SISI - Standards and Indicators

Standard 3 - Academic Performance - Instruction
3.1 a There is evidence that effective and varied instructional strategies are used in all classrooms.
3.1e There is evidence that teachers incorporate the use of technology in their classrooms.

Scenario

Education to Build Job-Related Experience

East Bakersfield High School emphasizes a technology-rich, school-to-work transition program in a school serving 2,400 students, with a majority considered at-risk. The result: fewer students are dropping out, and graduates are markedly more successful in finding work.

The curriculum is organized around five career tracks designed to allow students to develop technical and applied skills related to broad industry groups: science, technology, engineering and manufacturing, health careers, communications and graphic arts, human and government services, and business and entrepreneurship.

Technology-based instruction is integrated smoothly into coursework from beginning to end. As freshmen, students take a nine-week course in keyboarding and basic computer literacy. Writing assignments in the freshman English and History core courses are organized to ensure that all students moving into their sophomore year are proficient in the use of word processing programs. As seniors, students have to complete a technology-based project as a graduation requirement. Projects involve the use of computers, graphics software, and/or video equipment.

 Administrators at East Bakersfield use a variety of measures to support technology related staff development. There is a limited amount of funding available for paid, formal technology training (the school's staff development budget allocates an average of one paid day per teacher per year). To support informal development efforts, the school has established a teacher computer lab. In addition, to keep the technology running smoothly, the school has a half-time technology coordinator, a full-time repair specialist, and a budget for hiring network specialists on an as needed basis.

(Reproduced directly from: http://www.ed.gov/Technology/Plan/NatTechPlan/benefits.html)

Introduction

Instructional technology is made up of “the things of learning”; the devices and the materials which are used in the processes of learning and teaching. Instructional technology is an effort with or without machines, available or utilized, to manipulate the environment of individual in the hope of generating a change in behavior or other learning outcomes.

The purpose of instructional technology is “to make education more productive and more scientific base, and to make instruction more powerful, learning more immediate, and access more equal”.

Definition:

The systemic and systematic application of strategies and techniques derived from behavior and physical sciences concepts and other knowledge to the solution of instructional problems.

Technology is the prime driver behind the transformation from agrarian age to the industrial age into the information age of today. Computer technology has played an important role in transforming business and work practices. Computer technology, applied properly, can improve academic performance and graduation rates. A recent Educational Testing Service study shows substantial improvement in student learning when teachers are trained to use technology. Research suggests improvement of two full grade levels (C student becomes an A student) is possible. At the very least, the use of information technology increases the engagement and interest levels of the students. This has the potential to reduce the dropout rate.

 Teachers need to use a variety of instructional approaches to increase understanding, motivation and productivity.

Rebecca turns sixteen years old and a couple of months later, she drops out. Emilia has not come to school for the last three years and she is only 17 years old. Kevin, a bright eyed, smart youth who never had perfect attendance gradually stops coming to school altogether and is asked to leave the system. What can a teacher do to encourage students to stay in school? What can teachers change? Of what should teachers do more? Of what should they do less?

Although their real names have been changed, Rebecca, Emilia, and Kevin are not fictional characters; they are real students making real choices to abandon school. They are students for whom we should be afraid for their future and to the future of Nunavut. There needs to be more study on the dropout issue as it reflects on the Canadian Inuit population. Hopefully, one can gain a clearer vision of the situation and help students become lifelong learners.

One thing teachers can do is to investigate their teaching practice. Tompkins (1998) talks about this need for teachers to understand culture and the unique learning styles of Inuit students with respect to how they impact teaching practice. Because of the various levels in Inuit classes, teachers need to figure out the best way to meet individual student needs. Backes (1993) believes that there is inconsistency between learning styles and teaching methods that may influence the dropout rate among American Indians; if this is the case, teachers of Inuit students should examine how their current teaching strategies and classroom structures are affecting dropout rates.

In addition, instructional approaches and perceptual orientations (Caine & Caine, 1997) of teachers may be a factor in explaining the high rate of dropout of Inuit students. Inuit are known to be very observant learners; traditionally, they are not overtly verbal. To survive, Inuit children had to learn skills and they learned by modeling their elders and parents. They learned by watching and doing. Some teachers from the south may not be using the Inuit students’ natural learning abilities to foster success.

One should also consider to what extent school/classroom climate and culture intensify the desire to leave school. School climate includes:

1) The way teachers approach the learning of their students with regards to instructional approaches and perceptional orientations (Caine & Caine, 1997)

2) The way the school values cultural differences

3) The elements of friendship and hostility between student - student and student - teacher relationships. There are many factors that contribute to dropping out that occur outside of the school domain. However, if teachers are able to make their schools and classrooms more conducive to at risk students, then perhaps fewer students will choose to opt out.

One of the points on the Social Compass by Connor (1987) is Technology: "teaching techniques, philosophy of education, formal and informal methods used in school and out of school" (p. 32). This paper discussed the watch and learns methods of traditional Inuit teaching and the resulting hands-on approach. Stark contrast is found in the ways that are currently used to teach Inuit students. Constantly, teachers are talking, explaining, lecturing and telling students what they need to know. Although there is encouragement to use hands-on, relevant learning experiences in classrooms, the primary teaching methodology is still very passive.

Teachers who use passive teaching methods often rely on knowledge transmitted to students in the form of facts and concepts. Students are required to sit passively, to listen,  to read, and to memorize information. Caine & Caine (1997) would consider this method of teaching to be non-conducive to learning and is not considered appropriate for all students’ needs. Reyhner (1992) reports that students who refuse to sit quietly for long periods of time become considered discipline problems who "over time, are gradually encouraged in a variety of ways to drop out of school." In essence, students are being pushed out of school.

One of the factors contributing to dropout is the feeling of inadequacy. Students often feel negatively towards their ability to achieve success in school. These students need to be taught in ways that help them see their abilities in a positive light. Teachers who are mindful of their teaching practices and who are able to adapt to the unique situation of teaching Inuit students will foster success for Inuit students and thus help to reduce dropout. It is important that teachers know their students well and is able to adjust their teaching techniques, methodologies and philosophies to meet the learning needs of all students.

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Strategies

Planning

An instructional technology program needs to be integrated in a systematic way with the existing philosophy, aims, goals, and objectives of the school. These constructs of the school must be used as a guide for selection of a vision, goals, and objectives for the technology program. First a clear vision needs to be established for the instructional technology program. This vision will help to establish the need for an instructional technology program and help to identify priorities. The main focus for the vision for a technology program should be on how the students will use technology to improve their education. From this vision, goals, and objectives need to be developed for the program. These goals and objectives will help to integrate technology into the curriculum and classroom.

 Support

Support for an instructional technology program is crucial if the program is to succeed. Continuous support is needed throughout all stages of the program, and does not stop once the plans have been completed. As with planning, all stakeholders have to be involved. This means that principals, other administrators, parents, community, teachers, and students are needed for success. Communication, cooperation, and collaboration are necessary between all parties involved in an instructional technology program.

Motivating students

 The students should be motivated to use technology and engage actively in learning academic and career/technical concepts. It is not enough to have computers in classrooms. Teachers must plan to use technology to help students learn (Bottoms, 2000).

National Studies

National studies have revealed that students who have access to computer-assisted instruction and other technology-related experiences show achievements gains on various tests. A technology-rich environment motivates students, strengthens their academic and career/technical skills, and helps them relate to the real world (Bottoms, 2000).

Two studies of the West Virginia technology education program, the nation’s longest-running state program for the implementation of technology in education, showed that technology can lead to improved skills in reading, writing and mathematics. One of these studies credited technology with helping low-income and rural students to keep pace with other students (Bottoms, 2000).

Teacher training

The teachers who have more technology training are more likely to use the Internet and other high-tech tools in their classrooms, feel better-prepared to use these teaching aids, and rely on them more heavily than do teachers with less training. In gauging the importance of professional development, it matters more whether teachers have been trained to use technology than how long have they been teaching (Bottoms, 2000).

Mize & Gibbons (2000) reported three case studies considering the instructional uses of technology in public school classrooms. A level of technological proficiency was determined for each school that participated in the research through the use of a series of surveys, teacher interviews, and observations. Once a level of proficiency was determined for each case, specific strategies used at each school to promote technology integration were evaluated. Data that was collected and analyzed for each case indicated that strategies for strong technology integration must address three specific areas: the school’s vision of integration, the leadership at each school, and the training method used for staff development. Results indicate that public schools that addressed all three areas adequately were able to achieve a higher level of technology integration with improved acceptance and attitudes towards technology in everyday use by both teachers and students.

Changes in Instructional Strategies

To use instructional technology effectively, teachers may have to change the instructional strategies that they use in their classrooms. Technology offers teachers new strategies that can increase the variety of instructional methods used. What changes technology will cause in a teacher’s instructional strategies depends a great deal on the individual teacher and will vary from teacher to teacher. Access to tools, material, and training are provided, but if no one can use them, nothing will be built. This is also true for an instructional technology program. The staff of a school can be trained and equipment, but if there is no access the program will fail. Teachers need to access to computers to practice new skills, experiment, and discover ways to integrate technology into the curriculum.

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Barriers

The problem of the classroom

New technologies do not seem to be used all that widely in the classroom. In 1997, for example, only 24 percent of instructional public rooms in elementary schools and 32 percent in public secondary schools had Internet access (Wimberly, & Libby, 1996). Most schools nationwide were connected to the Internet, but most classrooms were not.

Access to electronically delivered courses can benefit any high school student, but it is essential for students who cannot get certain academic courses in their schools, needs alternatives to traditional education, has physical difficulties, has a prolonged absence because of illness, and home-schooled students. Generally, states using satellite instruction are focusing on higher-level, Advanced Placement and foreign language courses. These services, however, reach a relatively low number of students (Thomas, 1999). Also, the use of instructional software is extremely limited. A study in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia found that almost 84 percent of the teachers surveyed had never used instructional software (McGraw, Blair & Ross, 1999).

Investments in new instructional technology cannot be limited just to hardware and software. Professional development for school personnel is a critical component in the successful use of these technologies. If teachers are not adequately trained and prepared, they will not use technology to the extent of its potential. Other barriers to Web-based instruction include the cost and time of developing courses, the limited (less than 5 per cent) experience of teachers and students who have used WEB-based courses, and the need to closely follow students who are not self-directed or self-motivated. In addition, there are there are unresolved issues such as security, alignment with standards, ownership of courses, teacher workload, teacher contracts and quality control (Thomas, 1999).

Barriers to the use of instructional software appear to include insufficient teacher preparation programs, lack of training and lack of time for training. Staff development does not address skills needed to move beyond replicating familiar classroom activities on a computer (McGraw, Blair & Ross, 1999).

 Contextual Barriers to Change

A challenge to educational innovation is assisting teachers in unlearning the beliefs, values, assumptions, and culture that underlie their school’s standard operating procedures and practices (Dede, 1999). To be successful beyond initial implementation, school systems need to assist teachers in learning, but also aiding them in unlearning their standard organization’s operating procedures. The goals of the innovation implementation must include organizational change as teachers learn. A shift in organizational change will sustain that can only be achieved when owned by teachers and not imposed or mandated (Dede, 1999).

Teachers’ Belief and Change Regarding Instructional Technology

Although teachers have the advantage of an unprecedented amount of instructional technology for use in their classrooms and schools, little evidence indicates that teachers systematically integrate technology in their classroom curriculum. Several factors erode efforts by school districts or schools as they make an effort to sustain an effective technology program. Factors that influence their efforts include a focus on hardware rather than on implementation processes, a weak implementation planning process that fails to meet the needs of teachers, and little or no professional staff development. To be successful with technology implementation, teachers need to change their pedagogy. This teacher change is a process that requires a shift in a teacher’s paradigm as he or she implements a new innovation that has an influence on their pedagogy (Dexter, Anderson, & Baker, 1999).

Teacher Change

 Change is a personal human experience that needs to be considered by school systems and change facilitators when implementing a new program. To successfully implement the integration of a new technological tool, consideration of what the implementation will mean to teachers’ personal beliefs and values is of great concern. How will it affect their current classroom practices, preparation time, beliefs regarding technology, and values? What factors directly and indirectly influence teachers’ integration of instructional technology (Dexter, Anderson, & Baker, 1999)?

 Teacher Beliefs and Values

A teachers’ epistemology is a product of hi/her own prior knowledge, development, and experience as teacher. Each teacher’s teaching style is influenced by personal factors, including his/her personality and belief system. But all teachers’ style are influenced by the context of organizational structure in which they teach. For instructional technology to be successfully implemented, teacher beliefs and values need to shift. If not, the desired implementation and integration of instructional technology in education will not occur on a broad scale.

Technology can be expensive

Most of the technology that we want to use can be expensive. Many of the schools may not be able to purchase those kinds of equipment. Sometimes there is also lack of support from administration to spend funds on technology equipment, staff development and material and supplies.

Reliability

The school should make sure that they have hardware and software compatible with existing or planned systems and are aligned with the technology available. The district should provide training for technology support personnel. The technology requires regular maintenance and repair of hardware. There are very many times that the teacher may want to use a piece of equipment and it may not work. This is very frustrating, annoying and embarrassing on the part of the teacher.

Butler & Sellbom (2002) have cited reliability as a possible biggest problem. Some of the factors associated with this are software incompatibility, mistakes by support services, software malfunctions, burned out light bulbs, slow Internet access, and out-of-date software.

 Learning to use technologies

Another problem is the time it takes to learn to use new technologies. Several other problems associated are: portable carts used to bring technology to some classroom are hard to use, classrooms are too different, so teacher learning does not generalize, and teachers do not know where to get the training they need. Along this, many teachers lack the trouble shooting skills.

Lack of ongoing professional development

Staff development training should be provided. The teachers should know the latest instructional technology that is available which can be used in the classroom. The schools should have a definite professional plan that reflects the district’s vision of integrating technology to enhance and enrich the learning environment. The school district should also provide professional development for instructional technologies.

Lack of basic infrastructure

Many schools do not have the basic infrastructure to have the instructional technology. Technology is sensitive and hence it has to have a proper space to keep and store. Some schools have problems like leaking roofs, limited electrical access, and poor telephone connectivity.

In the educational arena of the twenty-first century, technology presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to ensure that all students learn the technological skills they need. The opportunity lies in the enormous potential of technology to support and enhance learning for all students (Schargel & Smink, 2001). Technology is a catalyst for significant change in learning practice in the classroom. New learning opportunities are possible through the creative application of technology.

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Resources

AEL. (2000). Principal Connections: A Guide to technology leadership. Macromedia and Interactive Design & Development. CD-ROM. http://www.ael.org

Backes, J. S. (1993). The American Indian high school dropout rate: A Matter of Style? Journal of American Indian Education, 32, pp. 16 - 29.

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Butler, D. L. & Sellbom, M. (2002). Barriers to Adopting Technology for teaching and learning. Educause Quarterly, 2, 22-28. Caine, R. N. &

Caine, G. (1997). Education on the Edge of Possibility. Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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Dede, C. (1999). The role of emerging technologies for knowledge mobilization, dissemination, and use in education. In D. R. Wetzel (2000). A model for pedagogical and curricula transformation with technology. National Educational Computing Conference, “Building on the future”, July 25-27, 2001, Chicago, IL.

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McGraw, T. M., Blair, B. C., & Ross, J. D. (1999). Educational software use: Results of a 1999 regional survey. Charleston, WV: SEIR-TEC at AEL, Inc.

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Schargel, F. P. & Smink, J. (2001). Strategies to help solve our school dropout problem. NY: Eye on Education.

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Wimberly, R. & Libby, M. (1996). The reference book on rural well-being: U. S. regions, the black belt, and Appalachia. Mississippi State, MS: Southern Rural Development Center.

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Key Words

instructional technology, high school, teacher use of technology, strategies, barriers

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