Teaching Teachers about Technology

There is relatively little literature on the use of  e-learning or digital technologies (ICT) in adult literacy teaching and learning. While it would seem that educators are generally positive about the integration of digital technologies into teaching and learning programmes and view them as having potential to change learners’ lives, they are less positive about their ability to successfully integrate them in into their practice in a way that enhances teaching and learning.  Research in the K-12 sector suggests that, to be effective, there needs to be alignment between the technology integration strategies and teacher experience and knowledge (Moriarty, 2011).  In other words, instructional planning  for  ICT integration needs to build on the knowledge, experience, and priorities of educators so that technology supports and expands the teaching and learning programme  (Harris & Hofer 2009; Langille, 2004).

There appears to be  widespread acknowledgement  in the literature of the time and opportunities educators need to spend on professional development to gain the knowledge and expertise they need  for the successful integration of technology into their practice. Unfortunately, there are  few suggestions on how this might happen  given that learning institutions and programmes need to continue operating while  professional development takes place.

There are also concerns that training and PD to date has focused mainly on the development of ICT skills, rather than the how and why technology  should be integrated into practice. IN many  areas, including New Zealand school, there has been pressure on educators to use new technology without much attention to the reasons for it in terms of context and learner needs, and this has led to surface-level adoption of digital tools.  

“A great deal of skills training has taken place in recent years, and yet there is a persistent lack of integration of technology into teachers’ practice.” (BECTA,2009,p.6)

The rapid speed with which available technologies and associated software and applications has advanced has meant that many educators have moved (or have been forced to move) from one new application to another without having sufficient opportunity to master their use or examine purposes for which they are being used.

Key characteristics of effective technology integration in adult literacy practice as outlined by Dillon-Marable (2005) involve ensuring that the integration of technology forms part of standard practice rather than a separate set of activities and aligns levels of technology with learners’ literacy and technology skill levels. The technology should support learner to learn independently and collaboratively, provide learner choice and meet needs for learning and further learning goals.

Some of the successful PD initiatives reported in the literature have enabled educators to participate in formal and informal learning with peers.  One of ICT's main strengths is its capacity to support informal learning. Self-learning and informal peer-learning are two important mechanisms for obtaining skills and competences. Electronic networks of interests or professions can also provide important platforms to access and share information, to collaborate and collectively develop skills and competences. Collaborative learning in communities of practice around technology and its integration into teaching practice allows educators to share personal knowledge and experiences and allows for individual choice around choosing what they need to learn, as well as building in opportunities for critical reflection (Moriarty 2011; BECTA 2009).

I was a teacher - facilitator in a secondary school ICT PD cluster project a few years ago and many of the challenges described above were those we faced and continue to face in the secondary sector. The lack of time and opportunity for teachers to “get their heads around” new technology applications before being introduced to something new was, and continues to be,  a constant source of complaint and stress - just another thing teachers “have” to do.

At the time of the school’s involvement in the project, there was pressure (as part of a ministry funded project) to produce measureable outcomes in terms of the use of ICT in classrooms, and this saw teachers adding some aspect of technology into teaching practice, in sometimes quite random fashion, in order to get that box ticked.

Since then, however, there has been a move away from whole school PD and “one size fits all” approach, towards the establishment of both inter-school and intra-school learning groups where teachers meet face-to-face and/or online, in groups (chosen by personal interest, or teaching area, or need to know) and work collaboratively to learn about new technology and share expertise and experiences. This year, my group is investigating blogging tools and Facebook as ways of engaging and communicating with students and, the wider community.

However, having sufficient time to consolidate skills, as well as give consideration to the hows and whys of ICT integration into instruction, continues to be a source of frustration. Increasingly, teachers need to spend a considerable amount of time in developing expertise and deeper understandings of digital technologies. Those that do not, are likely to remain at the surface-level adoption stage, distancing themselves even further from their learners’ worlds, as well as sometimes being a negative influence in PD sessions and staff discussions around  ICT integration

References:

Daly,C., Pachler,N., & Pelletier,C, (2009). Continuing professional development in ICT for teachers: A literature review. BECTA Report. Retrieved from WLE Centre: http://www.wlecentre.ac.uk/cms/files/becta/becta-ict-cpd-literaturereview.pdf

Dillon-Marable, E. (2005) Integrating Computers in Adult Basic Skills Education. Putting Research to Work: Practical Strategies for Georgia’s Adult Educators 1 (1): 1-5.Retrieved from http://literacy.myweb.uga.edu/documents/RB_Computers.pdf

Harris, J., & Hofer,M. 2009. Grounded tech integration: An effective approach based on content, pedagogy, and teacher planning. Learning and Leading with Technology 37 (2): 23-25. Retrieved from International Society for Technology Integration: http://www.iste.org

Jacobson, M. (2011). Teaching in a Participatory Digital World. Education Canada 51 (2). Retrieved from Canadian Education Authority: http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/teaching-participatory-digital-world

Langille, L. (2004). Adult Literacy Educators’ Perceptions of Technology Integration. Retrieved from National Literacy Adult Database:  http://www.nald.ca/library/research/adtlitti/adtlitti.pdf

Moriarty, M. (2011). Finding Our Way: Digital Technologies and E-Learning for Adult Literacy Students, Educators and Programs Literature Scan: 2005-2011.Retrieved from AlphaPlus website: http://alphaplus.ca/en/web-tools/online-publications-a-reportsgroup1/finding-our-way.html