When Technology Lessons Go Wrong

Today’s students have access to different types of technology to enhance their learning. When students are familiar with the technology, the lessons flow very smoothly. When students have no clue on how to use the technology, then the teacher is in great trouble.

In the K-12 classroom, idle time is deadly for a teacher. When students cannot figure out how to operate the technology, then they will find something else to do. Often, it is something that the teacher does not desire. For example, students who can’t do a task will often strike up conversations with their peers. Some students may even become disruptive. Then the students end up suffering unnecessarily because the teacher gave them a task that they cannot do.

When I was trying to teach students to use Cabri Jr. last week, I believed they would catch on quickly, so I didn’t plan a detailed lesson on using the application. The results were not pretty. Many of the students didn’t understand what I was explaining or what I expected. I was trying to go over all the features of Cabri Jr. in one class period. This was way too much for most of my students. A lot of them were off task and doing things I did not desire. This was a situation when a technology lesson went wrong.

Had I focused on a few features of Cabri Jr. at a time, then I would have kept my students, and they all would have been engaged. I was so excited about using Cabri Jr. in the classroom that I wanted my students to immediately benefit from using the application. Sometimes, patience is the key. Learn the application fully and know it inside and out before you try to teach the program. Don’t use a program for just a few days and expect to teach it to your students. Remember, you didn’t learn your content in a few days; it took years of study and practice. Now I’m not saying you should have to use a program for years before you teach it to your students, but you need to be very familiar with the program before bringing it into your classroom