Look to the Leaders

One way of better understanding access and use of technology in schools is to interview and observe the teachers that, despite all obstacles, still find a way to make it happen.

This mixed-method research details the technology use of 30 teachers from one Southeastern county deemed to be “tech-savvy” by their principals and county. The study examines their use and the obstacles they had to overcome in order to achieve the level of use that they do. While the both few in number and homogenous sample may limit a broader application of the study’s results, it does help illuminate some of the concerns tech-savvy teachers have in teaching with technology. Additionally, it gives a glimpse into the deployment of technology within 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools.

All of the schools (except for the H.S.) had “at least four serviceable computers” in the classroom but teachers preferred to use the labs where each student could use his or her own newer computer. However, the lab time was limited and hard to come by.

Based on both quantitative feedback and observation, the authors surmise that “schools need to upgrade the computers in teachers' classrooms, get teachers to use them (or find out why they don't), and de-emphasize ritual lab sessions. The best development to date to counter the lab phenomenon is the advent of the wireless laptop computers that can be carted from room to room. My overall impression is that while most of the elementary schools in this study had 3-4 “serviceable” computers in their classrooms that these were often provided by the teacher and were inferior to the well-maintained machine in the labs which were unfortunately hard to integrate into the daily routine.

Bauer, J., & Kenton, J. (2005). Toward technology integration in the schools: Why it isn't happening. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(4), 519.