Throughout the school there was very limited technology use, by both teachers and students. There was a clear "no cell phone use" policy throughout the school that was being enforced by some teachers and not by others. Those who were allowing the use of phones seemed to have better control over their class and more respect from the students. The only obvious use of technology that I observed was by office staff and students taking computer based classes (Multimedia, Digital Publishing, etc.). When asked about this observation, one teacher said that technology resources were limited in the school and therefore integration into the classrooms was difficult. However, another teacher, when asked the same question, said that while it was difficult, there were also tools out there that he found useful with his students. Many times he used a bring-your-own-device policy which was challenging for students, but made integration easier. He also is one of the few teachers who actually encouraged cell phone use in class.
The teacher who does tend to use technology in the classroom (Mr. Ballou) talked to me about examples of technology that he uses. He also told me that when it comes to technology in the classroom, one of the hardest things is that students expect that you (the teacher) will do the work for them and often forget due dates. To work around that problem, he uses further technology, a program called remind101 to alert students about due dates. He also said that he does not think about incorporating technology into his lessons. This is because he knows that no matter what the lesson will be, there is a tool out there that he can use. When asked what he thought the most important type of tool was he responded by saying "Social. Everyone is expected to have a professional profile that represents who they want to be."
Interview with Mr. Ballou
Q: What negatives do you find with using the technology that you use?
A: First it needs to work, and it doesn't always. Also, students tend to think that using technology means that they don't have to remember due dates and that you'll do the work for them. There are also interruptions. We have phones in the classrooms and other teachers will call during classes or the office or guidance will call and ask for a student.
Q: What technology do you use in your classroom?
A: Schoology, Wix, Quia, Remind101, RebelMouse, Prezi, Google Docs, and Microsoft Office.
Q: What types of technology do you use in the classroom?
A: Presentation, interactive, assessment, student creation, and communication.
Q: How do you incorporate technology into your lesson plans?
A: I don't actually think about it much. I think about the students and what I want them to get out of the lesson. There will always be tools that fit the lesson. The key is to be objective based and to find the tools to fit the objectives.
Q: If you were to choose what technology is most important to your classroom, what would you say?
A: Social, everyone is expected to have a professional profile that represents who they want to be.
Q: How has technology changed how you have taught over the years?
A: It has become more widely accepted, we can't fight it. It's reshaping both teaching and learning. No longer are we teaching the novel, instead we are teaching the skills to read and understand the concepts of the novel.
Q: Do you use technology to help students with learning disabilities? And if so, how does it help them?
A: Yes, I do. But it is not catered to just those students. It is open to all, in an inclusion program it is important to find tools that are good for all students.
Interview with Mr. McDonough
Interview with Mr. McDonough
Q: What types of websites are blocked?
A: There is a very wide filter on the school Internet. Those with things deemed "inappropriate" (drugs, sex, violence) are blocked, as are many social media sites. Some email servers (such as AOL) are blocked but not all. Teacher's computers are not blocked.
Q: How has technology use in the classroom changed over recent years?
A: Students can now access their student hard drives (H-Drives) from home. They have also been given school email accounts--underclassmen can only email within the school, and Seniors can email to anyone. There are technology classes offered for teachers and smartboards are available for use in some classrooms. The school installed phones for better communication among staff during the day, and they have invested in a portable computer lab for students.
Q: If the technology isn't working, what do you do?
A: Improvise. Teach in a lecture format, do a class discussion, or even arts and crafts!
