At least in some parts of the country there is an extraordinary increase in the use of the Internet by teachers, including adult literacy/basic education/ESOL teachers. Several conclusions can be drawn about how the Internet is being used by these practitioners and about the problems they are encountering:
1) Whether to go "the way the world is going": Adult education practitioners, like many other Americans, feel the pervasive and persuasive impact which the Internet explosion has had on our culture. As one participant said, "The world is going this way, and so is my family." Or as another said, "It will soon be as common a tool as the telephone, a fact of life." Some, however, said they feel left behind or intimidated by these changes. And at least a couple of people expressed skepticism that these changes cannot yet be shown to improve the quality of anyone's life.
2) Feelings about using the Internet: One of the important findings, I think, is how many feelings teachers have about the Intenet (and computer technology) in their lives. These feelings, both positive ones like enthusiasm and empowerment, and negative ones such as fear and frustration, affect Internet use. One participant said, "I'm in the same place with my students-frustrated, overwhelmed." Some others felt that computers are "invasive," "overpowering," "overwhelming," and that they "lower our self-esteem." Most of the participants, however were enthusiastic, if sometimes frustrated users.
3) Purposes for using the Internet: Practitioners want to use the Internet for a wide range of personal and professional purposes. Many who are teachers feel that they owe it to their students to prepare them to use the Internet-and computers in general-as tools for survival and success in our society. They use the Internet at home with their children, to communicate with family and friends around the world, for shopping, for entertainment and hobbies, to look for jobs, and to get a variety of information. At work they use the Internet for online instruction, as a source of classroom ideas and materials, to communicate with colleagues (through email and electronic lists), to do research or get information, for professional development (through on-line classes or email), to market their programs, and to publish/disseminate information and student writings.
4) Problems with using the Internet: Practitioners experience a huge range of (sometimes overwhelming) problems in using the Internet: lack of administrator support for their using the Internet; lack of easy, regular access; the costs of hardware, software, and an Internet Service Provider; lack of training and staff development for using technology; the huge amount of time it takes to learn and use the Internet; software and hardware problems; connectivity problems; problems searching for information; inadequate or nonexistent technical support; the terminology; changing web page addresses and poor web page maintenance; equipment and data security; access to offensive materials/censorship; difficulties using listservs; and difficulty with reading on- screen.
Two problems, I think, deserve special attention: the "Black Box Effect" and the "Right Question Problem." The "Black Box Effect" can be described as, "When there's a technical problem it's hard to know where it's happening: Your computer's software? Hardware? Local area network? Connection to server? Server? Netscape? Another site's server?" The "Right Question" problem is: "When something goes wrong and you need help from a 'techie,' it's hard-if you're a novice-to frame the question so the 'techie' will understand." Many participants-and technical assistance providers I have talked with, too-agreed that the "Black Box Effect" is getting to be a big problem. When this is combined with the "Right Question Problem," some new users are easily defeated as they try to use the Internet.
5) Training or supports which help in overcoming these problems: Several teachers pointed out that there are different learning styles which need to be addressed. Some people use manuals; some don't. Some like ongoing help; others want help only when they have tried unsuccessfully to solve a problem themselves. Those whose work is to support and encourage practitioners to use the Internet, however, might benefit from seeing the major categories of help which emerged: support from administrators; practitioners having real, clear, and compelling needs and purposes for using the Internet; Internet training; time to learn, and time for daily practice; having clear, easy-to-use directions and documentation; having a "techno-buddy"; getting ongoing technical assistance (after training); and combinations of most or all of the above. One staff support innovation that apparently has helped practitioners is an email soap opera which someone developed at Mission College to get people interested in using email. Messages were delivered daily and people got "hooked" because they wanted to know what was happening next.
6) Internet resources which would be useful: Practitioners cited many specific Internet resources which they have found useful. Categories of useful sites included: curriculum materials for students (in databases, by level); interactive, on-line lessons; research; databases of information on computer software for adult learners; electronic lists; and filters which could tailor searches based on the user's interests ("a mind like mine to search for me"). Also noteworthy-particularly because the National Institute for Literacy, through its Regional LINCS centers, has begun to do this-is that practitioners said they want more whole documents online.
Recommendations I would make as a result of this study include the following:
1) Access and support for practitioners: This study provides clear evidence that adult basic education/ESOL practitioners are using the Internet, but it also suggests that there are many daunting problems before use is widespread and regular in adult education programs and classrooms. The challenge of two years ago-persuading teachers and other practitioners to try the Internet-has changed to trying to provide the access and support to make this a possible, positive, useful experience. Unfortunately, the resources have not risen to meet this challenge. Above all other recommendations is this: we need a massive investment of public dollars to provide access, training and support for adult literacy practitioners to use computers and the Internet. The lack of this support was clear in every focus group-and these were, by and large, the people who have received the most support! In addition, administrators need to understand the importance of having the Internet in the classroom, with adequate support for teachers to use it.
2) Support models: Much more attention needs to be paid to technology (and Internet) support models. Teachers need initial training, paid time for hands-on practice, ongoing technical support by telephone or in person, and regular and easy access to computers so they can learn, practice, and use these tools. A workshop-or even a day of training-is not enough. Technical assistance without initial training is not enough. Training and technical assistance without time-and equipment-to practice is not enough. All these elements of a support structure must be in place.
3) Good content: Teachers-and other practitioners who go on the Internet-want to find good content: curriculum materials, lesson plans, articles, and interactive online instruction or activities for learners. While there is some, it is woefully inadequate. I recommend new resources to support talented teacher/curriculum developers to develop useful new content to put up on the World Wide Web.
4) Links to the world of work: In several focus groups, practitioners mentioned how important it is that students have computer skills in order to be employable. These include not just keyboarding and wordprocessing, but also using email and skills in electronic information searching. With an increased emphasis in our society on employment and employability, public resources must be devoted to job readiness for an electronic world.
5) Internet access for students: Lack of access to the Internet for low-income students is a major problem. Public resources must be devoted to increasing access through adult literacy/basic education programs, libraries, and community computing centers. Private sector resources should be devoted to making Internet access available to all in the workplace.
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7) The Internet evokes strong feelings: This is a technology about which people feel strongly-strongly positive or negative, and for some people, both. It evokes feelings of joy, power, resourcefulness, and sometimes amazement. It also evokes fear, frustration, confusion, powerlessness, and disgust. If we wish to see the Internet used more widely, and better, in adult literacy education, we need to pay attention to these feelings.