#1.
Do you think that progress is being made to create safe learning environments that integrate technology? For instance, are children becoming more safe-savey and aware of the dangers involved in using publicly accessed tools.

#2.
Do you think that progress is being made in bridging the gap between teacher skills and knowledge in being able to integrate tech-tools into the classroom?

(in Canada and U.S.)

Feel free to edit my questions if they are too lengthy.

If you were to advise a k-5 computer teacher to "start somewhere", where would you advise them to start as far as integration of a concept of tool into their computer teaching. There is so much out there...what is a basic start that given that fundamental tool or knowledge, could set an elementary student on a path of personal learning?

So many questions!
1) How do we effectively integrate even low-end technology in a time-constructive way when we (at least at the elementary levels) face so many restrictions on minutes, content, etc. For instance, I have four computers in my room, and it would be great to have them word process some work (poetry, essays, etc.). Unfortunately, most of the kids are "hunt and peck" keyboarders, and there's just not time to let 35 of them find their way through a final piece.
2) I know that some of our newer teachers are coming out of school with lots of experience and sometimes classes in using tech: video and audio production, graphics, etc. Lots of us not only don't have that background, but we don't even have the time to go acquire it (sandwiched between parent and child care, extra duties at school, yada-yada). What are some quick and easy ways and/or software programs to juice up our curriculum with tech?
3) Our district is on its third wave of technology:
1) Macs in, 2) Macs out, PCs in + donations from Oracle (that never got used effectively because our children don't know how to keyboard and the Oracle equipment didn't come with software to accomplish that), 3) Old PCs out, new PCs in. On the one hand, "they" (who order the equipment) never come talk to teachers about our students' needs; and on the other hand, "they" never have enough training or support staff to help with problems. Except for a few pockets of rabid (and cool) tech use, I think our district ends up spending money for equipment that largely sits around (also, in part, because of NCLB demands -- we're just not climbing that API/AYP ladder fast enough!). What districts are doing a really good job of working with teachers to make technology spending a true investment in our students and their learning?
Thank you!

I teach a curriculum course to college freshmen and sophomores preparing to teach in one of several fields [i.e., English, math, history, physics, chemistry, family/consumer sciences]. This course is focused upon project-based learning and includes the study of curricular design using UbD as the foundation. We try to integrate appropriate technology and I am impressed by the creativity of the majority of my students. We use Edutopia to study what is most current in the schools. Our final project is the creation of a dream high school by groups of 4-5 students of distinct fields. I've found the videos of Eeva Reeder's students and their architectural projects to be a great source for ours. We're also partial to the "Incredible Journey" and several of the videos in the GLEF sets that we purchased. I begin the course with the Jordan School District YouTube video, "Pay Attention."
My students are, of course, extremely savvy about technology. What direction do you recommend we take this coming fall? What should we not miss? pat

i teach us history to juniors in a high school in nc. i use technology as much as possible but i find that i am constantly fighting the battle between time on content vs. time integrating tech. how do we successfully walk the line? i would love for my students to spend more time making digital movies, creating podcasts, playing ed. games, etc... but i have all this content that i have to dig into. the students end the year with a state test that they have to pass or they repeat the course. i see all these great things and i know where we are supposed to be going but i feel as if there is a disconnect at the state level. i don't have ten hours for my students to make movies about a small piece of my curriculum. what do we do? how do we make it happen when we are held accountable for how students perform on a hundred question multiple choice test at the end of the year?

I almost don't know where to begin because the my school district (Mooresville Graded School District, Mooresville, NC) is so different from yours: we're just finishing our first year of a 1:1 laptop initiative in which the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at my school each have a laptop that they use at school and take home every day. (http://tinyurl.com/mgsd21) So I'm trying to think back to what you could do with four computers and 35 students. A few suggestions:
* Use the computers as a station that students go to regularly. It seems like you could set up a rotation where students are able to use the computer at least once a week. Activities could include a quick ten minutes on a typing practice web site like http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/. Perhaps have them type up a haiku. Have them enter a small amount of survey data into a simple Excel spreadsheet. They could each make one slide of a PowerPoint presentation. Those are all very basic computer uses that kids should know how to do. They really should be doing a lot more, but you're working with very limited resources.
* Another way to use a small number of computers with a large number of students is to have them work with a partner or small group. That kind of collaboration is very important for students to learn anyway. One way to make this work: Say you are going to have four major social studies topics over a period of time. Choose four different types of products students can make that relate to those topics: a poster presentation, a dramatic presentation, a diorama, and a PowerPoint. Divide up the class into four groups. For Project A, a quarter of the class is doing each type of project: group 1 is making posters, group 2 is making up skits, groups 3 is making dioramas, and group 4 are working with partners on the computers. For Project B, each group will switch to a different product. By the time you've done Projects C & D, each group will have made each of the four products.
* Look for grants to get more technology in your building. There is money out there that will get you more tools: Flip video cameras, SMARTBoards, etc. Best Buy has a grant program. I'm not sure what other ones are out there, but it's worth looking for if the district leadership isn't putting money into technology AND training.
* You have to make time to learn more about technology: conferences, workshops, searching online. But don't try to eat a watermelon all in one bite: Just choose three technology tools that you want to learn and use for the year. One source of cool technology tools is Tammy Worcester's Technology Tips for Teachers (http://tinyurl.com/TWTTfT).
Best wishes!

Jody,

This is a great question and one our school faced a couple of years back. There is always a point with tech integration where the time to integrate technology comes head-to-head with the time needed to cover content. First, let me say this is a good place to be in as it means that you are already way down the technology integration path. Here are some suggestions for how to address this issue:

Develop students' digital media skills outside of core content classes:
Implement a digital media arts class in your school where students learn to create digital media. This would allow you and other teachers in your school to focus on integrating technology rather than teaching how to use the technology. Such an approach would also cut down the time needed for production in your class.

I have had the opportunity to present Aerospace Education classes in schools from grades 3 to 12. I also taught teachers at Boise State University how to present that subject. I'm glad to be a member of Edutopia. Thank you.

Michael

I am most interested to know what teacher educators can do to prepare students for this environment. Half of them are more tech-savvy than their professors, and while we keep working on it, it seems like we're always a step behind them! I also wonder what your opinions are about finding ways to use cell phones and other personal equipment in the classroom (as part of the lesson). Thank you.

Good morning. Having recently retired from 35 years of teaching science (fun) and ending my career with seven years of administrative work (not fun) I am now going back to my love of creating problem-based science curricula. I am trying to catch up on technology integration as I begin to write again. For example, I have written a PBL biology unit that asks students to take on the role of scientists in a Biotech firm to determine whether a found substance is living or not. Multiple biology standards are explored in this PBL unit and there are multiple places to embed technology.I am hoping that staying connected to the work of Edutopia will enable me to go beyond Internet research and power points.

As I finalize this unit, would this blog be a good venue to "bounce ideas" around and get feedback?