Techie Advocacy: The Missing Relationship
Techie folks would like to advocate for Technology Integration in our schools because they believe that technology holds wonderful potential and promise for our students.
Techie folks believe in hardware, software and infrastructure. And, they believe that the technology will continue to improve.
Techies also believe (erroneously) that, since students like technology so much, and since technology is easy for students to use; that the technology, by itself, can drive instruction.
Unfortunately, Techie folks believe more in machines and magnetic electron blips than they do in people... especially teachers.
And, it is this dichotomy that presents the greatest barrier, a wall that keeps Techie folks from delivering a service to education.
Adversarial Relationship - Undercurrents
Techies and teachers may appear cordial and collegial, but the undercurrents of distrust pervade their communication.
For one thing, the Techies tend to blame teachers for being reactionary, resistant and recalcitrant in integrating technology into instruction.
On the other hand, teachers tend to blame Techies for being out of touch, for being smitten with hard-to-use software and whiz-bang hardware, and for being the source of more work. Unfortunately, that extra work never seems to result in greater student achievement or improved test scores.
Sidebar
Of course, just what the "Integration of Technology" means, specified in observable and measurable terms is seldom specified by either the Techies or teachers. And everyone argues as though they alone know what it means.
Technology - in a Naturally Weak Position: Advantage - Teachers
But, it is the Techies that must change their position and adapt to teachers' beliefs.
The reason: Teachers can exist just fine without doing anything, without changing, without using this expensive technology.
It is the Techies that have to change their attitudes, change their beliefs, change their view of teachers, and change their misguided feelings of superiority. Techie arguments clamoring for teacher change (change to the Techie way of thinking) reside on the downhill side of a steep up-slope.
Put another way, when Techies pitch good stuff, they have to shovel it uphill to reach teachers. But, when teachers dump garbage, they just let it rain down on the Techies.
But, in the real world, the "good stuff" that Techies have to shovel so strenuously if they wish it to reach teacher…looks like garbage to teachers…and teachers are content to let it flow back down (untouched) to the Techies…with the rest of the garbage.
To carry the metaphor still further (beyond everyone's level of tolerance)…
No matter how much Techies attempt to perfume garbage and package it with bows, teachers just have to let it slide.
It is as though teachers have adopted the motto, "Beware of Techies bearing gifts."
Previous Techie Advocates left gifts that breached the protective ivory tower walls and laid waste to teachers' free time, shattered teachers' peace and calm with unsavory stress.
Now, ever alert and vigilant; teachers are not about to let Technology Advocates pull another dirty trick like foisting technology on them.
Teachers's advice to other teachers, "When you see the Techie coming, beware!"
