Integrating Technology Training in the Classroom Realities and Recommendations Evan Glazer University of Georgia eglazer@coe.uga.edu http://www.arches.uga.edu/~eglazer/aect2001.html

Presentation Outline Realities InterMath - Teachers in Training Case study - Implementation Recommendations

Technology Integration Technology integration is an effort to prepare educators to incorporate technology in their instruction while purposefully reflecting on connections to the curriculum, access to resources, instructional strategies,and opportunities to enhance student learning.

Realities: Successes Increased access to computers and Internet Increased power of technology tools New learning opportunities

Realities: Barriers Time Access Vision Support Assessment Practices

InterMath http://www.intermath-uga.gatech.edu A five year, NSF-funded Internet-based professional development project A community of middle school mathematics teachers and administrators An effort to strengthen teachers’ conceptual understanding A program that uses technology to explore problem solving situations

Following the Workshop Teachers are not integrating technology appropriately [Come see us on Friday at 3:30] Are they not receiving enough support?

Following the Workshop What type of support is needed? What strategies can provide that support?

Cognitive Apprenticeship Modeling Coaching and Fading Scaffolding Articulation Reflection Exploration Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989

Cognitive Apprenticeship for Staff Development Instruct Model Coach Empower Browne & Ritchie, 1991

Framework Behind This Model Interactions with others to extend understanding (Vygotsky, 1978) Situated learning and legitimate peripheral participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991)

Transferability from Workshops Nothing has promised so much and has been so frustratingly wasteful as the thousands of workshops and conferences that led to no significant change in practice when the teachers returned to their classrooms. Fullan and Stiegelbauer, 1991

The driving question What factors influence a teacher to feel empowered to effectively integrate technology?

The Participant Middle school outside of Atlanta suburbs Access to a computer lab Three years experience Called herself a “technophobe” Participated in InterMath the previous semester.

Methods Qualitative Case Study Planning and implementation using cognitive apprenticeship strategies Six lessons - eight weeks Data collection - observations, interviews, documents Data analysis - constant comparison

Slime! Your employer has put you in charge of the packaging for a new promotional item. If children send in 10 proofs of purchase along with $1.95 to cover shipping, they will receive a box of 125 cubic centimeters of SLIME! The packaging for the slime should be in the shape of a rectangular prism for easy mailing. What dimensions should you give this package?

Findings What factors influence a teacher to feel empowered to integrate technology?

Attention to Student Learning I think that I have become very proud...I don't know if that's the right word, [It's] not what I'm doing, but what their [the students] doing there. I have been much more observant of different types of peer interactions and learning and things like that that are going on. That's been much more rewarding for me than seeing tests that I took home to grade...just hearing them think, their thought process. You know, I've seen them move closer to where I want them to be. Being able to see that has really shown me how much they've learned and how much they are getting out of doing that.

Recommendations Focus on teachers as learners more than what the teachers are learning. Develop teacher leaders Provide opportunities for ongoing, onsite, and just in time interactions Build a professional learning community

Final Word You will never have perfect men until you have perfect circumstances. The beginning of wisdom is the realization of one’s ignorance.

Integrating Technology Training in the Classroom Realities and Recommendations Evan Glazer University of Georgia eglazer@coe.uga.edu http://www.arches.uga.edu/~eglazer/aect2001.html