Complex Problem - Motivation for Technology

One problem that I have to face at my school is the lack of excitement and determination to bring technology to our school. My school is a private school that does not have a lot of funds for extras. Technology is currently not ranked very high on the list of items to purchase.

Last year, Home and School was able to put together a fundraiser towards a laptop cart for our school. This was truly exciting to me. This year it was set up and we were able to have Internet for the students as well. Before, we were not allowed to have Internet for the students. In order for the teachers to use the laptops we had to have a form of professional development. Our principal led a quick introduction to the laptops; however, there was not a zest for learning about how to use them for our students. My principal introduced the laptop cart as the hardest thing that the teachers were going to have to learn how to incorporate into the classroom.

My goal is to motivate teachers to use the laptops in their classroom for the benefit of their students. I know many teachers are uneasy about them and they don’t know how to “handle” an entire class with students and the open Internet that can be unpredictable.

My first strategy is to help each teacher feel comfortable. I want to know what they may feel uneasy about and then from there help them overcome that certain “fear”. I would like to know what each teacher would like to learn and then help to teach them. If I don’t know the answer then I will find out. I also want to prove to the teachers that it is not the hardest thing you will ever have to do. It can be easy and aid to your classroom in ways you could never imagine!

My other strategy that I would like to do is have mini-workshops that the teachers can attend if they would like. I hope that these workshops can benefit them in the areas that they may feel that they are weak. For example, I know that many teachers in my school want to learn how to build a website. I can frame a workshop on how to build a website using Google Sites. This workshop, for example, will build skills with each teacher and give them each confidence to continue on the trek of technology!

Building websites is just an example of one type of workshop. I would send out a survey to figure out what kinds of workshops the teachers would be interested in coming to because they are for them. Hopefully these will benefit the teachers in the long run.

Already, I know the students are getting excited about using the laptops. I know there is so much more that as a school we can provide the students with. All it takes is motivation, determination, and willingness to take the time to learn. I have a feeling as long as I get a few teachers to get excited; it might become a ripple effect leading other teachers to technology.