Activity 7 – Models of technology adoption

What I feel about the response that my school management gave to my presentation:

The management of my school consists of the principal, vice-principal, heads of department and deans of discipline.  For this activity, I was not able to get all of them together. This was due to the fact that the vice-principal is on vacation and I myself am acting in the position.  Also the Minister of Education  has been calling out school principals for extended periods of time.  

In any case, the response was generally of a positive nature.  I fully admit that I am really not able to be particularly objective, as I have been involved in school management as a senior member of staff  for more than five years. It was the view that proposals would mean infusions of cash as well as time-both of which are in short supply at this time.

The best ideas I have read about school ICT staff development plans:

I found that most of the best proposals we similar because they involved training for staff on an ongoing basis as well as upgrading the infrastructure of the schools themselves.

(Optional) – Thoughts from self-activities

I realise that this activity yet another skill building one that is preparing me for Activity 3.  However, exercises of this nature usually make me somewhat depressed.  I think that there is a lot of potential for development in my school, yet so many of the teachers are unwilling to do more than the syllabus requirements. It does not bother a science teacher that students do not understand a concept and therefore would fail a lab experiment.  She 'told' them what to do without making any learning connections for the benefit of the students. I hope her department head was able to let her know that it was her fault that they failed the lab.  Just putting up Powerpoint slides of the textbook material was an ineffective use of ICT as well as poor teaching practice.  I got this example from a sympathy-seeking student who was convinced that he would never pass the subject.

Time is in short supply in my school because more than half the staff live more than half an hour outside the area.  For many there is a traffic situation which means that it takes between 1-2 hours to reach home.  I do not consider myself qualified to weigh in on this since I live a ten minute walk away from school myself!  It means that few are willing to remain after school dismisses for any reason.  I still  have problems accepting that often change is something people have to be forced into.