TECHNOLOGY & EDUCATION DIGEST
Digest No. 26 -- October 17, 1997
A Moderated Mailing List
Steve Wildstrom (steve_wildstrom@businessweek.com), Moderator

Return to Technology & Education

James Minor (jiminor@ix.netcom.com) writes:

As far as teacher training goes, I, too ran into that same problem in a school where I taught two years ago. There was a core group (3-4) teachers who were technologically literate. The remainder were either interested and under-stood the impact of technology on education or had been teaching the same way for thirty years and were not about to change. Another problem I discovered was that teachers, (believe it or not) if they are dedicated, have very little time on their hands as it is. To ask them to assume the role of a techie is asking a little too much of some of them. They simply do not have the time to learn, much less use efficiently, a computer in their classroom. Therefore I think it is im-perative that each school hire a computer resource person to work in conjunction with the teacher to develop and implement technology in their school. In schools where there are primary, middle, and upper grade students, three resource per-sons should be hired. But of course, this requires the commitment of the school administration and the allocation of the proper resources. Sometimes that just does not happen.

James Minor
Minor Computer Consultants

>Herb Halbrecht writes:
>that very few of the teachers are anxious to expose themselves >to learning how to use the web and email, much less computers. >Some are absolutely technophobic. Fortunately several, a minority, are ready->willing and able.<
I've seen a lot of this problem. I've been trying hard to work through it with only limited success. The ultimate solution lies in having responsibility and accountability for the products of our schools. This does not happen to any ex-tent now since the problems are always caused by the children or the parents and never the teachers. The abysmal job that our teaching colleges do with technol-ogy also contributes to the problem.

>Herb Halbrecht wrote:
>>the problem we are facing . . . [is] that very few of the >>teachers are anxious to expose themselves to learning how to use the >>web and email, much less computers. Some are absolutely technophobic.

Boy is this the truth! Our K-6 school received 18 Packard Bell multi-media Pen-tiums two years ago, six each to be placed in one 1st grade, one 2nd grade and one 3rd grade classroom. The 2nd grade teacher has not even plugged them in!!!!!! We would like to disperse them throughout the school to give teachers who would like to use them the opportunity to do so, but we're told this would invalidate the grant or some such garbage.

How do you get them involved? Focus on those teachers who *want* to use the technology, give them the tools they need and all the support you can muster and publicize, publicize, PUBLICIZE their successes. This will create curiosity among those not on the bandwagon, and perhaps even a little envy. Do anything you can to create an interest in those technophobes, then provide the opportuni-ties for them to be trained. I'll be leading a technology in-service session at our school on Monday. (I'm an involved parent, not an educator.) Some of our teachers were disappointed to hear that this in-service day was going to be de-voted to technology; I hope we can change their minds.

Good luck in your efforts. Every school faces the same obstacles.

Rebecca Bell
Webmistress/Matsuyama Elementary School http://www.mes.room.net

> Herb Halbrecht wrote:
>"have other schools successfully implemented programs motivating the TEACHERS, >who we consider key? We believe that if we can get enough teachers started on >small web projects which we would make sure were successful, this would >hopefully lead to proving that one does not have to be a computer tecchie to >use the internet, and that there are great learning / Teaching opportunities >once we get going."

Below are several ideas I've collected--

Don Polen, at Chico Jr. High School in northern California, is leading a pro-gram that is now in its 3rd year (and is spotlighted on ED's Oasis http://www.EDsOasis.org/Spotlight/Spotlight.html) You can read more about it on the site, but what he has basically done is work with the staff one department at a time. The department is chosen according to when they are due to receive a share of textbook money and other funds from the Site Council. Then, he helps them select software, CD's and laser disks, as well as Web sites that are re-lated to their subject. Over the course of an entire year, he works with the teachers one day every week, and helps them plan ways to use the technology to support their curriculum.

While attendance is somewhat voluntary, only teachers who take part receive any new equipment or software. Interestingly enough, teachers who started three years ago are continuing with advanced training and are now conducting workshops of their own.

Most of what I've read as a graduate student, and lived as a classroom teacher, indicates that teachers need many kinds of support for using technology and the Internet:

1. Help in developing a vision of what they can become and what the school or-ganization can become.
2. Opportunities to help determine what kind of staff development they partici-pate in to help them achieve their vision.
3. Confirmation that they are valued employees; that their efforts are appreci-ated; and affirmation the new learning will help them do their job even better.
4. An administrator who learns along with the teachers and sets an example for them...especially for something like technology.
5. Time to practice new learning.
6. Coaching from teachers experienced in the new strategies.
7. Opportunities to observe teachers experienced in the new strategies in prac-tice.
8. Someone to turn to during the implementation phase when help is needed.
9. Regular "refresher" or update workshops to reinforce and extend learning.
10. Rewards and incentives to acknowledge their commitment and motivation. These can be in the form of extra pay, extra time to plan with colleagues, certifi-cates that are presented publicly, college credit, t-shirts, banquets, etc.

An approach that is seems easy for reluctant teachers to start with is one that uses a site they can share with the class in a directed lesson. For example, the Florida Aquarium site http://www.sptimes.com/aquarium/default.html published by the St. Petersburg Times newspaper, has some beautiful images of marine life, as well as good information. The teacher could show the pictures, which the chil-dren would be safe visiting on their own, and use the text as background infor-mation.

I would also get the teachers involved in using the Internet themselves. They won't use it with their students unless they are comfortable with it first. So, I would encourage them to exchange email addresses. I'd start a listserve at school for teachers to be able to talk about school events etc. with each other. I'd encourage them to explore the Internet and get to know other teachers who are using telecommunications by joining a newsgroups or discussion.

The Fulton County school system in Atlanta (www.fulton.k12.ga.us) has had Inter-net access in many of its schools for several years. I know that my children's elementary school has a computer lab where kids can do research on the Internet, set up pen pal arrangements, etc. Getting the teachers on board can be a big task. One idea that was tried elsewhere was for the PTA to gather used computers, refurbish them, and donate them for the use of the teachers privately, i.e., at home, so that they can learn in their spare time.

Our Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee has chosen to focus on another as-pect of technology and education, however. We are committed to upgrading the image of "career technology" courses available at the high school level. Right now, many of these courses are seen as the successor to the former vo-tech courses which parents assume meant dead end, career-wise. Academically talented kids are not being encouraged to take them. We are trying to change this, through a public relations campaign aimed at the parents of middle-schoolers, to get them to break out of the traditional four year BA mentality and to think of alternative educational paths as well. Does anyone have experience in this? The specific career technology courses we are trying to promote are media and electronic media, graphic communications, business management, diversified tech-nology and health sciences.

Melanie Chen

Last fall, I organized a creative writing contest on the web in Arkansas called NetNovel.
Our web site is at: http://www.netnovel.com/

More than seventy high school teachers, from fifty-five Arkansas high schools, enrolled themselves and over seven hundred students in the contest. In the be-ginning of the competition, most of the teachers were intimidated by the web but the enthusiasm of the students caused them to continue with the program. Most of the teachers became quite skilled in using our interactive forms, and e-mail, in less than three months. Several even became quite capable at publishing their Team Home Pages.

In my opinion, the key to our success was quite simple. We gave them specific assignments increasing in complexity until they became comfortable with the technology. Every assignment had a purpose and an immediate reward.

If we ask teachers to go out into the vast reaches of cyberspace and browse, they are overwhelmed and often lose interest. They need to be directed and moti-vated.

NetNovel was recognized by AT&T and Pacific-Bell as one of the best educational programs on the web, but unfortunately we have been unable to obtain funding for another round of competition this fall. The program, and this valuable technol-ogy, are sitting on a shelf, gathering dust.

If anyone can give me some pointers about obtaining funding, public or private, we would love to conduct another, national competition.

Thanks,
Randy Daniel
NetNovel Publisher
publishr@netnovel.com

I would like to share with you a valuable training tool that, as of last Tues-day, is available to teachers 24-hours a day...free of charge!

TECH CORPS (a national non-profit which assists schools with their technology efforts) and the cable television industry have partnered to provide teachers with a training tool that will help them to more effectively use the Internet. It's called webTeacher and is posted at www.webteacher.org

webTeacher was written by teachers and for teachers, and is a self-paced, step-by-step source for Web knowledge that provides both basic and in-depth instruc-tion for using the World Wide Web.

E-mail, video conferencing, chat rooms, Web page design, Internet safety, cur-riculum searches - a teacher chooses the topic(s) to explore, chooses the depth of knowledge desired, and follows webTeacher through the information at the speed he/she desires and at a time that is convenient to him/her. And, because webTeacher is an interactive guide, teachers can put their new knowledge to work immediately through the online exercises and activities.

Karen Smith
Executive Director
TECH CORPS

The Washington, DC based Hitachi Foundation announces a Request for Letters of Intent called "The Role of Information Technology in Education."

The Foundation is seeking projects in this initiative that evaluate the role of technology in teaching and learning; assess the successes and challenges of us-ing technology in an education effort; advance current teaching and learning ac-tivities; and identify critical gaps in efforts to use technology to strengthen teaching and learning. Please note, mere access to or use of more information or graphics DO NOT qualify as new methods of teaching and learning. For exam-ple, simply looking up information on the World Wide Web does not necessarily represent any advance in teaching or learning. APPLICANTS MUST BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS, ADVANCEMENTS, AND CHANGES BEING ACHIEVED THROUGH THEIR USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ABOUT IDEAS FOR HOW THESE ADVANCEMENTS CAN BE EXTENDED.

The Foundation will consider funding projects of 1-2 years in length. Applicants may apply for grants of $25,000-$100,00 (total, no per year) for the project term.

Letters of Intent will be reviewed and evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: Specific evidence of how the use of technology is significantly advancing teach-ing and the particular value added through the use of technology; Specific plans for critical intervention that will increase the effectiveness and impact of these advancements; Potential for positive community impact and potential to advance current prac-tice; Evidence of prior successful experience with the issues as outlined in this ini-tiative; Effective, relevant program experience; capacity to deliver the target outcomes; and potential for significant, long-term impact on the broader field; Feasibility and cost effectiveness of project budget and activities. A proposal in which the majority of costs are designated for equipment purchase or upgrade *will not* be considered; Creativity; Value added for the proposing organization; Quality of plants to evaluate the project's impact.

Deadline for submission is January 6, 1998.

Please note, The Hitachi Foundation only funds in the United States.

To get a copy of the full RFLI and guidelines, contact The Hitachi Foundation's Fax-on-Demand line at: 202.457.0588 ext. 551

Michael F. Pitsch (TechnicalDocuments@compuserve.com) writes:

>Ian Orchard wrote:
>"Why teach kids on Macs instead of the computer used in the 'Real >World'?" "Be-cause it's our job to prepare kids for what they will be using >tomorrow, not what people are using today".

Sure, and let's make sure that our Teaching Colleges insist that all English teachers only learn Latin as well. Your suggestions reflect a superficial under-standing of computers in general and how they are used outside of the sterile classrooms. Learn how to use Windows 95 and Windows Nt 4.0 and learn how they are being used in the rest of the world outside of the classroom and you will improve your understanding and the quality of your opinions.

To suggest that an OS that has refused to change in 10 years is the way of the future is simply inconceivable. It is simply inconceivable that the tired Mac OS and limited software is what we want our children to use. I refuse to continue to fund with my tax monies, expensive, proprietary, obsolete technology offered by a company that is circling the drain as we speak.

[The following may be of interest to TechEd readers in the New York City area--MOD]

Jason McCabe Calacanis (csurfer@interport.net) writes:

I would like to take a minute of your time to let you know about a very exciting organization and an upcoming event in New York's Silicon Alley. The organization is called MOUSE (Making Opportunities for Upgrading Schools and Education), and the event is Net Day 97.

MOUSE is upgrading computers, installing Internet connections, and empowering teachers in New York City's school system by matching volunteers from Silicon Alley with various schools in need. The organization was formed by Andrew Rasiej (andrew@irvingplaza.com) of NYC's Irving Plaza (www.irvingplaza.com), and al-though a large number of people from Silicon Alley have already volunteered to help, we still need your help.

So what can you do? Very simple:

1. Take 5 minutes right now to sign up as a volunteer at http://www.nymouse.org.
2. Make sure you come to Net Day 97, October 25th and 26th (if you sign up as a volunteer you'll automatically get the details about how to volunteer for Net Day 97).
3. Forward this request to all of your friends.
4. If you would like to become a sponsor, or if you know a company that might want to help flip the bill for some computers and Internet connections please send them my way editor@siliconalleyreporter.com.

As interactive media professionals we all have a vested interest in making sure that *every* member of the next generation has access to the net. I hope to see everyone at Net Day!

Best regards,
Jason McCabe Calacanis
editor@siliconalleyreporter.com
Editor & Publisher
The Silicon Alley Reporter
www.siliconalleyreporter.com

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