EDUC 5373 Week 1 Blog
I read the interview with Rick Hassler, who addressed technology mishaps with collaborative leadership. During this interview, Hassler details his beginning in education as a history teacher, giving him a unique classroom perspective before moving to more specific technological roles like coordinator and Chief of Technology (Stachowiak & McClay, 2019). During his time as a technology coordinator, Hassler navigated a large-scale technology IPAD integration that required him to monitor, adapt, and problem-shoot technological issues and complications in teacher integration practices. Hassler explains how, during this process, he came to the conclusion that to successfully integrate technology into the classroom, modification of teachers' practices was needed. His experience and success as a coordinator led to him becoming the Chief of Technology and molded his ideas about leadership and teaching practices. Through Hasslers' process, I noticed that the path to success and the career you want will not always be smooth. It requires hard work and determination, often leading to conclusions that are not always widely accepted.
Hassler's claims were interesting to me. I agree with Hassler's findings that teachers need to change their approaches to include technology as a collaborative tool in their lessons. However, I do not always think that teachers are open or willing to hear that their pedagogy needs updating, and he does mention that he was met with resistance. But I do think if you are not willing to do or say the hard things, change will never happen.
During Hassler's interview, he specifically addresses the importance of not just including technology integrations but also making changes to educators' instructional techniques (Stachowiak & McClay, 2019). He mentions the tools, structures, and frameworks available, like the ISTE standards, Triple E Model, and SAMR, to help modify teachers' practices and allow them to think about technology integrations differently than they have before.
Through his experience, Hassler has determined that providing teachers with short professional development and presentations is not sufficient if they are to change their pedagogy and integrate technology effectively (Stachowiak & McClay, 2019). Hassler suggests that teachers need their own curriculum, leadership, and a shift in coaching with the backing of their school administration if they are to make changes.
Hassler recounts device management issues during his IPAD coordination with Apple ID malfunctions, which made the technology impossible to manage (Stachowiak & McClay, 2019). He also mentions inadequate professional development, pushback on adapting teaching practices, and school and district leadership gaps. However, when these challenges arose, Hassler was able to implement structured support systems, tools, frameworks, and successful models from other school districts that helped create change.
I enjoyed reading this interview. It broadened my understanding of just how much of an undertaking effectively implementing technology in the classroom can be. Providing teachers with professional development alone will not magically lead to students achieving their learning goals. Instead, a comprehensive approach is required. This includes professional development, coaching, creating a support team, establishing district and campus goals, modeling effective practices, securing community support, and ensuring that educational leaders are ready and willing to implement change. After reading this interview, I am inspired to continue my work on my call to action regarding the design divide. This realization, however, reveals that it will take systematic change to be entirely successful.
References
Stachowiak, B., & McClay, J. (2019). Igniting your leadership with technology. Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.pub/edd7032018f/
Danna, I thought your reflection on Hassler’s interview effectively captures the complexity of technology integration in education. I appreciate your emphasis on the challenges of shifting teacher pedagogy. It’s great to see how this interview has further inspired your work on the design divide.
ReplyDeleteThis has been my experience with professional development as well, that if it is given and there is no other follow up or support, it doesn't tend to do much. There has to be more of an expectation that teachers will use it in the classroom, and more ongoing support and discussion around it for change to happen in most classrooms. Teaching is complex and we do so much of it by habit. Habits take time and effort to change, even if people are willing and buy into the idea.
ReplyDeleteWhile not a school teacher, yet, I can always tell the professors who had a great hand and passion in teaching subjects where it becomes obvious they've contributed in its development. A good school administration should recognize and encourage breaking beyond the expected norms of "the schedule" and move into enhanced teaching methods; some of the most effective "knowledge that sticks" are expressed in analogies, which are often derived from experience.
ReplyDelete