About This Case:
Many teachers continue to have difficulty integrating technology into classroom learning. Despite the fact that novice teachers are entering the classroom with far more advanced technology skills than their counterparts of an earlier age, less than half of teachers surveyed report “moderate” or “frequent” use of technology as an instructional tool (Grunwald Associates, 2010).
One cause of this difficulty seems to be the types of technology-related professional development teachers receive. Technology training is one of the most common types of professional development for teachers (NEA, 2008) but very few rate it as “useful” or “very useful.”
While effective and innovative use of technology by educators can benefit students, one of the fundamental problems can be that people do not have a clear and coherent sense of the reasons for educational change, what it is, and how to proceed (Fullan, 1991). As a result, there can be superficiality, confusion, and misunderstanding about the purpose of the reform; in this case the use of technology in the classroom.
This case provides details regarding the situation but offers no solutions; learners will demonstrate proficiency in the given areas by responding to the questions following the case.