Technology Immersion: Good or Bad?
July 13, 2009
Walking to my classroom I casually looked into the classrooms as I passed. I was struck by the number of teachers on their computers. My observation occurred during the first 10 minutes of class, so they were probably doing attendance or something school-related. Yet, I started to reflect on how technologically connected we are, especially as teachers. I receive at least 25 emails to my school email. I take attendance and enter grades on-line. I check district and school announcements and retrieve forms from on-line (SharePoint). All my curriculum is saved electronically. It's as if everything in terms of support and administration is computer-based. Then, when I go home I check my personal email (35+), blog, check Facebook, on-line bank, and read, read, read various on-line articles.
I started wondering about whether technology immersion is a good thing or a bad thing. I started examining my use of technology and asking questions:
Here's a breakdown of the time I tracked in a recent planning period:
It was experiment time. For my next planning period I was going to do things different. I made a to-do list (one of my favorite things) and determined how much time I need on the computer. I allotted myself 5 minutes to email, forcing me to quickly prioritize important email and simply delete irrelevant email. Next, I eliminated electronic distractions. I closed Outlook, so I wouldn't get side tracked by those annoying pop-up email notifiers. Also, I closed my browser, avoiding any temptations to read the latest news. Giving myself only 25 minutes, I lesson planned. I brought up my Word template and the creative juices flowed. It was brilliant. After those 25 minutes I turned off the computer. I sat in the corner of my classroom away from all things electronic and just brainstormed and planned the remaining curriculum for my semester class. I didn't finish, but I accomplished a lot more than my previous planning period.
What's your thoughts?. Do you think technology is interfering with teaching? Do you believe the opposite? What are you tricks/strategies in dealing with technology overload?
______________________________
Eric Hougan started his career in business and eventually did a career change into education, merging his two passions: business and teaching. It was during this transition, while a preservice and student teacher, that Eric realized the significant gap of resources and support for student teachers. Ever since, Eric has worked extremely hard collecting tips, strategies, and resources to address the sometimes mystifying process of becoming a teacher, addressing such topics as certification, and ways to develop a beneficial relationship with one's cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Eric hopes this on-line community will address the hiring process by offering interviewing techniques and posting potential teacher interview questions. Overall, the purpose of this website is to provide a supportive network with wonderful resources for individuals pursuing a career in education.
Hougan completed his Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University in Chicago, IL. Currently, he is a secondary-level teacher in Washington. Eric is involved in many school improvement initiatives and is a club adviser for Future Business Leaders of America. Seeking further professional development, Eric completed his National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In the community, Eric is a Board Officer for the King County Bar Association's Future of the Law Institute. Eric is also an author, recently writing Road to Teaching: A Guide to Teacher Training, Student Teaching, and Finding a Job. For his school and community efforts, Eric was recently recognized as a 2008-9 Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Emerging Leader.
Read more from Eric at his blog on Road to Teaching.
I started wondering about whether technology immersion is a good thing or a bad thing. I started examining my use of technology and asking questions:
"¢ How many hours do we spend in a front of our computers during school time?
"¢ What percentage of our time on the computer directly relates to teaching and improving student achievement?
"¢ What percentage of our time on the computer is productive (school-related)?
Here's a breakdown of the time I tracked in a recent planning period:
"¢ Checked new emails (15 approx.) " 10 minutesI was struck by two important things. One, I was on my computer almost the entire time. Second, I didn't do any planning. Zippo. Zero. This last point is what frustrates me the most. I felt like I was just doing "stuff."
"¢ Responded to 3 emails - 10 minutes
"¢ Checked the latest news (ummm"¦ education news) " 5 minutes
"¢ Cleaned off my desk " 2 minutes
"¢ Checked incoming, pop up email " 1 minute
"¢ Returned to cleaning off my desk " 1 minute
"¢ Started to enter grades in on the computer, but was interrupted by another incoming message " 2 minutes
"¢ Resumed entering grades " 10 minutes
"¢ Interrupted by a teacher asking if I could attend an IEP meeting. I checked my calendar (on my computer) " 3 minutes
"¢ Entered meeting time/date into Outlook calendar " 1 minute
"¢ Finished entering grades " 3 minutes (running time 48 minutes)
"¢ Started to enter attendance on paper forms and computer -4 minutes+
It was experiment time. For my next planning period I was going to do things different. I made a to-do list (one of my favorite things) and determined how much time I need on the computer. I allotted myself 5 minutes to email, forcing me to quickly prioritize important email and simply delete irrelevant email. Next, I eliminated electronic distractions. I closed Outlook, so I wouldn't get side tracked by those annoying pop-up email notifiers. Also, I closed my browser, avoiding any temptations to read the latest news. Giving myself only 25 minutes, I lesson planned. I brought up my Word template and the creative juices flowed. It was brilliant. After those 25 minutes I turned off the computer. I sat in the corner of my classroom away from all things electronic and just brainstormed and planned the remaining curriculum for my semester class. I didn't finish, but I accomplished a lot more than my previous planning period.
What's your thoughts?. Do you think technology is interfering with teaching? Do you believe the opposite? What are you tricks/strategies in dealing with technology overload?
______________________________
Eric Hougan started his career in business and eventually did a career change into education, merging his two passions: business and teaching. It was during this transition, while a preservice and student teacher, that Eric realized the significant gap of resources and support for student teachers. Ever since, Eric has worked extremely hard collecting tips, strategies, and resources to address the sometimes mystifying process of becoming a teacher, addressing such topics as certification, and ways to develop a beneficial relationship with one's cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Eric hopes this on-line community will address the hiring process by offering interviewing techniques and posting potential teacher interview questions. Overall, the purpose of this website is to provide a supportive network with wonderful resources for individuals pursuing a career in education.
Hougan completed his Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University in Chicago, IL. Currently, he is a secondary-level teacher in Washington. Eric is involved in many school improvement initiatives and is a club adviser for Future Business Leaders of America. Seeking further professional development, Eric completed his National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In the community, Eric is a Board Officer for the King County Bar Association's Future of the Law Institute. Eric is also an author, recently writing Road to Teaching: A Guide to Teacher Training, Student Teaching, and Finding a Job. For his school and community efforts, Eric was recently recognized as a 2008-9 Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Emerging Leader.
Read more from Eric at his blog on Road to Teaching.
