Technology is never ever being a replacement of a teacher instead it compliments teachers’ teaching strategies.
But how can we make sure that technology is a great help in teaching?
There are different issues and debates from educators and teachers that involves the benefits of educational technology in teaching students. Though it is a fact that technology plays a great role in students’ development and academic productivity, how can we then measure the effectiveness of technology in the classroom.
The purpose of technology is to innovate the classroom to help the students be ready for their future. It is about changing the classroom setup from traditional learning system (where students are just seating and listening while the teacher keeps on talking and talking) to student centered learning system (where teachers are only facilitating the instructions and more on student works).
It is clear that the support of technology made teacher’s life easy.
Effectiveness of educational technology relies on the support of teachers, school administrators and educational technology companies.
But there seems to be a problem.
Teachers are Afraid to Upgrade
Let’s face it!
Teachers should be the number one who implements educational technology in their classrooms. For they are the one who leads students to their future. They should be the first to be upgrading their knowledge and their teaching methods.
But many teachers are still hesitant to adopt the new learning scheme especially the veteran teachers. They have practiced for many years teaching in the traditional way and suddenly they have to adopt a new way of teaching.
There is quite a big adjustment needed.
Well, transforming the teaching strategy is a must because it is an expectation that teachers should integrate technology in their classroom. It shows in a survey report in US, there are 42% of teachers says that their students knew more about technology than they are.
This just means teachers should be trained more on the different techniques on how to implement technology in their classroom.
In real time teaching, teachers still struggle in teaching which leads them to refuse to upgrade their teaching method. They are afraid that the students will be destructed when they use technology in their lessons. The fact that students will be more expose to computers, teachers fear that their students will be prone to radiation.
But always remember educational technology is always effective unless it is not properly implemented and supported by teachers.
Lack of School Administration Support
School administrators’ support is very important in the field of education technology. Education technology products will be meaningless and ineffective without the school administrator’s supports and encouragements. The different education technology tools will not evolve unless it has the school administrator’s side.
To surround all the classrooms with technology, the school administrators should help and urge teachers to use technology in their everyday teaching.
Allot a fund for IT facilities and equipping all the classrooms with electronic devices.
Providing internet access for the campus teachers and students will also a great showcase of support.
And organizing faculty education technology trainings may help the teachers to have a better understanding on how to use education technology in their respective classrooms.
Education technology made possible through school administrators support. Teachers cannot do it alone; they need the administrators to help them.
Lack of Long Term Relationship between School and Educational Technology Companies
Education technology companies and schools are great partners to make education technology in the classroom happens. Education technology is being ineffective when the education technology company and the schools will have the buy and sell thing. Then after the school bought the education technology product, the company says goodbye.
So when time will pass and upgrading the education technology tools is needed, the school will then frustrate on using the education technology tool because it is not now the need or there are features needed to be added.
Who will do then the solution of the needs of the school?
That is why education technology Companies needs to build a relationship with the people in the school to get through with the process of education technology adoption. It will be so tricky if education technology companies will sell an education technology tool that is not fit to the need of the school.
Education technology is meant to be effectively useful for students learning and teachers teaching methods. It is important that teachers should overcome the fear of upgrading their strategies.
Support and encouragement from school administrators will make education technology really effective to students. And company’s long term relationship to schools will result to successfully innovate learning.
