Journal 4: "It's Time to Trust Teachers with the Internet" (NETS 4)

Schaffhauser, D. (2010, December 01). It's time to trust teachers with the internet: a conversation with meg ormiston. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/12/01/Its-Time-To-Trust-Teachers-with-the-Internet-A-Conversation-with-Meg-Ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en&Page=1

Summary:  Meg Ormiston is currently working on incorporating technology in the classroom. However, she states that the main problem with using technology in the classroom is that school districts limit what teachers can have access to. In this article, Schaffhauser interviews Ormiston regarding teachers restrictions when using the internet in the classroom. Ormiston find that teachers become unmotivated to use technological tools, such as the internet, because of the restrictive policies school implement that aren't very clear. These policies block sites that teachers are able to have access to and often times the sites that are blocked are determined by people who are not educators. For example, Ormistron says some programs schools use automatically block certain sites. Teachers become frustrated that they don't have access to the sites and information they need via the internet so they simply give up on using this tool in the classroom. The article states that teachers need to be able to educate their students on responsible and safe computing because when they leave the school the internet is no longer restricted. Ormistron argues that technology is a necessity to effectively educating and engaging students today and teachers, as professionals, should be trusted to have full access to tools such as the internet.

Question 1: What are some ways teachers can push for more internet accessibility?

           One idea is for teachers to come together and form a committee dedicated to promoting technology use in the classroom. The article states that many teachers simply give up on using the tool all together, therefore there is no motivation to gain access and control because teachers simply aren’t using the technology. However, if there is a group and a lead person focused on developing knowledge and promoting the use of these tools, more teachers will learn the need for technology in the classroom and become more motivated to change the restrictive policies.

Question 2: Children these days tend to know more about the new technology then adults. How can teachers become more knowledgeable when it comes to today’s technology?

          Teachers can learn more about the use of technology and gain practice by using it more in their daily lives. The more one uses technology, the more familiar and comfortable with it. It is also important for schools to give teachers further education regarding technology. Professional development focused on incorporating technology into education should be provided to teachers through their school districts. It is important for teachers to become more knowledgeable when it comes to using technology so they can teach their students to make good decisions when using these tools.