After reading many articles, posts and discussion on technology integration I have developed my own working definition of technology integration into educational settings. The educational institutions and administrators should seek a collaborative effort with the educators and the students to define clear obtainable outcomes for the specific desired technologies. The technology should not only be considered as tools to help teachers to their jobs, but as interactive method in which students complete their tasks. Through proper and continued training teachers should be able to gradually build their implementation of technology into their classrooms. With a strong commitment from educational institutions and administrators to procure updated resources paired with effective and ongoing training teachers will be equipped with the knowledge and desire to facilitate the use of technology for motivated, creative, and high level student productivity.
2 comments:
Teacher training is the key! Our new school has a Smart Board for everyone, but because we were not properly trained, many teachers are scared to death to use theirs. Their must be a commitment and buy-in on the part of the administration to ensure that teachers know how to use the technology. For this to happen, the administration must see that technology integration is important, and in my school at least, important equals it will help test scores.
You mention that the outcomes need to be clear and attainable. That is something Cobb County has been trying to do better in the last few years to make it clear that there are technology "standards" that teachers are required to teach. The county's hope is that these standards make it clear that technology integration is not meant to be optional.
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