Technology Integration! Hot off the presses!

EXTRA, EXTRA, BLOG ALL ABOUT IT!

LATEST BREAKING NEWS… “THE USE AND INTEGRATION OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY!”

(Let`s have some fun with the 5W`s today, shall we?)

WHAT...What is effective technology integration?

Anita McNear in her article “School Wide Technology Integration” helps to define “successful integration of technology” using a model of instruction known as TCPK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) that was developed by researchers Mishra and Koehler. According to their research, successful integration of technology is when pedagogy, content and knowledge are weaved together and “how technology adds to the pedagogical toolkit.” I knew when I was reading this article that this sounded all too familiar. Once again, I have to refer to our Literacy with ICT continuum that has been developed here in Manitoba for K-8 teachers! The model used by our team of developers reinforces the idea that effective technology use in the learning process and educational setting should not be a supplementary class or lesson anymore but rather a relationship where technology is infused in the students’ learning. Here is a quote directly from our Literacy with ICT document, along with a diagram to visually represent this idea…

“The pedagogy of Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum encourages movement from “ICT as supplementary to the curriculum” to a model that infuses ICT across the curriculum.

A supplementary relationship separates ICT and curriculum in space, time, and personnel - separate computer labs, computer classes, and computer teachers. A complementary relationship begins to connect ICT with curriculum in various ways. An integrated relationship allows the classroom teacher to bring ICT into the classroom so it is available at teachable moments. An infused relationship allows the transparent application of ICT, wherever and whenever appropriate, to enhance critical and creative thinking.”

WHO...Who needs to be involved to make technology integration happen?

In order to be truly successful and feel that technology IS being integrated and not just “more noise that teachers must respond to and filter out”, then according to David and Margaret Carpenter in their article “All Aboard!”, technology integration has to be a collaborative process wherein “the teachers, learning specialists and administrators comprise a Collaboration Team based on the idea that everyone should participate and ‘own’ the curriculum.” At the same time, “the teacher is placed in charge of the process but put in conversation with the instructional technologist, the library media specialist and the gifted-and-talented coordinator.”
Clearly everyone needs to be part of the integration of technology in an educational setting in order for it to be effective and improve teaching and learning, without making it the sole responsibility of any one educator or specialist.

In our point/counterpoint discussions this week, the topic of technology courses in our university training was raised with the revelation that most of us had either had a poor experience in learning about how to integrate technology into our future teaching practice or (like myself) none at all! In the article, “Technology Integration and Instructional Design”, the authors discuss various models of instruction for teaching technology integration to pre-service teachers and provide an eight module approach to learning new technologies and creating lesson plans for students. What an amazing opportunity for the next generation of teachers to experience! This type of university course for our 21st century teachers has to be a MANDATORY part of their training if we’re going to make technology integration a reality in our classrooms.

But let's not forget those veteran teachers out there...it's not too late for them either. Check out this video from edutopia.org entitled "Conquering Technophobia: A Classroom Teacher warms to Digital Tools":



WHERE...Where is technology integration happening right now?

The integration of educational technology is happening globally in classrooms, libraries and forward-thinking schools around the world. Even where a digital divide may exist, attempts at making technology a part of our 21st century student learning and teaching is making its way into classrooms and learning environments everywhere.
Just take a look at this site: http://futurekids.com/ where over 65 schools from around the world and the U.S. are focusing on computer literacy and their mission statement states they are “creating a worldwide community that integrates the power of technology to facilitate and improve student performance.”
Truthfully, you don’t have to look to far nowadays to find a teacher integrating technology in their practice. Type in 'edublogs' into Google and let your exploration of classrooms where technology integration is happening begin!

WHEN...When should technology integration take place?

As outlined in my previous quote from our Literacy with ICT continuum, “ICT integration needs to be applied in a transparent relationship WHENEVER and WHEREVER appropriate to enhance creative and critical thinking of our students.”
Just read the article, “Meaningful Technology Integration in Early Learning Environments” and you can see how technology has been integrated into this early childhood program using digital tools such as the internet, digital cameras, and an interactive whiteboard to ensure opportunities for the children to learn in a technologically rich environment with purpose and meaning. These tools are used in a center based approach on a regular basis in this classroom setting, NOT as a separate class or project!

WHY...Why should teachers make technology integration a priority in their practice?

Read the headline…it improves teaching and learning!! OK, so you want some proof?
The proof is in the engaged faces of our 21st century learners in a technology integrated classroom. The proof is in the speed at which new concepts and ideas can be accessed with the integration of technology. The proof is in the motivated and empowered teachers that are using technology to create purposeful, collaborative and creative lessons for their students. The proof is in the new curriculums and tools being introduced into the school systems that are finally addressing the needs of the 21st century student.

Unfortunately, not all technology is being integrated appropriately! A study done by Cable in the Classroom entitled, “Learning with Technology” states “poorly designed programs that lack an instructional foundation; casual, purposeless use of technology in the classroom; and lack of alignment between desired learning outcomes and the application of educational technology all threaten the success of any learning-by-technology endeavour.”

Mullen and Wedwick state it best in their article, “Avoiding the Digital Abyss”, “To be successful in the world, students must learn to manipulate various forms of new media with a high level of comfort and skill, and school must become a place in which students can acquire the necessary skills for technological success.” Frankly, teachers don’t have much of a choice when it comes to making technology integration a priority in our schools. If we want to prepare these students as best we can for their future, we have to!

It’s not the 5W’s without asking HOW…How do we make technology integration happen so it is purposeful, infused, outcome based and “seamless”?

This week’s required readings for our EDES course were filled with examples, models and ideas of how to make technology integration a reality. From the plethora of examples on the Edutopia website or the list of “20 easy ways” from the Education World article, “Technology Integration Made Easy”, it would seem easy to begin integrating technology right away. For some teachers, this isn’t a difficult feat and rather a part of their current teaching practice, for others, there is a digital divide that they need to bridge before technology integration is easily accomplished for them. Professional development opportunities need to be provided for these teachers, computers and other digital tech tools need to be made available, as well as having your administrative team on board in the pursuit of effective technology integration. All these things need to be considered before all educators can implement this model of “seamless” and “infused” technology education.

As for myself, I don’t need anymore convincing! I have become a techno-education junkie and I’m doing my best to quickly spread the word. I take any opportunity I am given to share my knowledge about Web 2.0 tools, integrate them purposefully into my own classroom environment and continue to develop my professional learning about this technological education revolution! As a teacher-librarian, I hope that I will be in a better position to help make technology integration a priority in our school, through team-planning and providing professional learning workshops right in our own school. As for right now, I am a blogging classroom teacher, a voice-thread addict, a wiki wizard wannabe, a SMARTboard convert and a member of our IT committee at school. I guess you could say I am trying to practice what I preach and hopefully my fellow teachers will follow suit.

I’m going to leave you with these final words of Marc Prensky from his article, “Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom”,

“Let’s not just adopt technology into our schools. Let’s adapt it, push it, pull it, iterate with it, experiment with it, test it and redo it, until we reach a point where we and our kids truly feel we’ve done our best. And lets do it quickly, so the 22nd century doesn’t catch us by surprise with too much of our work undone. A big effort? Absolutely. But our kids deserve no less.”

Thanks, Marc, I think sometimes we need that reminder!