This week I have two job interviews with the major boards in Regina. Considering the classes right now I began to think about how little technology appears to be used in the divisions. I pre-interned in one division and interned in another, both times in a high school. During both placements I noticed that things like SMART boards were hardly used by anyone.
Why is it that the schools don’t incorporate technology into lessons as much as possible? I even had one instance with my classes that the teacher in the room said she would prefer if I didn’t use the technology I had in my plan as she was unfamiliar with it. Is this a typical approach to technology throughout schools?
During the Education Career Fair at the U of R in January I was talking to a representative from Medicine Hat and he mentioned that every teacher in the division had a laptop and smartboard in their class. They also give training and provide seminars on how to use the smartboards. I thought this was awesome and it definitely drew me to their division more than I would have without knowing that information.
Don’t get me wrong I would absolutely love to work for one of the two Regina boards, and possibly help create a movement for change in the way technology is viewed. Honestly I would give my right arm to work for one particular division, so I am not critisising in a negative way.
I guess my real thoughts are if the interviewers will be taken back when I talk about technology and how I think it is a great way to engage the students and make the lesson more meaningful to the students. I really do think that when you use technology properly the students may become engaged in a subject that they would have otherwise found mundane and boring. Technology as a tool is a great thing to have in the classroom.
What do others think? Should I pump up the technology or play it low key? What are the boards looking for? I want to stay true to who I am but I also need something to help me pay off all of these students loans!
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I really do think that our boards want to change. They’ve had good ideas, but I feel the implementation has been less than stellar. Plus, there are so many initiatives, that technology seems to fall to the back burner for most teachers.
I really do think that the boards are looking for leadership in two areas – technology, and understanding new literacies. Of course, these are very close to the same. I would talk about some of the changes that are happening in society, in general, and talk about how you have been prepared to understand the changes in knowledge society, while still being in tune to the most fundamental needs of students (caring, food, shelter, security, belonging, etc.).