Issues in Implementing
Technology in Schools
Chapter 12
Teaching and Learning with
Technology
By
Lever-Duffy, McDonald, Mizell
Presented by Laura Dacus
Chapter Outline
• What Do I Need to Know about
Technology Implementation?
• Strategic Planning for Technology
– Strategic Planning Steps
– The Action Plan
– The Teacher’s Role in Technology
Planning
• Current Issues in Technology
Implementation
– Legal Issues in the Digital Age
– Copyright and Fair Use
– Privacy
– Acceptable Use
– Software Piracy
• Social Issues in the Digital Age
• Ethical Issues in the Digital Age
– Freedom of Speech
– Privacy
– Academic Dishonesty
– Resources for Teachers
• Emerging Technologies and Issues
in Today’s Schools
– Emerging Technologies
– Emerging Issues: The Changing
Face of Instruction in the Digital Age
What Do I Need to Know?
• Although many school have personnel
responsible for implementing and
planning technology use, often
teachers are asked to serve on
technology planning teams. Educators
as end users should be prepared to
participate in planning for their school
district’s technology future.
Strategic Planning for
Technology
• BIG PICTURE
– Takes into account long-range as well
as short-range goals (need to have
representatives of all concerned parties)
7 Strategic Planning Steps:
1. Describe the Setting: “What are the
significant features in the setting in
which the plan will be implemented?”
2. SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats---Factors that
will affect the potential success of the
plan.
3. Determine Mission and Goals:
Describes the overall intent of the
plan.
Steps Continued…
4. State Objectives: What must happen
in order to achieve the goals?
5. Develop Strategies: Provides the
formal blueprint for implementation of
technology.
6. Evaluation: Plan the process that will
inform if the plan has been
successfully carried out.
7. Dissemination: Sharing the plan with
all involved parties and adjusting it
based on input.
The Action Plan
• After the technology plan has been
developed the action plan creates
a blueprint for activities to be
carried out. (grant writers, etc.)
Current Issues in Technology
Implementation
• Legal Issues
• Copyright and Fair Use
– “Reproduction of Copyrighted Works
by Educators and Librarians”
– http://www.loc.gov/copyright
• Privacy
• Acceptable Use
• Software Piracy
Social Issues in the Digital
Age
• Equity and Accessibility
– Some children leap ahead while
others fall behind. This gap between
the “haves” and the “have-nots” is
known as the digital divide.
–Government report “Falling
Through The Net, 2000”- 46% of
house holds earning $35-49K
have internet access. 66% of
households earning $50K or
more have access.
• Socioeconomics is not the only
indicator.
• Ethnic, gender, and education lines
as well.
– Although the number of men and
women using the internet is about the
same, few women have computer
related degrees or work in computer
related fields.
– 60% of people with college degrees
use the Internet, whereas only 7% of
those whose education stopped at
elementary school.
Ethical Issues in the Digital Age
• Freedom of Speech
– Content is not regulated and
therefore contains material
inappropriate for children
Access on a school’s network must be
controlled.
• Privacy vs Control and Monitoring
– “The controversy arises as to the
rights of any agency whether
governmental or commercial, to
closely monitor and record an
individual’s personal information or
online activities.”
Ten Commandments for
Computer Ethics
• Thou shalt not use a computer to
harm other people.
• Thou shalt not intefere with other
people’s comptuer work.
• Thou shalt not snoop around in other
people’s files.
• Thou shalt not use a computer to
steal.
• Thou shalt not use a computer to
bear false witness.
• Thou shalt not use or copy
software for which you have not
paid.
• Thou shalt not use other people’s
computer resources without
authorization.
• Thou shalt not appropriate other
people’s intellectual output.
• Thou shalt think about the social
consequences of the program you
write.
• Thou shalt use a computer in ways
to show consideration and respect.
• The Computer Ethics Institute
– http://www.brook.edu/its/cei/cei_hp.htm
Academic Dishonesty
• Papers online for sale
• Assignments done by others
• Copy and Pasting from web sites
• Schools can utilize anti-plagiarism
software
Emerging Technologies and
Issues in Today’s School’s
• Virtual Environments
• Artificial Intelligence
– Neural Networks: Software that learns and
adjusts its responses.
– Fuzzy Logic: Resembles human decision
making.
– Expert Systems: Offer suggestions and
advice on the basis of a database of
expertise.
Adapt to individual student’s needs.
• Wireless Connectivity
– Student laptops or PDA’s
• Convergence
– Blending of technologies into a
single multipurpose technology: text
messaging on phones
– Hopefully school resources would go
farther
Emerging Issues…
• Computers as Appliances
– Despite the current digital divide
eventually the computer will be a
common fixture in every household.
– Pocket PC’s for every student.
– Educators must learn to design
lessons for the digital age.
– Opportunities for adults to become
computer literate.
Changing Teacher Roles
• Teachers will not become obsolete
• Facilitate learning on a larger scale
– As distance education becomes more
prevalent, teachers may have a
global audience.
• Must stay current with technology
skills