Teachers must be confident with technology

"Teachers must be confident with technology to effectively employ it in their lessons" is an article posted at the National Writing Project website by Paul Epstein, a reading, writing and technology teacher at Ruffner Elementary School in Charleston, WV, and co-director of the Central West Virginia Writing Project.  Epstein's article includes a  link to Teachers are the Center of Education: Writing, Learning, and Leading in the Digital Age, a report by the NWP and others that tells the stories of nine teachers "who are quietly but effectively making revolutionary changes" with the use of technology in their classrooms.


Epstein recounts the early days (1988-1996) when West Virginia Governor Gaston Caperton instituted a program to put three computers in every classroom.  It appears from the article that more equipment is available these days, but I know that many states, schools, teachers and students still have only severely limited access to hardware and software.  As a teacher who routinely enjoys one-to-one laptop availability in so many classrooms where I work, I sometimes feel almost guilty when I think how fortunate we are in Maine to have such an aggressive one-to-one program.

Epstein emphasizes that technology is important, but not as important as those who use it, in particular the teachers who are in a position to leverage the use of available technology in their classrooms.

Technology spending is necessary and important to increase availability of technology tools and Internet infrastructure. But teachers must be at the center of change aimed at preparing students for the 21st century.

I myself never cease to be amazed at what teachers are able to do with just a little technology when they also have a lot of spirit. Nevertheless, I must say there is a substantive difference between using a technology and having a technology.  What I mean is the difference between having access to a portable SmartBoard and having a SmartBoard installed in a classroom. Or, having access to a computer lab and teachers and students having dedicated laptops.  No matter how conscientious and creative a teacher may be, routine, ongoing "ownership" of a technology is unparalleled in enabling teachers and students to integrate that technology into the context of their education.