| Educator, trainer, and presenter, Thomas | | | | with some of the online educational resources. |
| Crawford talks about educational technology and | | | | What are your observations and insights about |
| how new and seasoned teachers can start using | | | | how teachers use educational technology? How |
| it more effectively in their classrooms. | | | | can US teachers improve their understanding of |
| Dorit: | | | | information technology in the classroom? |
| Hello Thomas, I want to thank you so much for | | | | Thomas: |
| taking time to take part in this interview. You just | | | | I worked in a primary school in London. Teachers |
| came back from the blog conference in Seattle. | | | | like to share and they like things that are free or |
| Can you give our readers a conference brief on | | | | inexpensive. In the UK there is an abundance of |
| some new insights on educational technology | | | | teacher created web based resources that are |
| happening for new and seasoned teachers? The | | | | readily available. The government even put |
| conference was the T + L (Technology and | | | | together free web based resources for teachers. |
| Learning) event by the NSBA. | | | | The more teachers used these resources, the |
| Thomas: | | | | more confident they became about creating their |
| Schools are moving very quickly into the 21st | | | | own. Here in the US, teachers can experiment |
| century. The T+L conference sponsored by the | | | | with different resources from around the world |
| National School Board Association (NSBA) allows | | | | to gain understanding of how the Internet and its |
| educators, administrators and school board | | | | resources can be used effectively in our own |
| members to have access to the most current | | | | classrooms. We can learn a lot form what |
| and insightful technology available to them. It is | | | | International organizations such as ISTE and |
| more than a vendor fair. It is an opportunity to | | | | BECTA (British Educational Communications and |
| share and discuss innovations in information | | | | Technology Agency) have to offer. |
| technology through round table discussions and | | | | Dorit: |
| forums. | | | | What makes an instructional design successful in |
| Dorit: | | | | terms of its ability to engage learners? |
| What advice can you give new and seasoned | | | | Thomas: |
| teachers who are just starting to express an | | | | A successful instructional design is one that |
| interest in using educational technology, but don't | | | | addresses all the needs of the students and has a |
| feel 100% comfortable using it? | | | | multi-sensory approach. By this I mean it has a |
| Thomas: | | | | highly interactive web based activities, audio-video |
| Teachers can learn the technology by using it and | | | | components at the very least, and is also easy to |
| not being scared from it, which makes things a lot | | | | follow, understand and navigate. |
| easier. We tell our students that practice makes | | | | Dorit: |
| perfect. The same goes for us. I always tell | | | | Please share with our teachers the features of |
| teachers to ask for help if they need it. | | | | your website and how teachers can differentiate |
| Teachers should spend time getting to know any | | | | their instruction to cater to English language |
| online learning resource or computer program | | | | learners, (ELLs) group instruction and working with |
| before implementing it in their classrooms. | | | | students of special needs. What makes it |
| Therefore, practice and asking questions is the | | | | user-friendly and accessible for ALL teachers? |
| key to adapting with any new form of | | | | Thomas: |
| technological instruction. Start small and use your | | | | In addition to curriculum from a host of content |
| colleagues as resources | | | | providers that include full courses with |
| Dorit: | | | | assessments and individual learning objects, the |
| In many of the schools I teach, I see whiteboards | | | | IQity platform allows teachers to custom design |
| collecting dust and teachers are simply not using | | | | classroom assignments, lesson plans or units to |
| them. Can you explain why this is so? What are | | | | meet the needs of individualized learning style of |
| some alternatives? | | | | single students, small group and large mixed ability |
| Thomas: | | | | classes. |
| Often, whiteboards are misused. They become a | | | | In fact, custom designing lesson plans helps with |
| very expensive display device and their potential | | | | the classroom management piece by catering to |
| is not maximized. In addition, whiteboards loose a | | | | individualized instruction. Teachers can design |
| lot of interactivity and student engagement | | | | multiple assignments based on a students IEP. |
| because the placement of the whiteboard. In | | | | There are several hundred schools using our |
| many elementary classrooms it is often too high | | | | platform successfully with positive results. Schools |
| and out of students reach. As a result, students | | | | use IQity as a platform for a full time digital |
| are not engaged and discipline problems can occur. | | | | school, additional course offering and even credit |
| There are some cost effective ways to deal with | | | | recovery. |
| the issue by using a projector, wireless slate. This | | | | Dorit: |
| way, the teacher can move around the classroom | | | | Great! Well, thanks very much Thomas for this |
| and still maintain some degree of interactive | | | | interview. |
| control. | | | | Thomas: It was my pleasure and I hope new and |
| Dorit: | | | | seasoned teachers alike find this information |
| You spent a great deal of time in London working | | | | useful. |