Article+Overview

Andres Chavez

EDLD 5306

September 15, 2011

The article in which I chose to do my overview was, “Learning to Teach with New Technology: Implications for Professional Development” by Chrystalla Mouza. This article caught my attention because there are many teachers out there who want to embrace technology into their classroom, yet for a number of reasons do not. The study took place in the early 2000’s in which three teachers with different background experience took part (277). Each teacher also had a different set of technology equipment to work with in their classroom. What also played into effect was the relationship and support that the teacher had with their colleagues. The results concluded that one teacher did not end up using the technology because of discipline problems (281). Another teacher (the one with the most technological experience) had little insight knowing how to create proper activities (281). Another teacher was able to use the computers and technology for word processing and was also able to create new activities as well (281). Even though this data was taken about ten years ago, I still believe that if this study was run again today, similar results would be had. Just because new software or new device might be the latest and greatest does not mean that it will change the way a student might learn.The educator must be confident in the technology that he or she is trying to implement. The article went on to state that technology is only as good as the administrators who use it (283). There was one instance in which a school changed administrators four times within an eighteen month time span, thus putting technology on the back burner (283).As we move closer to educating 21 st century learners, it is crucial that district administrators recognize how important technology integration is.

Mouza, C. (2002-2003). Learning to teach with new technology: Implications for professional development. Journal for Research on Technology in Education, 35(2), 272-89.