ARTICLES
Ten Reasons why Teachers can Struggle to use Technology in the Classroom
By Brendon Hyndman
Brendon Hyndman is a Senior Lecturer and Course Director of Postgraduate Studies in Education, at Charles Sturt University
Integrating technology into the classroom can have huge
benefits, but it’s not always straight forward. From www.
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Professional development and creating a shared vision for ICT
education is important. marco antonio torresflickr.jpg
Somewhere in a school near you some teacher is struggling to
handle a query from a student whose laptop has a flat battery,
or another who is watching an amusing cat video on a phone.
Perhaps the wireless internet connection is dropping in and out,
or the electronic whiteboard is playing up.
Governments have prioritised getting digital technology into
schools with large-scale programs such as Connected Classrooms
in NSW and the national Digital Education Revolution. Pre-service
teacher training programs have been advised to “enhance” initial
teacher education by getting them to use innovative technology
practices.
Whilst all teachers are expected to integrate technology into the
classroom, the reality can be very different.
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership,
(AITSL), also expects all teaching levels to effectively implement,
use, model, lead and support ICT technologies.
Some of the issues teachers can face relate to the technology
itself. Others relate to student or parent expectations, or whether
there’s enough of the right professional development available to
help the teachers become proficient in digital technology.
However, in practice, many teachers struggle.
Despite significant resources allocated to integrating technology
in the classroom, many teachers have struggled with disruptions
that devices can bring, had their work negatively impacted, or
have not used technologies effectively. Moreover, many pre-
service teachers perceive introducing new technologies as a
future teaching barrier.
Without addressing these concerns, there is a risk of creating a
generation of students ill-prepared for a digital future.
The pressure to become digital experts
No doubt digital technologies can enhance learning through
accessing information and improving communication, as well as
providing self-directed and collaborative learning opportunities.
ICT skills can also help develop capable, future-ready citizens. So
over the past decade, teachers have been expected to integrate
digital technologies.
Ten reasons teachers can struggle to use new
technologies in the classroom.
1. Introduced technology is not always preferred.
Students might be “digital natives”, comfortable with and
immersed in technology, but they still depend on teachers to
learn through digital means.
Technology isn’t always the answer. Pre-service teachers have
reflected on having preferences for manual writing (compared
to typing) and incidences of doubling up on time writing notes.
Some students also prefer reading print, and teachers can
disengage from introducing new technology when they feel it
adds nothing extra.
The curriculum requires teachers to develop students’ general
information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities
across all fields of study, alongside the “technologies” curriculum.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 4