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From
a workshop by:
Mr. Mahmoud Daboul
(Teachers need to
learn computer skills)
The use of computer
technology and the growing access to educational resources
through the Internet are requiring educators to rethink how they
teach and to help students to prepare for life and to work in
the coming decades.
The pervasive use of computer technology means
that primary, intermediate and secondary schools and colleges
must do better in preparing students to use emerging
technologies. The task is daunting, largely because teachers had
little time or resources to learn more about them, even if they
had the inclination.
Today, however, schools and teacher education
programmes have to devote time and resources to assist teachers
in learning the technology skills they need in order to prepare
students for life in the information age.
While many
educators, all over the world, are willing to respond to the
call for improving their use of educational technology, they
must not ignore the reality that they all are coming to terms
with a new way of life and work. In education, especially, the
rise of the computing age has brought with it a radical
disruption of the pedagogical foundations of teachers' work.
Educators are beginning to make progress, but there still are
many obstacles to be overcome before our schools effectively can
prepare the majority of their teachers and students for the
technological world of the 21st century.
Our schools still do not have adequate hardware and software to
make the widespread use of technology in education feasible.
Anyhow, some equipment needs have been addressed in a variety of
ways, including through the generosity of government,
cooperative and private foundations. Nevertheless, reliance on
one-time allocations or purchases by outside benefactors will
not enable schools to keep up with the pace of technological
change.
Until pedagogical boards and administrators begin to budget
adequately for technology equipment and ongoing staff
development, educators will be losing the battle. Schools,
including colleges and universities, as I think, do not have
budget models yet that take into account equipment depreciation
and the need for equipment and software upgrades that have
become routine in most business environments.
But even if
the resources are well allocated, certain challenges will pop up.
What challenges will
pedagogical administrators face?
Once
resources are allocated properly, administrators will face challenges in two
areas:
(1) making good investment decisions about equipment ,
and
(2) providing effective staff training in the use of
technology in the classroom.
On the question of equipment, the pace of technological change
brings some good news. Certain companies are packing more power
for fewer money. Making these decisions, however, will require
administrators to be sufficiently aware of the miscellaneous
technologies to discern which equipment and services will meet
the needs of their teachers and students.
Beyond money and equipment problems looms the most formidable
challenge in better student-teacher education and preparation.
On the side of the student, the mental image of the teenage
computer hacker while his teacher's most reliable tools remain
chalk, board markers, whiteboards and other classical tools will
not be removed from his mind.
It is clear that teachers must be educated more thoroughly about
technology, the impact throughout society, and about how it can
be used in teaching. Most teachers are not adequately prepared
yet to make use of exciting new educational technologies because
neither their teacher education programmes nor their schools
have provided sufficient time or incentives for them to learn.
What can we suggest
to adequately offer technology training for teachers?
As part of this
process of radical rethinking, the Kuwaiti Teacher Society has
tried to create more effective professional development
programmes for teachers. After implementing these programmes of
staff training, the hope is great that we will be ready to
require our teachers to demonstrate more proficiency in
educational technology. Though, technology training for teachers
will be an ongoing necessity.
In-service training for teachers in any subject long has been a
challenge in schools. Teachers have very little available time
during the workday for training and practice in educational
technology. They spend their time teaching and supervising their
students. At the end of the day, few teachers have the energy
left to engage in challenging technology workshops or staff
training courses. A potential solution is to provide
professional development for teachers through intensive courses
in the holidays.
Once teachers comply with these courses, programme makers must
ensure that their development programmes are meaningful and
effective. At first, many teachers will need to learn the basics
of computing and surfing the Web for classroom resources.
To be able to assist students in gaining technological skills,
teachers will have to learn:
- how to employ educational technologies in their daily
classroom instruction, and
- how to adapt teaching methods to all subject matter.
Workshops may be developed in cooperation with technology
training consultants or university departments. Universities
should house centres for Teaching Technology that can involve
support groups from across campus to help local teachers develop
their skills and implement educational technologies in their
classrooms.
In addition to participating in formal workshops and courses,
teachers will require on-site assistance as they begin to use
educational technologies. New technology applications such as
Web-based conferencing and help-desks can allow them to create
communities of practice where they can seek out technical
assistance and moral support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu pointed out that "a
journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." The need to
rethink education in the flood of the technological changes of
the last decade has appeared to be such a journey.
In our first steps, however, we have to thank the Ministry of
Education that acknowledged the teachers’ need to be continual
learners and the Kuwaiti Teacher Society that tries to provide
them the relevant opportunities. Moreover we have also to thank
respectfully those hardworking teachers who always try to
develop their abilities and capabilities.
At any rate, the more bridges that can be created among teacher
training programmes, local schools, professional educational
research teams, and technology experts, the more steps educators
will take on this journey to tomorrow.
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