https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AverQgXi7bnLdFNGYkluWjA3QXVFN2lYZk5pMTgzTUE&usp=sharing
The teacher I interviewed teaches in a lower-middle class high school in northern New Jersey. She is the band director and teaches band as well as general music classes and other after school ensembles. When I first asked her if she knew what the NETS standards were, she looked puzzled. Then after I told her they were the technology standards, she knew what they were. However, she does not know about the specifics. She knows that they require the school to integrate more technologies into everyday lessons in conjunction with the NJ standards but did not know what they entailed. When I asked her if her school had begun to implement these new standards, she said yes, although very hesitantly. She said they are trying but running into many road blocks. She does not think the whole district has begun to implement them, however; only at the middle and high schools. When asked if our state has begun to implement the new standards, she said yes but also added that she did not know how effectively they were doing it.
In her school, the main way they are implementing these standards is by providing every student with an iPad to use in class and at home. The teachers now incorporate these iPads into their everyday lessons as much as they know how. The challenges they are facing are that the teachers do not know all of the apps available to them and how to use them so they need to be taught this and become more comfortable with the technology. Also, funding is a very large problem. They had the money to buy the iPads and now do not have enough because of miscalculations and other unforeseen circumstances.
I was not at all surprised by the teacher’s answers. I actually did not expect her to know what they were completely. I did assume that she would at least know about them, which she did. As a future educator, I would speak to others mainly about how we can integrate this standards and technology smoothly instead of it feeling like an add on. Also, what other ways can we incorporate technology other than just piads, computers, or smart boards. Students use computers and tablets at home all the time anyway. We give them assignments that they use these things to complete. How are we truly integrating technology if we’re just having them use the iPads or computers to take note on or finish assignments? We need to dwell deeper than the obvious use of the technologies and then bring them into the classroom.
The teacher I interviewed teaches in a lower-middle class high school in northern New Jersey. She is the band director and teaches band as well as general music classes and other after school ensembles. When I first asked her if she knew what the NETS standards were, she looked puzzled. Then after I told her they were the technology standards, she knew what they were. However, she does not know about the specifics. She knows that they require the school to integrate more technologies into everyday lessons in conjunction with the NJ standards but did not know what they entailed. When I asked her if her school had begun to implement these new standards, she said yes, although very hesitantly. She said they are trying but running into many road blocks. She does not think the whole district has begun to implement them, however; only at the middle and high schools. When asked if our state has begun to implement the new standards, she said yes but also added that she did not know how effectively they were doing it.
In her school, the main way they are implementing these standards is by providing every student with an iPad to use in class and at home. The teachers now incorporate these iPads into their everyday lessons as much as they know how. The challenges they are facing are that the teachers do not know all of the apps available to them and how to use them so they need to be taught this and become more comfortable with the technology. Also, funding is a very large problem. They had the money to buy the iPads and now do not have enough because of miscalculations and other unforeseen circumstances.
I was not at all surprised by the teacher’s answers. I actually did not expect her to know what they were completely. I did assume that she would at least know about them, which she did. As a future educator, I would speak to others mainly about how we can integrate this standards and technology smoothly instead of it feeling like an add on. Also, what other ways can we incorporate technology other than just piads, computers, or smart boards. Students use computers and tablets at home all the time anyway. We give them assignments that they use these things to complete. How are we truly integrating technology if we’re just having them use the iPads or computers to take note on or finish assignments? We need to dwell deeper than the obvious use of the technologies and then bring them into the classroom.
I think it's so interesting how most of the teachers we all interviewed have no idea what the NETS standards are, but that they understand the value of using technology in the classroom, even if implementing it proves difficult. Whether its lack of instruction or funding. Yet, we still find that teachers are making the best of the situations. Technology can be unreliable, but I hope that this school will solve the funding problem and they get the resources they deserve.
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