“Unfortunately, even
though massive amounts of money have been spent on training educators, we have
not seen a real difference in the ways technology has been integrated in to the
classroom (Cuban 2001; Laffey, 2004; Norris, Sullivan, Poirot & Solloway,
2003; Williams & Kingham, 2003).
According to the U.S. Department of Education (2004), we have not done a
particularly stellar job, as a recent report concluded (Solomon, & Schrum,
2007, p 100).”
This statement succinctly relates the conclusion of many studies
conducted to document the success of integration of technology into U.S. classrooms. Regrettably, modern technology is not being
used in the way that has been envisioned (Solomon, & Schrum, p. 101). There are myriad reasons for this failure of introduction
of technology to improve student learning and achievement.
The Final Report of the McRel Technology Initiative (MIT) (2005)
makes this point abundantly clears. The
findings of this report are resultant from a wide range of technology implementations
in K-12 classroom over the last two decades.
One of the main points of the report is that “a variety of studies
indicate that if teachers are not adequately and appropriately trained in the
use of technology, its impact on student performance is minimal (Dirksen &
Tharp, 2000; Rinsgstaff & Kelly, 2002 cited in McREL, 2005, Appendix A, p.
1). The fact is that teachers must be suitably
trained to use technology and apply it instructionally within their particular
curriculum.
References:
Pitler, H. (2005).
McREL technology initiative: The development of a
technology intervention program final
report (Contract Number
ED-01-CO-0006). Aurora, CO: Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning.
(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED486685) Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED486685&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED486685
Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web
2.0: New tools, New schools. Eugene, OR:
International Society for Technology in
Education, 99 – 116.
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