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What does it mean to integrate technology?

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What does it mean to integrate technology?

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To integrate technology is to incorporate it in a meaningful way. In the classroom, it is meant to enhance the lesson being taught rather than being the lesson itself. There are many sites, applications, and tools that can be used in the classroom to enhance student learning.

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Rational Numbers in the Real-World Padlet

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Rational Numbers in the Real-World Padlet

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Above is an example of another Padlet. It is an example of what students might create to show their understanding of rational number operations after the conclusion of a unit through group investigation cooperative learning.

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This is a lesson plan that includes the use of the application Geometry Pad. This allows students to explore new concepts and achieve advanced skills while using technology.

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The above article details the meaning of technology integration in the classroom and how to do it. It includes ideas for how technology can be used in different areas as well as the importance of it for various grade levels.

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Drexel University School of Education
Technology provides instant accessibility to information, which is why its presence in the classroom is so vital. Smart phones, computers, and tablets are already an omnipresent element of everyday life for students and teachers alike. It's only natural that the use of technological devices in the classroom are explored to create meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages.

Utilizing different types of technology in the classroom, including a virtual classroom, creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives. The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom climate.

What Does Technology Integration Mean in Education?

Integration of technology in education simply refers to the use of technology to enhance the student learning experience. Utilizing different types of technology in the classroom, including a virtual classroom, creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives. The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom climate.

How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

There is a common misconception that the integration of technology in the classroom can be a financial burden for school districts, but students do not necessarily need their own tablets or laptops to succeed with technology. The use of technology during whole-class instruction can foster student engagement for auditory and visual learners. Integrating simple technologies Power Points, games, internet homework assignments, or online grading systems can be difference makers in students' growth in the classroom.

Power Points and Games

Powerpoint presentations can be used to introduce a classroom concept while providing the opportunity for engagement. Along with the use of graphics and bulleted information, links to videos that accompany the ideas presented in the Powerpoint can be embedded within the slides.

Educational apps in the classroom like Kahoot can be used to review information after a lesson or unit. Teachers can create and share Kahoots with one another while students can create anonymous user names to participate in the game. This allows for whole-class participation from students who may usually be reluctant to participate in class. Kahoot is accessible to play on phones or computers and teachers can determine if they want students to work independently or be assigned to teams.

Internet Homework Assignments

Posting homework assignments online (via learning platforms like Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle) is one way many teachers can begin to integrate technology in the classroom. Assignments are easily accessible, which can increase student engagement and help students become more organized.

Online grading Systems

Communication is a key element in education that helps teachers, administrators, parents, and students recognize a student's strengths and areas for improvement. Online grading systems such as PowerSchool open and facilitate lines of communication where teachers can post grades, analyze student attendance patterns, and manage transcript data.

Classroom Tablets

For classrooms that are fortunate enough to have tablets for students, technology can allow teachers to implement differentiation throughout instruction. Students can work at their own pace during assignments and teachers have the opportunity for one-on-one instruction.

Listserv

Software such as Listserv allows parents to manage and organize their emails. Parents can receive updates from teachers about important announcements, newsletters, and discussions that keep frequent lines of communication open.

Strategies of Implementation for Age Groups

The benefits of technology can enhance any contemporary classroom. However, the way technology is implemented and used in classrooms of various grade levels and content areas will differ.

Ways to Incorporate Technology in the Elementary Classroom

For younger students, technology can be used to build fundamental skills to prepare them for future independent learning. Students can use interactive games to reinforce math, spelling, phonetic, and reading skills. Sites like Spelling Training permit students or teachers to upload their own word lists to practice word pronunciation and create interactive games. Parents can also use these sites to exercise fundamental skills beyond the walls of the classroom.

Using Technology in the Middle School Classroom

As students begin to take steps to transform into independent thinkers, they can use technology to develop basic life skills. Students at the middle school level will gain independence by having different teachers for each subject. Using technology to acquire skills such as conducting research can be applied to any content area. Websites like Easy Bib guide students to find credible sources through a variety of search engines and teach students to correctly cite those sources to avoid plagiarism.

Technology in High School Classrooms

Once students reach their secondary education, they can discover ways to use technology that can be beneficial for college and career development. Familiarization with Microsoft Office and Google Drive teach students to make spreadsheets, slide show presentations, and share documents where they can receive fluid feedback on their work. Many careers use these elements of Microsoft and Google to organize information and collaborate between colleagues or clients.

Why is it Important to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

Teachers often find success when they present the opportunity to use technology in the classroom. There are various benefits and effects when technology is used for educational instruction and some may argue that not all of the effects are positive. Having an infinite flow of information and entertainment available at any given time could be seen as a distraction, but if technology is integrated into the classroom with routines in place that are monitored or assessed, the pros of using technology in the classroom outweigh the cons.

Keeping students engaged

Active engagement is a key part of any lesson plan. Whether students are working independently or collaboratively, technology engages students because it is interactive.

Helps students with different learning styles

Not all students learn and retain information in the same way or at the same speed. Technology is an opportunity for teachers to differentiate instruction to modify information for the appropriate learning capabilities of their students. The use of technology can also allow students to work at their own paces.

Prepare students with life skills

Technology has become its own form of literacy because of how often it is used in everyday life. Many careers use at least one aspect of Microsoft Office or Google Drive on a daily basis: balancing budgets on spreadsheets, creating decks or slide shows to be presented, or attaching documents to emails to communicate important information. Allowing students to learn and refine these skills prepares them for life beyond the classroom.

For additional information about programs or certifications associated with technology in the classroom, visit Drexel University's School of Education Instructional Technology Specialist Certification program.

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How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom - School of Education

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Check out our list of tips for the best ways on how to use technology in the classroom. Learn the benefits & effects of technology with Drexel University.

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This is a hyperdocument I created for a unit on rational numbers. It includes several digital resources and tasks for students to complete to achieve a great understanding of the concept. It integrates technology in the classroom to enhance student learning in an alternative way.

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Red - My explanation
Green - Personal creations that integrate technology
Purple - Websites
Blue - Tools that can be used to integrate technology in the classroom
Orange - Images

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This article by Dr. Karri Adams introduces the idea of teachers being confident in using technology in their classrooms. It includes 5 tools that can be used in the classroom to integrate technology, a brief description of them, and a few quotes from teachers.

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Encourage teachers to build tech skills with kid-tested and technology coach-approved apps.

There is an old saying that begins, "If I had a nickel..." If I applied that saying to how often a teacher approached me for help but began with, "I have a stupid question," I'd have a lot of nickels.

The fact is, an overwhelming number of teachers don't feel confident in their ability to teach in a digital age, let alone establish a digital culture in their classrooms where students are makers and doers. This lack of confidence is problematic when we consider the direct impact on effectiveness. My remedy is an arsenal of fail-safe tools that will engage students in the curriculum and empower teachers to do more. Not only will teachers be encouraging digital learning opportunities among students -- they will score a personal High-5 for having effectively implemented the tools themselves.

Class Dojo

I think it's safe to say that classroom management is the cornerstone of effective teaching and learning. The ability to establish and maintain a safe, productive classroom environment is critical, because without it, no other initiative can thrive. Class Dojo has dual benefits for teachers because 1) it motivates students with avatars and a point system that holds them accountable for monitoring their own success; and, 2) it's another great way for teachers to transformatively teach their curriculum. Teaching and reinforcing positive behavior IS part of our curriculum, and Class Dojo can be the platform for positively encouraging it in our classrooms.

"It's easy to have Class Dojo pulled up and go to it during my lessons -- it helps my kids to self-motivate. I use the messenger portion to communicate with parents. I hardly ever upload a picture to Facebook, but I update my Dojo stories all the time." - Megan Gorski, 1st Grade Teacher at Mulberry Elementary School, NC

Kahoot!

Assessments are a heavy topic in today's classrooms ... and now they can be fun. Yes, I said it, FUN! Kahoot! offers a device-friendly, interactive way to quickly evaluate what students have learned. This tool is especially appealing to the teaching professional who needs a confidence-boost for using integrated classroom technologies. After creating one free educator account, students can participate simply by navigating to an assigned URL and joining with an associated code. There's no need for setting up individual student accounts or managing the dreaded student passwords! The visual, auditory, and tactile appeal of Kahoot! has the capacity for reaching a broad spectrum of learner diversities and can make the experience motivating, exciting, and engaging for students. It's also the perfect tool for nudging the hesitant tech-integrator towards technology greatness in their classroom.

"Kahoot is so easy to set up and use in the classroom, and trust me, I'm not a tech-savvy person at all. When I can implement Kahoot into my schedule, my students love playing and it gives me more confidence with using technology as a teaching tool." - Dustin Transou, 6th Grade Social Studies & Language Arts Teacher, East Wilkes Middle School, NC

Padlet

Not all assessments have to be of a summative nature. Some are casual, ongoing, and spur of the moment, like "Ticket Out The Door" activities. Padlet has taken this strategy to a whole new level, and, like Kahoot!, requires very little teacher maintenance. After creating a free account for themselves, teachers can create digital post-it boards where students respond, vote, inquire, etc. to a prompt or idea with virtual (no paper required) sticky notes. Teachers simply share the URL for their Padlet, or embed it on a webpage, and it becomes instantly available for student response. So the next time you're fishing around in your bag of tricks for a technology-shy colleague, be sure to reel this one in.

Piktochart

While considering the lack of materials money allotted these days, it makes total sense to move toward a digital form of poster-making. Piktochart engages teachers in a purposeful infusion of technology while scaffolding students towards higher-levels of critical thinking. Piktochart is an excellent medium for the creation of student-driven presentations where they get to be the expert. Teachers and students will need accounts to access and use the free resources from Piktochart, so for best results, technology coaches or tech-savvy peers should assist with this process -- the great news is that all parties can log in using their Google account; which is especially convenient for schools using Google Apps for Education. The completed student infographics will serve as the evidence your teachers need in order to say, "I CAN do this, I DID this, and I WILL do this again."

Weebly

Eventually, my teachers start looking for more opportunities to use technology. When this happens, I almost always recommend Weebly. After several successful experiences with quick, easy-to-manage web tools, a classroom web page doesn't seem so intimidating.

To get a web page up-and-going, start by brainstorming a vision and ask questions that will guide content. For example, ask, what important happenings from your classroom do you want to share? Are there important pieces of information that can be added for parents and students? What will the layout look like? And then most importantly, how can the site be used instructionally so that the learning in my classroom is redefined? The creation of a classroom web page is definitely a step in the right direction when moving toward a digital classroom culture, and Weebly is a great medium for getting there.

There are no stupid questions

We have all felt the pressure of trying something new, and with every educational trend comes another nudge pushing us away from our comfort zones. We've felt ashamed of asking questions, and we've probably been made to feel like our inquiries were "stupid." BUT, there are no stupid questions; just anxious teachers trying to feel their way through the digital world. When teachers develop security in their ability to seek out, test, and implement new strategies that involve technology, it's a victory for them, and their students.

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5 Tech Tools to Integrate Today | Common Sense Education

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There is an old saying that begins, "If I had a nickel..." If I applied that saying to how often a teacher approached me for help but began with, "I have a stupid question," I'd have a lot of nickels.

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This is an example of an Excel workbook that I have included in a lesson about probability. Students would be able to use the data in the spreadsheet, or perhaps plug in the information themselves, to determine the probability of events. Because of the formulas and functions in the spreadsheet, students would be able to explore the possibilities and changes within the data calculations..

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Kahoot! is a great way to integrate technology in the classroom. It allows teachers to create questions for students to answer in a fun, competitive setting.

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Integration of Technology in the Classroom

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Flipgrid is a online videoing tool that can be included in the classroom setting. It can be used to allow students to respond to specific concepts as well as communicate their ideas with their peers.