Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology

Introduction

Teaching is one of the most challenging professions in the world. Its difficulty lies mainly in the responsibility to future generations. Teaching children is a process that requires enormous attention to the details of each student’s individual development, their approach to learning, the development of individualized curricula, and the calculation of the psychological state. Thus, it is safe to say that the teaching process requires the observance of every detail in the formation of the student’s personality and further development. It is not enough to teach the basics of this or that profession because the teacher must develop his student’s skills to the fullest, which also affects the individual’s personal growth (Dell, Newton, & Petroff, 2018). In order to achieve this aim, varied technologies are applied in the educational process aimed at alleviating the teacher’s work and making studying more interactive for students. However, many teachers adhere to the traditional educational style because they lack proper training in the technological sphere. The particular courses and training providing teachers with the opportunity to implement technical aids into the educational process should be designed.

Problem Description

At present, there are various devices that help in learning. These were audio players and televisions with special education programs. They were in particular demand among language learners, as they allowed them to improve their phonetic skills. But even at that time, such devices have not gained popularity. This is due to a massive shortage of such devices and poorly developed technology (Dell, Newton, & Petroff, 2018). In addition, it is worth noting the cost of this kind of training, as such a technique was considered advanced and innovative.

Since then, much has changed, and now programs that focus on the interactive development of students have popularity. At present, one can find different programs for the development of children of different ages and levels of complexity, as well as a set for their reproduction (Doughty, 2019). On the other hand, the general trend on the part of teachers has remained at the previous level, as a large number of teachers use the old method, avoiding assistive technologies. When the teacher does not use advanced technology in the field of learning, the child also adheres to the idea that they are not needed. However, it is worth noting that during the digitalization of the planet, it is impossible to live without using various kinds of electrical equipment (Dell, Newton, & Petroff, 2018). This causes the child to misunderstand and question the appropriateness of using the old methods of teaching in schools. Teachers need to accept that the old school of education is outdated and new forms of teaching with more modern techniques need to be discovered.

The use of assistive technologies plays an essential role in organizing the activities of students. The implementation of the assistive technologies in the form of a training complex allows teachers to achieve a high level of individual training built in accordance with the preferences of each student. Such technologies can be used for the organization of the collective, group, and personal activities of students. They carry the factor of mandatory actions, which is vital in organizational terms. Assistive technologies allow the teacher to control students’ educational and cognitive activities more efficiently. It is crucial for the teacher to find an effective method of using assistive technologies (France et al., 2021). Technical teaching aids will allow teachers to improve further the efficiency of the educational process and the quality of schoolchildren’s education.

Lack of Training: Reasons

The reasons why teachers reject using technologies are varied. It can be related to personal reasons caused by the lack of flexibility and skill in adapting to modern changes. Another reason can be associated with the problem of a low level of technological awareness. Innovative technologies which can be inserted into the educational process can be utterly unfamiliar to the teachers, which can cause the psychological rejection of such method usage. Another reason why assistive technologies are problematic to use for some teachers is some ideological perspectives. Some believe that innovation destructively affects the children’s perception and decreases their education efficiency (France et al., 2021). However, this position is not supported by practical results (France et al., 2021). On the contrary, the rational emergence of the technologies into education increases the general productivity and performance of the students (France et al., 2021). Therefore, the abovementioned issues should be addressed to help teachers adapt to modern technologies and teach them how to use such innovations efficiently.

Another rejection problem is that teachers today are not provided with the appropriate training regarding technologies. Such a situation can be described for three primary reasons. Firstly, educational organizations lack a budget for organizing special technologies-evolving training for teachers. Secondly, the lack of technology itself can also be a significant problem for some schools. Teachers may not be aware that some assistive aids exist and can efficiently be used to improve the quality of education. Thirdly, the lesson plans may be inconsistent with the evolving technologies. As a result, mentioned three reasons result in the lack of technical awareness and training of teachers in the sphere of using technological aids.

Problem Solutions

It is also worth considering possible methods of solving this kind of problem. The most important thing is to talk to the teacher and provide all the necessary evidence to improve the quality of education when using this kind of technology. Another obstacle may be the teacher’s inexperience in using learning technologies. This predominantly affects the use of information technology in the classroom because the teacher may be afraid to implement this learning due to inexperience. Therefore, it is suggested that professional development courses and special meetings be held to help you learn how to handle computer technology (Smale, 2019). Thanks to this, it will be possible to notice a general trend in increasing the use of this kind of technology in the classroom.

Another problem can be the persuasion of teachers that this kind of education is inappropriate. There can be a loud number of reasons for such thoughts. Still, as mentioned earlier, they are primarily based not on a desire to adapt to the new teaching realities and a personal refusal to use possible equipment. Both reasons are essential and may have a right to life, but it should not be forgotten that the purpose of education is to provide knowledge to the child, which should happen at school or university. Teachers must be induced to change their thinking in a completely different direction.

To accomplish this task, it is necessary to give a talk in report format and to show the main advantages of the new educational system and its impact on the world around us. The medical field can be a great example since it most often uses various information devices to improve the quality of work (Teacher Training Agency, 2017). This will demonstrate a real-life example of where technology is beneficial to society.

A separate topic for reflection can also be the question of students’ potential abilities to perceive the material’s new presentation. They, like most teachers, are not accustomed to this kind of instruction and may find it unusual and stressful. Since this can be a big problem in teaching, it is also necessary to consider the children’s preparation prior to such classes. The solution to this problem can be a smooth transition from one system to another. This means that one should not spontaneously change an accepted program in favor of a new one but instead integrate existing elements to create a new kind of activity (Teacher Training Agency, 2017). This will help the adaptation period for both children and adults to go more smoothly, which will increase the overall level of acceptance of new technology for learning in the educational institution. It is also worth noting that with this adaptation, the school will not have to spend a massive part of the budget to buy equipment and equip classrooms for the first time. It is enough to buy only a tiny amount of equipment for a visual demonstration of material and introduction to a particular subject for both students and teachers.

These problems should be efficiently addressed because technologies are vital to be included in the educational process. The first possible solution is expanding the educational organization’s allocated budget. Schools can design training programs for teachers using innovative technologies. Nowadays, technology has advanced much further than video and audio recorders. Computer labs that are fully equipped with laptops or personal computers for each student, not just the teacher, are gaining popularity. The lack of equipment can also be solved through a budget expansion which should be proposed at the governmental level. Another option how schools can increase teachers’ awareness of technologies is by designing educational programs, including interactive lessons with assistive devices (France et al., 2021). This can be both implemented on the country or individual school level. However, such actions also require significant financing from the government. The district schools should report the problems to the higher authorities to highlight the need for sponsoring expansion.

Conclusion

For a good education of children, it is necessary to solve all the tasks mentioned above because this kind of development of the child’s abilities will help to create a specialist in their field of activity in the future. It is necessary, first of all, to establish a piece of functioning equipment for this kind of class (Smale, 2019). It is vital to convince the administrators of schools and universities to implement the idea of equipping their classrooms with the necessary devices because this brings their dividends. The development of students is the priority for all educational institutions, so it is required to insist on the implementation of this idea. There may also be problems with financing, but in this case, it is necessary to apply to the relevant aid funds, which can provide the amount of money required. Many countries in the world right now stabilize these kinds of instances to provide funding services for educational institutions.

References

Dell, A. G., Newton, D. A., & Petroff, J. G. (2018). Assistive technology in the classroom: Enhancing the school experiences of students. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Doughty, K. (2019). Improving the quality of telecare services ‐ the role of audit and training. Journal of Assistive Technologies, 3(1), 24–28. Web.

France, D., Lee, R., Maclachlan, J., & McOhee, S. (2021). Should you be using mobile technologies in teaching? Applying a pedagogical framework. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 45(2), 221–237. Web.

Smale, J. E. (2019). Impact of one-to-one devices on pedagogy and teaching practices at the middle school level. Immaculata, Pa.: Immaculata University.

Teacher Training Agency. (2017). Using information and communications technology to meet teaching objectives in information technology: Initial teacher training : secondary. London: Teacher Training Agency.

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ChalkyPapers. (2023, October 24). Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology. https://chalkypapers.com/analysis-of-the-lack-of-teacher-training-in-regards-to-assistive-technology/

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"Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology." ChalkyPapers, 24 Oct. 2023, chalkypapers.com/analysis-of-the-lack-of-teacher-training-in-regards-to-assistive-technology/.

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ChalkyPapers. (2023) 'Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology'. 24 October.

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ChalkyPapers. 2023. "Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology." October 24, 2023. https://chalkypapers.com/analysis-of-the-lack-of-teacher-training-in-regards-to-assistive-technology/.

1. ChalkyPapers. "Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology." October 24, 2023. https://chalkypapers.com/analysis-of-the-lack-of-teacher-training-in-regards-to-assistive-technology/.


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ChalkyPapers. "Analysis of the Lack of Teacher Training in Regards to Assistive Technology." October 24, 2023. https://chalkypapers.com/analysis-of-the-lack-of-teacher-training-in-regards-to-assistive-technology/.