Imagine yourself visiting a bustling metropolis full of culture, celebrations, and a way of life you've only imagined. You're eager to experience all that it has to offer but with only two hours to spend before needing to return home, it's hard to know which pieces of life in the city will resonate with you.
As you step onto the streets a docent is waiting for you, having already learned about your likes and dislikes, your goals and your concerns. She has created a short list of sights and activities for you to choose from, each one a good fit for you.
Implementing the use of technologies in the classroom can feel like visiting a foreign environment for some teachers. Despite there being an abundance of options and means to implement them, without a knowledgeable and personable guide, there isn't enough time available for a visiting teacher to find the meaningful resources and strategies for their classroom.
As you step onto the streets a docent is waiting for you, having already learned about your likes and dislikes, your goals and your concerns. She has created a short list of sights and activities for you to choose from, each one a good fit for you.
Implementing the use of technologies in the classroom can feel like visiting a foreign environment for some teachers. Despite there being an abundance of options and means to implement them, without a knowledgeable and personable guide, there isn't enough time available for a visiting teacher to find the meaningful resources and strategies for their classroom.
The PurposeThrough action research I hope to find effective ways to entice a wide variety of teachers to incorporate technology into their curriculum while also relieving them of obstacles or fears that may be hindering their technology integration. In working and reflecting with my colleagues I hope to gain a better understanding of how the cultivation of curricular technology partnerships affects the classroom experiences in terms of tech integration, teacher technical aptitude, and the spread of skills within our broader school community.
The overall goal of my action research is to engage in the cultivation of technology practices among a group of teachers with a mixed interest and skillset. In doing so I hope to understand some of the best ways to guide the acquisition and disbursement of knowledge related to the integration of technology into existing curriculum at my school, alongside the improvement of my own skills in guiding these processes. |
The PlaceThe faculty at my work are among the most passionate people I have ever worked alongside. It seems that there is hardly anyone in the classroom who is content to simply rest on their laurels. Rather, teachers are consistently searching for a better way to engage their students, address recurring issues, elevate the level of discourse, and make their classroom something that extends beyond the walls of their physical space.
Despite their passion and interest in taking on more, our teachers are necessarily overextended: full class loads, additional responsibilities as an advisor, compulsory committee memberships, department meetings, and faculty meetings on top of lesson planning and grading. While there has been success with curricular technology integration with an early adopter community, this success has plateaued without an outlet to offer inspiration and training to other teachers in a structured or consistent way. This combination has left the school with a large assortment of acquired technologies and an under-developed strategy for professional development. |
Reception of Innovative Technnology in the Classroom: Curating Ideas Through Action Research
David Levin
Pepperdine University Learning Technologies Cadre 15
David Levin
Pepperdine University Learning Technologies Cadre 15