What did you learn form this interview?
From this experience I have learned that the teachers are do not intuitively think of technology as part of their planning. My coordinator teacher is tied to a very tight schedule and it seems never has time to use technology as apart of her lessons. Talking to her she was is aware of the things that are available for her to use, but it seems that she is so busy she often doesn’t think to use. She told us about the times that she has used technology in the past and she is aware of how well the students respond. Through my observations of her I completely understand. Integrating technology takes an extra effort and extra time. It is much easier to do the same things everyday and at times it seems more efficient. I also learned how little the teacher assigned to the computer class knows about the technology available in the school. She knew a lot about her classroom lab and was very willing to accommodate us in her room. It is apparent that if there are other resources available in the school other than those we discussed in our interviews it seems not many people know about them.
How will this experience affect you as a teacher?
In class learning about how technology can be used and having its importance pressed on me I feel that I will try to use it in my future teaching career as much as possible. Through interviewing these individuals and observing their teaching I have realized how much extra effort a teacher must have to make to integrate technology into their curriculum. It seems so much easier and at times more efficient to lecture with simple in class assignments. But what is most desirable for teachers is to engage students in a way that they can best retain the information. I believe that, at times, the use of technology is the best way to do this.
How did this experience change your thinking about the use of technology?
Conducting these interviews has changed my thinking about the use of technology because the application of technology seems so simple when we are studying it in the classroom. The actual application is at times much harder. The teachers I spoke with had never thought to use a web quest because they cannot find an already existing one that fits and they have no time to make their own. I know understand how difficult it is for teachers, especially ones that have been teaching for a while, to think in terms of how they can integrate technology.
Tech interview: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg4n69sd_21gwm4fwdb
