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Blogs on Technology Integration

Technology Integration

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Discover fresh ideas for using technology in the classroom and at home to improve learning, encourage collaboration, and increase student engagement.

Doing Internet Research at the Elementary Level

Mary Beth HertzJanuary 13, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Primary (K-2), Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5)

One of the hardest things to teach, in my opinion, is research. I have been teaching in a computer lab for going on five years and I have never taught research the same way twice. This is partially because I never teach anything the same way twice, but it's also because each year I learn something new. Sometimes I learn the hard way when things don't pan out the way I planned in the classroom, sometimes I learn because something I didn't plan arose and worked out well, and sometimes its due to my own self-education as I prepare to teach my annual research unit.

Building Your Own Textbook

Audrey WattersDecember 19, 2011

Tags Classroom Technology, Free School Supplies, Open Education Resources, Technology Integration, All Grades

Textbooks are a multi-billion dollar industry -- an estimated $3.5 billion for the K-12 market alone. But the growing availability of digital content and open educational resources (OER) is giving schools the opportunity to bypass some of the traditional expenses of textbook purchasing. It's also giving teachers the opportunities to build their own textbooks.

Top 10 Benefits of Using Free Software

Shahzad SaeedDecember 8, 2011

Tags Career and Technical Education, Classroom Technology, Free School Supplies, Technology Integration, All Grades

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. --Lao Tzu

We are living in a world which encourages a culture of proprietary software. Most of us have always used only proprietary software on our computers. Our children are being taught to use it, too, but they are partially or completely unaware of free software and the benefits it provides.

As the Ed-Tech Market Grows, What Voice Do Educators Have?

Audrey WattersDecember 6, 2011

Tags Classroom Technology, Technology Integration, All Grades

It's that time of the year when tech journalists like myself start to review everything that's happened over the last twelve months so we can write our obligatory "this year in tech news" stories.

Twelve Ideas for Teaching with QR Codes

Andrew MillerDecember 5, 2011

Tags Biology, Classroom Technology, Lesson Plans, Project-Based Learning, Student Engagement, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), English Language Arts, Science, World Language Learning

As mobile learning becomes more and more prevalent, we must find effective ways to leverage mobile tools in the classroom.

Greetings from India: PBL Gaining a Foothold

Suzie BossDecember 2, 2011

Tags Classroom Technology, Curriculum, Global Education, Primary (K-2), Project-Based Learning, Teacher Development, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), All Grades

I'm here as a guest of The Achievers Programme (TAP), an India-based organization that aspires to help students prepare for the future by becoming more critical thinkers and self-directed learners.

The Right Technology May Be a Pencil

Mary Beth HertzNovember 29, 2011

Tags Classroom Technology, Primary (K-2), Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8)

As a tech integration specialist and a computer lab teacher, one can imagine that I have a special place in my heart for bringing current technologies into the classroom. At the same time, I find that sometimes pencil and paper do just as good of a job.

Flat Stanley Goes Mobile: Fresh Start for Popular Global Ed Project

Suzie BossNovember 15, 2011

Tags Classroom Technology, Global Education, Integrated Studies, Primary (K-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), All Grades

The Flat Stanley Project, one of the world's longest-running global education and literacy projects, has launched a new chapter. There's a brand-new website with increased interactivity and even a mobile app to track the globe-trotting adventures of Stanley Lambchop and his flat friends.

Fifth Graders Go Global with Holiday Card Exchange

Donna RomanNovember 14, 2011

Tags Classroom Technology, Global Education, Project-Based Learning, Student Engagement, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Geography, World Language Learning

I shut off the lights to my classroom and lock the door behind me with a smile on my face. It's 8:00 pm in our town of Geneva, IL and we just wrapped up a video Skype call with students in Chi Yi City, Taiwan.