You're facing a teacher resistant to change. How can you convince them to integrate technology in teaching?

The problem is that teachers with all the duties they have, find it hard to learn new technologies. Their load of teaching along with other responsibilities make it extremely overwhelming to them to move from their comfort zone. It is important to help them acknowledge how these technologies can make their life easier, by providing the necessary support and proper guidance. At certain times, they need the fish, not to be taught how to fish! Once comfortable, they will be keen to learn more and more.

Introducing technology into Indian engineering education can be challenging for some teachers. Understanding their concerns is the first step towards encouraging them to integrate it into their classes. About 35% of faculty identified workload and unfamiliarity with new tools as significant barriers (AICTE, 2022). The transition should feel valuable and respected by creating a collaborative environment where resources, training, and ongoing support are readily available. With this approach, adopting technology, such as Language Learning Models (LLMs), is not just feasible but also appealing, since it aligns with their teaching goals.

Understand their concerns and reasons for resistance. Are they worried about technology being too complex, or do they fear it will disrupt their teaching style? Acknowledging their concerns can help build trust.

To start with, Model or let a champion model for them, highlight the positives outcomes that could come out and how the teacher in question could grow their practice to help them rejuvenate their pedagogy with the help of technology. In my opinion, teachers are not resistant to change, sometimes they dont see a value in doing something differently. It helps if you understand their point of view and then take the conversations forward.

Showcase the transformative power of edtech to educators. Demonstrate how automated grading systems save time, while instant feedback accelerates student progress. Emphasize that technology complements rather than replaces teaching, serving as a powerful tool to amplify their impact. Illustrate how edtech streamlines tasks, making their role more efficient and effective.Highlight its ability to cater to diverse learning styles, fostering inclusivity in the classroom. By presenting technology as an ally that enriches lessons and expands resources, you can inspire educators to embrace its potential in revolutionizing their teaching approach.

It is important to keep in mind that the process of introducing teachers to new technologies is a process that requires time and desire to learn. In that sense, it is crucial that in the first encounters with technology, strategies can be used that help him or her emotionally identify with success stories that happened the same as him or her.

As tecnologias educacionais são cada vez mais importantes nos dias de hoje. Por isso, como uma tentativa inicial de convencer um professor resistente às atuais mudanças no ambiente de ensino, é interessante apresentar exemplos práticos e resultados positivos que mostrem como a tecnologia pode facilitar o trabalho do professor e melhorar a aprendizagem dos alunos. 

Technology is a powerful tool to enhance teaching, making it more effective and engaging. By embracing technology, educators can cater to diverse learning styles and promote universal human values like creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Explorer l’environnement de cet enseignant pour identifier les technologies qu’il utilise en dehors de son activité professionnelle peut être moyen pour établir une base afin d’aider l’enseignant résistant à accepter d’utiliser les technologies dans sa pratique professionnelle. Si l’une des technologies qu’il utilise peut être un outil pour soutenir l’apprentissage ou améliorer la qualité ou l’efficacité de l’enseignement, il peut être avantageux d’aider l’enseignant à découvrir et à expérimenter l’usage augmenté de cet outil, dans son activité professionnelle. Cette découverte peut augmenter sa motivation à découvrir d’autres outils techniques et à intégrer progressivement les technologies dans ses pratiques professionnelles.

To truly encourage teachers to use EdTech, comprehensive yet experiential training is essential. This approach goes beyond technical instruction, guiding teachers on practical integration into daily lessons. For example how they can enable student collaboration through practice, simplifying complex concepts with video lessons, and make their instruction interactive using annotation.  I believe in grounding training in established teaching practices & showcasing real-world applications of tech, we can guide teachers to recognize its immense value. Further, basis my experience, I feel continuous support, appreciation for efforts, & providing retraining can further solidify technology's seamless integration into teaching practices.

We all learn at different rates and that is very important to consider in the case of teachers who must move to new technologies to optimize their teaching. Therefore, it is crucial to continually support them with programs, mentoring and advice so that they practically advance on this new path.

When delivering training, it’s important to consider the audience, the objectives, the time, the pace of the session, and evaluation before, during, and after the session. In other words, there are many factors to take into account. To plan training effectively, I believe it is essential to have context and information about the group being trained, including both the leadership teams and the teachers themselves.

Concordo e acrescento que, para gerar uma reação mais positiva do professor em questão, é essencial que a integração de tecnologias aconteça de forma gradual. Através de ferramentas simples e de fácil implementação, como plataformas de compartilhamento de documentos, ou mesmo aplicativos de comunicação com alunos.

Sharing success stories from similar classrooms can be a powerful way to illustrate the positive impact of technology integration. By guiding teachers through the process and offering ongoing support, training, and resources, you can help ensure a seamless transition. Provide practical, ready-to-use technological tools like quizzes, interactive worksheets, and multimedia resources to demonstrate how technology can supplement and enhance their teaching practices, rather than replace them. Encourage experimentation and lead by example, showcasing effective technology integration in your own teaching or professional development. By doing so, you can empower teachers to confidently embrace technology and enhance student learning outcomes.

Nothing is more important than sharing the progress that has been acquired as a force to encourage the desire to continue learning.

Showcasing teacher success can be a key factor in overcoming resistance to technology integration. Project Ka Lawei, Meghalaya exemplifies this. Initially, teachers were hesitant to embrace the smart classes we implemented in 50 schools of East Jaintia Hills in partnership with the Office of Deputy Commissioner. However, consistent training led some teachers to become unexpectedly proficient. By recognizing these individuals as "master trainers" and empowering them to teach their colleagues, we saw increased motivation and regular use of smart classes in classrooms.

Sharing stories with case studies in technology advancement like the Infosys team, their perseverance in Learning the updates and implementation for the current trend scenario made them sustainable in the field. Challenges and it's solutions for the relevant problem statement reveal the true skills.

The use of piloting is essential to ensure that teachers know that you are only suggesting tools with proven benefits. It is also important to ensure students see the benefits, because they can become your ultimate advocates.

I can agree that pilot programs can be successful. However, I also feel implementation for the sake of implementation has made many educators unsure of change. It used to be called the “book of the month club”. Admin would go to a workshop, get excited about the new thing they learned and bring it back to the teachers because it will be best for everyone. A semester would go by and the latest and greatest research would be forgotten. Replace book club with EdTech products. If a reluctant teacher can’t see how it will directly help them or their students or there is too much of a learning curve, teachers will remain reluctant. For EdTech to be successful with reluctant teachers, it needs to be personalized and beneficial to all.

Ongoing support is crucial for overcoming teachers' resistance to technology. It provides a sense of security, knowing that someone is there to observe, support, and help them improve their teaching practices. Regular checkups and maintenance prevent technical issues like hardware malfunctions, ensuring that technology is seamlessly integrated into the classroom. This eliminates potential complaints and fosters a positive environment where teachers feel empowered to embrace technology without the worry of managing hardware.

Ongoing support is crucial. At this point, the teacher will have invested time and effort in training to use technology in the classroom. It would be very discouraging if, after encountering some doubts or failures, they felt alone and that their time had been wasted.