Technology integration is the use of technical resources – computers, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, social media platforms and networks, software applications, the Internet, etc. – in the daily practice of the classroom and school. Successful technology integration is achieved when the use of technology:
Routine and transparent
Available and easily available for the current task
Support curriculum goals and help students achieve their goals effectively
When technology integration is at its best, the child or teacher still believes they are using a technical tool – that’s another character. And students are often more actively involved in projects when technological tools are seamlessly part of the learning process.
Configure technology integration
Before we can discuss how we can change our pedagogy or the role of the teacher in a classroom where technology is integrated, it is important to first define what “technology integration” really means. Effortless integration is when students use technology not only on a daily basis, but also have access to a variety of tools that fit the current task and allow them to develop a deeper understanding of the content. But how we define technology integration also depends on the technology available, how much access you have to the technology, and who uses the technology. In a classroom with only an interactive whiteboard and computer, learning is likely to continue to be teacher-centered, and integration revolves around the needs of teachers and not necessarily students. There are still ways to even implement an interactive whiteboard to make it a resource for students.
The readiness to accept change is also an important prerequisite for successful technology integration. Technology is constantly and rapidly evolving. It is an ongoing process and requires continuous learning.
Types of technology integration
Sometimes it is difficult to describe how technology can affect learning because the term “technology integration” is such a broad framework that includes so many different tools and practices; There are many ways in which technology can become an integral part of the learning process. Only a few of these options are listed below, but new technology tools and ideas are being added every day.
As K-12’s online learning is gaining momentum around the world (see our schools that deal with online learning), many teachers are also exploring blended learning – a combination of online and face-to-face teaching. Read Heather Wolpert-Gawron’s blog on blended learning. Blogger Bob Lenz also gives us a snapshot of what blended learning looks like in the classroom.
Project-based operation with technology
Many of the most difficult projects have passed the technology from start to finish. Visit our Schools That Work project-based learning package in Maine to learn more about high school and high school, which achieves good results when you combine PBL with a personal portable program. Or check out Brian Greenberg’s recent blog on combining PBL with blended learning.
Game-based learning and assessment
Incorporating simulations and game-based learning activities into classroom teaching is much more enthusiastic. Visit our video game learning resource page for more information. Guest blogger Terrell Heick wrote about game play or go straight to a hands-on source and read Andrew Miller’s game-based learning units for the daily teacher.
Learning on mobile and portable devices
Devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, and tablets were once widely discarded as distractions, but are now used as teaching aids in advanced schools. See the classroom downloadable guide for mobile devices. See Ben Johnson’s blog on using iPads in the classroom or an article on using cell phones for teaching purposes. Watch Milton Chen, a former CEO of Edutopia, for a case study on using iPods to teach English students, or check out Audrey Watter’s blog about classroom texting. We also have a blog series about K-5 iPad apps, Bloom’s Taxonomy, written by Diane Darrow. You will become much more L.