Technology Tips for New Teachers Who Want to E-Teach

In the modern technological world, teachers understand that encouraging the use of technology will give their students added confidence, skills and improved performance with understanding their course content. How should new teachers step up to the tasks of using modern technology and how much help should they provide students? Is using technology in the class room worth the effort? If you're a new teacher, think about these issues and tips for resolving any problems that students may encounter when using technology in teaching your class before your class starts.

One thing every teacher should know is that they should NOT use any technology in their class room that they haven't tested thoroughly.

Given the above statement, how should a new teacher go about testing technology that they might want to use in their classroom?

Step One: Examine the Course Syllabi for Potential Use of Technology in the Classroom

Prepare a list of tools that could be used in teaching your course syllabi. Find out if the tools are available for your use.

Test how the tool works to ensure your understanding of the tool matches your expectation. If you think you have a fit, develop a schedule for doing the work necessary to provide the use of that technology with your course. Start with the simplest use of technology and work through all the issues related to the use of that technology in your class. Don't try to use all available technologies all at once.

Step Two: Evaluate Your Goals in Using Technology in the Classroom

Before you decide to go ahead with your plan to use technology in the classroom, ask yourself what your goal is in using the technology. Use of technology in the classroom should:

1) Build student skills and confidence in their use of technology

2) Improve student learning of the course content

3) Reduce Teacher duties

Unless one of these three goals is met, that technology should not be used in the classroom.

Step Three: Examine the Hardware Requirements for Your Use of Technology in the Classroom

If the Hardware is Available in the Classroom

Check the room where the equipment will be used to ensure it has adequate power. Check the devices to make sure they are operational by turning them off and on. Do this before every class.

If the Hardware is Available to Students Via the Internet

If so, write a set of instructions explaining how to get an internet account, provide a list of places where computers are available without cost for those that don't have them, and explain how to get started. Explain where the students can get help if their equipment isn't functional.

If the Hardware is Only Available to Students in a Special Lab

Make sure that all of the students can access the lab. Give them instructions on where the lab is, how to get into the lab, and how to use the equipment.

Identify the Work Around if the Hardware is Unavailable

If the equipment won't turn on, check the outlet to verify it's plugged in. Check the cables to make sure they are tightened. Make sure the outlet is functional and always use a surge protector on expensive electrical equipment. If there is special knowledge required to set the equipment up in working condition, make sure you have a written procedure to follow.

Make sure that your presentation can work without the equipment, or that you can cover alternative material in case of power outage.

Plan for the time needed to test these steps and write the procedures before using the hardware in the classroom in step three. Add to your procedure every time something doesn't work and you fix it so you know how to handle it the next time.

Step Four: Examine the Software Requirements for Your Use of Technology in the Classroom

McKeachie's Teaching Tips lists several technology teaching aids-presentation materials via PowerPoint or equivalent package, chat groups, online research databases, course management systems like WebCT, Blackboard, and TopClass. I've also been in courses with teleconferencing capability and these always require extra time to make the session synchronize at all sites.

By comparing the course syllabus to the software offerings, a teacher can assess where the tool will help i.e. presentation materials for lectures, chat groups for group projects and analysis of work, research databases as sources of materials, and course management systems to aid in testing, providing course materials, assessment and analyzing the work students do in the class.

Step Five: Using the Technology in the Classroom

Prepare the Class for Using the Technology

Prepare a guide to get the class started using the technology and make sure they have access to the needed software.

Teachers should restart the class every quarter, removing old files, deleting accounts and setting up new accounts, revising tests, updating presentation materials and reanalyzing how the syllabus works with the technology. In class, teachers should verify that all students are able to work using the technology and should also plan activities where the
students can work while they are resolving problems with the technology.

Step Six: Evaluate the Success of Using the Technology in the Classroom

A new teacher should ask for feedback on the use of technology in the classroom as part of the assessment at the end of the term and use this information in planning, revising and reusing materials created for the course.

The potential for the use of technology in the classroom is great, it's up to teachers to plan ahead and get the coursework set up to use these techniques.