Week 5 Reflection

Week 5 Reflection

          I cannot imagine receiving such an awesome opportunity.  If my local middle school were given laptop computers for the teachers and every student the possibilities would be endless.  However, in this situation, the outcome was not successful and instruction was not positively affected.

A. Three Possible Factors Why the Project Was Not Successful

1.    One factor which could have had a major effect on the project could have been teacher’s resistance to change.  We all know who these people are, most of us have worked with one or two and they drag their feet complaining the whole way.  Some teachers would rather continue doing what they have been doing in the comforts of their own classroom with their door shut.  They do not like change and do not deal well with having to adjust.  Possibly teachers were also resistant because they had little say in the project and rules and regulations were sent down from principals or district personnel.  Similar to when movies, radio, and television programs were pushed to be the next big educational tool without teachers having much of a say.

2.    Another factor could have been a lack of guidance and instruction on how to successfully incorporate the use of the computers.  If laptop computers were just dropped into the arms of teachers and students without classes on how to’s and tips and tricks many would not be used to their full potential.  When I moved to South Carolina I had a brand new SmartBoard in my classroom and had never seen one let alone used one before.  I am a fairly curious person and think I am pretty tech-savvy so I learned a lot by doing but I also worked with a district instructional technologist and signed up for professional development so I could use this technology to benefit my students education. 

3.    The cost and energy of maintaining the equipment could also have been a limiting factor.  I imagine all these scenarios of students’ computers breaking and the excuses as to how they broke; who will pay for the repairs and what will they do while their computer is being fixed?  If their textbooks and everything else is on these computers without them they would be lost and could easily fall behind.  There would need to be many systems put into place to ensure proper use and care which would be difficult since you are dealing with middle schoolers.

B. Two Strategies to Help

1.    A strategy that may have been beneficial for the school would have been to involve and prepare the teachers for this program.  Those teachers who constantly put up a resistance to change may have a better attitude if they had more say or input in the implementation. 

2.    A second strategy would be holding assemblies and offering classes to prepare students, parents, and teachers on using and working with their new laptop computers.  Teachers could collaborate together on ways to incorporate using the computers in class interactively and appropriately.  Students could be shown how to use the programs, access materials, and take care of their new equipment.  Parents could also benefit from being informed on how this new technology can benefit their child’s education and what they can do to make sure it’s successful.