This is my first official blog post on TechwithChad.com. I am so excited to begin this journey of sharing my thoughts and experiences in the world of educational technology and 1:1. It has become my passion and I hope that these blog posts are found to be helpful and entertaining.

As I sit and look at my twitter feed, I am amazed at all of the incredible resources available to teachers when searching for information about educational technology. 

There are some really helpful people who share new ideas at break-neck speed. Using new platforms like Periscope, Meerkat and Blab, experienced and talented teachers and professionals are readily available to everyone. From the latest features in a Google offering to the first peek at the coolest maker spaces, there is no shortage of information and expertise.

I also see a lot of great philosophies and ideas when it comes to 1:1 projects. I mean, who hasn’t seen 10 colorful infographics of the SAMR (Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition)model in the last day or two? There are also endless discussions that deal with questions facing districts across the country. What device? What platform? What’s next? What if we mess up?

As I consume all of this information and discussion, there seems to be something missing. I believe it is the key to every 1:1 plan… past, present or future. One word: confidence. 

Confidence is the most essential component to every 1:1 initiative if they are to be successful. You might be saying “duh!” and think that I’m stating the obvious. If only that were true.

In fact, I find that in the rush to get things implemented or to stay ahead of a rival district, the idea of confidence is often forgotten. The focus is, too often, placed on being the most current or innovative or using the latest apps and flashy technology seen at ISTE. When, in fact, there has been no mastery or measurable results produced from the technology in place.

So, whose confidence are we discussing? Is it that of the teacher, student, technology department or administration? The answer is ‘all of the above’. However, it is important to note that when a 1:1 initiative is supported from the top-down, it is most successful. When administration has confidence in the teachers, the teachers are empowered with confidence. When teachers are confident, it transfers down to student confidence. Student confidence is the ultimate goal.

In my travels as an educational tech sales rep and trainer, I’ve found the same scenario in almost every school I have visited. Teachers love technology and the potential it offers. They have been shown the amazing things that they could do with their students with this software or that new device. However, they often say, “I tried to use it, but it didn’t work”, or “I couldn’t remember how to use it because we only had that half-day of training last year”.

Whatever the case may be, the missing key in my experience is confidence.

Here are the components of confidence I see missing and how they can be addressed:

• Professional Development and Teacher Training. One of the big mistakes that is often made is the use of one-size-fits-all training. Teachers are just like students, they learn at different speeds and don’t all start at the same skill level. I have had success offering training at different levels and allowing the teachers to self-identify as beginner, intermediate or advanced. This will make your groups smaller and feel “safer” while insuring that little is lost because the information is not “over our head” or “to basic” depending on your group. The result is confidence in their abilities regardless of skill level. The use of webinars that are recorded and made readily available for teachers to use as they need them is a great way to reinforce the confidence in their training and allow them to increase their skill level at their own pace.

• No more show and tell training. This one is very frustrating for teachers. I hear them say, “you make it look easy” and  “you do it all the time” or  “this would never work in my room, technology never works in my room”. Another complaint is, “I took good notes when you showed us how to use it, but that was months ago”.  These comments are why I feel that, as often as possible, training should be in a workshop setting. If the use of devices or apps are being taught, all teachers should have the same device or the same apps.  Then at some point they should be allowed to use and experiment with what they have been taught. Too much time is spent showing teachers what they could do or how to do something only to never get to try it themselves.  Confidence can be gained by actually using the technology and is especially true if there is a gap in time from training to implementation.

• Build strong communication with the technology department. There is a great divide in many school districts between the tech department and the teachers. In fairness to both groups, unless they have worked in both capacities, they don’t completely understand each other’s worlds. That’s why it is important to have someone in the district who speaks both languages. An instructional facilitator is the bridge between these two equally important groups. Teachers are better able to understand the limitations or struggles experienced by the tech department trying to make everything work, and the tech department has a better understanding of what the teacher is trying to accomplish. Communication here is a huge contributor to teacher confidence.

• Measure the path to success with confidence.  Clearly, I feel that confidence is the key to 1:1 initiative success. The best way to insure that you are achieving confidence is to use it as your guide. Before every the step in the process, ask one simple question: “Will this build confidence in our project?”. Whether it be for students, teachers or the administration this should always be considered. If any of these groups don’t have confidence in the process of going to 1:1, doubt and fear can stall and even kill what should be the most exciting endeavor they have ever experienced.

My best advice and hope for anyone implementing or thinking of implementing a 1:1 environment for students is to start and focus on teacher confidence. It is guaranteed to make a difference in your success.

This post was originally a guest post on my good friend and colleague  Jennifer Kimbrell’s blog. I owe her a great deal of thanks for encouraging me to start this blog and to share my thoughts. We have a lot of plans for bringing you quality professional development to help you infuse educational technology in the classroom.