Whether to use a Shot Gun or a Rifle

One of the problems that keeps us from achieving our goal to integrate technology into the classroom is that we too often use a shot gun approach in our training. By that I mean that every time a new technology begins to emerge we throw it at our teachers in the hope that maybe someone can use it. The problem is that our teachers soon become overwhelmed and don't know what is or is not important. All our teachers hear is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Here is just a partial list of what has been thrown at teachers in my district during the last few years:

Atomic Learning, Epsilen, Zimbra, GroupWise, gMail, Live@edu, ePals, unitedStreaming, iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Garage Band, Aviary, Animoto, Edmoto, Moodle, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Google Sites, Weebly, Eduphoria, Edusoft, iStation, vMath, Education City, ScanTec, Computer Learning Month, IGPro, TEAMS Gradebook, SmartBoards, T3 Grant, digital video cameras, digital cameras, Audacity, iSpring, iNova, Prezi, iPads, iTouch, iTunes, NovaNet, E2020, Plato, digital document cameras, digital projectors, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, NetTrekker, Yahoo, Google, Blogger, Word Press, Ning, Kidspiration, Inspiration, Bubbl.us, Wikispaces, EasyTech, ConnectedTech ...etc.

 Now I realize that part of this is a necessary evil because of the nature of technology and how rapidly it is changing. BUT, there is a lot of rabbit chasing and wasted money as well. I have a standing joke with my trainers that as a district we will swallow anything as long as it costs at least $250,000; $500,000 or $2 million is even better. It is insane madness. I also realize that not every teacher is being assaulted with every one of these technologies. Some of these technologies and promotions are worthwhile and others are not. As a whole, however, we miss the target of getting the technology into the hands of our students to achieve academic goals because we are too busy chasing after nonsense. We can't hit the target because we act like we are blindfolded and firing a shotgun mindlessly in every direction.

Is there a solution to this problem? Yes, there is. We need to take off the blindfold, put down the shotgun, and pick up a rifle, take aim, and fire. How do you do that? You begin with the curriculum. Many of the technologies listed above are worthwhile (many are not), but the question is "How does a technology help a student reach an academic goal?" If a math teacher wants his/her students to use a spreadsheet to calculate or project the results of a bake sale, then the teacher and students need to learn how to insert formulas in a spreadsheet. If a language arts teacher wants to teach her students how to brain storm a topic for an essay or develop an outline, then a tool like Kidspiration, Inspiration, or Bubbl.us would be a good choice. The point is that you use the tools in a practical hands-on approach that targets a specific objective in the classroom. The teacher immediately sees the value of the tool, and resistance begins to melt away. The teacher focuses on the tool that will help him and his students.

Timing is also critical. The training should be closely tied to the time when a specific lesson will be taught. If you are doing a training in September that won't be used until March, then the training is not relevant. You can't go deer hunting when it's not deer season (just to keep the metaphor alive).

A teacher's time is valuable. We need to respect that. Let them pick up the rifle and throw the shotgun and the blindfold away.