Sunday, August 30, 2009
My Working Definition: Technology Integration
Technology Integration is the process of introducing and implementing new and different technology into the classroom environment. Integrating technology into our classrooms will further prepare students for life after or outside of school. Technology integration will also promote critical thinking among students, as well as aid in developing problem solving skills. For technology integration to effectively work, the teacher must align the technology to current state and national standards. The teacher should make sure that higher level learning is taking place during the use of technology. The schools and school districts must ensure that teachers are properly trained on how to implement the new technology into their classroom.
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It seems that since technology integration depends on the training of teachers, then there should be some kind of supplemental pay (like the HOPE scholarship) for teachers pursuing the IT degree. Do you think that student learning is the primary driving force in schools, or has that ideal been hijacked by meeting state and national demands?
ReplyDeletebtw, cool image on your blog page!
Kick,
ReplyDeleteI think you and I share similar philosophies of how IT promotes the use of logic in students. My definition also meantion how IT employs critical thinking which prepares learners for the global economy/workforce.
Well done!
Kick, (I'm only playing devil's advocate so that our comments won't all seem so agreeable.)
ReplyDeleteI do agree with your definition of technology integration. But I want to pose the question to you, or offer the rebuttal to your statement about technology integration promoting critical thinking and aiding in problem solving skills. Isn't that just like saying that integrating math into the curriculum will promote the same critical thinking skills? Wouldn't it be accurate to say that it's not only the teachers who have to properly integrate technology, but also the students who have to utilize the technology in order to really promote and nurture their critical thinking skills? Too many students, as well as teachers, seem to want the technology to do the critical thinking for them.
This seems to be a most interesting blog. I really love all of the ideas that have been thrown around. I agree with Jane, that since IT is such a "hot topic" and focus of so many of today's classrooms, there should be an incentive for teachers to earn a degree in the field. On the other hand, BECAUSE technology integration is becoming more and more prominent and ultimately inevitable, the state has an arguement for no incentive being offered in the area.
ReplyDeleteTo tag onto what Coach said, it seems that too many students want to watch passively as the teacher works like crazy to provide interesting technologically innovative lessons. I'm all for putting the student in the driver's seat and having them use their HOTS to create some of these types of projects.
ReplyDeleteGood conversations going on here. Yes, we should always think of putting the students front and center with these technology-based tools. Remember that these tools can stretch students' imaginations and improve critical thinking skills. Plus quite motivating for many of them. On the other hand, we need to be aware of equity and access issues for our students. Not everybody has access to these tools.
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