Helping teachers use digital content

I have a looong list of reading to catch up on – but have started today with Gaffney’s (2010) Enhancing teachers’ take-up of digital content: factors and design principles in technology adoption.

The vital importance of teacher development aligning with factors beyond themselves, such as school culture, government policy, availability of technology and so on, is central to the paper.

Most importantly, in my view, the paper acknowledges that teachers are most likely to explore and embrace digital content, such as Digistore’s Learning Objects, when they have time and support to align their own practices, the learning required for the students and the technology they must use. In other words, the TPCK framework comes into play.

Gaffney’s proposed Technology Adoption Model sums up key factors for schools and governments to consider …while the table of challenges and obstacles makes for rather sad but useful warning of where the integration of digital content can fail. And boy, are there lots of issues to address.