Week 8: Integration of Technology Into the Classroom

This week we explored examples of incorporating technology into the classroom from the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology. The assignment called for analyzing one of the ‘1-1 access’ or ‘Shared access’ activities from the matrix on this page. 

However, there is a “newly revised and expanded Technology Integration Matrix” that is under development. After looking at videos on both sites, I decided to use an example from this new matrix. 

This updated Matrix includes examples from four different content areas (math, science, social studies and Language Arts) and, as a future science teacher, I found it helpful to see examples that translate more directly to what I want students to learn. The examples are a work in progress, and I would have liked more examples from Middle and High Schools, and I suspect that others would agree with me that some of the examples are not all that good. One example that I liked is at “Authentic Learning|Infusion Level| Science.” Students work in groups of four, and each student takes on a different role (scientist, mathematician, sociologist or technologist), to explore a scientific problem.

I believe having each student have something specific for which they are responsible accomplishes several worthwhile learning goals. First, no student can shirk their own responsibility, so it encourages equal contribution by all the team members. Second, each student becomes the expert in their own area, but needs to communicate what they know (acting as instructor) to the other three “researchers”. Third, they experience how complex problems are usually solved by groups rather than individuals. Fourth, the use of technology and the internet flow naturally from the assignment, as does presenting what is learned by combining everyone’s contribution into a presentation that includes the use of technology. I think these are all useful for students, and all of these, with the possible excepting of my first point, encompass 21^st century learning goals.

As a good example of using technology in the classroom, the assignment naturally addresses a number of specific National Technology Standards (NETS) for teachers. These include 1.b “engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources”; 2.a “design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity”; 3.d “model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning”.

This course has made me more aware of ways to both use technology in my teaching and encourage students to learn or improve their own use of technology to aid their own learning. However, I am still reflecting on how, and how much, to emphasize technology integration in my teaching. In looking at the descriptions on the Technology Integration Matrix, I find it hard to place my own current level of proficiency. I see areas which can be incorporated into nearly every lesson, and areas which I would hope to incorporate into some lessons. However, some of the goals seem more appropriate for either elementary school teachers or for whole schools to embrace as they seem outside the power of most teachers, at least in the higher grades. For example,  “Infusion: The teacher creates a learning environment that infuses the power of technology tools throughout the day across subject areas”. Other goals seem as if they could only be achieved with the kinds of radical changes to how we teach, such as “flipping” as described in this TED lecture by Khan Academy founder Salman Kahn. For example, “Transformation: The teacher creates a rich learning environment in which students regularly engage in activities that would have been impossible to achieve without technology” to me implies less time listening to lectures and more time doing. As a believer in the need for students to acquire the basic content knowledge to learn effectively, I believe this could only be accomplished if this knowledge is learned outside of class so that class time can be spent exploring what students have learned. Until I saw the above talk I didn’t have a vision of how this could be accomplished, so I’d recommend it if you are not familiar with this idea.

With the above in mind, I would hope to achieve— on at least one or two assignments during a semester— the highest level of Transformation,  However, on an every day level I’d place myself more at the lower level of Adoption, “The teacher directs students in the conventional use of tool-based software”, or Adaptation, “The teacher directs students in the conventional use of tool-based software.” 

After what I’ve been learning in this course, I can at least now say that I’m looking forward to seeing how I can increase student learning by incorporating the use of technology by both myself and by my students.