I've been thinking about sharing on this topic for awhile, but I have hesitated because I've already upset some in our system and sharing might actually bring some responses that I may not be ready for. Over the last few weeks I have found myself in multiple situations where the topic of interactive white boards has surfaced and specifically the desire to purchase more.
This is our first year using them in some secondary math classes. We are supposed to be collecting data on their use, changes to instructional practice, influence on learning, and the staff development necessary for teachers to use them effectively and efficiently. We have not been very effective at collecting this information though there is anecdotal information that suggests significant differences in use by individual teachers. This isn't surprising considering the complexity of the tool and the scope of support we have provided teachers.
Given this situation am I wrong in not wanting to scale up this tool to other classrooms and in other content areas? Many teachers and administrators see it as a no-brainer and are probably using descriptive words in the parking lot to describe my behavior. They see other districts purchasing them for all classrooms as we have with the document camera, projector, and laptop. When I am asked why we made these purchases without data I struggle to articulate a convincing rationale and reason for treating the board differently.
I say that my position isn't about the board it is about the process used to make scale up decisions and that I would be taking the same position for scale up of any tool. But, it is difficult to separate the relatively high cost of the tool's impact on the remaining tech levy revenue from the impact of other potential purchases.
Well, what do you think, am I wrong? Should we be purchasing more without data about their use and effectiveness in our system? Do we need to know if we have the capacity to support teacher's learning and use of the tool or is the potential to make learning more visual enough to make the decision a no-brainer? Is there a need for the tool in all content areas or is it better suited for some over others? I'd like to hear from you about this situation as we struggle to make these important decisions.
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3 comments:
Given a lack of information on how they are used and why we should buy more, it seems it would be silly to purchase millions of dollars worth of interactive boards. Many of the simple things teachers do with active boards (save notes, draw/take notes on documents, etc.) can be done without the board and, instead, done with the projector and a whiteboard (something I've done effectively this year). Maybe instead of an active board, we buy a camera so teachers can take and upload digital images of notes. Or perhaps we buy microphones and/or video cameras to record lessons and post them to our websites. These are both cheaper and might do a lot more to help students. In all honesty, the active board doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to students (at least, the ones I've talked to about it). Yes, they're cool, but do they really increase student achievement?
If increasing student achievement is the problem, perhaps what we need to be doing is working on being more efficient with the resources we have (i.e. laptops, ELMOs, projectors, etc.), rather than throwing more money at the problem.
- Tahoma Teacher
As someone who supports staff with technology, I would like to see this kind of thought process on not only technology hardware but software and web-based tools. If the tools we give teachers have not been thoroughly tested in a classroom setting, we really don't know how things will work and the details end up killing the progress. I have witness so much frustration with staff trying to use new technology. From work being deleted on unsecure websites, difficulties with connections on the roving laptop labs, to not having licenses to use plug-ins for CD's curriculum has giving teachers to teach with. It doesn't need to be given to them on a silver platter but it does need to be on a plate so it doesn't spill through our fingers. Some staff can adjust to this new teaching with out too much difficulty. I call them natural users. They aren't intimadated by technology and how things can change from the last time you use to the next. Unfortunately, not all good teachers are natural users. Too many times this year I have heard staff say after trying something new or witnessing a colleague struggle "I'm not going use that! This process needs to be re-thought" Slow and steady is not alway a popular idea, but it is stable. Is our foundation strong enough to support this technology house we are building?
I believe that any teacher could find a way to use the active board in their classroom. However, the total cost of this item makes one really sit back and wonder if it the best possible use of those dollars. I personally could use one in my class, but can get by and teach just as well as another teacher that has one in their classroom.
One problem that I see with truely researching a tool is that by the time you decide the tool is benifical... there is a new tool that is even better. It's about taking risks. We took a risk with the laptops and I think it was a good risk that has paid off. I think that these boards would be more then a risk and not worth the overall cost.
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