Sandholtz Chapter 3

Chapter 3 in Teaching with Technology is titled "The Evolution of Instruction in Technology-Rich Classrooms."  It discusses teacher's personal beliefs in instructional evolution and how their epistemological beliefs as well as their beliefs in instructional technology will affect their implementation and overall attitude towards technology.  This chapter discusses the stages of instructional evolution, which is much like the other change theories. Entry is when the teachers were just beginning.  They were trying to set everything up and deal with the logistics of using new technology.  Adoption is the next stage, and that is where the teachers were trying to figure out how to use this technology in their daily instruction.  There were still issues, but they were actively trying to use it.  The adaptation phase was when the use of the technology occurred more frequently and was authentic and useful--not just using the technology to use it, but to add to the educational needs of the students. Appropriation is the next stage where there is a shift in the attitude toward the technology. It occurred after success with the technology and knowing that it was a benefit to the students. Some teachers in this stage showed that they have not only accepted technology in their lives, but have become dependent on it. The final stage of the evolution of instruction is invention.  This is where teachers use the technology in a different way then they have been shown and discovering how it can be used for them specifically and their students.  This chapter also emphasized the need for teacher support through implementation.

This chapter discusses many things that we read in the other book including change theory and teachers' need for support when implementing anything, especially technology. I liked this chapter because it discussed how the technology increased student and teacher motivation.  I am curious, though, how much the use of technology now affects motivation.  I have no doubt that it increases motivation initially, but I wonder if students now will get bored after using technology that they use everyday, like computers. I really enjoyed reading teacher's reactions to using the technology.  I wish I could hear all of their reflections!