Stages of Technology Integration

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     In the 1980's, Apple did a study on classroom teachers. "State of the Art" computers were given to volunteer teachers who were intentionally given little instruction, on the condition that they keep journals of their experience.  If a teacher was selected, their classroom received computers.  In addition, both students and teachers received computers for home use.  What were they hoping to find?  I'm not sure if even they knew.  I believe they just wanted to see how the technology would be used. What did they find based off of the teachers' journal entries? There were 5 stages teachers went through.

Stage 1: Entry

     I would describe this as the Anti-Technology stage.  People in this stage most likely don't have the technology, don't know how to use the technology, and as a result, don't like the technology.  It is of my personal belief that if the teachers understood the technology better, they wouldn't be as opposed to it.

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Stage 2: Adoption

      This stage is less Anti-Technology as it is not knowing technology.  Like Stage 1, Adoption doesn't use technology, but it is more due to a lack of knowledge rather than a negative viewpoint.

Stage 3: Adaption

      Now we're taking baby steps. We are seeing our first traces of technology, which most likely comes in the form of typing a document using a word processor.  Students are probably learning how to type, use grammar/spell check, save and print.  The Apple study described this phase as slow going and frustrating.

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Stage 4: Appropriation

     We're moving in the right direction! During Appropriation, the teacher has had the wool over their eyes removed and now see how much technology has to offer.  They start playing around with it and start to feel good about themselves.  Not only are they open to adding technology into their classroom, they now want their lesson and assessments to be embedded with technology.  While Apple obviously views this as a good thing, they noticed that teachers in this stage might go overboard and use technology just for the sake of using technology.

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Look at all these possibilities!!!

Stage 5: Innovation

      After spending time in Stage 4, you are now ready to move on to Innovation!  Teachers in this stage have been exposed to many different examples of technology and can be more selective in which technology works best for them and their curriculum.  They realize that not one technology tool works for everybody, and in some instances, students might feel better demonstrating knowledge without the use of technology.

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     Now that we have the 5 Stage of Technology Integration described, I need to figure out which stage I'm in.  It was very clear that I was well beyond the first 3 stages.  There were many things in Stage 4 that reminds me of myself.  Jerri G and I were the first (and maybe only) two volunteers to get a classroom Smart Board out of all the teachers at our school.  While I didn't know very much about interactive white boards at the time, I knew that it would make my life easier (typing/projecting notes vs using the messy overhead) and that it would engage students.  When I started using Open Education Resources (OERs) from LearnZillion, Khan Academy, Smart Exchange, and YouTube, my collection of resources went from a single textbook to a global collection gathered from experienced and innovative teachers.

     The other trait of Stage 4: Appropriation that I saw in myself was the "excess" or an eagerness to use as much technology as possible.   The good thing about this is that it exposed me to a wealth of technology resources, but perhaps it was too much.  Instead of really delving into just a few resources, I was scratching the surface of many, without realizing their full potential.  There were a few tools I would show my students, we would play around with it for a day or two, and then move on.  

    One major question I have is if it is possible to leapfrog Stage 4 and go right to Stage 5.  At first, I almost felt defensive when Stage 4 was described as the stage of "excess", but in my opinion, I think Stage 4 is a necessary step to get to Stage 5.  If the teacher doesn't have a strong desire to play around and use a wealth of technology, they will never be exposed to the many wonderful tools it has to offer.  How can you help your kids problem solve/ trouble shoot if you've never had to do it yourself? How can you become selective in your technology choices if you haven't thrown yourself out there and immersed yourself in technology?

MY STAGE: 4.5

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I hate to make it a .5, but I feel I'm not quite firmly planted in either.  While I still love exploring all the new things out there, I do believe I'm no longer using technology just to use technology.  The technology embedded in my classroom allows my students to access all my notes and instructional videos, provides me with immediate formative assessments, and allows my students choice when demonstrating knowledge, as well as authentic audiences for their work.  I'm not sure I will ever by completely in Stage 5, because there is always new technology I am seeking out.  Sometimes this makes it hard for me to hyper focus on one or two, but at least it exposes to me to all the wonderful things out there.