Tech Turmoil: The Digital Nightmare of Teachers
Teachers' Struggles with Digitalization: Insights into the Obstacles They Encounter - The Impact of Digitalisation on Educators: Unveiling the Psychological Strain
In the era of education evolving rapidly into the digital landscape, teachers find themselves entangled in a web of technical troubles they're compelled to tackle on their own. Thilo Hartmann, chairman of the Education and Science Union (GEW) in Hesse, remarks, "School digitalization drags teachers into endless overtime and digital stress."
While teachers devise lesson plans with technology in mind, the inevitable tech snafus often leave them in the lurch. As Hartmann points out, "When tech breaks down, there's seldom anyone to turn to, forcing teachers to troubleshoot the issues themselves."
In many schools, the tech-savvy minority takes on the IT support, willingly pitching in as part-timers. This burdensome addition to their workload can prove overwhelming, especially in schools with copious devices that need constant maintenance. Hartmann elaborates, "A school of around 1,000 students and over 100 teachers patients a heavy load. Tech issues in a company would warrant an entire IT department, but we're not so fortunate in schools."
Recurrent device malfunctions, internet connectivity issues, and the need for quick on-site problem-solving to keep the lessons on track consume substantial amounts of time. Regular software updates coupled with ensuring system and data protection often prove time-consuming and tedious, necessitating a learning curve to master new systems and engaging in numerous conversations.
Cassel introduces the "IT Supporter@School" project, an effort designed to lighten the teachers' burden. By hiring twelve IT supporters, each assigned to six schools, the city intends to alleviate the pressure from teachers, who frequently grapple with tech challenges beyond their expertise. IT supporter Thorben Schröder shares, "I'm on call for schools for troubleshooting, wishes, and emergency situations. I visit schools regularly."
Carsten Horstmann, the deputy headmaster of the Johann-Amos-Comenius School, appreciates the assistance. "Now that we have digital boards in nearly all classrooms, lessons are primarily iPad-based. If my iPad malfunctions, I face problems. The advantage of the IT supporters is that they promptly address issues, while teachers may not always have the immediate time to do so."
The digital infrastructure in schools was primarily supported by the generous backing of the federal and state governments through Digital Pact I, according to Mayor and Education Commissioner Nicole Maisch (Greens). The goal is to finance the smooth implementation of digital teaching in Kassel's 55 schools, ensuring that the technology functions reliably. Maisch asserts, "Our objective is to allow teachers to focus on their work while the surrounding technical issues do not drain their energy."
The Hessian Ministry of Culture acknowledges the complexities arising from the school's digital transformation. However, they emphasize that significant progress has been made in adapting existing structures, promoting competencies, and ensuring resources. Nevertheless, continued work is required to better support this ongoing development. The Ministry highlights the continuous evolution of technologies and their impact on the digitalization process.
GEW acknowledges the growth in digital learning tools due to the pandemic, but notes that there's still ground to cover. The state needs to allocate urgent funds to rectify the backlog over the coming years. Additionally, GEW calls for improvements in media education, considering that digital media competence extends beyond basic computer skills and internet browsing. Students need equal access to digital resources to ensure that digitalization supports learning effectively.
- The Community policy regarding school digitalization, as highlighted by Thilo Hartmann, chairman of the Education and Science Union (GEW) in Hesse, aims to alleviate the digital stress and endless overtime faced by teachers.
- As part of the digitalization initiative, the need for vocational training focused on technology and education-and-self-development is crucial, ensuring teachers are equipped to navigate the challenges and potential breakdowns in technology.
- The IT Supporter@School project, launched by Cassel, aims to address the backlog of tech-related issues in schools by hiring twelve IT supporters who will work part-time at six schools each, providing ongoing support for teachers grappling with technology beyond their expertise.
- To ensure the focus of teachers remains on education and self-development, it is essential for finance to be allocated not only for digital infrastructure but also for vocational training for teachers in technology-related areas, particularly media education, as advocated by GEW.
