Barriers to Technology Integration _ CLARITO

Barriers to Technology

Integration

Clarito, Leander Camille Z.

III - BSITE

Barriers to Technology Integration

• Lack of Vision

• Most teachers do not have a clearunderstanding of curricular uses oftechnology within the curriculum.“An important step in achievingmeaningful technology use is todevelop a vision of how to usetechnology to achieve importanteducational goals”.


• Lack of Access• Despite tremendous investmentsin technology, many schools lackthe infrastructure to support themost promising applications oftechnology. In addition, costscontinue to be high forpurchasing, connecting, andtraining teachers to usetechnologies.


• Lack of teacher confidence

• Fear of Failure, caused a lack ofconfidence. Limitations in teachers’ ICTknowledge makes them feel anxiousabout using ICT in the classroom andthus not confident to use it in theirteaching. Many teachers who do notconsider themselves to be well skilled inusing ICT feel anxious about using it infront of a class of children who perhapsknow more than they do.


• Lack of Inadequate Knowledge and Skills

• Even when the proper resources are present,teachers often struggle with an inadequateknowledge of specific technology, technology –supported pedagogy, and technology-related –classroom management. For many educators,particularly those who did not grow up withcomputers or the internet, technology can be afrightening concept. It may be easier to pass upthe use of a tool rather than admit to inadequateknowledge. Therefore, this can serve as asignificant barrier and may be demonstrated inthree different ways.


• Lack of knowledge of specific technology

• When a teacher finds a specifictechnology to be overwhelming orfrightening, he or she is unlikely toincorporate it into the curriculum. Forexample, teachers may not attempt toutilize any technology-related activitieswith their students if they have not firstlearned basic skills such as saving to ahome drive.


• Inadequate knowledge of technology-supported pedagogy

• While some teachers may understandhow to use digital tools, they maystruggle with how to use them toimprove instruction. Since mostprofessional development involvestechnical instruction in the mechanics ofa technology, teachers may not learnhow to use it to support the curriculum.In other words, teachers are taught themechanical basis of a digital tool, butnot the ways in which to effectivelyintegrate it in a classroom.


• Insufficient knowledge of technology-related-classroom management

• Classroom management has been identified as themost important factor influencing student learningalthough the rules and procedures established in atraditional classroom can apply in a technology-integrated one, there are additional policies thatmust be included and adapted once classroomsincorporate technological tools. For example, amedia specialist might have to introduce rulessuch as how many pages one can print, how toproperly use MP3 players or limits on how longeach student can use a computer. If educatorsfind it too cumbersome to manage a class that isutilizing technology, they will simply avoid its use.


• Lack of technology

• Without adequate hardware,software, internet access, andthe like, teachers and mediaspecialists may find it difficultto truly integrate technology.


• Lack of Time/Scarcity of time

• The lack of release time for teachers to learn,practice, or plan ways to use computers or theinternet for instruction. The lack of time in theschedule for students to use computers and theinternet in class: Integrating technology into acurriculum can be truly time-consuming, especiallywhen it must be aligned with curriculum, standardsand other goals. Educators must spend hourspreviewing websites, gaining familiarity withhardware and software, and acquainting themselveswith various programs. Teachers who are willing towork longer hours to do this often pay a personalprice in “burn-out” and an eventual exit from theschool.

Education

Barriers to Technology Integration _ CLARITO