Our school has recently installed ActiveBoard interactive whiteboards in all classrooms, and will soon be installing iRespond student response systems in all second, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms. Amazingly enough, however, our teachers are getting thorough training on these devices. The first training, an overview, is being provided by the device vendors, and the subsequent trainings are being provided by contract trainers from Kennesaw State University's Instructional Technology Department. As the media specialist at my school, I acquired the job of “training coordinator” for all of this. My job is to make sure all necessary staff is trained, and to coordinate dates, times, and places for all of the training. As easy as this may sound, it’s been anything but that. However, it’s also been a model example of the diverse attitudes and backgrounds of teachers regarding technology.
The KSU training is not just a one-shot deal. Our county is paying for 38 hours of training at just our school. That means the trainings will range from a few sessions on the basics, to several sessions on advanced techniques. Rather than force training on the teachers, I’ve elected to allow them to decide how much training they want. As one might predict, there are those few who don’t feel like they need any training, because they have no intention of ever using their ActiveBoards. What I really want to say to these teachers is, “It doesn’t really matter what you want, or don’t want. What matters is what’s going to benefit your students the most”. I get very frustrated with teachers whose attitude is all a matter of what they need or don’t need, or what they want or don’t want. Sometimes you just have to do it because it’s the best thing for your kids. And from what I’ve seen, the students are engaged, excited, and participating when they have the chance to use the interactive whiteboards.
Fortunately, the majority of the teachers are extremely humbled and excited to have this new technology available to them all day, every day. They don’t pretend to know everything, and are always apologetic when they have to ask me the same question more than once. It may take them a while to learn new technologies, but they give it their best, and laugh at themselves in the process. These teachers are the ones I look forward to working with everyday.
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I would give anything for one of those boards. We have three promethean boards and the teachers are fighting to get the next one. It is great that you guys are getting so much training on these boards. Often times the county buys the equipment but doesn't provide the training. Please work on those teachers to convince them to receive further training.
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