Education is an interesting field when it comes to technology, I know teachers who are extremely computer savvy and I know teachers who are afraid to touch a computer. In my opinion, that is a shame, because in our field we should be on the cutting edge of all our subjects since we are the ones educating the future generations on those tools. I have to attribute our state of behindness (I know, I know... it's not really a word) to the way that public education is financed and the fact that we do not operate with bottomless financial resources. Can you imagine asking tax payers' to foot a bill large enough to provide every public school enough computers and technological support systems, adequately train every teacher, and maintain up-to-date hard- and software to keep up with the ever changing technological needs of our world?
In general I am one of the more 'tech savvy' teachers on my campus. The Technology Applications Inventory confirmed that I am proficient at using many different communication programs and services and I can usually figure out the basic instructions for most programs. I also scored well in using technology to solve problems. However, I am not well-versed in any kind of actual programming or advanced computer skills. As I said, this basic knowledge makes me a 'techie' on my campus, a fact that amuses my husband, an engineer, to no end. By his standards, I am a technological neophyte. This is the disparity between the education world and the business world. The SETDA survey highlighted how very little I utilized technology in my Language Arts classroom. I encourage the use of Powerpoint, Word, and some internet research; past that I have not incorporated much technology. Taking these surveys has renewed my interest in developing a curriculum that supports a more comprehensive inclusion of technology in our classrooms. While I am aware of just how much I still need to learn about technology, in general and especially as an administrator, at least I am very open to technology and excited about the different avenues it open up for learner-centered instruction.
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Well, you're using more technology in your classroom than I am right now. I've incorporated the Beyond Question survey system into my math class, but I am learning about so much more that I could potentially do in my classroom. Pretty exciting and intimidating at the same time!
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