Technology Adoption in 5 Stages

 Schools all throughout the world are experiencing a growth surge that is both painful and unavoidable. Of course, I'm referring to technology integration. Maybe your class uses a COW (Computer on Wheels) cart once a week, or maybe every student in your school has an iPad, and administrators are muttering about "becoming paperless." We all seem to be in some condition of transition toward new technology at any given time, regardless of our level of technological integration. However, no matter how many professional development events we attend or how many tools we are given, many adults find it difficult to adjust to new technology. 

Overcome Your Fear of New Technology:

When presented with new technology, all people (not just adults) go through a series of predictable reactions, similar to the 5 Stages of Loss and Grief. You can begin to move through the levels more rapidly if you realist that they are the same for everyone and that it isn't just you against the world. You can learn to follow your kids' lead and transform anxiety into excitement and, eventually, acceptance.

Denial is the first stage:    

We teachers put in a lot of effort to improve our craft. In order to enhance our efficacy, we make tiny improvements to the curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom management techniques year after year. As a result, when administrators announce a drastic and broad shift, such as paperless courses or 1:1 technology integration, it might come as a big shock (where each student works on a device, whether it is a computer, tablet, or even their phone). Many teachers will have a natural reaction to the news. "This is never going to work!" is a common reply.

2nd Stage: Bargaining:

"They can put something in my room, but they can't force me to use it!" Perhaps you'll promise yourself that you'll only learn the minimal essentials. You'll utilize the technology during a principal's observation of your class, or you'll use it for the first week of school before putting it away and returning to your tried-and-true routines. In this circumstance, bargaining isn't necessarily a negative thing. It may make the transition to actually utilizing the new device easier. "I'll try it out, but if it doesn't work for me, I'm not going to pursue it," even technology fanatics will say. As a teacher, promise yourself that you will experiment with technology. If you don't like it, you can use it as little as possible, but at the very least, you'll be allowing yourself to test it out without feeling threatened.

Experimentation is the third stage.

This is a critical stage in the technology adoption process. It's a metaphorical watershed moment in your technological thinking. When you give yourself permission to explore with technology and actually start clicking through it (whether it's a new device like an iPad or a new website like Commodore), you'll be able to conquer your worries.

You can hit a snag while exploring with new technology. Your anger may rise, and your dread may resurface, but don't let this deter you. You may trust that clicking about on the device will not harm it. You can always restart, reboot, or reload your computer. Look for a help button, a user manual, or even YouTube lesson videos to assist you in overcoming these obstacles. Keep an open mind while you experiment and search for anything intriguing or useful to you.

Excitement is the fourth stage.

Teachers are more than likely to become enthusiastic about a new tool after experimenting with it in the classroom. Teachers are, by definition, creative and imaginative individuals. We always look at materials with the goal of differentiating and adapting them to our students' needs. While you're exploring with this new tool, it's probable that you'll start thinking about how you can include it into your classes. Conversations with other instructors are essential for ironing out the kinks and laying the groundwork for implementation in your classroom. To learn more about the technology, look it up on the internet and read teacher blogs and reviews to discover how others are using it in their classrooms.

Acceptance (Stage 5)

The faster you progress through the previous phases, the more comfortable you will be with the new technology. Acceptance indicates that you are ready to incorporate this technology into your lesson plans, optimist its utility, and make the most of this initiative for your students' benefit.

Everyone progresses at their own pace through the stages of technology adoption. However, by being conscious that you will experience some resistance at first, you will be able to move past your worries and into a productive state of exploration and acceptance more quickly. We may not always have control over new educational reforms or programmer initiatives in our schools as teachers, but we do have power over how we respond to them. We can use our energy more productively if we can get past our fears. Best of luck with your school's plans for the following year. You've got this.