Technology Resistance, Incompatibility, and Unpreparedness of Teachers Essay

Introduction

Although technology has been adopted in K-12 education, there are significant challenges that are causing drawbacks towards the technology implementation. The problems experienced in technology integration in education are systematic in nature and are related to the teachers, technology itself, and the education leaders who lack initiative. Poor integration of technology in schools emanates from the poor professional development of the teachers. The unpreparedness of the teachers due to lack of knowledge of technology makes it hard for them to understand new technologies. Lack of understanding and skills to implement new technology has led to resistance to change amongst the teachers who view technology in education as unnecessary. These problems to the adoption of technology in schools are amplified by the lack of personalization of learning using differentiated instruction. K-12 teachers need the learning technology to support personalization, but this has not been achieved due to the common instruction and approach (Chow, Paul 14).

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A major challenge in the integration of technology is the inability to deliver formative assessments using technology which further makes the implementation of technology in K-12 level more challenging. The teachers play a significant role in the adoption and use of technology in education but due to their poor understanding of the technology makes its adoption and implementation even more challenging (Mayes, Robin, Gloria Natividad, and J. Michael Spector 223). Most of the students have grown up using technology on the other hand which creates a significant gap between the teacher and the student's technology knowledge. As such, students are aware of other uses of technology such as playing games which and social networking which makes it difficult to focus on using technology to achieve the set education goals. Poor integration of modern technologies in the education sector is a major drawback towards attaining quality and equality in education. Some of the technologies such as the use of handheld devices, and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) technologies have led to the raised cost of education. The cost of purchasing hardware materials, networking devices, digital boards, and electronic pads has led to increased expenses in learning. The cost of maintaining technological devices has become a burden to parents, sponsors, and guardians (Alexander, 34).

According to literature reviews from the Pew Research Centre survey, the effects associated with failure to address the problems of technologies applied in schools revealed that techniques ruin students. About 90% of teachers in the study confessed that digital devices create students who easily get manipulated by circumstance. They have low concentration power. The characteristics of graduates include short attention spans. Almost 60% of teachers revealed that technology hinders students from gaining creativity in writing and communicating. It has affected the social aspects such as face to face communication. Exposure to digital devices is addictive thus making most of the students fail to complete their homework. About 76% of teachers explained that the internet help students in finding quick answers making then slow thinkers. Other consequences include moral decay due to exposure to child pornography. Some student waste time chatting, sending messages, and watching videos on social media. They have become virtually induced such that technology has controlled their ways of life (Hoppe et al., 256).

Proposed Solution

Educating Teachers and Providing Technology Integration Support to Schools

Resistance towards new technology application in education can only be eliminated by training the teachers on the importance of technology adoption in education. Knowledge helps to reveal the different approaches through which teachers can use technology in the classroom environment which can significantly reduce the incompatibility of technology with the normal teaching practices. As such, technology is seen as a distraction, but through education, the teachers can be able to identify the opportunities that technology offer to students and the teachers which can significantly improve learning outcomes. Education exposes the teachers to the technology applications before the technology can be adopted in learning which helps narrow down the gap between the teachers and the student's technical knowledge. Narrowing down this gap will significantly improve the compatibility of technology and education models and will also reduce technology resistance from teachers which threatens the adoption of technology in the traditional education environment. Technology regulation in the classroom will also be improved through technology education to teachers which will reduce the abuse and distraction that is caused by poor management of technology use in education creating opportunities for students to abuse technology (Chow, Paul 12).

Target Audience

The target audience for this solution is the teachers and the education policymakers. Teachers should be aware of the changing environment and try to adapt to change instead of opposing change. Teacher's resistance to technology is caused by conservatism ideals that views the traditional delivery of teaching as more superior and effective compared to the new technology which is considered to be a distraction. Educating teachers and regulating technology adoption in schools can significantly improve education outcomes but require the input of policies and regulations. Education officials should set up new approaches of teachers on job technology training which will ensure minimum disruption of education and exposure of the teachers to the best practices and applications of technology in learning. Education policymakers should introduce re-education programs that will expose teachers to more technology applications and also introduce technology education programs and courses for the teachers who are still in school learning to become teachers which will ease the adoption of technology and reduce ignorance amongst teachers on the application of technology in education (Barbaran, Claudio 73).

Anticipation of Objection

Modern technology has led to a high impact in the education sector; however, it has several drawbacks that hinder quality education. The various limitations have led to poor academic achievements among learners. The various institutions of higher learning lack modeled systems that could facilitate real-time classroom operations. The current technology is insufficient because students have limited contact time with students. Learning institutions require applications that align the needs of society and young generations. The necessary technology must ensure that all students have access to essential materials for learning. The technology should support current limitations such as missing classes. The proposed project requires strategizing that enforcement of modified applications for promoting the integration of technological applications to enhance smooth learning, teaching, and training. The plan guarantees a solution to the current problems such as lack of social interactions, a limited collaboration between teachers and learners through applications that monitor, evaluate and provide access to universal learning materials and programs (Low and O'Connell, 26). Poor integration of technology in the institution of learning leads to severe consequences in social, cultural, behavior and moral values of students, the inappropriate technology has led to wastage of time for the students, increased the cost of learning, and cheating in exams. This paper will assess and propose different approaches through which technology can be introduced in education.

Alternative Solutions

Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning allows the teachers and the students to work together towards establishing the most effective approach of introducing technology which reduces resistance by the teachers and the students. Collaborative learning can help the students to gain technology operation skills from the students who are exposed to technology as they grow up. However, this approach is detrimental in drawing the boundary between the students and the teachers which might compromise the existing rules of association in the learning environment (Chow, Paul 13). As such, it is important to establish a clear boundary between the students and the teachers, and through a collaborative approach, it can undermine the teacher's role in providing education. Therefore, using the policy approach to improve technology integration and end teacher's resistance remains the most effective approach because it is practice-based and measurable.

Hiring Specialized Teachers

Specialized technology teachers can be employed to increase technology integration in schools. Dedicated teachers are people who are knowledgeable of technology and can provide necessary support to the schools as teacher's consults on technology integration (Sarvi, Jouko, Fredi Munger, and Hitendra 4). However, this approach has a drawback in that it will not eliminate the resistance of teachers towards technology and in practice, it will lead to conflict between teachers and the technology specialists on how technology should be adopted in education.

Conclusion

Technology is vital for development and a necessary tool to acquire an unlimited amount of information. In institutions of learning manual and computerized approaches should run in parallel to achieve the best results. However, the teacher's resistance and poor regulation of technology integration in learning make this goal unrealizable. Educating teachers and providing technology integration support using policies and regulations can improve teachers' preparedness and technology awareness. This approach will increase the seamless adoption of technology in learning and will encourage more teachers to embrace technology solutions in education.

Works Cited

Alexander, B., Going Nomadic: Mobile learning in higher education, Educause Review. Vol. 5, 2004, 29-35

Barbaran, Claudio. "The factors influencing teachers' decision to integrate current technology educational tools in urban elementary public schools." (2014).

Chow, Paul. "Teacher's Attitudes towards Technology in The Classroom." (2015).

Hoppe, H.U., Joiner R., Milrad M., & Sharples, M., Wireless and Mobile Technologies in Education, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 19, 3, 2003 pp 255-291.

Low, L. and O'Connell, M., Learner-centric design of digital mobile learning. Paper presented at Learning on the Move, Brisbane, Australia. Vol. 23, 2006, 25-99.

Mayes, Robin, Gloria Natividad, and J. Michael Spector. "Challenges for educational technologists in the 21st century." Education Sciences 5.3 (2015): 221-237.

Sarvi, Jouko, Fredi Munger, and Hitendra K. Pillay. "K-12 transitions: Approaches and lessons learned." (2015).