Barriers to Implementing Technology in the Classroom
Introduction
According to Fabian (2009), there are
approximately 1.5 billion Internet users around the world, and people spend
four to seven hours a day using a computer.
Statistics like these tell us that technology is used extensively, but
is it being used effectively in the context of teaching learning? The United
States Department of Education (2002) reports that only 42% of youth aged 5-17
are using the Internet for school.
Donlevy (2005), in discussing the U.S. Department of Education’s
National Technology Plan (2004) contends that schools are struggling with the
management of new technologies. He
asserts that ineffective policies and strategies are in place, but even if they
were effective, what good will policy serve if the technology is not implemented
in the classroom?
These findings show that technology is
not always being used effectively for teaching and learning, but whether or not
technology will be used effectively in the future remains to be seen.
Al-Bataineh, Anderson, Toledo, and Wellinski (2008), in their study of 49 US
teachers, argued that technology will change education as a result of continued
advancements and breakthroughs. This paper will discuss the barriers associated
with the successful implementation of classroom technology in the K-12 school
system, including lack of funds, lack of training, and challenges associated
with integration and accessibility.
As someone who is employed in the
education sector, I feel this is an important area to study, as technology in
the classroom has always been a personal interest for me, and always has an
impact on students.
Barrier 1: Lack of Funds
The struggle for money is a major
barrier to technology in the classroom, and cannot be emphasized enough. Teachers
can have the training required to teach with technology, but if the money is
not there to purchase the technology, it cannot be used as a teaching tool. Technology
is expensive, and is constantly changing: what might be state of the art technology
today may be obsolete in one year.
Many schools have budget restrictions
that simply cannot keep up with the pace of technology, therefore it may not
make it to the classroom while it is still relevant, or at all. Lowther, Ross
and Morrison (2003) in their study of 26 elementary teachers, indicated that
using wireless laptops would save building and maintenance costs. This means
that while in the long run, technology can save on fixed asset building costs,
but the upfront costs are obviously high, which stands in the way of classroom
implementation.
One solution to challenges related to
budgets would be to place classroom technology in communal computer labs that
have lots of technology, rather than place a little technology in each
classroom. Becker (2000), analyzed a 1998 US survey of Teaching, Learning and
Computing. He suggested that in the
future, technology should be put into classrooms rather than in a centralized
location. This practice would eliminate high ranking on the “pecking order” (Hew
& Brush, 2006, p.227) by technology related teachers. It would also help
overcome the disadvantage of booking the computer lab that teachers of
non-technological subject areas have when it comes to integration of
technology. This means that every class would have a chance to use what
technology is available for use, rather than not having certain technology
available because it is being stored in someone’s classroom that is constantly
in use. This helps make sure the technology is shared more equally amongst
classes in any given school.
Another hindrance to integration of
technology in the future is that schools are employing a limited number of
technology specialists (Hew and Brush, 2006).
Means, Bakia and Murphy (2014) suggest that hiring a technology
specialist for each school will greatly alleviate the stress on classroom
teachers by having someone accessible to troubleshoot problems, as well as
offer training and tips. To make matters worse, Cuban, Kirkpatrick and Peck
(2001) found that these specialists are often overwhelmed. Possible solutions to this issue include
educating all preservice teachers in effective technology integration in the
context of teaching and learning or hiring more specialists.
Barrier 2: Lack of Training
In order for technology to be successful
in the classroom, teachers must have the training required to effectively use
it as a teaching tool. Even in cases where there are no budget related challenges,
if classroom teachers do not have the proper skills and training to teach using
the technology, it may be of no value, even if it is physically present. Al-Batenei,
Anderson, Toledo and Wellinski (2008) surveyed 49 teachers in Illinois. They
found that 16% of the teachers were uncomfortable with technology use and
reported that the most frequent barrier to using technology in the classroom
was the lack of familiarity with technology.
Teachers need to be familiar with
technology in order to feel comfortable using it. Hew and Brush (2007) reviewed
48 empirical studies from 1995 to 2006 in the United States and countries
abroad and identified lack of technological knowledge and skills as a major
barrier to technology integration and one of the common reasons technologies
were not being used. This means that there are cases where technology has been
purchased and installed in the classroom, but is still not being used due to
lack of teacher training. Al-Bataineh et
al. (2008) sampled 49 Illinois teachers and asked the participants what barrier
had the most influence on implementing technology. The most frequent response was lack of
familiarity with the technology. Hew and
Brush (2006), in their literature review of 48 empirical studies, identified
lack of technology-supported pedagogical knowledge and skills as a major
barrier to technology integration. Just because the technology is in the
classroom physically does not mean that teachers are able to effectively use it
as a teaching tool. This is why training is such an important barrier to study
when it comes to challenges associated with classroom technology.
One solution would be for school boards
to offer low cost or offer free professional development training to teachers
who need lessons or refreshers on technology. Doing different level
professional development classes for teachers with different levels of skill
would also be effective, as beginner teachers would not have a false start with
technology in the classroom, and more advanced teachers would not be bored with
what is being taught because they already know the material.
Barrier 3: Lack of Integration and Accessibility
It is up to teachers and administrators
to make sure the proper teaching technological tools are being used in today’s
classrooms. Administrators should work to make sure the technology is available,
and teachers need to make efforts to use technology as a teaching tool once it
is available. Chen and Price (2006), in their study of one hundred and seventy
five teachers in the Chicago School System, stated that appropriate computer
equipment is a prerequisite for classroom use of technology. Teachers can have
the skills necessary to teach using technology, but if the physical technology
is not available for use, then the technology cannot be integrated effectively
into the classroom. Hew and Brush (2006), in their examination of forty-eight
empirical studies, argue that without access to hardware in schools,
integration of technology is not possible. To address this issue, technology
should be integrated slowly in the future.
In a case study of a UK secondary school, Tearle (2004) suggested
introducing technology into one or two subject areas at a time to make sure
teachers have adequate resources.
Accessibility
is another important barrier to technology. Technology must be easily
accessible by teachers and students alike in order for technology to be
successfully integrated into the classroom. Jackson (2015) states that students
should be given the equipment necessary to fill the requirements of courses;
for example, online courses require a computer with Internet, and alternate
format material (course material on CD or DVD) would require a multimedia
player. If you do not have the technology available on hand, you simply cannot
participate in the learning process. The CD player is a marginal example, but Internet
accessibility is a major challenge when it comes to using technology in the
classroom, especially in rural areas where high-speed Internet access may not
be available. Even if the hardware is available for use, and teachers have the
skills required to teach using the technology, it is unlikely that they will be
able to do much without the Internet, as so many teaching tools rooted in
technology require high speed Internet in order to be effective.
Proposed Solutions and Future Directions Overview
Metzler and Sherman (1997) suggest it
takes six to seven years for full technology implementation to take place in
the classroom. Teachers need to be ensured that they have the time to master
skills that may be new to them, and ensure their students are also given the
time to master new skills. Learning styles are necessary in implementing
technology to ensure teachers are given the opportunity to learn in the way
that is most beneficial to them. It is necessary to provide a “combination of
traditional workshops, in-classroom collaborations, mentoring, conferences, and
whole-learning residential workshops” (Metzler & Sherman, 1997, p.57). The
Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) program researchers have determined that
there are five stages in which teachers go through while implementing technology
in the classroom which include: the entry stage, the adoption stage, the
adaptation stage, the appropriation stage, and the invention stage (Technology
and Learning, 1994, p.39). These stages can take a number of years to work
through. It is important for teachers to feel comfortable using the technology,
and it has been shown that by allowing teachers to “play” with the equipment at
home it shows greater significance in success. Metzler and Sherman (1997)
believe that learning is something that comes from the being able to access
technology without restriction, to have more equipment, motivation to actually
use and learn about new technology, as well as a community of peers that are
also trying to master the same skills. Below is an original image outlining
some of the barriers discussed in this paper, as well as some of the proposed
solutions:
Conclusion
The challenges discussed above are: lack
of funds, lack of training, and challenges associated with integration and
accessibility. One of the main things I learned while writing this paper is
that in order to properly and effectively integrate technology into the classroom,
all of the above barriers (and likely others that I did not have time to study
yet) have to be overcome and addressed, not just one barrier or another. As an
example, you can have no challenges related to budget, and a school can be
equipped with the most amazing technological hardware, but it is meaningless if
the teachers working there do not have the training required to use this
technology as an effective teaching tool. To continue with this example, you
can have trained teachers, and all the hardware required, but if you happen to
teach in a rural area without high-speed Internet access, you may be unable to
teach effectively.
References
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