ELLEN
BERG
Diary #15
Falling in Love with Technology
Monday morning when I first entered my classroom after the long winter break, I felt a little like the naive character Navin R. Johnson from The Jerk, except — instead of raving about the new phone books arriving — I wanted to run screaming down the hall, "My new computers are here! My new computers are here!"
While I was out on break the folks from technology set up all of my new computers. While the SmartBoard has not yet been installed, all of my computers are hooked up, loaded with software, and connected to the Internet. I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store. I found out I would be receiving the 15 computers, SmartBoard, scanner, printers, new furniture, training and digital camera back in August just before school started. I have attended training, gotten excited with announcements of deadlines, and felt frustrated when the deadlines have not been met. However, as I look back at this week, I am actually thankful I had all the forewarning and delayed gratification. It sounds strange, I know, but it is true. According to Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin and Hall's Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), my above statement makes perfect sense. CBAM, "...addresses the stages of concerns which teachers move through as they implement a new innovation." [Read more about CBAM here.]The CBAM stages are:
Level Stage of Concern Description
0 Awareness Little concern or involvement
1 Informational Awareness and interest in learning more
2 Personal
Uncertainty
about personal competence
to
meet demands of this innovation
3 Management Attention to the processes and tasks of using innovation
4 Consequences Attention focused on impact and results of innovation
5 Collaboration Working with others on application of innovation
6 Refocusing Exploration of additional, universal application of innovation
Hord, S., Rutherford, W., Huling-Austin, L., & Hall, G. (1989). Taking Charge of Change. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Just before I learned I would be receiving this technology, I would have placed myself at level one or two. There was no real pressure to go beyond those two levels since I only had four computers in my classroom. It was difficult to schedule students on the computers and most of them type at a snail's pace.
Once I learned I would be receiving the technology and training, I spent time moving from level two to level three. I wondered how computer access would fit with my instruction and be incorporated into a loose reading/writing workshop model. I questioned my ability to integrate technology effectively, and I wondered how the new organization of my space — from tables to rows — would affect the collaborative nature of my classroom.
I also wondered how I would be able to manage computer use effectively. What would I do if students went online without permission? Brought food into class? Became confused during a lesson? I had many concerns, but I also knew this was an opportunity to grow and engage my students at an even higher level.
During the four months between finding out I would be receiving computers and actually acquiring them, an interesting thing happened. As I planned lessons and units, I began to see how computers would enhance those lessons. I began to get frustrated with the length of time it was taking to get those computers into my possession, and I began planning side activities just in case they arrived during the current unit.
Thanks to my contingency planning and my district training, I was ready when my computers finally arrived. I am now on level three management and I'm looking to graduate to level four by the end of this school year.
Anticipating some issues A few points occurred to me as I was preparing for my computers: 1. If I have the computers but do not use them daily, I will have management problems with my students. Computers are engaging to them. To address this, I have planned some activity where students use the computers in every class period in a meaningful way. So far I have noticed that if my students see on the agenda that they will be using the computers during the period, I have few problems with them trying to sneak in front of the screens. Even after we have finished using them, students are far more attentive than before. 2. I must set up a reasonable system to address my expectations for my students regarding the technology. On Monday I told every class that I knew what they wanted most was to get on the computers. I explained I understood, and because I not only knew they were interested but also believed that such expensive equipment should not be left idle, I was committed to using them every day. Since I was making that commitment, I asked them to commit to some rules and expectations. My students felt that was a fair bargain, and it has worked so far. 3. I need to insure equitable access for all of my students. Since students are sitting in pairs at each computer, I know conflicts might arise. Therefore I had them designate an A and B partner, and on alternating days, one partner is the driver who uses the mouse and the keyboard, and the other partner is the navigator who tells the driver where to go. There have been no arguments, and the kids remind me who should be the driver or navigator each class period. 4. Computer use must be meaningful, not just an expensive pencil. I want the technology to be used as it would be in the real world, as a tool to access information or to create published documents. In the coming weeks we will be using the computer for Daily Oral Language activities, a fairy tale webquest, and to publish a magazine article. During Academic Lab time I have gathered math and language arts game sites for the kids to use on my account at ikeepbookmarks.com. One day we might compose Wacky Web Tales (like MadLibs); on another day we might work on synonyms and antonyms. When I tried the Web Tales with my kids last week, they consulted dictionaries and the grammar texts to figure out the parts of speech the site was asking for, and they shared their stories with one another. I have much more to learn as I live with the technology on a daily basis, but I can also see I have come a long, long way. It is going to be the adventure of a lifetime.
