Is the magic gone?
Thursday, August 2, 2007 at 05:56PM 
If you were a teacher in the Mankato schools, you'd have a one in five chance of coming in to see me (or one of my staff) this month. We'd be sitting down for about an hour unpacking, putting together, configuring and exploring your brand new computer. Had you been with the district since 1992, this might be the 4th new computer of your career with us. (Nearly half of the 40 teachers who got computers in 1992 are still employed by the district.)
That first year you teachers would have received a Mac Classic II computer (9" B&W screen, 16MGz CPU, 2Mg RAM, 40Mg hard drive), a StyleWriter inkjet printer, a 14.4 baud modem, ClarisWorks and CODE 77 training.
In 1997, you'd have gotten a PowerMac 5400. In 2002, an eMac. Today's teachers get the choice of an iMac (17" LCD color screen, 1.83GHz CPU, 1 Gig RAM, 80 GB hard drive, wi-fi, Bluetooth, built-in camera...) or MacBook laptop, both running OSX and Windows XP with Parallels and Microsoft Offfice. Just amazing to consider the improvements in the hardware.
A new computer in our district has always been accompanied by required formal, hands-on training, ranging from 30 hours the first go-round (this is how you use a mouse) to 12 hours more recently. Not enough, of course, but something.
The early days were really exciting. A lab of teachers would collectively gasp when when learning word processing when they changed the font of an entire document using Open Apple A. Sort of cool. Getting a computer was a competitive process when there were more teachers wanting one than funds available (enough for 20% of the faculty) and it was thrilling to be "up" for a new computer.
It's a different group coming in to pick up their computers this summer of 2007. Participation is no longer competitive, an honor, or even optional. The computer for too many is not about creativity, but only about work - grades, attendance, data analysis for NCLB, online testing, IEPs, parent communication, and website updates. A teacher cannot do his/her job without a networked comptuer. Who'd have thought that giving up an hour (but being paid for it) in the summer to learn about and pick up a brand-new computer would be resented by so many teachers today. Maybe I'm just naive. Is this is like expecting a convict in a chain gang to be excited about his new shovel?
But most teachers are very happy to get the new machines - and some are just as excited today about them as they were in 1992. And that is cool. I showed one teacher how to use the built in camera and ComicLife and you'd a thought she'd died and gone to heaven. She could not wait to show "her" students. Pretty easy to pick which teachers I'd want for my own kids.
Can you instill a love of life-long learning in others if you aren't an enthusiastic life-long learner yourself?
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On a side note: I had a depressing thought that after 16 years, I am still learning my job - and most days feeling about as competent as the first day I started. Time to revisit the Peter Principle???
Reader Comments (13)
I am beginning my third year at a K-8 (also my third year as a media specialist) school. This summer, in response to a faculty survey, we are offering lots of ed tech training. We have had great attendance and a high level of interest in new tech tools - like Google Earth, Unitedstreaming etc. The summer pace has allowed many of our teachers to have more time to consider how they can use ed tech. I have also had more time to talk with them individually and in small groups. Of course I know as we get into the year just keeping up with all of the demands of the school information system will become a challenge. Parents now expect results and comments for tests, quizzes, and everything to be posted ASAP.
Oh, Doug, Doug, Doug! I'm sure you realize how incredibly lucky you (we!) are to have a job that's always changing, always giving us something new to learn and feel passionate about. Everytime I start thinking I'm growing bored with teaching, along comes some new technique or tool I can't wait to try out with my kids. Having worked my way through college as a medical transcriptionist, a job that's about as brain dead as it gets, I definitely appreciate the infinite mutability that is teaching.
It also says something about you that you DO feel like a neophyte, occasionally. We all know the teachers out there who feel they've "mastered" their subject because they're using the same handouts and tests they created ten years ago. It shows you're thinking and growing and reflecting on your own pedagogy. Good on you!
Doug,
I'm sure the team has done everything to make the teachers excited about the new machines. I hope that thought has been given to: whats in it for me? Is the machine as you say, a tool to help the district to get its work done through me? Or is it a tool to help me get my work done quicker and better so that I free up time for profession development and/or home?
I think the spin could be all the difference. Backed up of course, with new tools on the new machines that make them believe that this spin is true.
All the best!
Vivek
Yes, thanks for jogging the memory on the Peter Principle! Had forgotten about it!
Hi Ernie,
I appreciate your note. Since it seem we have so little time to help inservice our staff, we tend to concentrate on the big productivity tools like Office and gradebooks, etc. Maybe it's time to rethink this and start focusing on creativity tools!
Doug
Doug, if you catch your staff looking unappreciative or even resentful, you could point out that even in modern places like Australia, public school teachers don't automatically get a computer. My school is a real exception in that we have funded a laptop for every teacher but it has come from the school's local management funds and the school's own vision of the future - not from the wider department who have decided it's too expensive to fund on a system basis and a union whose standard line is that it will increase teacher workload (and I'm a committed union member). A new computer - I'd be excited! And by the way, our technology training has to be done in our own time and at our own expense unless, again, the school funds it or in my own case, runs it.
Hi Jeri,
You are right, of course. I really wouldn't want things any other way - most days!
Doug
Hi Vivek,
We try to emphasize the WIIFM (or WIFFMS What's In It For My Students) in our training. What I see as a change are so many requirements anymore. I am not sure there is always much of a WIIFM in them!
Appreciate the comment as always!
Doug
Hi Graham,
I really appreciate your perspective. I am guessing there are still plenty of US schools where teacher computers are not assured as well.
Since I've been using a computer as part of my teaching and administration since about 1982 (25 years!), I find it hard to understand how anyone can do his/her job without one!
Thanks much for writing in,
Doug
I'd love it if my district had provided my MacBook, which I certainly use for school related projects, but also for home and play. One question, though, that you've probably discussed but I'm new here: How do you handle the very wide generation gap in technology trainings. I've had to sit through hour after painful hour of stuff I either already knew or could learn much easier by "messing around" a bit. One helpful stance our tech folks sometimes took was the option of being "off task" and just playing around with stuff was allowed or encouraged while they did more guided demonstrations for older teachers.
Hi Amy,
Your comments/question are excellent. Just like with students, we get a wide range of adult learners in our tech classes as well.
We've tried off and on to move to a more individualized model of staff development in technology. (See http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/now-that-your-know-the-basics.html) It was so different that it did not take off like I wanted it to, but it is time to try it again!
Thanks again for the great comments.
Doug
Sorry that I had no way to email you this as well.
As a Peace Corps teacher trainer living and working in Ukraine, I have to say I'd be thrilled if I had some of those nice, new computers to use with the teachers that I train here. The equipment in our institute is old, barely works, and is laboriously slow, and we lack the software that would enable us to do many multimedia activities. The teachers here, however, are so grateful and eager to learn whatever they can - what an inspiration they would be to some of your staff!
Hi Linda,
I think we are ALL pretty spoiled in our school! Thanks for the perspective and best to you in the Ukraine.
Doug