Why Integrate Technology Into The Curriculum?

Why Integrate Technology Into the Curriculum?

• Technology is present everywhere; • It touches almost every part of our livesour communities, our homes; • Tech will help students acquire the skills they need to survive in a complex, highly technological knowledge-based economy

Effective integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. It must support the 4 key components of learning: - active engagement; - participation in groups; - frequent interaction and feedback; and, - connection to real world experts.

Effective technology integration is achievedwhen the use of technology is routine and transparent; and, when technology supports curricular goals.

Learning with technology – - challenges students intellectually; - enables the students to acquire and refine their analytical and problem-solving skills as they work individually or in teams as they look for/find processes and synthesize information; - provides each classroom with more interesting, diverse, and current learning materials;

- offers students ways to experiment and observe phenomenon and view results in graphic ways. - helps make learning more fun and meaningful.

For teachers – - offers effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means; - teacher grows into roles of adviser, content expert, and coach.

Steps at a typical process of technology adoption: 1. Dabbling; 2. Doing old things in old ways; 3. Doing old things in new ways; and, 4. Doing new things in new ways.

Barriers to Technology Integration TEACHERS 1. Motivation 2. Lack of support – (money, time, and leadership 3. Teacher mindset / attitude 4. Lack of tools 5. Lack of understanding for the technology

How to Overcome Barriers (For Teachers) 1. Look at the standards for technology 2. Understand the implication of not integrating 3. Ask for support 4. Make it a priority 5. Be flexible and open-minded 6. Do what you can with what you have on hand 7. Use low tech alternatives

What does an integrated lesson plan look like? Differences such as grade level, student ability, location, and resources can create different looking classes. For teachers who have “ideal” classrooms with computers: * download lesson plans, quizzes, games; * download clip art for bulletin boards; * create a class website; * perform online assessment; * do tutorials; * have students take pictures with digital cams

For teachers without the “ideal” computer resources and support: *Find clip art and print it up to use on your bulletin board; *Use old computer keyboards or paper keyboards to teach keyboarding skills; *Download lessons to extend or increase learning; *Download text, pictures, or whatever and pass out copies to students, create overhead transparencies, etc. *Use your class bulletin board to model an online bulletin board, website, or Email

More ways on how teachers can continue to support their own objectives to integrate tech in their classrooms • Take courses to improve your comfort level with technology; • Be fearless and jump in; • Research on line; • Write an article; • Take baby steps and do one new technology-based strategy each time; • Work with others; • Buy your own equipment and play with it at home; • Consider low tech alternatives to integrating tech into your classroom

• Source: Peter J. Dagula, M.Ed

A study on Integrating Technology into the Classroom • Technology training opportunities; • Creating interest in technology integration; • Administrative support/recognition; • Remuneration/Incentives for faculty training;

Findings / Generalizations re Working with technology and faculty development • Faculty prefer one-on-one training, whenever possible, very small groups • Faculty prefer to have a session or series dedicated to one specific project on which they are working rather than just an introduction to technology; they want it applicable at that moment; • Faculty want to be paid in some way for their efforts, which is not being done to great at this school where the study was made. • Faculty want the flexibility of repetitive scheduling so they can attend many desired sessions without having conflicts

• Source Karen Jarrett Thoms. Learning Resources & Technology Services/ Center for Information Media, St Cloud State University, St. Cloud MN

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