It would be nice to have another computer but there
is a lack of space. It was very helpful when you did the project with
my class. The project was done within a short period of time. If I had
tried that independently, it would have taken several days. The
children loved the finished product.”
“[You] are doing a
terrific job with those of us with ‘technophobia.’ I just don’t know
how to integrate it in the Kindergarten classroom so it can be an
independent station. Finding the time to model and instruct in a small
group isn’t always manageable. I really like the idea of technology
guidelines. I would love to learn how to do a slideshow.”