Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/569858
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 devices (which can be used as tablets or laptops) were given to teachers after they attended three hours of training led by a Microsoft expert. They were asked to complete nine additional hours of training either in person or online, based on their individual needs. Unlike some districts, Manteca teachers are paid for their time and can telecommute from home for training. Soon, Microsoft trainers were replaced with two teacher "tech champions" at each school. "Teachers are the real experts, and they know best what makes sense and what tools and resources we need," explains Johnson. Weekly webinars are held on a multitude of topics. The district's Monday night Twitter chat at @prbmtechchat (PRBM means "proud to be Manteca") has become popular with teachers, who receive credit for participating. Guests from tech companies sometimes join in. The Educator received lots of respons- es to this Facebook question. Some say yes (kudos to San Juan Unified and Palo Alto), but many say no. Among the responses: "There's a ton of demand in our system, but Fresno Unified has failed to put anything useful together," laments Adam Ebrahim, Fresno Teach- ers Association, who has been highly involved with helping colleagues transition to Common Core. "The district probably thinks so," says Laura Nance, Chatom Union Educators Association. "The reality is no. I was given a cart with 36 Asus T100 tablets at the end of last year and no training and expected to begin using them ASAP. Lucki- ly, I am fairly tech-savvy. My new laptop at home had Windows 8 on it. Otherwise, I would've been lost for a while." When support is available, staff may be told to learn on their own time and their own dime. Suzi Tornberg, Modesto Teachers Association, explains, "It's very occasionally after school on a volunteer basis." San Marcos Unified School District invested in Chromebook computers, but provided minimal support for educators trying to incorporate them into curriculum. "There were good intentions, but the district was too focused on buying devic- es without enough focus on how to train people what to do with them once they got them," explains Marla Rosenthal, a third-grade teacher at Discovery Ele- mentary School. Rosenthal, the site's lead technology teacher, is a member of CTA's Region IV cohort for teacher leadership, focusing on technology and teacher empower- ment. She belongs to her district's workload committee, and says one of the most pressing issues is making time for training. "Teachers feel over- whelmed learning how to use new equipment at the same time they are convert- ing to new standards and a new standardized test," says Rosenthal, San Marcos Educators Association. "As a result, de- vices are underutilized. There is a huge disconnect between the new standards and what kids are expected to do with technology. Teachers who struggle with their new devices are embarrassed to admit it to others." She believes the challenges facing San Marcos reflect what districts are facing everywhere. "Students are using technology day in and day out in games and texting. If we don't show them how to incor- porate it into the classroom, they'll be shortchanged when they go out into the workforce." To ensure that teachers are compen- sated fairly for time and training, profes- sional development should be bargained whenever possible, advises Sharlene Paxton, lead technology coach, Sierra Sands Unified School District. "In my district, teacher collaboration time is not uniformly applied across all the elementary schools, and there is no time in high schools dedi- cated to collaboration," says Paxton, Desert Area Teachers Association. "Hopefully, it will be bargained into our new contract." Teachers in her district receive a stipend for attending after-school workshops, but attendance is low. For many it's a financial issue; child care costs more than the stipend. The district, located in the Mojave Desert, received a $2 million federal grant to integrate technology, math and literacy in the classroom, and has invested in Chromebooks, with a goal of one-to-one distribution. "It's a lot to put on the plate of teachers," says Paxton. "What educa- tors need can be answered in one word — time. We need time for training, time for professional development, time for learning, and time to create innovative lessons. We need time to experiment and play with new technology. Until schools make time for adequate train- ing, it will continue to be a challenge for teachers to fully integrate technology into the classroom." WAITING FOR UPGRADES Sharlene Paxton Does your school offer quality professional development for staff to become tech-savvy? 27 V O LU M E 2 0 I S S U E 2