Therefore, technology must be heavily integrated into the learning process as well in order to best prepare the children we teach. Our students must be able to interact with technology, use it as a tool to enhance learning, and be comfortable with it so it can enable them to reach their full potential.

We have seen for years an influx of technology systems in schools in the way of computer labs, individual computers in classrooms, laptops, and other equipment. In many cases, this technology has enhanced the classroom in ways teachers were not able to do before its arrival. Technology allows educators to customise learning in great detail. It enables teachers to reach learners at a depth that would otherwise be nearly impossible. In the best cases, technology has helped teachers to make the classrooms engaged at a high level, and in a way that puts the power of technology into students’ hands. However, getting classrooms to fully capitalise on the power of technology can sometimes be a struggle. Students are typically more comfortable with technology than their teachers are. The students were born into the world of technology, while the teachers had to learn it as an afterthought. Further, teachers are incredibly busy with all they have to accomplish in the way of teaching content, assessing students’ learning of that content, and so on. So sometimes what we find is that technology takes a back seat to content, teaching strategies, and tests. Teachers may feel that they do not have time to use the technology because they don’t see it as something critical, or because the administration has already put so much other pressure on them, they feel obliged to relegate technology to a time when their “real teaching” is done.

When I work with schools to help them make the best of technology, I actually spend a lot of time on the human networking side of things – having high level conversations with a school faculty on how to support each other effectively, and how to enable each other to use technology more successfully. I work with the school leaders to get them to view technology not as a separate piece of the learning puzzle, but as a core, interwoven thread throughout all grade levels and classrooms. Teachers must also feel empowered that they have a framework of colleagues in place who are all pushing themselves to learn a little more. This foundation can make teachers feel there are several critical components needed to help schools realise the full potential of technology.

First, there must be ongoing professional development and training for the school staff. That training must include high-level conversations in which teachers are given time and opportunity to discuss and reflect on how to integrate technology in a way that isn’t overwhelming to the teacher. For example, teachers should be given time to meet with other teachers to look at a particular learning unit, explore some technology resources, and then plan together to determine a rich course of action for including technology into that unit in a way that makes sense, and truly enriches the intended outcome. Those conversations must be frequent, and must be structured with support from the administration and from the technology side as well. They must include time for teachers to plan. Many successful trainings will have teachers bring with them a few learning units or lesson plans that they are working on, and spend time in the workshop examining those plans in light of new technologies they wish to incorporate.

A second layer to professional development is a chance for teachers to actually have hands-on time to use the various technologies, so that they do feel a higher level of comfort with the tools they are about to use with students. Teachers are typically the experts in the room when it comes to content.Many teachers can feel intimidated when it comes to technology, however, because their students are usually very well-versed in technology as it seems to come second nature to them. I would not suggest that teachers will ever be more comfortable with technology itself than the students are, but they should be encouraged to not be fearful of it either. The best strategy for this is to ensure that they have time to experiment, and talk with each other about good tools, effective uses and strategies, and so on.

Administrators can help make this happen by looking at the day to day schedule of the school as a whole, and working to find blocks of time for teachers to experiment and collaborate with each other. In addition, it is important that administrators model effective uses of technology in the educational process. At a minimum, administrators may want to use something as simple as a PowerPoint presentation during staff meetings to convey information, display learning data, and so on. It is important that administrators use technology for learning purposes themselves, and share what they’ve learned with teachers. School principals might explore websites that are specific to a content area or grade level, and then have conversations with teachers about how they might integrate the use of that website into a learning unit. Just as students should see their teachers using technology effectively and modeling its appropriate use, teachers should see the same in principals.

An important strategy in getting an entire school to make better use of technology is to look at the underlying system of support for teachers, students, and the learning process as a whole. That underlying framework consists of professional development, as described above. It also must include access to equipment on an equitable basis.Teachers can have the best laid plans for technology’s use, but if they don’t have access to the equipment they need, the plans will certainly not materialise. It is crucial that if school systems do have high expectations for their students graduating into a globally-competitive and technology-driven world, they must make ample hardware, software, and Internet access available in the classrooms. This means that, in the ultimate situation, each classroom would have access to multiple computers both inside the classroom itself, and in a lab situation. This enables teachers to have small workgroups using computers and Internet technologies, but also a one-toone situation when students are doing work that requires individual access. Ideally, teachers would have a computer dedicated to their own use as well, that isn’t shared with students. This allows teachers to keep learning data, plans, Internet resources, etc. saved on their computer without risking it being deleted or handled by students.

Taking time to examine the overall foundation for technology in schools is a must. The staff needs ongoing professional development, a human and social network of support, and ample access to equipment in order to truly make the school a technologyrich learning environment. School leaders can survey the landscape of their building to see if this is the case, and then make plans to lead technology by modeling its use for faculty and students, and closing gaps where they exist. The Internet has changed dramatically in the last few years, now offering richer resources and higher levels of customisation than ever before. Educators must tap into this potential in schools, and realise that technology’s use is not an afterthought, but rather a critical layer in the successful education of 21st century students.

Chris O'Neal is a former primary and middle school teacher, for which he received numerous Teacher of the Year honors. After leaving the classroom, Chris went on to work as a school district technology consultant,where his duties included technology planning, professional development, etc. He went on to work at the State Department of Education in Louisiana for 5 years, focusing on professional development, teacher planning and preparation, district support, and eventually becoming the state director of educational technology. He is now an independent consultant providing educational leadership services across the U.S. and several other countries.