School leaders are under tremendous pressure these days to make remote learning happen in short order. The focus on the COVID-19 pandemic has brought extended hours of planning and collaboration to Administrators and Technology teams around the globe. How to make learning happen, how to get technology into the hands of all the students and how to support the teachers, are all topics of concern for school leaders today.
If we as educational leaders take a few moments to wade through the anxiety and the urgency we can focus on the facts. The pieces of the puzzle are not new. It has been a struggle to integrate meaningful technology into the learning environment for decades. We are at a turning point today, in education, facing opportunity that has never presented itself before. In the last month or so, the face of K-12 education has forcibly changed in the United States and around the globe.
Many K-12 leaders now need to consider an array of issues when attempting to get remote learning working and effective. By this time, most of us have already instituted some form of it in an effort to support our students. The part many have not done, is to determine how effective their new methods are.
Speaking from the perspective of a Technology Administrator, I have found the most difficult and time consuming piece of the puzzle is supporting and training teachers. Students today are digital natives who have grown up in a world of instant technology at their fingertips. Teachers are often the ones who need support to make this new way of teaching take place in a meaningful way.
While spending an extensive amount of time on this very topic, I have learned a few things that will provide insight to school leaders. Since educators are data driven, there are two studies that have been conducted over a span of more than 15 years with valuable insight. The first study by Vannatta & Fordham (2004), looked at an array of factors to determine why some teachers adopt technology readily and others do not. The second study by Spetter (2018), re-examined the earlier study with a narrowed focus on the factors that seemed to predict teacher adoption of technology. The results of all this research found some very simple ways to evaluate who the early adopters in the teaching staff are, and who the resistors might be.
- The first of these predictors is, look for teachers who are willing to try new things. These teachers are those who volunteer to try new programs or methods. They are excited about new information or the potential to better the delivery of topics in their classrooms.
- The second factor is, teachers who willingly spend far more time working than is required by their contract. These are the teachers often seen as dedicated or even passionate about their jobs and the tools they use to do that job.
- The third predictor is, teachers who are willing to take classes or continue their education even if there is no financial compensation offered by their school. These teachers want to learn and continue to grow.
While this is paraphrased from the two sources mentioned above for simplicity, it can actually be this easy. Vannatta & Fordham (2004), noted that many teachers who fell into these categories where younger teachers with under ten years’ experience. Spetter (2018), also found an interesting thing in the data. As teachers gained experience, spent the extra time working, and gained education, they seemed to reach a point where they become resistant to change. I thought this was a little strange until I observed it in action. In my work practice I found, those teachers who are seasoned, educated and have more than 10 years in their craft are not simply resistant to change. They are resistant to change without good reason. They want to know the value before making the commitment to change.
I worked with a teacher who had older computers and equipment that often failed, but seemed reluctant to change to newer technology. As I worked with this teacher, I found she knew the time investment it took to learn something new and didn’t want to commit to it, unless she knew the change would benefit. This seemed resistant at first, but in fact this teacher has become one of the major support persons for other teachers in the training and adoption of new technology. She simply wanted a good reason for a change, and support to execute it.
With the shift of COVID-19, teachers now have good reason to learn new technologies and institute new practices. All teachers need is support from their administrators, and the patient collaboration with technology persons and other teachers.
School administrators must step up in this time of change and seize the opportunity to become the trailblazer. Take the time to have calls with teachers, students, and families to find out where the sources of frustration are. Use surveys to collect data from your district to find out what your schools are doing well and where you need to change. Take advantage of the free tools during this time, and take time to consider which of these tools might be beneficial to keep for the long term.
I have learned from the knowledge of others and found wisdom in their trials. In this time of trouble, my school has found several tools that will enhance education for years to come. Most of the tools we see extremely successful come from suggestions of the teachers. These are things they have worked with, saw value in and want to share with their colleagues. Our administrators then do all we can to ensure suggestions are welcomed, evaluated and creative feedback returned.
Not all applications that are suggested are useful. The feedback we provide to these suggestions is the most critical, but don’t forget to take action. If a tool won’t work tell the teacher why, but in a constructive way. If the tool does work, then support that teacher, give them credit for the suggestion and do your best to support them in its implementation. Make that teacher a leader by supporting them in sharing with the rest of the team.
With more than 20 years of experience inside the United States and in Asia I have seen good teams and bad teams. The difference is, good teams step up and support one another in spite of their differences. They take the time to find out what is best for their students and make change to support them. Great leaders are not afraid to share credit recognizing the merits of their team. Great leaders will surround themselves with knowledgeable and capable people, knowing they cannot accomplish the vision by themselves.
As educators we know this isn’t about us. It’s about equipping the students for success. In this time, let’s stand together. Let’s take the time to share with one another. Let’s share what is working and what hasn’t worked. We are all a team, together we can help others avoid some of the mistakes we have made.
Spetter, Troy. (2018). The Prediction of Technology Integration in the Christian K-12 Classroom Based on Openness to Change, Technology Training, and Work Beyond the Contractual Work Week. Doctoral Disstertations and Projects 1830, https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/1830
Vannatta, R. A., & Fordham, N. (2004). Teacher dispositions as predictors of classroom technology use. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 36(3), 253-271. doi:10.1080/15391523.2004.10782415