The school that I work for is a small private school. We are currently aligning our curriculum to the Michigan Content Level Expectations. We have not yet begun looking at the Michigan Technology Standards as classroom teachers. Our students attend a 45-minute computer class per week. The computer teacher is required to turn in plans that are aligned to the Michigan Educational Technology Standards. After thoroughly reading this document, I can see how impossible it is for this teacher to adequately prepare our students in 45-minutes per week and how it is imperative that the classroom teacher be involved in the technology education of our students.
It is very evident that, in order to meet the standards, technology has to be incorporated into every aspect of the student’s education. Although we have a Smartboard in every classroom and a computer lab, these tools are not being used to the extent which they need to be used. We use them for the occasional math drill and practice or to bring up documents that were once displayed on an overhead projector. Based on these standards it is expected, and it should be expected, that the teacher be innovative and pursue new ways to incorporate these important technology standards into his/her everyday teaching.
After reading the standards I couldn’t help but wonder how teachers are expected to meet them when they themselves do not know how to do many of these things that the kids are expected to learn and also do not have access to much of the technology that is mentioned. I am hopeful that the 2010 Michigan Educational Technology Plan will help remedy these problems and make it possible for schools to train staff effectively and update equipment. Unfortunately, every year that goes by that a school remains outdated is another year that new technologies are being implemented and another year that we fall behind.
Your comment about wondering how teachers are expected to teach the students when in fact the teacher is as or more technologically challenged than the student is something I faced several years ago. My division was purchased by another corporation. My "new" position was to teach basic networking which I knew very little about the subject. Talk about stressing! Thank goodness I was allowed take classes and shadow the instructor whom I would be replacing. So I believe it is imperative that the MET address the issue of training the instructor. At the very least, each school district should have a plan to bring each of its teachers to the competencies that they are expected to teach. And yes, I am still learning something new in every class.
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