As being part of the millennial generation, technology has been one of the biggest innovation that I have witnessed as an adult and as a professional. Working at a school where overhead projectors used to be booked one week in advance for lessons to having been able to run a decent Distance Learning Programme because of the pandemic is an authentic reality check of how Tech has helped transform my profession as a teacher. I do not really believe in the equation of resistance but most probably on some rare occasions, reluctance stemming from uncomfortable zones but in majority of cases, tech has been embraced because of the wealth of possibilities and opportunities it brings into the teaching and learning journey.

 

I would not qualify a tech hindrance as anything big but yes, a clearer understanding of best practices with regards to technology- enabled practices as well as a realistic implementation of the MYP E-assessment is my focus. With the latter, the logistics, planning of units and skills for both teachers and students are my concerns. On another level, having researched and read on Google Effect as well as technology dependence (more related to potentially harmful impact that the use of technology can have on our lives) and how to educate learners of its responsible use is another area of interest both as a teacher and a mother of a teenager.

 

Being an avid tech user myself in other professional fields, I remain quite positive about how IB e-Assessment can be a valuable and authentic preparation for learners who are bound by skill enhancement in the years to come to meet requirements of their future employment.

 

As a school, we have embraced technology massively with use of several online platforms, so I believe that as a community we all share this understanding even if some may be slightly more comfortable with its use than others.

I feel that I am somewhere in between embracing and resisting technology and the digital age. This means that I do acknowledge their advantages for instance in my English class, I share pictures of samples taken in class during the lesson and find it less time consuming to use a projector or Apple TV set instead of photocopying them. Further, they help me to vary my teaching methods, and target visual or tactile learners, as well as, contribute to make my lessons more entertaining for my students. 

2. What was the biggest obstacle you currently face with regard to technology or “going digital”?

Being familiar with the devices and their apps. For instance the use of IPads is now compulsory for Years 1 and 2, and had to adapt to such a change as teachers teaching these levels have been given IPads as teaching tools. This means that I am no longer using a laptop, and very often I struggle with formatting documents with my IPad. 

On a more general level, I’ll say that another biggest obstacle is the screen time as it causes eye pain/discomfort.

3. How does your relationship with technology in general affect how you feel about adopting IB eAssessment?

Adopting IB eAssessment means online marking and I prefer to mark with a pen as I find it more practical and it reduces my screen time. But I do see advantages like not having to read illegible handwritings.

4. How similar or different are your feelings compared to others in your school?

I think that others share my feelings about the effects of longer screen time, and that they too believe that it enhances teaching and learning. 

Dominique