Content and Standards

Build
Play
Prepare Technology
Literacy and
Skills

My technology framework I decided to use building blocks as the visual. I felt that building blocks
were a good visual because the pieces of my framework are, what I believe to be, the building
blocks to success in technology integration.

The first orange building block says prepare. The only way for technology to be integrated
effectively is for the teacher to thoughtfully prepare the lesson to incorporate technology and think
about how that technology will support their lesson. Many times teachers integrate technology just
to integrate technology, but it does not engage the students and support their lesson objectives.
This can be supported by the Planning Cycle for Literacy and Language Arts. In the text A Planning
Cycle for Integrating Digital Technology Into Literacy Instruction by Amy Hutchison and Lindsay
Woodward they lay out seven critical elements that should influence a teachers planning when
involving technology. The seven critical elements are as follows:
1 . Ability to identify and adhere to a clear instructional goal when integrating digital technology
2 . Ability to identify an appropriate instructional approach for the instructional goal
3 . Ability to select appropriate digital or nondigital tools to support instruction
4 . Ability to foresee how the selected tool can contribute to the instructional goal
5 . Ability to identify the potential constraints of using the tool to determine whether they can be
overcome
6 . Ability to understand how the instruction will need to be delivered or altered due to the use of
the selected tool
7 . Ability to reflect on the resulting instruction and make changes/learn more about the
instructional tools as needed Woodward, L., & Hutchison, A. (2014).A Planning Cycle for Integrating
Digital Technology Into Literacy Instruction(6th issue., Vol. 67).

The second pink block says build technology literacy and skills. I chose this because the technology
we chose to use should support the growth of technology literacies skills. Using the technology
students should be learning new concepts, skills, and strategies they can apply to other subjects and
create life skills. These skills are similar to what is laid out in the 21st Century Framework. The 21st
Century Framework states: Learning and innovation skills are what separate students who are
prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in todays world and those who are
not. They include; creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication
and collaboration. Today, we live in a technology and media-driven environment, marked by access
to an abundance of information, rapid changes in technology tools and the ability to collaborate and
make individual contributions on an unprecedented scale. Effective citizens and workers must be
able to exhibit a range of functional and critical thinking skills, such as: information literacy, media
literacy, and ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy (Framework for 21st
Century Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2017, from http://www.p21.org/about-us/p21-
framework).

The third yellow block simply has the word play on it. I chose to pick this as a building block for
integrating technology effectively based on a blog post I read by Nitasha Manchanda. In her blog
Nitasha shares and excerpt from All I Really Need to Know (About Creative Thinking) I Learned (By
Studying How Children Learn) in Kindergarten by Mitch Resnick stating But until we start to think of
computers more like finger paint and less like television, computers will not live up to their full
potential. Like finger paint (and unlike television), computers can be used for designing and creating
things. In addition to accessing Web pages, people can create their own Web pages. In addition to
downloading MP3 music files, people can compose their own music. In addition to playing SimCity,
people can create their own simulated worlds. She also shares this excerpt This is where, in my
opinion, digital technologies can play a transformational role in education. I believe that digital
technologies, if properly designed and supported, can extend the kindergarten approach, so that
learners of all ages can continue to learn in the kindergarten styleand, in the process, continue to
develop as creative thinkers. Allowing students to become engaged, create, design, and play will
drive student motivation to reaching our lesson objectives. (Manchanda, N. (2017, March 30). How
technology can make our kids better learners: MIT Media Labs Mitch Resnick on raising digital
creators vs. consumers [Web log post]. Retrieved July 12, 2017, from
https://medium.com/@NitashaM/how-technology-can-make-our-kids-better-learners-mit-media-
labs-mitch-resnick-on-raising-digital-493d165b1747)

The three smaller blocks (orange, pink and yellow) are all working together to support the larger
blue block that says Standards and Content. I believe that all three of the smaller building blocks
need to be placed together the work together to support our state standards, and the content we
are delivering to provide the most effective technology integration. A teachers main goal from a
lesson is that students learn their objective, the smaller building blocks below our objective (or
content/standards) help support and deliver our objectives in a way that students can connect to,
relate to, and understand. This is similar to the TPACK model with planning (similar to pedagogy),
and technology literacies (technology) working together to hold up and support content and
standards. All three need to work together to create the most effective lesson possible (TPACK.ORG.
(n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2017, from http://www.tpack.org/).

In conclusion, to best effectively integrate technology into our classrooms our planning, students
increased digital literacies, and students ability to play need to work together to support out
content and standards. I believe these are the fundamental building blocks to using technology
effectively in the classroom, keeping students engaged, and giving students the career and life skills
necessary to succeed later in life.