Schools around the world are experiencing a sharp jump in growth, which is painful and inevitable. I am, of course, talking about technological integration. Maybe once a week your class uses a COW trolley (computer on wheels), or maybe every student in your school suddenly holds an iPad, and administrators say the terrible phrase “refuse paper.” Regardless of the level of technological integration, it seems that all of us are at some point in the process of transitioning to new technologies. However, the bitter truth is that no matter how many professional development sessions we receive or how many tools we have, many adults find it difficult to adapt to new technologies. We are approaching the new school year, fully aware that our students will hack media and turn them into their own deviant applications even before we, the teachers, learn to turn on the devices. The solution to this problem is simple. It’s time to take a page from our students’ textbook. We must quickly overcome the obstacles of mistrust, fear and mistrust in order to advance in the race for technology.
Get rid of the fear of new technologies
Unlike the 5 stages of loss and grief, all people (not just adults) experience a predictable series of reactions when faced with new technologies. Knowing that these phases are the same for everyone and that you are not alone against the world can help you get through the phases faster. You can learn to follow your disciples and turn fear into excitement and, ultimately, acceptance.
Phase 1 – Denial
As teachers, we work hard to improve our profession. Year after year, we make minor adjustments to the curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom management systems to maximize efficiency. Thus, it can come as a real shock when administrators report drastic and radical changes, such as paperless lessons and integration of 1:1 technologies (every student works with a device, whether it’s a computer, tablet or even them). Phone). Many teachers will automatically respond to the news. The general answer is, “Never work!”
It turns out that this is a normal response to new technologies. Even children who seem flexible and enthusiastic about each new wave of technological development go through the initial uncertainty. The key to successful technology implementation is to recognize that you will be disappointed and scared. It is ok. Just acknowledging your fear, you will be able to quickly go through this phase. The last thing you want is to let fear get the better of you and paralyze. You might say, “I’m in a panic, and I don’t like it.” But don’t stop there. Get rid of fear and try technology.
Stage 2 – Negotiations
“They can put it in my class, but they can’t make me use it!” You use this technology while observing the principal in your classroom, or use it for the first week of school, and then you postpone and return to your normal, proven procedures. In fact, bargaining in this situation is not so bad. This can pave the way for the actual use of the new device. Even tech enthusiasts will say, “I’ll try to use this, but if it doesn’t work for me, I won’t.” As a teacher tell yourself that you are going to try this technology. If you don’t like it, you can use it as rarely as possible, but at least you allow yourself to try without feeling too much risk.
Phase 3 – Experience
This is the most important step for the successful implementation of the technology. This is a figurative turning point in your way of thinking as a technology user. Once you’ve given yourself permission to experiment with the technology and click on it (whether it’s a new device like the iPad, or a new website, such as Edmodo.com), we’ll feel that we’re really overcoming your fears.
You may run into an obstacle by experimenting with new technology. Your frustration may increase, your anxiety may appear again, but don’t let it stop you. Trust not to damage the device by clicking on it. You can always restart, restart, or reboot. Look for help, a user’s guide, or even a YouTube tutorial to help you overcome these obstacles. By experimenting, be open and look for something interesting or useful for yourself.
Phase 4 – Excitement
More often than not, experiments with a new tool are the enthusiasm of teachers about the application for their class. Teachers by nature people are creative and innovative. We always look at materials for the sake of differentiating and adapting our students. As you experience this, you will probably start thinking about how this new resource will fit into your lessons. Conversations with other teachers are necessary to clarify the details and create the conditions for real application in your classroom. Explore the technology online, read blogs and teacher reviews to learn more about the product and see how others are effectively applying it in their lessons.
Stage 5 – Acceptance
The sooner you can move on to the previous steps, the sooner you will feel confident in using the new technology. Acceptance means that you are willing to incorporate this technology into your lesson plans to maximize its usefulness and really get the most out of the initiative for the benefit of your students.
Each goes through the implementation phases of technology at its own pace. However, the realization that you feel the initial failure will help you overcome your fears and achieve a productive level of research and acceptance. As teachers, we don’t always control new educational or curriculum initiatives in our school, but the only thing we can control is how we respond to these changes. Overcoming fear allows us to spend energy more productively. Good luck with what your school is planning for next year. You can handle it. Even if you go without paper!
Each goes through 5 stages in the face of new technologies.
- Refusal
- Negotiations
- Experience
- Excitement
- Acceptance
By accelerating the first steps and leaving you frustrated and concerned, users can quickly learn new technologies.
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