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Introduction |
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Introduction
Digital Technologies Changing Literacies Teacher Training No Technology Methodology Courses &
Workshops Conclusion
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Writing/Teachers and Digital
Technologies: In Opening Spaces: Writing Technologies and Critical Research Practices, Patricia Sullivan and James Porter suggest that one of the "spaces" they wish to open for computers and writing research is "to encourage more study of the use of writing technologies in the workplace" (185). This web, I hope, initiates further discussion of not only technologies in the workplace, but specifically, how programs, departments, and universities implement those technologies for the training of new teachers. Here I present the results of a national survey conducted during 2003 and 2004. It is important to note here, however, that the survey only presents attitudes, opinions, and feelings on particular kinds of technology training. It is also important to point out that quite possibly things have already changed somewhat since 2003-2004. What I have learned here is that there are a wide range of possibilities for effective teacher training with technologies. For example, sometimes "tool-type" training is necessary and effective, when the training needs to be expanded into a pedagogical realm, meaning that tool-type training, to be effective, should train new teachers more about how to use technologies to teach writing well. This web originated from my experiences as a new teacher of writing, one thrust into the technology-rich classroom without specific training with technologies. Other new teachers and myself have often debated what we might need to be better teachers of writing in classrooms that frequently include LCD projectors, Internet access, and 25-30 computers for our students. Rather than claiming that the results reported here illustrate thoroughly what others are doing to train new teachers with technology, this web can only initiate further questions and discussions into technology training for new teachers. Of vital importance here is that for the last two years, at the Graduate Research Network, teacher training and technology have been significant subjects of discussion. The Computers and Writing Community seems to want to know what others are doing to train teachers, what has been effective, and what has failed. Furthermore, what should the role of the department and program be in relation to any training provided by the university? Additionally, this web is not intended to be theoretical in nature, rather it is simply reporting what I have found in my own preliminary research into this issue. Not only have I been inspired to pursue technology training for new teachers by my experiences, but also because I now find myself in the situation of working with new teachers and striving to provide the type of training new teachers need to be successful in the writing classroom. This brief web is simply intended to initiate a discussion of technology training for new teachers. University sponsored workshops are necessary and valuable, but those workshops should be supplemented by departmental workshops where pedagogy and theories of using technology are addressed. And this is the kind of training that departments should be considering when faced with training new teachers. Only a few gifted individuals can walk into a classroom without prior training and teach writing effectively. Fewer still can walk into a technology rich classroom and teach effectively without appropriate preparation. Most of us in composition studies require direct instruction in both technology and teaching writing with technology. Thus, an important and significant question to address is the state of technology training in composition graduate programs. Research assessing the preparation of our teaching assistants (TA) and future tenure-track faculty members is crucial, for it will let us know where we are and where we need to go in order to offer the best preparation for our graduates. The need for such research is even more pressing when we consider the extent to which undergraduate literacy has been affected by pervasive digital technologies. The small survey I conducted, and present here, reveals that many programs are "offering" workshops and courses on teaching writing with technology. There is no doubt that programs are re/considering the methods they use to employ such teacher training. It is also evident that many programs have little to no assessment of training practices as they relate to technology. Additionally, both graduate students and faculty view technology training as "somewhat" effective. The two most important findings of this particular study are that one, there is no assessment, and two, that workshops/courses, whether required or offered, never mention the theory behind using technology to teach writing. However, the survey does not specifically ask participants to address theoretical aspects to technology training. But, since the survey offered textboxes for the expansion of participant responses, I expected that some respondents would allude to some sort of theoretical training or make mention of the issue even if tangentially. But, surprisingly, respondents did not. The fact that there is no formal assessment of technology training is interesting especially when there is a discrepancy or disconnect between faculty and graduate student perceptions. University workshops are typically tool-oriented, meaning, that the "instructor" of such workshops point to a menu item in a piece of software and say, "this button does this." Let me outline three reasons that indicate the importance of a survey exploring teaching and technology training: the growing presence of digital technologies, our students’ changing literacies, and the ways in which we must respond to these literacies so that we continue to teach writing well. |