How can you get a tentative teacher to start incorporating more mobile learning into their classroom? Here are a few tips to make the idea more palatable to a professor who isn’t quite ready to embrace edtech in the classroom.
Make sure the timing is right.
Educators already work extremely long hours during the school year and even throughout the summer months. They are often overworked and underpaid. All of this contributes to a staff that is hesitant to add one more thing on their plates. They might not have the time to learn how to use and implement a new tool in their classroom. One of the simplest ways to ensure that reluctant teachers have time to learn how to use these tools is to introduce them toward the end of the year. The break in the usual school schedule gives them a little time to practice and play with the new tech they will need to use in the fall.
Allow paid leave to educate your educators.
Are your hesitant staff members worried that they don’t know how to use the tools necessary for mobile learning? Their reluctance may stem more from a feeling of incompetence than a real issue with the platforms. Schools could give their staff members paid leave in order to take classes or attend training that would teach them how to use mobile learning more efficiently. This could convert a reluctant professor into an enthusiastic supporter rather quickly
Remind them that human interaction is still important.
It isn’t unheard of to find individuals who are still afraid that their teaching position will be taken by a robot. With the increased use of artificial intelligence, this can be a real concern for professors. It could explain why they are so hesitant to jump on board with the push for more mobile learning solutions. You might need to remind these unwilling teachers that technology could never be a substitute for real human interaction. Assure them that the students still need their instruction, but they also need to grow and change with the times. Traditional methods and technology are going to be equally important in a modern classroom.
Moving toward a more tech-based classroom can be frightening for teachers who prefer their traditional tactics. Mobile learning is more beneficial to students who want to access and engage with the material while they are on the go. In the end, it will require these reluctant teachers to jump on board with mobile learning so students can have the best of both worlds. It may take a lot of slow work, but all professors can eventually feel comfortable with these arrangements.
This article was originally written by Matthew Lynch and the original article can be found here.
