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Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many
There's a place for technology in every classroom.
by Edutopia Staff
Technology is ubiquitous, touching almost every part of out lives, our communities, our homes. Yet most schools lag far behind when it comes to integrating technology into classroom learning. Many are just beginning to explore the true potential tech offers for teaching and learning. Properly used, technology will help students acquire the skills they need to survive in a complex, highly technological knowledge-based economy.
VIDEO: Harrison Central High School: A Commitment to High Tech
Running Time: 9 min.
Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must supporting four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts. Effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals.
Many people believe that technology-enabled project learning is the ne plus ultra of classroom instruction. Learning through projects while equipped with technology tools allows students to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire and refine their analysis and problem-solving skills as they work individually and in teams to find, process, and synthesize information they've found online.
The myriad resources of the online world also provide each classroom with more interesting, diverse, and current learning materials. The Web connects students to experts in the real world and provides numerous opportunities for expressing understanding through images, sound, and text.
New tech tools for visualizing and modeling, especially in the sciences, offer students ways to experiment and observe phenomenon and to view results in graphic ways that aid in understanding. And, as an added benefit, with technology tools and a project-learning approach, students are more likely to stay engaged and on task, reducing behavioral problems in the classroom.
Technology also changes the way teachers teach, offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means. It also enhances the relationship between teacher and student. When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas, teachers grow into roles of adviser, content expert, and coach. Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. Return to our Technology Integration page to learn more.
The role of teacher has changed
Submitted by Brad Edwards (not verified) on May 8, 2008 - 08:30.
You wrote, "Technology also changes the way teachers teach, offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means. It also enhances the relationship between teacher and student. When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas, teachers grow into roles of adviser, content expert, and coach."
It's been my experience that information technology is often a daunting area for most teachers. Why? Because no one teacher can learn all there is about a software program used for integration. Look at the thick, 500 page reference books in bookstore chains on the software being used in schools. As teachers have been traditionally been the containers of all information in the classroom save the encyclopedia and library contents, it's pretty unsettling to have an administrator observe when the teacher responds, "I don't know" to a question about the software the class is using. I'd often fake it, and say, "That's a good question, Johnny, who can tell us the answer?" Chances were, there was at least one hand that shot up that told us what to do; and that empowered the student while the experience empowered the class as having some control and understanding about what they were doing. This made the teacher the facilitator, a new role brought about mostly by technology integration. I still see this today in my classes in central Maine as I did in Vermont, and I see the discomfort still in the posture of many teachers who come into the lab as I ask them to be the voice in the lab.
http://penobscotriver.edublogs.org/
Technology integration??
Submitted by Richard McLean (not verified) on May 4, 2008 - 17:56.
I wonder if the title of this section of the website is a bit off-track.
You do not hear of any other industries talking about "technology integration" - of grafting on IT to old practice- the focus is just on best practice.
I think this is an issue that edutopia ought to think deeply about.
Richard McLean
Geelong
Australia
Why integrate technology into the curriculum?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 14, 2008 - 05:31.
Should technology be integrated into the Curriculum? This should be the question.
Sometimes yes, sometimes perhaps no.
I pose this question: What about sustained silent reading, should this be abandoned for an ebook? Let's go Green! Let's do whatever is politically correct! Let's get over it and examine what as educators are the best practices and strip away the politics.
As educators we need to explore ways if and when technology is appropriate to use ...even when using the "new and improved" project based learning.
I propose a new learning theory is beginning to emerge a new paradigm shift.
I propose a new teaching theory is beginning to emerge as well.
We cannot let the past go away without an educated reason, an explanation of what will replace it and why? We need to examine with or without metrics what we are doing as educators and why. In the digital age we need to become active learners ourselves and examine our choices and made wise decisions.
Maybe there should be a variety of schools that now seem to be emerging. Public education as we know it should be dissoved and recreated... right now it sounds like education is left behind in the dust... and the digital children have known this for some time.
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