There is still one teacher at my school that can be described as a
technophobe. But even she uses e-mail and records her six-weeks grades and
attendance on computer.
1. Use of mentors - Yes. Our technophobe often calls on neighboring
teachers for help when using her computer. We also have a wonderful computer
guy who visits the school and knows how to listen, ask questions, and work
with each person at their own level. (He's being promoted next
year--wonderful for him; sad for us.)
2. Starting with communication/e-mail - Yes, this has proven to be an
excellent starting point. But...since most new teachers are already pretty
technology-savvy now it may be a moot question.
3. Relevant staff development - Staff development has not worked well
at my school. The teachers are busy, tired, and simply don't have the
stamina left at the end of a school day to absorb new information.
Just-in-time individual ttroubleshooting works better for me.
4. Sink or swim& people are just forced into using technology by
mandates at their jobs. Yes--Our final technophobes didn't start using their
computers until the county (and school) went to primary communication by
e-mail and also required them to enter their grades (and take attendance) on
computers.
3. Do you find that age and/or gender are frequently common factors? I'm
finding that all young teachers have been well-trained or are experienced
with technology and are very comfortable with using it. There is no
difference between males and females in terms of technology use in my
school. Age is a larger factor with older teachers having more difficulty
with technology generally (although not always).
4. Do you have any other suggestions for how to help technophobes be more
confident users of technology? Just be available when they hit a snag, be
non-critical, listen carefully (keeping in mind that they probably don't
know the right terms for what they are trying to tell/ask you), ask
questions to clarify the problem, then explain the solution to them as
simply as possible without seeming to talk down to them. And when
appropriate write down the steps they should be taking so that they will
have something to refer back to.
Deb Waugh, Librarian
Graham High School
Bluefield, Virginia
debwaugh.lm_net@frontiernet.net
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