School Interview

County Case Study - Learning Through Technology Connections

A Comparison of Schools in China and America

School Interviews

Introduction:

In my years growing up in China, there was a focus on major STEM courses at all levels. However, there was nothing close to a focus on integration of technology in education in China like it is today. It seems that this early focus and emphasis on STEM courses made the progressive integration of assistive technology inevitable in schools across China in every province. This growing evolution of technology integration in education in China has guided my decision to explore a relationship with educators in my native country. It is my desire to learn firsthand of the impact on learning.

Interviewees:

When I was deciding on the subject of my project, I selected to examine the integration of technology in the educational system in China, the nation of my birth. I selected to interview these two Chinese educators:

Ms. Yuging Wen, the head of the English teaching and research group, teaches English at Jiangnan High School, located in a suburb area of Zhejiang province in the southern region of China. She has been teaching at this school 12 years since 2008, which is the year she graduated from the East China Normal University for a Master degree in education.
Mr. Jun Zhu is a mathematics teacher who graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology. He has 20 years of teaching experience at Harbin No. 3 High School located in Harbin City, the capital of Heilongjiang province in the northern region of China. I and Mr. Zhu frequently interact mainly through WeChat since we teach the same subject (Precalculus) and both are interested in exchanging math teaching experience and ideas in the long run.
In order to assist me to have a clear and comprehensive understanding of their teaching strategies and instructional programs, based on my request, each of the two teachers conducted a survey within their departments. I supplied the following questions to guide their discussion with their colleagues: What is the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) used in your school? What are the opportunities for professional development related to technology implementation at your school? Do you think ICT implementation in education benefits the students’ learning, (Why or Why not, please explain)? What have been the differences you have noticed over the past 20 years?

Interview Questions:

What is your current role in education and what previous experience do you have as an educator?

Rationale: It is very important to have a full understanding of the educators’ background in order to be able to gauge their level of mastery and involvement in their subject area and classroom instruction. This will provide a view of how involved they were in preparing for teaching and learning about the integration of technology in classroom instruction.

What technology is available to students and teachers in your current school?

Rationale: When information is shared regarding the availability of technology in their current school it can provide an indication of how important technology is to that school and school district. It can also serve as an indicator of the available technology resources to support powerful instruction and student performance.

How do teachers at your school use technology to support instruction?

Rationale: At first glance, this information can indicate the level of professional development that has taken place in the school. It can be a view into the emphasis and value the school administration places on the use of technology in instructional programs. Is this a school-wide focus? It may provide insight into the general comfort level that various teachers have in implementing assistive technology initiatives.

Do you feel integration of technology helps your students achieve the standards outlined within your curriculum? Is instruction of specific technology related skills included within your curriculum?

Rationale: The answers to this question will provide information as to the amount of teacher time that is spent on the examination of student data and how much the use of technology has impacted student performance on measures of academic achievement. It will also indicate the level of student training on how to effectively use technology devices and software. I would like to know the level of student proficiency and comfort level with the use of technology beyond the cell phone.

Do educators at your school teach any of the skills outlined by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)?

Rationale: The information shared in the answers to this question will provide insight into the level of importance the school or teacher places on research and connecting to global initiatives in the use of technology in education. It will help in knowing or measuring, to some degree, how progressive the school or teacher is in being competitive in a global society.

What difficulties or challenges do teachers face when integrating technology with classroom instruction?

Rationale: Through previous research, I have learned that China has issues with equity in the availability of technology resources in different regions or provinces. Rural areas are especially impacted by inequality. It would be very important to know if their schools are affected by this issue. If so, it would be interesting to learn how they are responding to this or compensating for the lack of resources. I will also learn if there is a system of ongoing professional development to assist with the integration of technology in classroom instruction.

If you are asked to develop a classroom module (unit of instruction) reflecting a global perspective that includes connecting your classroom with a classroom in another country via a global network, what kind of online module would you prefer to use? How to ensure the communication between students in both classrooms?

Rationale: My intent here is to learn how knowledgeable the teachers are in the use of technology to connect with classrooms on the other side of the globe. It will help in knowing if they will add to this experience with their knowledge and use of various networks and platforms to enhance distance learning. I will come to know how progressive and interested they are in the use of a global network to explore new horizons in teaching and learning. I hope to learn if they are innovators or novice in this area.

Are educators in China required to receive specific technology related training?

Rationale: The answers to this question can reveal the driving force behind the integration of technology in education. I would be interested in learning how involved the government is in technology integration and teacher training. I wonder if the Chinese Ministry of Education mandates teacher use of technology and the training they receive. It would be interesting to know if this is a school or teacher driven focus. I will pursue their specific thoughts on the level of autonomy they have and are individual creativity and exploration supported by the government.

What training, if any, have you received related to teaching with technology?

Rationale: The answer to the question is crucial in determining how much I will be able to count on their ability to contribute to this project in a meaningful way. It would be a more taxing experience if my counterpart’s skill set in this area is far below my own. It would be difficult if I had to provide training before collaborative planning could take place.

Do you feel the training opportunities that are available fully support teacher needs so that they can successfully use technology within their instruction? Why or why not?

Rationale: The answer would actually provide greater insight than the previous question. I will learn if they have taken advantage of professional development opportunities or if any meaningful training opportunities exist. This will be a clear indicator of their desire to grow in the use of technology in teaching and learning.

Findings:

The information gathered from the two interviewees and their departments are summarized in this brief paragraph:

ICT is encouraged at all school levels in China and is mainly used as an assistive tool for presentation or retrieving information, instead of creating individualized learning resources. This warrants continuous professional development and should be provided to meet the growing needs of the teaching staff; According to Ms. Wen, under the pressure of Goakao (National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), teachers sometimes feel technology took too much time for them to master and they need to focus more on “teaching” instead of “dynamic of teaching”.
Few teachers are aware of ISTE standards. Since the COVID-19 outbreak in China, the distance learning platforms such as “Dingding” and “Gomeetnow” have become the most popular education apps in China. These apps have features such as Live Interaction through video, audio and chartroom, Share Screen for presentation, and Classroom Locking for attendance etc. At some point, teachers and students in China are exposed to the open online forum without considering the online privacy policy.
Schools in larger cities have more access to computer and educational software than schools in suburb and rural areas, as well as global learning opportunities. An example of this can be found in the availability of resources for students enrolled in study abroad programs. Some students have the opportunity to interact with native English speakers, who teach the English language arts online regularly. The responses indicate that this resource is available for students in Mr. Zhu’ school but not for students in Ms. Wen’s school. This apparent digital divide can create an imbalance in the education some students receive in comparison to others. The findings from the expanded interview process were consistent with my research and compelling in many ways.
The use of information and communication technologies in teaching has been significantly emphasized for the past two decades. This is highlighted by technology implementation in education at all levels. This indicates that China is indeed very committed to the use of technology in its classrooms. This was confirmed that the interviewees all seem to echo and support the nation’s mandate that all school teachers and administrators from k-12 received required ICT training.
The personal feeling of interviewees regarding the use of ICT in their instructional programs : implementation should be localized to fit the needs of different regions instead of mainly following the American educational technology standards. It should be based on the current teachers’ technology level of mastery. Otherwise, teachers will lose confidence.

Conclusion:

Through the interview process, I was able to reflect on a quote that was shared with me as a child on the value of education. The Confucian slogan for education states that, “He who excels in study can follow an official career”. This is clear now as it was for me; learners should show full respect for knowledge and their teachers. You must be modest while concentrating on grasping and practicing the knowledge, and make self-reflections frequently. Education is regarded as a way to compete for higher social status. The evaluation of the performances of learners, teachers, and schools are defined according to exam scores. The preparation for high-stake exams poses great pressures to learners, parents, teachers, and administrators. This process is as competitive now as it was when I was a student. The difference between my experience as a student and now is the development of technology as a vehicle to support and enhance teaching and learning. I think a large part is due to the growth of technology globally.

Full Interview Responses:

2019 Spring, EDTC 645|UMUC