BFTP: What tech use should NOT be optional for teachers?

I don't see the issue of what technology use should be required by classroom teachers discussed in the literature much. (It's boring management stuff rather than the exciting visionary stuff.) It is a touchy subject, but since I am bit touched anyway, let's proceed...

The debate about whether teaching is truly a "profession" has been bandied back and forth for a loooong time - at least I remember discussing it when I was a little education student growing up on the prairie.  Teachers are supposed to be autonomous practitioners somehow all contained within in a bureaucratic organization - and that leads to some interesting boundary questions.

In general I am very much appalled by efforts to teacher-proof curricula and to generally de-professionalize our jobs. Such theories and strategies are political - not pedagogical. In general, individual teachers should be given very broad latitude in how they teach and the tools they use to meet local, state, and national objectives. Good teaching has many faces and a variety of teaching styles is good for meeting a variety of learning styles.

That said, teachers are a part of a larger organization - a team, a community, if you will. We have an obligation to our clients - the community, parents, and students we serve. Our community hires us for our output and pays our salaries, after all. Common tools and expectations are a necessary part of any organization.

So for better or worse, here would be my technology use "requirements" for all teachers were I King of Schools. All teachers will:

• Use the student information system to track attendance and record grades.
• Use the student information system's online gradebook to list individual progress/results on student work (quizzes, tests, projects, etc.) in a timely manner so parents and students have access to real-time information.
• Have a web-presence that includes (at minimum) contact information, classroom expectations of students, and general course outlines with clear learning objectives and time lines. Any large projects should be described along with the assessment tools used to evaluate them.
• Make available online all forms, lists, and guides useful to parents.
• Use the student information system, school e-mail system, and school telephone system to electronically communicate with parents.
• Use tools provided by the district that are a standard part of each classroom -  projection system, voice amplification system, IWB, etc. and participate in training needed for the equipment's effective use.
• Word process all written materials to be given to students (for ease of reading).
• Receive/access all district communications online.
• Use any district-adopted learning management system to provide blended learning experiences for students.
• Use any digital content resources (e-books, databases, full-text magazine indices, math/reading programs) adopted by the district.
• Use any school provided student devices as regular part of instruction. (added to original 2010 list)

Is this too much to ask? Does this put a huge crimp in anybody's style of teaching? Or is it just "professional" to use the tools one is provided - whether a soldier, banker, or physician?

One of our tech keynote pundits (sorry I don't remember which one) reminds us that if anything is optional, some people will choose not to do it. A simple, but profound observation.

Modify my list - make it better...

Original post January 29, 2010 (Read the comments on the original post - great thoughts!)

Comments

[Kenn Gorman]

I am still confused by the number of teachers that create all of their materials electronically and then PRINT everything. Back in the day you did not have a choice, but today you do. And even the crumby, old and confusing student information systems have some way to place notes, handouts, schedules and other paper stuff online. I see students everyday with binders of paper that will only be usable for a week or two, which then gets thrown away only to be replaced with more paper.

So - maybe add the following...
:
"If a teacher creates something electronically they must provide it to others electronically."

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Kenn,

I see this too. The solution is not to ban printing, but to make printing as inconvenient as possible, I think. Somebody refers to older generations as being "paper trained" and it will take some time to get people beyond that!

Doug

[Jean Tower]

I would add that teachers need to learn about web accessibility and need to be able to post documents on the web such that they are accessible to students and family members who have disabilities.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Jean,

Yes, good addition. I wish web-based content providers would make doing so a little more automatic.

Doug​