What factors inhibit the use of web 2.0 by educators? I need lots of perspectives!
What are the factors you see that keep people in education from regularly using web 2.0 applications such as Google Wave or Docs, Wikis, Delicious, or Ning?
Consider either using web 2.0 with students or with colleagues.
What barriers, fears and/or concerns do you perceive others may have?
I am doing research on this topic. Please weigh in.
Consider either using web 2.0 with students or with colleagues.
What barriers, fears and/or concerns do you perceive others may have?
I am doing research on this topic. Please weigh in.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rachel Suzanne Smolen on
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Fear of changing one's ways is probably a big factor. If someone never uses 2.0 applications or online technology to instruct students then they might fear failure in trying something new...They also might fear wasting time with something that they do not fully understand.
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Permalink Reply by Marie G. on
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Access to reliable technology is an issue at my school. Most classrooms have 3-4 desktop computers (usually 1 or 2 will actually be functioning) and the school has 8 laptop carts available for checkout---for about 70 teachers...
We also have 2 computer labs, but those are used for elective classes that need computers daily.
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Permalink Reply by Katy Scott on
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I think access is a big problem, especially in low-income areas where kids don't have access at home, either -- it's a real social justice issue.
But as educators, we need to find ways to work with what we have. Where there's a will, there's a way. My blog might help -- it's about finding cheap and easy solutions to tech integration: Stretch Your Digital Dollar.
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Permalink Reply by silvina paola hillar on
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There is a generation gap between some educators and state of the art technology. Some people still go on teaching the way they were taught because, in my humble opinion they feel sure about it due to the fact that they teach what they know.
Some people are afraid of changes not only in technology but also in different aspects of their lifes, therefore some internal characteristics of educators will prevent them from teaching through the web 2.0.
Apart from that they have to plan all over again instead of using those yellowish papers, do you agree?
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Permalink Reply by CWhitney on
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I see it too often where people are hesitant to change, however teachers need to do this because our students are the future, not them. Without teacher leading the way our students are the ones who suffer. I think it's unfortunate, but a reality in today's classroom.
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Permalink Reply by Les Biffle on
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I teach in a district in rural West Texas. We have 150 students in pre-k-12. Our chief barrier to web 2.0 technology is a lack of funds for hardware. We have substantial oil revenue, but as per Texas law, each year we actually have to pay $1-$2 million of our local revenue to other "poor" districts.
Each classroom has one teacher computer, most of which are 4-5 years old. We have three labs with similar, or older computers, many of which barely can access the internet on a regular basis. We have recently bought 7 Promethean boards with a grant, and I would like to reach 1:1 laptop status, with an iwb in every classroom.
As Rachel, and Silvina noted, most teachers over the age of 30, and some younger than this, avoid learning very much new technology. It is very human to avoid what you do not understand. I began actively learning more about technology two years ago because I felt I needed something new to reach my students. In the process, I have remembered why I became a teacher 27 years ago-- to learn and share.
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Here's some info that might help you update those older computers to make them workable: From Trash to Treasure.
And here's an affordable ($300 per kid) way to go 1:1: One Laptop for Every Student Finally an Affordable Option.
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I believe it is the time it takes to learn something new, then figure out where the tool can be used. I also think that change is really hard for so many people. Many teachers are stuck in a very traditional way of teaching and web 2.0 tools are so different than how they are comfortable teaching. It is very hard to get some people to see how beneficial these resources can be.
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Permalink Reply by John Sowash on
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Technology tools must be reliable before they can be relied upon. Aging computers, poor internet connectivity, not enough computers, etc are reasons that teachers opt against using technology. A piece of chalk never has technical difficulties.
Some teachers don't see the point of Web 2.0 tools because they don't use them. If you don't see the value in something then why should you teach it to someone else?
Fear of failure is another one. The chances of something going wrong when you do it for the first time are high. Non fatal failure is okay, that's how we learn, but many are uncomfortable with this type of learning.
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Permalink Reply by Anthony VonBank on
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I find it interesting that so many are citing poor or inadequate equipment as a major factor. I had expected fear of change, not being familiar, etc.
Please continue to add reasons you think people do not try or use tools that would have immediate benefits to their practice.
Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Lori Blasioli on
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I am fortunate because my school district is up-to-date with technology, but I personally am finding it difficult to find a wiki to use with my students that lets me do LaTex (or something that is much easier ) to write math functions/equations. Also, students don't always write correct math expressions/equations on paper so for them to learn a language such as LaTex, I can foresee them writing this way on their homework/quizzes. Many students already want to write x^2 on their paper instead of how humans have traditionally written it. So that is a fear of mine....I do not want math slang to become as prevalent as texting slang has come in their everyday writing (even academic writing).
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Permalink Reply by Paul R. Basta on
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I'll just prefice this to say that I am 5 years into my career at the middle school level and really enjoy using computer technology from time-to-time. I would say that some veteran teachers would say a lack of understanding or a sense that what they have crafted over 20-25 years actually works and is not broken (yes it can be done without computers).
Devil's Advocate for a minute...I believe some teachers feel
#1 Kids already spend an average of 4 hours in front of a screen after they get home from school (I think that is the conservative average). Would you want your child to sit in front of a screen for 8+ hrs a day even if it was for a decent education? Do we honestly think we are wowing them with the simplistic webquests and blogs we throw together? Most tech methods have a short shelf-life. When the novelty wears off (and it pretty much already has) of our outdated material, we will resort back to our traditional ways that worked.
#2 Of course computer technology is not a fad, but the schools are so far out-paced by the speed of technology that there will be a point at which we have to say, ok the traditional (face to face) education or we go broke trying to keep up with obselete tech and far less teachers.
#3 We will, hopefully, soon see much less access to the internet in school because people are finally seeing that most early teens don't yet recognize the resposibility that comes with online discussion. Yes, even with your school firewall blocks, they know how to access social sites.
#4 So much ADD people should be outraged. Yet we continue to enable it.
#5 Just because it's "change" doesn't mean it's good.
I guess those are more concerns. Now I've got to get back to manage my wiki.
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