Adaptation and avoidance: Observations of teachers' reactions to technology in the classroom

This paper reports and reflects upon the observed behaviours of teachers during the conduct of a large-scale telecommunications project. While teacher behaviours were not the focus of the project, they quickly became an exogenous force on the environment which could not be ignored. This paper is drawn from field notes which revealed a pattern of success and frustration, of adaptation and avoidance as those concerned dealt with the subjective and logistical changes in their lives and in their teaching practice. The story told here is about the complexity of change, and the struggles faced by individuals in coming to terms personally and professionally with externally-imposed change.