Technology is a ubiquitous part of children's lives. It is transparent.

Most homes
have connected computers or Internet-enabled devices. As prices of technology
drop, computers and digital devices may replace television as we know it. When
pioneering educational technology advocate Jan Hawkins wrote an essay for
Edutopia in 1997, "The World at Your Fingertips: Education Technology Opens
Doors," about how technology brings the tools of empowerment into the hands and
minds of those who use them, she couldn't have known her words would be even
more relevant today.

Now, walk into a classroom. Are there computers and if so, how are they being
used? Are they being used at all? Technology has revolutionized the way we think,
work, and play. Technology, when integrated into the curriculum, revolutionizes the
learning process. More and more studies show that technology integration in the
curriculum improves students' learning processes and outcomes. Teachers who
recognize computers as problem-solving tools change the way they teach. They
move from a behavioral approach to a more constructivist approach. Technology
and interactive multimedia are more conducive to project-based learning. Students
are engaged in their learning using these powerful tools, and can become creators
and critics instead of just consumers.

NatureMapping brings real science to the classroom with hand-held data collection
devices.
Another reason for technology integration is the necessity of today's students to
have 21st century skills.

These 21st century skills include

personal and social responsibility

planning, critical thinking, reasoning, and creativity
strong communication skills, both for interpersonal and presentation needs
cross-cultural understanding
visualizing and decision making
knowing how and when to use technology and choosing the most appropriate tool
for the task

A great starting point for more information about 21st century skills is the
Partnership for 21st Century Skills website.

The Edutopia article "Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons
Are Many" offers this summary: "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 support four key components of learning: active engagement,
participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to realworld experts."

Technology helps change the student/teacher roles and relationships: students take
responsibility for their learning outcomes, while teachers become guides and
facilitators. Technology lends itself as the multidimensional tool that assists that
process. For economically disadvantaged students, the school may be the only
place where they will have the opportunity to use a computer and integrate
technology into their learning (for more about equity, access, and digital inclusion,
check out our Digital Divide Resource Roundup.)

There is a growing body of evidence that technology integration positively affects

student achievement and academic performance. The Center for Applied Research
in Educational Technology (CARET) found that, when used in collaborative learning
methods and leadership that is aimed at improving the school through technology
planning, technology impacts achievement in content area learning, promotes
higher-order thinking and problem solving skills, and prepares students for the
workforce. Look at the research findings on student learning in CARET's Questions &
Answers for the question: "How can technology influence student academic
performance?"

You will find more links to research and resources in the Resources for Tech
Integration section of this guide.

When technology integration in the classroom is seamless and thoughtful, students

not only become more engaged, they begin to take more control over their own
learning, too. Effective tech integration changes classroom dynamics, encouraging
student-centered project-based learning.

Think about how you are using technology with your students. Are they employing
technology daily in the classroom, using a variety of tools to complete assignments
and create projects that show a deep understanding of content?

If your answer is "No," is it because you lack enough access to technology? Is it

because you don't feel ready? Or do you feel ready, but need additional support in
your classroom? Depending on your answer, your path to tech integration may look
different from someone else's. However varied access and readiness may be, tech
integration can successfully occur in any classroom.

This article contains the following sections:

Getting Started
Integrating Technology Across the Access Spectrum
Getting to "Seamless" Integration
Tips for Shared Hardware
Creating a Professional-Development Plan
Hardware and Equipment
Using Technology for Feedback and Assessment
The Role of Digital Citizenship
Handhelds Go to Class: Teacher Josh Barron and one of his students go through the
strange-looking rite of "beaming" information to each other.
Getting Started
The first step in successful tech integration is recognizing the change that may need
to happen inside of yourself and in your approach to teaching. When any teacher
brings technology into the classroom, he or she will no longer be the center of
attention. The level of refocused attention will, of course, depend on the amount
and the type of technology (e.g., mobile device, e-reader, laptop, interactive
whiteboard) being brought into the classroom. However, this does not mean that
the teacher is no longer essential to the learning process. While students may be
surrounded by technology at home, it is dangerous to assume that they know how

to use it for learning -- this is commonly referred to as the "myth of the digital
native," and you can read more about it in this Edutopia blog post: "Digital Native
vs. Digital Citizen? Examining a Dangerous Stereotype." Most students still need a
guide to help them use digital tools effectively for learning and collaboration.

BACK TO TOP

Integrating Technology Across the Access Spectrum

As discussed in the What is Successful Technology Integration? section, how we
define "technology integration" depends on the kinds of technology available and
how much access one has to technology. This definition also depends on who is
using the technology. For instance, in a classroom with only an interactive
whiteboard and one computer, learning will still remain teacher centered and
integration will revolve around teacher needs, which are not necessarily student
needs. Still, there are ways to use an interactive whiteboard to make it a tool for
your students. Even with one computer in the room, there are ways to integrate that
one machine into your classroom and still make sure that you and your students are
indeed doing things that you couldn't do before, not just doing the same things you
did before in a quicker, more efficient way.

Rural Washington Students Connect with the World: Pupils in Kristi Rennebohm
Franz's classes have used the Internet for a variety of international exchanges and
collaborative projects. Credit: Kristi Rennebohm Franz
Below you will find a quick overview with suggestions of what kinds of tools and
activities are best matched with various levels of technology access. All of the
resources linked to are either free or offer free versions

8 Comments
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Muguruka Lugard
Makerere University Kampala
There is no subject which is "exonerated" from technology integration and no
discipline that will "escape" from this pedagogy. There is only one option: to
'succumb' for its best effects.
Like Reply Aug 17, 2014 10:26pm

Teresita Carino
Dwcv vigan city
It is a big challenge to follow all of these way of integration but they are all very
important and effective in the development of students.
Like Reply Mar 2, 2015 9:01am

Kristelle Isla Santos

Teacher at President Quirino Treasured Child School Inc
This article helps me to broaden my knowledge about Integrating Technology in the
Classroom. As future teacher, it gives me information on easy ways in which you
can seamlessly integrate technology into your daily and weekly classroom routines.
I know that using technology in teaching nowadays is really a must. It plays a very
important role in our life and it is very useful as well. Teachers need to find a
balanced to the content, but also to integrate technology. Integrate technology is
not easy to do in everyday activities. For technology to be efficient in the classroom,
I think it needs...See More

Like Reply 2 Mar 5, 2015 10:47pm

Simcha Lazarus
Social Media Coordinator at WiseStamp
I just saw this article retweeted on Twitter, and it offers some great tips on
integrating technology into classroom learning, But since it's been a while since the
article was last updated, you might want to bring it up to date a bit with some more
recent tools and ideas. Google Apps for Education is a great way to get kids
motivated through technology, while also saving money for your school. if you're
interested, you can take a look at an article that I wrote about the topic here:
http://www.wisestamp.com/.../8-reasons-your-school.../

Thanks for the great article!

Like Reply Jun 21, 2015 8:50pm

Mckennrick Ken
Software Engineer at CraneWeb.com
to intergrated tevhnology is the best for academic studies
Like Reply Sep 26, 2015 1:54pm

Francisbetterboy Tamba Emmanuel

Willam V.S.Tubman Gray High School(T-Gray)
intergrating technology in class room have help we the Liberian students
Neville Forrester
Mico University College
Question? What are the roles for student in technology integration?

Laurie Ballachino
Many of the links are outdated.

Technology Integration |
Ideas That Work

Technology has become integrated in the classroom in so many ways, that we often don't
even think about how we are using it. The Education World Tech Team offers lessons and
activities to help educators make better use of technology tools for instruction, and to help
students improve their technology skills within the context of the regular
curriculum. Included: Integration activities that utilize the Web, PowerPoint, Excel, digital
photography, SMART Boards, and more.

In more and more schools today, technology is recognized as an instructional tool, not as a subject
of instruction. Still, many educators, less familiar and less comfortable with technology than their
students, struggle to seamlessly integrate a growing list of technology tools into their regular
curriculum. So, to help you make the best use of technology in your schools and classrooms this
year, we asked the Education World Tech Team to share some of their favorite technology
integration lessons, activities, and strategies with you.
"Using technology in the classroom is becoming easier for teachers," instructional technology
consultant Jamye Swinford told Education World. "Students are coming to class with more skills.
Whether a teacher requires it or not, most students use technology for their projects."
Probably the technology tool used most often for student projects is the World Wide Web.

WEB SITES
"The Internet has many sites that easily lend themselves to classroom integration," Swinford pointed
out. "A favorite of mine, Refdesk.com, has a Site of the Day section containing a wealth of useful and
interesting Web sites. An archive also is available. Other useful sections of the site include a
Thought of the Day, Word of the Day, and Current Events. All those sections provide a wealth of
research and discussion opportunities.

More
Technology
Integration
Activities
"Refdesk also has links to newspapers, listed by state and country.
Foreign language classes can access online news articles in the
language being studied," Swinford continued. "Dictionary and
thesaurus links also are easily accessible. Translation links are
available too -- all in one place on one page. If a student or teacher
needs a starting page to find resources, I definitely recommend this
site."

Have you read the

technology integration
articles below?
Technology Integration
Made Easy
Get Ready to Integrate
Technology: Ten Tips!

"The Internet is loaded with activities for all types of classes," agreed
high school science teacher John Tiffany. "I regularly try to integrate
Internet-based activities into my astronomy class, my biology class,
and my integrated science class for freshmen. Activities might include
current readings on topics in the field, or activities that students can

K-12 Technology
Activities That Work
Becoming a Wired
Teacher

do. My astronomy class is small, so this year, I intend to give each

student an e-mail account and post articles to my Web site. Students
will respond individually, I'll post their responses, and have students
respond to one another's postings."

Motivate While You

Integrate Technology:
Online Assessment
Principals Talk Tech:

"Many times, I worked with a science teacher to help students use the How Is Technology
Integration Going?
Internet to learn about planets, hurricanes, earthquakes, and so on,"
said retired K-8 computer teacher/coordinator Betty Kistler. "We
would locate appropriate sites and then I would create a Web page
for students to use. The science teacher sometimes came into the lab
with his students and guided the research; other times, he used the
Internet on a big screen in his classroom. Students sometimes
worked in pairs to answer questions. I found that most teachers felt

The Administrator's Role

in Technology Integration
Technology Integration,
Assessment, and No
Child Left Behind

more secure using the Internet in the lab with me or in their classroom
if I was there. As time went by, they became more confident and comfortable with the technology
(and the technology became more reliable too)."
"In history," high school Webmaster Fred Holmes said, "a teacher might assign students to research
different areas of a particular subject. Students would then go onto the Internet, collect pictures,
information, and so on, and present the results of their research to the class. A study of Civil War
battles would be an example of that type of activity; the teacher would assign groups different
battles, the students would research their assigned battles, collect pictures, and then give a guided
tour of the battlefield, telling what happened there."
Internet scavenger hunts are another way to integrate technology into almost any topic or subject
area. "I have my older students create online scavenger hunts for younger students," noted

computer coordinator Jennifer Wagner. "It improves my older students' research and typing skills,
and provides lower grade teachers with extra activities for their students."
Fourth grade teacher Mary Kreul offered a number of Internet-based activities for all grade levels.

Visit the Web pages of state and local historical societies when studying your state or
locality; learn about the region's history and famous citizens, and access current information
about your area.

Puzzlemaker can be used by teachers and students alike to develop crossword puzzles,
word searches, mazes, cryptograms, and more based on curriculum vocabulary and concepts.

Brainbooster offers many activities that can be used to help students develop higher level
thinking skills.

ePals allows students to contact class or individual partners, work on writing skills, exchange
weather information, compare communities, and make new friends around the world via e-mail.

Blogging is similar to an online diary; it provides a quick and easy way for teachers and
students to share work, opinions, ideas, and information. Blogging can be used with 5- and 6year-olds, with high school students, and with elementary age students. For more information
about blogging, visit Weblogs in Education or the Educational Bloggers Network. (Editor's Note:
For an Education World techtorial on blogging, seeBlogging Basics: Creating Student Journals on
the Web.)

Check the daily weather for the weather in states or countries students are studying in social
studies; add a math connection by using a graphing program to chart temperatures, precipitation,
or storms, and then compare the results to weather in your area.

Take virtual field trips to places connected to people or places students are learning about;
for example Thomas Jefferson'sMonticello, Cleopatra's Palace, Alaska, or Appomattox.

The Library of Congress has wonderful collections of music (both sound files and sheet
music) that can help your music department contribute to a study American History.

POWERPOINT AND EXCEL

"PowerPoint is another technology tool that's exceptionally easy to use in the classroom," noted
Jamye Swinford. "All kinds of research projects can be adapted to this application.
"If a teacher has experience," Swinford said, "presentation skills also can be emphasized. Besides
standard presentations, such as slide shows, projects may be presented in an interactive way, using
a game show format, for example. A student I know created "Millionaire Muslim Style," using a
popular game show format to present facts about the Muslim religion. It was fun and everyone
learned the information."
"Our students often used PowerPoint to accompany oral reports on curricular topics," added Betty
Kistler. "Perhaps the best integrated project I participated in involved 8th graders looking at World
War II posters on the Internet. Students analyzed the posters and related them to the history of that
time. I modeled this using one poster, and then students picked two or three posters to focus on and
used the Internet to research their posters. A couple of students assisted me (or did I assist them?)
putting the posters into PowerPoint. In Social Studies class, groups of students who had focused on
a particular poster discussed their thoughts. Then, each group presented its findings to the class,
projecting the PowerPoint images up on the screen. The result was a lively and thoughtful
discussion between the reporting groups and the rest of the class."
"Excel is another easily adaptable application," Swinford said. "Charts and graphs are a natural with
Excel. This application can be used to tally results for any kind of question. Elementary students can
enter results, create graphs, and compare and contrast their results.
"The natural graph structure of Excel can be used by students to create game boards or patterns,"
Swinford added. "Calendars or timelines also are easily created with Excel. Older students can
create interactive lessons or activities. The database capabilities of Excel allow easy sorting and
classifying of information."
"Spreadsheets, such as those created in Excel, also can be used in sociology and psychology to
chart different observations," noted Fred Holmes.
Betty Kistler's sixth grade students used the Internet to obtain weather in a country they were
studying in-depth over a period of time; they then used Excel to record and compare the weather in
that country to their own.

WORD PROCESSING
"Facilitate students' ability to use word processors (depending on age, of course) and they can do a
lot with technology on their own without taking up teacher time," Stew Pruslin said.

"Word processing is a standard application available in almost every school," Jamye Swinford
agreed. "A word processing program can be used for desktop publishing; students can create
newsletters and magazines, advertisements and flyers, even business cards.
"The drawing tools included in most word processing programs allow students to create pictures and
logos, puzzles and more," Swinford said. "Stories can be illustrated. Cookbooks can be created with
imported graphics or custom illustrations. Using the HTML conversion utilities, students can create
Web pages from word processing documents. Interactive documents can be made with the use of
hyperlinks.
"Word processing features, such as tracking and commenting, facilitate collaborative projects,"
Swinford added. "Tables are useful for collecting data and recording information. If a word
processing program was the only application available, a teacher could have a technology-rich
classroom with little effort."
"We did some keyboarding instruction beginning in grade 3, and then used the weekly spelling list
for practice," noted Betty Kistler; "sort of like the old 'write the words 5 times' assignment. Students
eventually became proficient with word processing for writing essays. In 6th grade, students used
word processing to report on a week-long camping experience; in 7th grade, they learned to use
columns to create a newspaper based on topics from colonial times."
"Students also can use a word processing program to record 'What I Learned This Week,' added
preservice instructor Vicky Romano. "Each student types one or two sentences throughout the week;
then on Friday, the teacher prints the entire document and sends it home."
"At a conference I attended on Writing Across the Curriculum, the keynote address, given by Dr.
James R. Squire, was entitled Writing to Learn," education and instructional technology professor
Bernie Poole told Education World. "The message was simple: the act of organizing ideas with a
view to communicating in writing to others does more than simply demonstrate what knowledge we
have. It activates, reinforces, and transforms, that knowledge.
"This is a powerful idea," Poole said. "Writing is a purposeful, often painstaking, process, the
execution of which is perhaps the most educational cognitive activity in which we and our students
can be engaged. It is a process appropriate to learners of all ages and all subject areas, right across
the K-college curriculum and beyond.
"It seems to me that we can construct a powerful syllogism based on Dr. Squire's ideas
about Writing to Learn, said Poole. "A syllogism is a logical argument (much revered by the ancient

Greeks) that makes three propositions, the first two of which (premises) make the third (concluding)
statement difficult to deny. Here's my syllogism:
"Statement 1: As Dr. Squires and others have shown, writing contributes significantly to the
acquisition of knowledge;
Statement 2: No one today would dispute that the word processor is the most versatile writing
implement yet invented;
Statement 3: We therefore can conclude that the word processor contributes significantly to the
acquisition of knowledge.
"Make sense? I think it does. As teachers, we should do all we can to have our students use the
word processor, e-mail, and chat rooms/instant messaging to write their brains out. Think about it.
How many teachers require their students to write? If writing is such a powerful learning experience,
shouldn't every teacher every day plan activities that involve writing? And if not, why not?
"So let's get our students using the computer across the curriculum, over and over, for assignments
that involve them in 'writing their brains out.' Poole concluded."

MISCELLANEOUS TECHNOLOGY TOOLS

"The most important thing is for the teacher to let their imagination go," said Fred Holmes. "If the
idea works, great; if there are problems, the teacher can 'tweak' them along the way.
"Students can learn about the political process, for example, by working in groups to stage an
election," Holmes suggested. "Each group might select a campaign manager, a candidate, and so
on, and then create film ads promoting their candidates. Students can edit or enhance the ads using
video capture and editing software, and then show the ads to their schoolmates and ask the student
body to vote for the best candidate."
"Students also can import pictures from the Internet or scan drawings they created by hand or with a
graphics program to add to their written reports," noted Betty Kistler.
"Digital cameras can be used to illustrate a variety of curricular topics, such as growing plants,
changing seasons, and field trips," said Mary Kreul. "Digital photos can be printed, used to illustrate
student writing, or included in a slide show or on a Web page."

TEACHERS
Students, of course, aren't the only ones who get to use the fun stuff!

"I use a SMART Board and a projector to project PowerPoint presentations for my class," John
Tiffany told Education World. "It's so convenient to stand up at the board and be able to click through
a presentation by tapping on the screen. I also use SMART Board for brainstorming sessions with
students. I allow them to come to the board and write their own ideas. If we're doing math problems,
I allow students to come to the front and work out the assignments on the SMART Board. They enjoy
doing that. I then can save their brainstorming ideas or work for future reference, rather than having
to copy it or risk losing it, as would have been the case if I'd used a chalkboard. I also allow students
to experiment with the SMART Board during down time.
"Using PowerPoint and a projector instead of an overhead and lecture notes is another use of
technology that allows me to spice up my lectures," Tiffany said. "I can include pictures, sounds,
sound bytes, and music to enhance the information I present.
"I also have a microscope that I've hooked up to my computer; the students are fascinated with it,"
added Tiffany. "It doesn't have the best resolution, but we have fun looking at things and trying to
guess what they are. I've used it when I want to look at specific things to use as part of a lesson. It's
a lot easier and quicker than setting up a microscope and having students take turns looking at
something individually."
To promote technology use among their students, Jennifer Wagner recommends that teachers
encourage online projects, visit other teachers' Web sites to see how they are integrating technology,
and get together with other teachers on a bi-weekly basis to go through the curriculum and share
ways they can use technology in their lessons.
Vicky Romano suggests that teachers hold 'office hours' one or two evenings a week via an online
chat room, and answer questions from students and their families.

ADMINISTRATORS
Of course, few school-based technology programs can succeed without the support and
encouragement of school administrators.
"What I have found is that one of the most important indicators to tying technology-skill instruction to
the curriculum, particularly at the K-12 level, is a firm grounding in technology standards on the part
of administrators," Nicholas Langlie told Education World. "If administrators do not understand the
scope of what they should know regarding technology, technology use will not be implemented
successfully. If administrators cannot appreciate the scope of what is involved, how can they be
expected to value the technology and align it with the curriculum? I do not believe they can.

"I believe that without informed leadership, most technology initiatives are fragmented and lack
cohesion," said Langlie, Online Teaching/Learning Support at New York's Hudson Valley Community
College. "I believe it to be very difficult to tie technology-skill instruction to the curriculum if you
cannot pull together all the pieces and appreciate what it is doing in the bigger picture of the culture
of learning you have in your school district."
"The best way to get technology integrated into the curriculum is to make sure your district's
teachers are provided with lots and lots of training," added education technology specialist Robin
Smith. "For the past four years, our teachers have been required to take 14 hours of technology
training in the summer as part of their contract. We provide training at various times during the
summer and teachers select the courses and times that are most convenient and beneficial to them.
We also provide training during the school year.
"To be sure we are providing what teachers need, we have a committee of approximately 20 people,
including both technophobic teachers and technology experts, as well as administrators, who
determine what topics we need to provide training for. This summer," Smith noted, "the committee
provided a full day of training for all teachers at each grade level. During the training, we provided a
grid of benchmarks to be met for each grade, projects and activities they might do with their classes
to meet those benchmarks, and evaluation sheets to ensure that teachers can show parents and
administrators what skills students have successfully implemented and what deficiencies still need to
be addressed.
"This summer, we also trained administrators to be are aware of what teachers should be doing and
what they need to look for in the classroom to assure that their teachers are integrating technology,"
Smith said.
"I think the biggest things district need to remember," Smith said, "is that technology integration can't
be accomplished overnight. It takes timebaby steps and lots of patience. Through training, time,
strong administrative support and leadership, and long term planning, however, all schools can
reach their goals for technology integration."

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From Now On

The Educational Technology Journal

Vol 14|No 1|October|2004

Please feel free to e-mail this article to a friend, a principal, a parent, a colleague, a teacher
librarian, a college professor, a poet, a magician, a vendor, an artist, a juggler, a student, a
news reporter or anyone you think might enjoy it. Other transmissions and duplications not
permitted. (See copyright statement below).

Thinking Through The Technology

Puzzle

by David Bowman
(about author)
2004, David Bowman, all rights
reserved.

We are seeing the beginnings of a backlash against technology use in

classrooms, especially computer technology. The reason for this backlash is
that in spite of so much talk about technology, and so much money spent
buying it, little has changed in student achievement.
It's our own fault. We've been focused on the technologies, not on effective
teaching. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone said, "On top of
everything else, now I have to teach technology, too."
The fact is teachers are not supposed to "teach technology." They are
supposed to teach their subjects and create conditions for student learning,
which is the foundation of technology integration. In brief, appropriate use of
technology can provide learning opportunities not otherwise possible.
What amazes me most is that although computers have been in schools since
the 80's, so many teachers still don't know how to use them, much less use

them to enhance instruction and learning. Technology integration isn't about

replacing what we do. It is about doing what we do better. It's about teachers
and how we teach. It's about students and how they learn. Anything less is
technology education, teaching substitution, or, worst of all, behavior
modification.
Poor uses of technology in a classroom
Technology education means taking time away from subject area learning and
focusing on the acquisition of technology skills. The only time this is acceptable
is in vocational education courses that are specifically designed to promote job
skills in technology fields, such as network management, PC repair, or web
design. Otherwise, students should be engaged in meaningful learning
experiences to help them demonstrate achievement of content standards.
Moving down the scale of poor technology use is technology substitution. In this
case, students use technologies to replicate activities they used to do without
technology. A friend of mine relates a story about observing a group of third
grade students making Valentine's Day cards on a word processor. Previously,
they would have used construction paper, safety scissors, glue, and markers.
Markers are more fun, and glue tastes better. The kids probably had more fun
the "old fashioned" way, too. Nothing is gained with substitution. The kids don't
learn more, and time is often wasted. If students need to learn specific
technology skills, then the teacher should help the students do so during a
meaningful learning opportunity where the focus is on making progress towards
meeting content standards.
The worst use of technology in a classroom, if we don't count dust collecting, is
behavior modification. In this case, the teacher either "allows" computer use as
a reward for completing "real work" or as a way to occupy students who have
finished their "real work." Imagine telling a surgeon, "Once you have finished
sewing up the patient, you can play with the machine that goes PING.'" Here's
why this is wrong. First, it means that the teacher hasn't planned the use of time
well so that students will be continuously occupied in learning activities.
Second, it denies that technology use is a part of accomplishing the "real work."
Appropriate use of technologies in classrooms
Here is what technology is for: questioning, exploration, discovery, analysis,
understanding, application, and communication. This is also known as the
learning process. Teachers need to ask themselves, "How can students learn
the concepts central to this field of study better through the use of
technology?" This is a hard question to ask and even harder to answer.

Remember what it was like to be a first year teacher? Everything had to be

figured out for the first time. In a very real way, asking teachers to use
technology appropriately is like asking them to return to the first year of
teaching. Here are some suggestions:
English/Language Arts: Use the Internet to view satellite photos of places
described in novels and visit the Chambers of Commerce from those places to
understand the social dynamics of the community and, therefore, the context of
a novel.
Mathematics: Use a spreadsheet to record times of travel between two cities,
figuring in travel speeds, weather conditions, and distances, and represent the
data in several graphical forms to gain an understanding of dependent and
independent variables.
Science: Use sensory probes, microscopes, and spreadsheets to examine the
effects of water temperature on algae production.
Music: Study sound wave patterns to examine harmonic patterns and learn
about chord structure.
Physical Education: Observe basketball techniques in slow motion video to
improve shooting techniques. Measure brain activity as a result of various
lunchroom dietary habits.
Sociology: Videotape students in hallways and use a spreadsheet to chart the
length and number of interactions a student engages in compared to his grade
point average.
I want to briefly revisit a point almost made earlier. Teachers know that students
typically like to use computers, which is why they are used as a reward or to
motivate students. I hear again and again that students will write, study,
research, etc., using computers and are more motivated to "work" when using a
computer. This is generally true, and because it is generally true, teachers
should be doubly motivated to find appropriate ways to use computers, and
other technologies, to help students understand difficult concepts and develop
new knowledge.
On the other hand, technology use is not always appropriate, nor are
computers, nor any particular type of technology, always the appropriate type of
technology to use. Panaceas do not exist in education. There is no replacement
for quality teaching governed by effective pedagogy. In light of this, I am
reminded of research performed by the North Central Regional Educational

Laboratory (NCREL) on technology use in classrooms. The conclusion they

drew after exhaustive examination of classrooms is that appropriate technology
use is an essential component of optimal learning environments. When we take
the reverse of this, it means that without appropriate technology use, it is
impossible to achieve optimal learning environments. Impossible.
Changing the way we think about technologies
I seem to hear the same two phrases used to support the use of technologies in
schools, and they are both wrong. One is "prepare students for the 21st century."
The other is "life-long learning."
Why do we, as educators, talk about preparing students for the 21stcentury? We
are in the 21st century. It's not some future event with strange technological
demands. Students need technological abilities now, both to learn and to
live. Instead of talking about "preparing students for the 21st century," we
should be talking about preparing students for their lives when they wake up
each day.
What is life-long learning? As a grants program coordinator, I was always
disappointed when I read that one goal of a proposal was to help students
become "life-long learners." How do you know if students become "life-long
learners?" You can't measure it. Our job as educators is not to prepare "lifelong learners." Our job is to help students develop the skills and abilities they
will need to succeed in whatever path they choose. Instead of "life-long
learners," we should be preparing life-long succeeders.
Here we need to talk about "No Child Left Behind." According to NCLB,
Enhancing Education Through Technology program, by the end of 2006
technology must be integrated into the curricula and instruction in all schools to
enhance teaching and learning. This is the federal government forcing into
practice what educational research tells us about the use of technologies in
schools. It is also a warning bell for die-hard technology resistors. I have little
tolerance for teachers who do things a particular way simply for the sake of
tradition and their personal comfort. Traditional practices are only as worthwhile
as the results they produce, and schools are not for teachers' comfort but for
students' learning. The wheel that doesn't squeak isn't always the best wheel
for the cart.
Professional development to enhance teaching and learning
Surprisingly, a significant percentage of teachers use technology for their
personal needs but don't employ it in the classroom. Why do so many teachers

find technology, especially computer technology, useful themselves but don't

carry that understanding to their students? Maybe this is because it's a
conceptually difficult thing to do, and teachers aren't given the time and training
to figure out how to do it well. On the other hand, many teachers do figure it
out, on their own time and without training. They may be the ones who are
continually re-evaluating their practices, the ones with a high degree of
tolerance for risk-taking and making mistakes, the ones who understand that
technology provides great potential for enhanced teaching and learning and are
accustomed to trying unfamiliar things for the sake of improved teaching and
enhanced learning.
For the rest, schools must consider professional development needs very
seriously. Forget the one-day workshops. Forget the show-and-tell sessions.
Forget the inspirational speeches about "preparing students for the
21st century." These do little for changing instructional practices. Professional
development leading to enhanced teaching and learning comes in two types,
equally important: technology skills and technology integration.
Teachers need to know how to use the technology. This is skills training. This is
everything from learning how to turn on computers, navigate a network
environment, use various applications, and create products, to programming,
creating multimedia presentations, and performing basic maintenance and
repair of computers. Once upon a time, I was sitting in a conference session
hosted by Linda Roberts, the former Director of Educational Technology at the
U.S. Department of Education. One of the panel members, whose name I have
blocked from my mind, made a statement that many students know more about
technology than the teachers, and that this is wrong. This is not wrong. This is
simply an opportunity for teachers and students to change roles, which is
fundamentally a good thing. When we let students teach us, we don't lose
credibilitywe gain respect.
Technology training alone will do little to change classrooms practices because
it doesn't deal with instructional design, teacher and student behavior, or those
beliefs that provide the basis for a productive educational
environment. Professional development in technology integration is much
harder, lengthier, and requires a strong commitment by school leadership. This
professional development deals intimately with how the technology is and can
be used to support student learning.
Here's what it may look like. Study groups. Team lesson revision. Classroom
observations with feedback by other teachers. Model lessons. Study in
pedagogy and curriculum development. Workshops that use the technology as

a part of the teacher learning. Mentoring. Opportunities to meet with other

teachers for extended periods of time to examine and reflect upon
methodologies. Team teaching. Support for trying, failing, reflecting, and trying
again. Sharing with colleagues what has been learned.
And on and on. Professional development is only effective when classroom
practices change and students are able to demonstrate achievement of content
standards. So often, the only time we see teachers using technology in
professional development is when the professional development is about
technology. However, if the students are going to use technology to learn,
teachers must do so, too. If we are going to change the nature of education,
the way kids learn and teachers teach, then we must start by changing the
beliefs of educators. The result is not "life-long learners." The result is students
who can ask questions, explore, discover, analyze, understand, apply, and
communicate understanding.
Computer technology and the learning environment
The final issue to be discussed here has to do with the educational
environment, specifically where the technology is in relation to the students. I
am not a fan of computer labs. They tend to promote very ineffective uses of
computers. When it is the scheduled time for a class to attend, then that class
has to go, regardless of the instructional appropriateness. As a result, computer
labs tend to promote two types of computer use: typing and learning basic
computer skills. Neither of these may bear any relation to the academic
concepts students are engaging. Instead, they generally either replace existing
practices (replacement technology use) or interrupt students from instructional
settings to "learn computers" (skills training).
I admit that computer labs can be used effectively, but only with great
consideration for the learning objectives. The best uses of labs are either in a
free-for-all setting in which students and teachers may come and go as needed
or when they are used sparingly for whole class learning engagement in a
meaningful learning activity (i.e., helping students make progress towards
meeting standards).
What works better under most circumstances is to put the computers into those
classrooms where they will be used appropriately. Every teacher should have
one for his use, at a minimum. Teachers need them to work efficiently and will
certainly need one to explore various ideas for technology integration. This is
especially true for resistant teachers who may need extra assistance,
motivation, and support to meet the December 31, 2006 deadline. In those

classrooms where computers will be used appropriately, place a lot more (all
networked to the Internet), given budget and space constraints. U.S.
Department of Education research indicates that a 4:1 student to computer ratio
seems to work best in most instructional environments. With most effective use,
not every student needs a computer all the time, nor do all students typically
need a computer at the same time. If the instructional design limits computer
use to whole class exercises, then the instructional design also limits effective
learning.
Making technology invisible
When do we teach various technology skills and applications? As they become
relevant to students' tasks or needs. Who teaches those skills? Whoever is
closest, has time, and has those skills or is able to figure them out. When do
students use technology? Whenever relevant to the learning tasks, whether by
teacher direction or by student choice. As students mature academically and
learn self-responsibility, they should be given the flexibility to determine and
follow-through on their learning needs.
When I need to use my computer to accomplish some task, learn something,
perform some operation, etc., I don't have to ask permission, schedule time, or
get a hall pass. Students shouldn't have to either. To require this is to interrupt
the learning process. If our overarching goal is student learning, then our
primary responsibility as educators is to establish those conditions that promote
student learning, which include effective instructional strategies, appropriate use
of resources, and a productive and empowering learning environment.
Recommendations for policy makers
Finally, here are four recommendations for education leaders seeking to
improve use of technologies in schools, leading to enhanced teaching and
learning.
1. Encourage the use of technology for questioning, exploration, discovery,
analysis, understanding, application, and communication and discourage
behavior modification and activity replacement.
2. Determine the effectiveness of technology integration, and instruction in
general, by the degree to which it helps students demonstrate achievement as
measured against content standards.
3. Focus professional development strategies on the teaching and learning
process and the beliefs that underlie effective teaching, using technology to

help teachers enhance their professional abilities.

4. Place technology resources where learning is occurring so that they are
available when needed by the learner.
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Credits: The photographs were shot by Jamie McKenzie .

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