Running head: CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY AT DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE1
Classroom Technology at Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC)
Charles Rich
Student ID: 000539797
Assessment Code: JNT2—Task 1 (Needs Analysis)
Course Mentor: Dr. Michele Costanza
Student Mentor: Samantha Spears
April 17, 2016
Classroom technology at defense language institute2
Table of Contents
Problem Statement.......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion of Instructional Problem............................................................................................................3
Current Conditions and Desired Conditions............................................................................................4
Data Collection Process...............................................................................................................................4
Discussion of Data Collection Instruments Used.....................................................................................4
Discussion of Sources of Data.................................................................................................................5
Data Gathered Through Other Sources....................................................................................................6
Results of Data Analysis..............................................................................................................................7
Data Analysis Techniques Used..............................................................................................................7
Results of Analysis..................................................................................................................................7
Table 1.................................................................................................................................................7
Table 2...............................................................................................................................................10
Table 3...............................................................................................................................................15
Table 4...............................................................................................................................................16
Table 5...............................................................................................................................................19
Table 5.1............................................................................................................................................20
Table 6...............................................................................................................................................21
Table 7...............................................................................................................................................22
Table 8...............................................................................................................................................25
Table 9...............................................................................................................................................27
Findings of Needs Analysis.......................................................................................................................29
Need for Instruction...............................................................................................................................29
Goal of Instruction.....................................................................................................................................30
Appendix A: Data Collection Instrument 1 - Section Chief Interviews.....................................................31
Appendix B: Data Collection Instrument 2 - Supervisor Interviews..........................................................31
Appendix C: Data Collection Instrument 3 - Teacher Surveys.................................................................32
Classroom technology at defense language institute3
Problem Statement
The teachers at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) are expected to "use technology
effectively in the classroom" as a part of the core document (job description). Teachers' ability
to use technology ranges from those who can't or won't use it to those who are technical
gurus, with most falling somewhere in between.
Discussion of Instructional Problem
Our job requirements are based on a US Air Force Core Document that outlines job
responsibilities and performance criteria. That document states that an effective teacher
“Integrates use of the latest audio, video, and computer software, utilizing the latest educational
technology delivery systems.” This document also states that teachers develops and evaluates
training materials as needed.
It has been established that not all of our staff uses technology effectively, for various
reasons. A couple of the reasons cited is a lack of technologies provided to us through the Air
Force systems and a lack of teacher training and experience in technology. So far, we have
addressed these issues by creating an Educational Technology Working Group to analyze the
problem at an organizational level (of which I am a member), I have created an Educational
Technology Response Team, which uses tech savvy teachers to assist those who are less
proficient, and we are in the process of developing in-service-training(IST) modules and
seminars to further address technology training for our teachers. It is this last item that my design
will likely address.
Classroom technology at defense language institute4
Current Conditions and Desired Conditions
Current condition. Teachers at DLI exhibit varying degrees of technical ability in the
classroom and training for this is not always relevant or effective.
Desired condition. Teachers will be able to access and effectively use educational
technology in the classroom.
Data Collection Process
Discussion of Data Collection Instruments Used
For this analysis I have selected three collection instruments, Interviews with the section chiefs
and the Unit supervisors, and an online survey for the teachers in the section.
In the first interview I discussed the technology needs of the organization with three section
chiefs. The questions in these interviews were crafted to obtain a better understanding of management
expectations for effective use of technology in our classrooms. I covered three basic areas of Effective use
of technology, training need, and new technologies the chief's felt we should adopt. See Appendix A for a
list of the questions asked.
I conducted a similar interview among four of our six section supervisors. The questions were
essentially the same as for the chiefs with a few additional questions to try to better understand their
observations of teachers' use of technology and what kinds of training teachers were seeking out on their
own or through our in-service training. See appendix B for the questions used in these interviews.
Due to the number of teachers in the organization an online survey was used to poll them on their
use of technology. My questions for the teachers were more specific and asked which technologies
teachers already used or knew something about. They were also asked for their input on the effectiveness
of currently available technologies and for their ideas for new technologies. The questions for this
survey are in appendix C.
Classroom technology at defense language institute5
The purpose of these instruments was to establish a baseline expectation from the chiefs
and supervisors and a current state of use from the supervisors and teachers so that an idea of the
gap in between could be established. This gap between expectation and reality is our training
need.
Discussion of Sources of Data
I chose to narrow my research to one section of our organization due to differences in the
student population and the style of delivery in these sections. This analysis covers only the
Specialized English section which is concerned primarily with English for Specific Purposes
(ESP) style training that concentrates on vocabulary and skills needed for advanced military
training, versus the focus on grammar and mechanics skills taught in the other two sections. The
difference in focus would likely result in very different answers from these unique groups.
Due to recent changes in our organization and the timing of this analysis I ended up
interviewing The outgoing section chief and the incoming one. Because of this I obtained two
different perspectives where I initially expected one. The Interim Chief professed to having
limited knowledge on the topic, though in speaking with her about the interview she expressed
some of her opinions on the topic and gave me a pretty good idea of her stance.
I was only able to interview four out of six supervisors in the section, though the answers
I received were very informative.
The teacher survey was announced to the section through emails from supervisors to
about sixty teachers, of which seventeen responded. I extended the survey open period for an
extra week due to an initial response of eleven teachers. While seventeen responses out of sixty
may not seem like many, It's actually just short of a third of the staff and doesn't take into
account teachers who may have been on vacation, those who may not have been able to access
Classroom technology at defense language institute6
the survey online due to technical difficulties, or those who may not have been notified. Overall,
this is an acceptable response rate and the answers received yielded useful data.
Data Gathered Through Other Sources
Our curriculum department has analyzed this problem in the past and will be addressing
the issue in the future. They agreed to share what they had gathered so far and look forward to
receiving this analysis for their use. I had not received copies of their results prior to compiling
this analysis, but have briefly discussed some of their findings and ideas with them.
I have also discussed some of our technology issues in quarterly meetings with other
members of the Educational Technology Working Group, of which I am a member, and have an
idea of the direction our organization wants to go with classroom technology. In the past couple
of years these meetings have given me some perspective of the management view of technology
use and their expectations of teachers.
Classroom technology at defense language institute7
Results of Data Analysis
Data Analysis Techniques Used
The results were carefully reviewed and analyzed, then organized in the tables that
follow. The interviews with the section chiefs and unit supervisors consisted of qualitative
questions and I charted the collected data in tables in the following section where I broke it down
by category and themes and provided supporting excerpts from the participants. This data was
then used to formulate a summary presented at the end of each of these sections.
The teacher survey contained both quantitative and qualitative questions and each
question is broken down in its own table with analysis following it (with the exception of the
first yes/no question, which was simply averaged and reported on). An average was calculated
for each quantitative question to establish only if respondents reported average or above usage or
understanding. The qualitative questions were broken down by themes and supporting excerpts
were provided. This data was then used to formulate a summary presented at the end of the
section, much like for the previous two sections.
Results of Analysis
I interviewed the section chiefs, both the outgoing and the incoming. Their comments are
excerpted in the table below and the themes that formed during the interviews outlined.
Table 1
Interviews with section chiefs
Category Themes Excerpts from interview
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respondents
Effective use of technology Effective technology integration.
Objectives need to be met,
whether or not technology is
used.
Technology should “enhance”
student learning.
Respondent 1: Teachers need to
find ways to integrate the
technology into their lesson plans
in a way that capitalizes on their
individual teaching styles. This
does not mean technology needs
to be integrated into every lesson.
Respondent 1: Effective use
would facilitate or augment the
criteria that supervisors use when
conducting instructor evaluations.
Respondent 2: Should meet the
objective of the lesson.
Ineffective use of technology Avoid technology use for
technology's sake. If we already
have a book exercise that covers
the material adequately then
technology may not be necessary.
Admin programs should be used
effectively and in a timely
manner. Training on these may
be necessary.
Respondent 1: There is not a
specific technology being used
ineffectively, but across the board
teachers could benefit from
additional training on how to
integrate technology into their
lesson plans.
Respondent 2: Some teachers
aren't using the admin programs
effectively.
Classroom technology at defense language institute9
Movies should be used to
compliment the course or lesson
objectives and exercises should
be designed to ensure students are
really getting what they are
supposed to from it.
Respondent 2: Tech for tech's
sake. Sometimes teachers jump
straight to technology before
covering the material in the book.
Respondent 2: There are too
many movies shown on the Smart
Boards, just to show a movie.
Training need Training and refresher training is
needed on pretty much all
technology and applications that
we use currently.
Respondent 1: The skill levels of
the instructional staff vary so
widely that across the board
training needs to be made
available.
Respondent 2: CAD, CAR,
ATAAPS refresher training.
New technologies SharePoint needs to be more
effective and effectively used.
We need to look at what we can
do to expand our use of
technology to “keep up” with
current educational trends and
usage.
Respondent 1: DLI should look
into digital textbooks and
incorporating laptops or
notebooks for students.
Respondent 2: Our SharePoint
should be state-of-the-art for an
organization of this size.
These interviews were enlightening. My intent was to establish a baseline of the Chiefs'
expectations for technology usage and training, but what I found is that their thoughts on this are
Classroom technology at defense language institute10
in the vein that we could all use training and it should be sought out and provided. Both
respondents pointed out that our salaries were renegotiated with the Air Force Personnel Office
and pay adjusted based on the level of professionalism expected from our teaching staff and our
core documents were re-written to reflect a higher level of professional responsibility. One of our
responsibilities is to seek out and attend professional training where needed, to include the use of
existing technology. Both felt that we could be doing more to meet this requirement.
There is also the prevailing thought that not all teachers are “comfortable” with
technology, but that it's fine as long as they use the technology they can use effectively. This
might mean seeking out training on the “basics”.
According to both chiefs technology should meet curriculum objectives and should be
used in ways that would reflect well on their instructor evaluations.
I prepared a second set of interview questions similar to those I asked of the chiefs for the
unit supervisors. The results of this interview are excerpted in the table below, followed by a
brief discussion.
Table 2
Interviews with unit supervisors
Category Themes Excerpts from interview
respondents
Effective use of technology Perception that we are lacking in
training opportunities, especially
on the basics.
Need to use technology more
effectively
Respondent 1: Everybody needs
to be trained. It's always ongoing.
Respondent 1: Technology
should make your job easier
Respondent 2: Teachers should
Classroom technology at defense language institute11
Effective teachers seek out the
curriculum and teacher created
materials for use in their classes.
be able to use the curriculum
created materials effectively.
Respondent 3: The use of
technology should be easy to
understand, clear, it must help
students, and must be applicable.
Respondent 3; If social media is
used it should be wisely used.
Respondent 3: The book
resources on DVD have been
very helpful.
Respondent 4: We need to be able
to use what we have effectively.
Respondent 4: To be better able
to teach with technology teachers
need to know what is available on
our network. They need to be
curious enough to go looking for
it.
Ineffective/improper use of
technology
Teachers should use Smart boards
and technology more effectively.
Interactive use of technology
Respondent 1: Many teachers are
using the smart board just to
display textbooks and that's not
using it effectively.
Classroom technology at defense language institute12
Teacher developed materials
Teachers don't tend to create and
share materials.
Respondent 1: When it becomes
more interactive it is effective.
Respondent 2: Document
cameras
Respondent 3: I've not observed
any misuse or ineffective use of
technology. What they do use is
used effectively.
Respondent 4: The Attendance
program has a lot of information
we don't access.
Respondent 4: Teachers don't
develop a lot of material for the
Smart board or other classroom
activities. They should develop
more of their own materials and
shouldn't be afraid to share it.
Training need Training or jobs aids are needed
for Microsoft Office.
Basic trouble shooting skills
Smart board training needs to be
refreshed.
More training needed on the in-
Respondent 1: Smart Boards
Respondent 1: Microsoft Office
training needed - Outlook,
PowerPoint, Excel.
Respondent 2: Teachers should
be able to do basic trouble
Classroom technology at defense language institute13
house administrative programs. shooting before calling IT.
Respondent 2: Administrative
tasks
Respondent 3: Teachers should
be a little bit more effective with
Excel. It tends to be unused.
Respondent 4: Teachers don't
make effective use of office
programs and need some basic
training in it.
New technologies Cellphone-based activities
Teachers need to be comfortable
with current technologies before
adopting new ones.
Be willing to try something new
and to experiment with what we
have. Be curious.
Respondent 1: Cell phones with
curriculum created materials or
applications
Respondent 1: Cell phones as a
teaching tool.
Respondent 2: Teachers need to
feel comfortable with the existing
technology before we add more.
Respondent 3: We need to perfect
what we have and make sure it
works. If we have training on
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc is a
giant step forward.
Classroom technology at defense language institute14
Respondent 3: Often IT failures
stop us from doing what we need
to do.
Respondent 4: Teachers need to
be willing to try something new.
Respondent 4: There are
applications available out there
for smart phones, tablets, and
such that could be very effective.
Teacher requests for training None reported teachers asking for
technology, but did mention that
teachers should seek training out.
Respondent 1: None really.
Respondent 2: None.
Respondent 3: Excel
Respondent 4: None.
The supervisor interviews highlighted four main areas for improvement; Training in the
basics like Microsoft Office, more self-reliance and computer savvy among teachers, more
teacher created and interactive materials and activities, and more effective use of the other
technologies we already have, such as curriculum created materials and Smart board activities.
Several respondents noted that the Educational Technology Response Team has been
very effective in assisting and training teachers to better use resources. The teachers who have
sought out the team members and worked with them have been quite effective. Those who feel
they can't use the technology, or who are afraid to should seek out this type of help.
Classroom technology at defense language institute15
There are also a number of activities that we are not required to do that often and one
supervisor recommended that we have a notebook of job aids that remind people of the steps to
perform these less frequent tasks.
Surprisingly, there were not a lot of responses around the idea of new technologies. Most
of the respondents seemed to agree that we need to get a handle on what we already have and
that there is a definite training need there.
The teacher survey was completed by seventeen specialized English teachers and was
comprised of eight questions.
The first question asked participants if they knew who their Educational Technology
Response Team member was. Response team members are tech savvy teachers who help others
with their classroom technology and each is assigned to help others in their unit. Knowing who
these people are can save teachers a lot of aggravation. Eighty-two percent of participants said
that they know who the team members are.
The second question asked participants to rate their ability to use common technology
and applications already in use in the classroom. The scale for this was from one to five, with
one meaning no skill and five being expert.
Table 3
Teacher proficiency with existing technology
Technology Weighted Average
Not at all Somewhat Average Fairly well Expert
Email 0 0 0 9 7 4.44
Smart Board 0 2 4 8 2 3.63
Classroom technology at defense language institute16
PowerPoint 1 2 1 7 5 3.61
Excel 2 3 3 6 2 3.19
SharePoint 3 10 0 3 0 2.19
Lync 6 2 4 2 2 2.5
Document Camera 2 4 1 5 4 3.31
The Online Learning Center
1 1 1 4 9 4.19
Individualized MediaInstruction
0 2 4 5 5 3.81
Curriculum-ProvidedMaterials
0 1 1 7 7 4.25
CAD, CAR, PE Input 1 0 0 5 10 4.44
An average understanding of these concepts should be above a weighted average of three
and ideally it would be good to see teachers become proficient in many of these skills and rate
their abilities four or above. Regardless of which level of proficiency used the data seems to
indicate a definite need for training in SharePoint and our desktop communications platform
Lync. All but email and our in-house generated programs could use some refresher training.
Question three asked participants to rate their knowledge of tools or concepts that have
been identified as technology we will be likely using in the near future, or that are already in
progress or on the way.
Table 4
Knowledge of tools or concepts
Tool Weighted
Classroom technology at defense language institute17
Average
Not at all Have heard of
Somewhat familiar
Have used Very familiar
Learning ManagementSystems (LMS)
4 8 3 1 0 2.06
Globalnet 5 5 2 4 0 2.31
Ilias 15 0 0 1 0 1.19
milSuite 9 3 0 4 0 1.94
Blended Learning 6 4 3 2 1 2.25
Document Encryption 1 4 4 6 1 3.13
Secure file sharing 2 6 1 4 1 2.63
Wiki 1 6 1 6 2 3.13
Blogs 0 4 6 4 2 3.25
Social Media 0 1 2 7 6 4.13
Simulators 4 2 5 4 1 2.75
Cloud computing and storage
0 3 2 7 4 3.75
This was a loaded question in that some of these technologies are already available and
under-utilized or are on the way and very few have heard of them. The first two, Learning
Management Systems and Globalnet go together as Globalnet is an LMS that the Air Force is
working on with a contractor to provide us with a workable system in the near future. We have
already gone through a couple of trials of it with a small number of our staff and the final
product is on the way. More people had heard of Globalnet than I expected, but training will be
necessary once it has been implemented.
Classroom technology at defense language institute18
Ilias was a piece that dovetailed with Globalnet in its fist iteration that allowed teachers
to create their own learning spaces and classroom within the LMS. Earlier versions of Globalnet
were more of a content management system, where the newer version is more of a learning
management system, so Ilias may not be needed. If we do see it in the next run then training will
need to be provided.
MilSuite is a collection of applications provided by the Air Force on our network that
provide social networking applications for like blogging and discussions in a secure
environment. My impression both from this survey and from observation is that most of our staff
is unaware of this program and those who are aware of it don't tend to use it. Training can
address the awareness issue, but if people don't see a need they may not apply that training.
Our curriculum is beginning to develop more blended learning materials and classes. A
few of the respondents haven't heard of it at all, and most have not been involved with
development of these types of lessons. Most likely a seminar or training on blended learning
would be all that would be necessary to inform our teachers on this topic.
Most of our staff knows that emails can be encrypted, but fewer realize that files can be
too or that they have the tools available to transfer these files securely. Due to the sensitivity of
our records and some of the files we share it is important that people know how to do so
properly. As short training or perhaps a job aid might be necessary in this case.
Use of social media in a military environment is often a topic of contention though it isn't
strictly forbidden. Operational Security, or OPSEC, is always on our minds and we are very
aware that our students' privacy and security are paramount. This doesn't mean that we can't use
social media to communicate with our students, just that we should not make their photos and
Classroom technology at defense language institute19
information public. Given the complicated nature of this issue it is a good idea to discuss the use
of social media in seminar or small group training.
Simulators are becoming more and more a part of what we do. It's one thing to tell a
student about preparing for military training at another site, it's another to be able to show them.
We use simulators with pilots to practice their radio calls in English and similar programs allow
technicians to work in a simulated environment in English. This survey seems to show a pretty
even spread of understanding, though it's hard to say whether the ones who do need training in
them have received it. I know from experience that those who use the flight simulator don't
always know how and training for all of the aviation English teachers is advised.
The final issue of cloud computing and storage will become more important as the Air
Force upgrades our computers to Windows 10 in the near future. Our current network storage
model causes a lot of angst when servers and drives go down. If the Air Force chooses to use
cloud storage as much as most Windows 10 installations do then we will need training in this
emphasizing the differences and techniques of this new storage model.
The fourth question asked what technology in the classroom respondents felt
uncomfortable using in the classroom and gave four common choices and an “other” category
that allow for an open response.
Table 5
Technology teachers aren’t comfortable with
Choices Responses
The Smart Board 3
Social Media 5
IMI or other computer based tools 0
Classroom technology at defense language institute20
The Internet 0
Other 6
Table 5.1
Other
Response Answer
1 doc camera
2 system drives because they may or may not be accessible
3 the document camera
4 I feel comfortable using technology, but not confident that it will function.
5 I don't feel uncomfortable using any of this.
The question whether teachers are comfortable using the technologies listed was a bit
surprising. Every classroom has a Smart Board but some of our teachers do not know how to use
it properly. We certainly don't want them to be nervous or uncomfortable using it. In speaking
with several teachers and supervisors about the boards the general impression I got is the
expectation is that they are so easy to use that no one should have a problem with them. It has
been my observation that most of us are using it primarily as a display, rather than as an
interactive device. Perhaps the truth of the matter is that we all need to learn how to better utilize
this resource.
Teachers are understandably nervous about the use of social media, given increased
scrutiny and advice from the Air Force to be careful not to jeopardize students privacy and
security. School districts have similar privacy concerns, although for different reasons, and social
Classroom technology at defense language institute21
media can be an effective way to share information given due diligence and caution. As
discussed in the previous question its not really a matter of learning how to use it, but more a
matter of learning when or if to use it.
Training on the use of document cameras is probably a bit overdue. Most of the cameras I
have seen in the classrooms are covered in dust or shoved in the closet. It is sometimes easier to
find an example of something you want to use in class on the Internet or in a curriculum
provided PDF than to set up the camera and project from a book. This could be showing a need
for training, or conversely it could be showing no need for the cameras.
The fifth question asked if participants felt that appropriate tools had been made available
to address their technology needs.
Table 6
Have appropriate tools been provided?
Choices Responses
Yes 4
I don't know 1
Not really 11
This question was intended more or less to gauge satisfaction with our current technology
use among the respondents. A majority answered just as I thought they would and simply
affirmed the need for this analysis.
The sixth question asked what kinds of classroom technology respondents would like to
see adopted at DLI.
Classroom technology at defense language institute22
Table 7
Technology you would like adopted at DLI
Response Answer Trends
1 I would like to see tablets and Alexa (Amazon) or other
technology assistants incorporated. I would also like to
have a mil SME as a robot come to classes. I would
love to have google classroom email set up like they do
in public schools. Send briefings etc
More liberal cellphone policies
More curriculum provided
materials
Cell phone based applications like
Cahoots, Quizlet, Alexa,
vocabulary/ note cards, interactive
activities
eTexts and eBooks
Student laptops, notebooks, or pad
computers.
Better network infrastructure for
higher speeds and capacity
Improved database
Newer Smart Boards or
Promethean Boards
Speech recognition
2 We need to make use of the apps coming out that utilize
the ubiquitous cell phones. Kahoot, Quizlet, others.
3 Lots more online stuff. All the texts should be available
electronically.
4 Broader bandwidth for internet simulators, You-tube,
Ted Talks
5 I'm willing to use Kahoots! and other cellphone-based
tools that use phones in a sensible way. I also want
some form of electronic vocabulary card system to be
adopted.
6 high speed internet
7 conversion of books to digital/electronic technology.
Use laptops/notebooks etc. for textbook or classroom
presentation rather than old books, which are expensive.
Electronic media can be updated and adapted much
quicker.
Classroom technology at defense language institute23
8 more curriculum-provided materials
9 student laptops / notebooks instead of books; cell phone
usage in the classroom for academic purposes
10 Considering the restrictions that the military imposes on
the types of technology that we can use, I feel that we
have several fairly good tools from which we can
choose. I would like to see us use e-books on tablets
that are interactive for the students. I would also rather
have Promethean boards.
11 I would like to see DLI invest in a much larger (better
capacity) database system.
12 legalization of cell phones for learning purposes & at
the discretion of the instructor
13 Faster internet, 3-D Smart Board updates (would be
very useful for aviation mechanics and other tech
classes.
14 Perhaps activities using technology where one class
could communicate with another over the computer to
accomplish a task as a group. This encourages good
communication among students.
15 Speech recognition hardware and software.
16 Whatever is being used in public schools and colleges
or universities.
Classroom technology at defense language institute24
Of course this question is the author of this analysis fishing for ideas. Some of the themes
that came out of this are commonly discussed around DLI and may be subject to policy and
budgetary constraints. For example it is policy that students not use cell phones in class because
of the distraction they present. This is not to say they can never be used by the teacher and it is
implied that it should be done at their discretion. This implication is not universal, though, and
can vary in degree depending on who your supervisor or section chief is. The other issue is that
not all students have smart phones. An in-service-training on the use of cell phones as a teaching
tool for those who are interested would be desirable, but a blanket policy or training for all
probably isn't necessary.
Some of the infrastructure and database concerns raised are out of our control and some
are currently under process improvement. There likely isn't much training we can do to to
address these problems aside from some user education on available workarounds.
Electronic or PDF versions of our materials are in development or already available in
many cases. So far this has been done primarily to give teachers better access and control of the
materials and a few have been enhanced with interactive answers to exercises and embedded
links. I don't know that there is any plan to provide it to the students in this format.
I would like to form a focus group to further explore this question to solicit more ideas
for the future.
Classroom technology at defense language institute25
The seventh question asked what types of training respondents would like to see offered
as In-Service Training (IST).
Table 8
Types of tech training you would like to see offered
Response Answer Trends
1 1. General familiarization with apps available 2. Specific
training in same apps 3. Instruction on how to find new
apps
Smart Board training and how to
make its use more interactive
General familiarization/continuous
training on existing applications
Integrating technology
How to better leverage the Internet
SharePoint/File sharing
Collaboration
Schoology
2 Anything we don't already get.
3 I need a Schoology primer, and we could all use some
SharePoint training.
4 Continual refreshers and updates
5 integrating speaking/listening/vocabulary/language
functions activities with technology
6 for all of those things listed above that I hardly know
anything about.
7 more curriculum-provided materials
8 Is there a way on the .edu or network to share smart
board activities? Can the activities we create be made
accessible to other instructors (without copying them on
CDs to share)?
9 I would like to see a technology training for the Smart
Board that is interactive as opposed to sitting and
watching someone manipulate the program. I am a
Classroom technology at defense language institute26
hands-on learner, and the ISTs that have been offered,
while informative, are not useful for me in learning the
software.
10 I would like to have a review of Smart Board. I would
like to be made aware of any other software that is
available to us to enhance my instruction.
11 training for the new technology they place on our
computers, e.g. Lync or at least a cheat sheet on how to
use it.
12 Better use of the internet (i.e. different websites for
different types of classes such as those in Specialized).
13 Just whatever will keep us up to speed on what we need
in our classrooms.
14 SMART board training limited to a small learning group
to allow more questions and clarification.
A number of the respondents mentioned refresher courses on the programs we already
use and that's not a bad idea. In the case of the office programs we use there is already a resource
we can use on the Air Force Portal to learn more about things like Excel, PowerPoint, and other
Microsoft Products. Likely a guide on how to access and use these materials would be enough to
address the need.
Training was provided on the Smart Boards when we first received them and training is
available online, but new people have joined us and others have moved around or may not have
been present for the initial training. In-service-training and refreshers are definitely needed.
Classroom technology at defense language institute27
Respondent number 11 mentioned cheat sheets for commonly used applications and this
type of job aid would be fairly easy to create and distribute. This echos the recommendation of
one of the supervisors to create a notebook of job aids.
Respondent number 5's discussion of technology integration strikes at the heart of the
issue for many. In time we will see more of this based on current curriculum projects. Otherwise
teachers who already integrate technology effectively with their lessons should be encouraged to
share their techniques in IST.
The eighth question asked whether respondents had any other comments, questions, or
concerns.
Table 9
Do you have any other comments, questions, or concerns?
Response Answer Trends
1 Broadband, Connectivity, and Lackland Air Force IT
policies are the major obstacles for incorporating
technology in the classroom
Network/ Equipment reliability
and IT support lacking
Electronic media/ eBooks
2 Smart Boards are not all reliable; system drives are not
all reliably accessible. I would like this to be addressed
and corrected
3 As a World Class Institution we are pretty much third
world in our application of the available products and
technologies available today. Many times I have had to
use students laptops, phones, or subscriptions to internet
assets to utilize media possibilities. My edu laptop was
unable to process the data to show on the Smart Board as
Classroom technology at defense language institute28
bandwidth prohibited use.
4 If the DLIELC would at least keep its IT updated and
working, it would be serving students well. As it is, our
super-slow internet, outdated laptops, and abject refusal
to allow cellphone-based technologies in the classroom
are signs that we are NOT the "world-class institution"
that we purport to be.
5 If we used more electronic media for instruction rather
than hard or soft-bound books it wouldn't take two years
or more to update materials.
6 I do NOT like games and do not want training in any.
7 Aren't we supposed to avoid using social media at DLI
and with DLI students?
8 If the equipment doesn't work, because it's out of our
control, this is all moot. We also should be given a
"heads up" if something is going to change on our
computers, such as new OS or software.
9 FYI- #4 on this survey only allowed me to choose one
form of technology. I would mark The Smart Board,
IMI, & the Internet
10 In general,the technology is very good, but the upkeep
and the updates of the technology isn't always timely.
11 Lack of support from the IT folks.
12 No.
Classroom technology at defense language institute29
The common response to this question points to failure of our infrastructure and IT
representatives to keep up with our needs. There is much more involved in this than we see as
teachers and I doubt the network and systems will ever be as high-speed as we would like.
Having said that, we can work together to make what we have work. All of us have found one
work-around or another we use to get around slow networks and lack of support. We do have an
Educational Technology Response Team, but maybe it's time to consider and Educational
Technology Users Group.
Findings of Needs Analysis
This analysis revealed that the use of technology in our organization is generally good,
but that we all have room for improvement. There are those who tend to avoid technology,
though the general population is trying to use it effectively. Given our busy schedules some of
the more complex technologies and learning are not always acquired or applied.
Need for Instruction
There is a definite need for updated training on the basic technologies teachers are
expected to use effectively. Some of this training is already available and can be better
advertised, and some will need to be developed.
The Air Force provides basic Office and Windows training online, but many do not know
that it exists or how to access it. A short training on how to use these resources would be
beneficial.
Classroom technology at defense language institute30
Job aids should be created that illustrate how to access some of the technology available
to us but that isn't as commonly used. This could be in the form of a simple computer users guide
at each workstation.
Some of the other tasks teachers and supervisors have asked for can be taught through in-
service-training sessions and those who are already proficient in these areas should be
encouraged to offer the training. There is really no reason we should have to seek outside
training resources for much of this.
Teachers need to know where to go or who to ask if they don't know what to do. Training
can emphasize the aids and resources already available, such as the response team and
information technology assets.
Goal of Instruction
Given effective training and job aids, teachers at DLI will integrate technology in their
classroom and demonstrate their proficiency in it when asked or on a yearly review by their
supervisor.
Classroom technology at defense language institute31
Appendix A: Data Collection Instrument 1 - Section Chief Interviews
The Core Document states that teachers should be able to use technology in the classroom
effectively. How should they be meeting this goal?
How would you define effectively in this case?
Is there a specific technology teachers aren't using effectively?
Are there technologies or tools the teachers need better training to use?
Are there technologies we currently use that are not an effective use of teachers' time?
Are there technologies you would like to see our organization adopt? Why?
Appendix B: Data Collection Instrument 2 - Supervisor Interviews
The Core Document states that teachers should be able to use technology in the classroom
effectively. How should they be meeting this goal?
How would you define effectively in this case?
Is there a specific technology you feel teachers aren't using effectively?
Are there technologies or tools the teachers need better training to use?
Are there technologies we currently use that are not an effective use of teachers' time?
Are there technologies you would like to see our organization adopt? Why?
Have individual teachers identified technology they can't use?
Have individual teachers identified technology training they would like to receive?
What technologies or processes have you observed teachers using or performing
improperly?
Classroom technology at defense language institute32
Have you received mandates regarding the use of technology that are not
achievable or that are beyond current teachers' training or understanding?
Appendix C: Data Collection Instrument 3 - Teacher Surveys
Presented as a Survey Monkey Survey:
1. Do you know who the members of the Educational Technology Response Team are for
your section? (Yes/No)
2. Rate your ability to use the following in your day-to-day work (not at
all/somewhat/average/fairly well/expert)
◦ The Smart Board
◦ PowerPoint
◦ Excel
◦ SharePoint
◦ Lync (Skype for Business)
◦ The document camera
◦ The Online Learning Center (OLC)
◦ Individualized Media Instruction (IMI)
◦ Curriculum Provided Materials
Classroom technology at defense language institute33
◦ CAD, CAR, PE Input (Attendance, Student Records, Student Performance
Evaluation)
3. How knowledgeable are you of the following tools or concepts? (not at all/I have heard
of it/somewhat familiar/ have used/ very familiar or expert)
◦ Learning Management Systems (LMS)
◦ Globalnet
◦ Ilias
◦ milSuite
◦ Blended Learning
◦ Document encryption
◦ Secure file sharing
◦ Wiki
◦ Blogs
◦ Social Media
◦ Simulators
◦ Cloud computing and storage
4. What Technology in the classroom do you feel uncomfortable using?
◦ The Smart Board
◦ Social Media
◦ IMI or other computer based tools
Classroom technology at defense language institute34
◦ The Internet
◦ Other (Please Specify)
5. Do you feel appropriate tools (classroom tech, tutorials, job aids, classes) have been made
available to address your technology needs? (Yes/I don't know/Not Really)
6. What kinds of classroom technology would you like to see adopted at DLI?
7. What types of technology training would you like to see offered as In Service Training
(IST)?
8. Do you have any other comments, questions, or concerns?