There are so many things to consider when introducing technology into the classroom. But one of the most important should be the people who are going to be leading from the front, and using the technology day-to-day: teachers.
Without their buy-in, your technology vision will fall flat on its face. It doesn’t matter if your student base is (as is expected of their generation) totally tech savvy – if your teaching staff can’t use it effectively you’ve wasted your time and money. But it’s easier said than done. Just how do you encourage and motivate teachers to use technology? Here are 5 things you should be considering when teching up your teachers.
Training
Frequent and goals-focused training is vital to any teacher’s success, and when it comes to technology, it’s even more important. In a fast-paced and ever-changing industry like edtech, it’s crucial to keep everyone abreast of what’s out there and how they can use it to enhance their teaching processes.
While functional training is pretty important – there’s no use giving a teacher an iPad to use if they can’t even switch it on – pedagogical-based training should be your number one priority. “Emphasise good teaching, not good technology” – don’t just encourage teachers to use technology as a substitute for more “traditional” tools. Help them develop and adapt their teaching style to really get the most out of the tech you give them. This can all be achieved through effective training.
You need to ensure that the training you’re delivering speaks to the specific needs and skill levels of your teaching staff. Too often classroom technology training is very broad-brush and covers the concept as a whole rather than giving contextual examples. Consult with your teachers and draw up a plan for the type of training that will be most beneficial to them.
Most importantly, you need to stop your teachers seeing tech as an obstacle to learning. You may find some resistance when trying to introduce technology into the classroom – particularly from more experienced, “traditional” teachers – who will see it more as a hindrance than a help. Give them reasons why you’ve invested in tech and what you’re trying to help them achieve.
