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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.

39
The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con
Mary Beth HertzJuly 10, 2012
Tags Flipped Classroom, Homework, Online Learning, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

I recently attended the ISTE conference in San Diego, CA. While I was only there for about 36 hours, it was easy for me to pick up on one of the hottest topics for the three-day event. The "flipped classroom" was being discussed in social lounges, in conference sessions, on the exhibit floor, on the hashtag and even at dinner. People wanted to know what it was, what it wasn't, how it's done and why it works. Others wanted to sing its praises and often included a vignette about how it works in their classroom and how it transformed learning for their students. Still others railed that the model is nothing transformative at all and that it still emphasizes sage-on-the-stage direct instruction rather than student-centered learning. I engaged in a few of these discussions offline and online, and while I'm still on the fence about my feelings toward the model, I can offer some insight and interpretation.

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30
How the iPad Can Transform Classroom Learning
Ben JohnsonJuly 9, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Mobile Learning, Technology Integration, All Grades, Math, Science

The micro-computer revolution of the 80's radically improved how teachers and schools carry on the business of learning. We now have iPads in classrooms that will not only improve it, but it has the potential to change the business of learning in schools. The question is, "Are teachers ready to adjust their teaching for this new learning revolution?"

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12
Teachers and Tech Use: It's Time!
Heather Wolpert-GawronJune 28, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Digital Divide, Online Learning, Teacher Development, Technology Integration, All Grades

I see technology differentiation as vital to the education of our students. It's like there are different tiers of possibility.

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2
SocialEdCon: What the Heck Do We Do with Social Media?
Betty RayJune 24, 2012
Tags Bullying, , , Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

Greetings from sunny San Diego. I'm here for the annual ISTE conference and its innovative kick-off gathering, SocialEdCon -- the one-day unconference formerly known as EduBloggerCon. (Organizer Steve Hargadon changed the name to reflect the change in emphasis from blogging to the larger social media universe that brings educators together.)

Topics this year ranged from how to expedite technology adoption to the impact of technology on social and emotional learning; blended learning; and tools and ideas for making media in the classroom. (See the entire SocialEdCon schedule) Over the next week or so, we'll hear from some of these participants as guest bloggers here on Edutopia.

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4
The Importance of Internet Safety
Heather Wolpert-GawronJune 13, 2012
Tags Digital Citizenship, Parental Involvement, , Teacher Development, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

Earlier in the year, I had our middle school Parent/Teacher conferences, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that 99 percent of my students (most of whom are Title I) have a computer in the home. However, there was absolutely no oversight of what was going on with the computer, because the only person who even knew how to turn the computer on, many parents claimed through their translators, was their student. The parents knew nothing of the box in the kid's bedroom.

An online colleague of mine, Patrick Ledesma, recently reminded me of the "door to door" law that states it is the school's responsibility to keep students safe the minute they leave their front door until they return home at the end of the day. However, this law now seems to extend to cyber safety and netiquette, making our responsibility to monitor children greater than ever because their world is now ever wider.

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3
Why Digital Writing Matters in Education
Jeff GrabillJune 11, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Literacy, Media Literacy, Technology Integration, Middle (6-8), High (9-12), English Language Arts

Writing teachers like me (and perhaps like you) have been caught in a tight spot for some time now. On the one hand, computing technologies have radically transformed the meaning of "writing." On the other hand, high stakes assessments and their impact on teaching have limited what counts as writing in school.

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14
How to Teach Internet Safety to Younger Elementary Students
Mary Beth HertzJune 4, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Digital Citizenship, Media Literacy, Parental Involvement, Primary (K-2), , Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5)

Back in October, I wrote a post about Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Elementary Classroom. As it is Internet Safety Month, I want to share a sample lesson for teaching Internet Safety to students as young as kindergarten. Yes, you read correctly . . . kindergarten.

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2
Think Before You Click: Internet Safety Tips for Parents
Matt LevinsonMay 31, 2012
Tags Digital Citizenship, Media Literacy, Parental Involvement, , , Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

"Your clicks have consequences," says Clay Johnson, author of The Information Diet. Johnson writes about the impact of consuming a poor information diet, "unhealthful information deep-fried in our own preconceptions."

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1
The Educator's Village: Creative Commons for Classroom Lessons
Andrew MarcinekMay 22, 2012
Tags Lesson Plans, Online Learning, Open Education Resources, , Teacher Development, Technology Integration, All Grades

In March, Burlington High School hosted the New England 1:1 summit. This event brought together over 350 teachers, superintendents, IT administrators and some parents. One of the highlights of the day was our student panel. The panel was comprised of eight Burlington High School students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, who led an interactive session with the audience. Our students did a great job answering questions, but I was particularly moved by response from one student. The questioner asked, "How do you refrain from the obvious distractions that the iPad presents while in class?" The student took the mic and answered, "Distractions are nothing new in the classroom, however, why don't teachers take the tools that distract us and turn them into learning tools?"

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4
Using Technology to Teach Health and Wellness
Mary Beth HertzMay 17, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Health, Nutrition, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), Physical Education, Science

We often see applications of digital technologies in the core subject areas like literacy, math, science and social studies, but how can digital technologies be applied in other areas? Since the days are getting warmer and swimsuit season is upon us, I figured that I'd share some resources for teaching health and wellness in the classroom.

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