Technology Integration

Very often, school districts set aside a day for technology. During that day, teachers rotate around a schedule of various offerings. The next year, the admin team decides to offer a second day, and so on. That’s one day per year, folks.  Well, after all, time for such professional development within the school calendar and the teacher union contract is pretty tough to carve out, right? So be glad for those days. Well, I’m not too happy about that one day administrative blessing for technology integration for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a day.  We didn’t learn how to write in a day….or do math….we spent day after day practicing the craft, until we understood it, until we became proficient at it.  Using technology in our classrooms is no different.  Second, during that day teachers are given just a sample of what can be done, and then teachers can quickly find a place to hide from technology if there is any complication or glitch…they get into their anti technology bunkers, as Jim Moulton often says. And third, technology needs to be an ongoing process. Administrators need to encourage, to lead by example, those teachers who are the reluctant adopters of that skill which has become so important to our nation’s children and its future.That’s the old way. Set aside a day, and then check it off the list. Maybe do it again unless there’s something else that will catch interest. For the new ways, see my post “Technology Workshops: The way it’s supposed to be