The Integration of Educational Technology by Julie Stern

Successful Technology Integration

Before we discuss technology integration with the administrators, teachers, and parents, we need first to understand what successful technology integration looks like. “When technology integration is at its best, a child or a teacher doesn’t stop to think that he or she is using a technology tool — it is second nature. And students are often more actively engaged in projects when technology tools are a seamless part of the learning process (Edutopia 2007).” Technology integration is the use of various technology resources that include but are not limited to tablets, smart boards, laptops, social media platforms, and other internet applications.

Advice to Administrators

Administrators have many technology resources at their fingertips. The various resources need to be analyzed carefully to determine which media and applications will foster the largest amount of student engagement. Once administrators decide on a platform to incorporate, they must make sure that there are workshops provided to the teachers. Administrators could choose a representative from each grade level to filter out the information regarding any new technology resources. There is a learning curve, but our society and students are becoming technologically advanced and are ready to accept new ways of learning.

Advice for Teachers

Technology continues to change every year. The school district budget is constantly accounting for a technology fund. The technology needs to be used in the classroom with fidelity. When teachers provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through various technology avenues, then they are truly preparing our students for the future. In a teachers’ classroom, the technology should be visible to the students.

• Routine and transparent
• Accessible and readily available for the task at hand
• Supporting the curricular goals, and helping the students to effectively reach their goals

(Edutopia, 2007)

Teachers are the bridge between the students and the technology. With all the available technology, we need to ensure that the students are using the technology safely and beneficially, When teachers are implementing the use of technology in the classroom, the students need to be aware of the expectations. Technology use is essential in school. Teachers need to spend time teaching the students the various applications on tablets, computers, and smartboards. The technology can be implemented at each center during math, reading, writing, and science. Educational videos, blogs, and other media will help educate the students in an engaging fashion. The teachers need to establish routines and ensure that technology is readily available to all students equally. Best practices include technology that engages students. Students can work on the same project together on various technological devices. For example, Google Classroom offers a “Google Slides” application. For math and science projects, I share a document with the students and they can edit and add to the same document. It is a great use of collaborative work. Training needs to be made available for the teachers in order for them to feel confident using the technology in their classroom. It is difficult for a teacher that has been teaching for a long time to switch from paper and pencil to technology, however, we must keep in mind the greatest benefit for the students. Whether we are ready or not, technology is advancing every day, and it is essential that we provide our students with this valuable resource to enhance their learning.

There are four levels of technology integration that has been observed in a classroom. (Edutopia, 2007)

1. Sparse: Technology is rarely used or available. Students rarely use technology to complete assignments or projects.
2. Basic: Technology is used or available occasionally/often in a lab rather than in the classroom. Students are comfortable with one or two tools and sometimes use these tools to create projects that show an understanding of content.
3. Comfortable: Technology is used in the classroom on a fairly regular basis. Students are comfortable with a variety of tools and often use these tools to create projects that show an understanding of content.
4. Seamless: Students employ technology daily in the classroom using a variety of tools to complete assignments and create projects that show a deep understanding of content.

(EDUTOPIA, 2007)

Advice to Parents

Providing advice to parents is important for transparency. Parents are used to paper and pencil learning. Communication with parents is paramount. An educational night to teach parents how to use technology at home to help their children would be a great parent involvement activity. The websites and applications that will be used in the classroom should have guides for the parents to understand. There are many benefits to students using technology at home. For example, if the students are working on a group science project, they can each publish a slide on the same presentation. There is no need for the students to get together to accomplish this. At first, parents may be hesitant, but it is crucial that the benefits are outlined for the parents. The level of student engagement is much higher in my classroom when I say “take out your laptop” instead of “take out a piece of paper and a pencil.” The students get excited to show off their learning. The students demonstrate creativity when using the technology. For example, when there is a science project on the states of matter, the students can add online images to show what a solid, liquid, and gas is. This helps solidify the knowledge that they were taught by the teacher. Another piece of advice to parents is to be patient, the students know a ton about technology and will help both the parents and teachers out. Complete knowledge of technology does not come overnight. Jump in with excitement that your children are preparing for the future and they are having fun doing it!

Outcomes of Technology Integration

Technology integration needs the administrators, teachers, students, and parents to be successful. There are many benefits to technology integration in the classroom. Some believe that technology adds a distraction, but this is not the case when technology is implemented successfully in the classroom. There are many reasons to implement technology in the classroom. One major benefit of technology is that it increases the level of student engagement in learners while also allowing them to be creative. The implementation of technology also encourages individual student learning and growth. There are many ways that teachers can differentiate technology to benefit the students. Each of the students can have a different reading online passage and project that varies by lexile and level of complexity. Technology also facilitates collaborative work. Collaborative work is essential in a classroom because it allows the students to form peer relationships and work as a team to develop and build upon ideas. Technology is a huge part of our everyday culture and by incorporating technology into the classroom, we are preparing students for the real world. Integrating technology into the classroom also creates more innovative teachers. Although it can seem daunting at first if you have not used technology before, start small and build your way up. The students will benefit greatly from the integration of technology in the classroom. (Capella.edu, 2017)

References:

What is Successful Technology Integration? Edutopia.  (2007). TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION – What is Successful Technology Integration?  George Lucas Educational Foundation.  

Retrieved from:   Https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-descriptionhttps://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description

5 Reasons to Incorporate Technology into your Classroom. (2017)

Retrieved from: https://www.capella.edu/blogs/cublog/benefits-of-technology-in-the-classroom/