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Teachers and Technology-Still a Digital Disconnect in 2009?
by Chris Coleman

In a 2007 report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the U.S. Department of Education found that large majorities of teacher training institutions agreed that their program graduates possess the skills and experience to integrate technology into instruction and could construct project-based learning lessons involving educational technology. However, institutions reported a variety of barriers that impeded efforts to prepare teacher candidates to use educational technology within both program coursework and field experiences.

Numerous factors influence teachers’ self-efficacy and attitudes toward technology, including a fear of technology, lack of motivation, lack of technological skills, as well as students possibly knowing more and being more comfortable when using technology than the teacher. Teachers’ past failures with technology may also impact their attitudes, judgments, and assumptions about using technology in the classroom. A teacher will remember getting a computer to work in front of a group of students but may believe it was only because the technology was easy to use, not because s/he was able to do it.

This is 2009, and we are still grappling with teachers' integrating technology into the curriculum and classroom setting.  Today, school districts have technology hardware and software tools available, yet teacher self-efficacy and attitudes toward technology use in the classroom continue to pose an ongoing problem for teachers. Educators have long feared a digital disconnect between teachers’ and students’ use of technology. As a result, research tends to focus on student motivation, engagement, and increased achievement with technology. In addition, few studies have empirically examined the existence and potential implications of such disconnect from the teacher’s perspective.

I recently completed my doctorate studies in computer science and education to note that an interactive whiteboard was in the classroom we used for three years.  It was used as a projection screen and not the true interactive tool for teaching and learning it is.  This is on the doctorate level at a university! These professors were lecturing with powerpoints created by our book publishers! It was shocking and leads me to ask you a few essential questions to ponder……

Do we require pre-service teacher certificate programs and administrative degree programs to leave these universities technologically literate?

Should this be part of every teacher certification program in the United States? 

Should teacher observations in 2009 require a technology infused lesson that require teachers to demonstrate mastery in technology use?

What do you think in 2009?

The apple for the teacher is not red but an iPod Touch!!! Food for thought….