Group2

What barriers or constraints are teaching this type of learning from happening in your district, school or organization?


 * Staff development and getting staff to understand technology and learn to use the tools.
 * “There is a time constraint for planning. This is something new, so to put it together in a meaningful way . . . and who do you look to? Sometimes a feel alone trying to do this by myself.”
 * “It’s just getting past the mentality of what school should be and what it’s always been” There is an emphasis on tools and most people who have the capability to use those tools are ready to move forward.” It’s getting the community to realize that we have to move forward . . . it is a necessity of the future. The issue is the haves and have nots—people see it as a tech issue rather than a learning issue.”
 * Money is an issue for us in building on what we had.
 * “People are in different areas in their knowledge of technology. Finding the time and deciding what type of professional development to keep the people running with it, running, and helping those walking to run.”
 * Math teacher—where is the money going to come from? We need to fight for time in the computer lab. Where do we get the money to allow students to have access to the technology.
 * Time, money, and the have and have-nots. There is a bigger and bigger divide between users of technology and non-users, and a divide in quality of education. I have received negative feedback from my peers for trying to become a 21st Century teacher. There isn’t enough comfort with technology—teachers who persevere. Jealousy among teachers – smartboard given to one teacher but not others.
 * Need to change structure – 45 minute periods, time for collaboration, limit on length of school year and hours of school day. We need to do this to make these changes effective in a bigger system.
 * We need to get past the community mindset – haves and have nots, those who have the skills and those who don’t. Barrier is own ability or desire. People haven’t had others show it.
 * Our buildings are very principal driven as opposed administration (central office) driven. When a new initiative is tried, there is pushback from the principals. We can’t get them behind the initiatives. I don’t think it is fear; no motivation to change; if it’s working, why change? Very much because of culture.
 * The problem is time, we frown on lecture, technology is one more think, you give us more and more to do and not taking things away there are somany days that realizes upon the internet and the internet is dow or 6 minutes and waiting and waiting and waiting
 * There are barriers in having a collective vision and mission. The district as a system – difficult to have a shared vision (are we really all on the same page; do we really have a shared vision?) Also, the culture of the district—things that happen from the bottom up, perceptions of teachers, what are the expectations that people have, what are their expectations? How have people accepted change? At a system level, these things present barriers. I tried to initiate teacher-based teams. There is a constant collaboration between me and the team, but some teams don’t realize that there needs to be give and take between me and the teams—so there isn’t sharing and collaboration and it’s hard to stay on the same page. Schedule, practitioner efficacy, we don’t always feel empowered to truly make a difference. We become defensive and use a lot of reasons we cannot do something. All the four dimensions of change create a significant barrier.
 * A teacher who was resisting went to a presentation and heard about what employers are looking for. She went home and downloaded the presentation. There is hope.
 * Some students are exposed to teachers who use technology one year, but then the next, to a teacher who doesn’t use technology. It’s only fair for the kids to have exposure to the technology tools.
 * It’s hard because you cannot learn to use smartboards in a single day.
 * Where do you find the time?
 * If you are one of the slow goers, maybe intimidated a bit, maybe you aren’t given enough time and direction and then are expected to use it. Some people can simply turn the projector on and show it. Where does the fault lie?