Running head: INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES 1

Integration of Technology and Media Resources

Amanda Clay

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Fall 2019

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Introduction

With the dawn of the 21st century came the dawn of technology. Almost every home in

America is stocked with technology from smartphones, smart TVs, electronic personal assistants,

and other smart home devices. More importantly, almost any job in today’s culture requires you

to have and understanding of and be able to use modern technology at some level. In today’s

culture, it is common to see young children out and about with a parent, distracted by a video or

game on that parent’s smartphone or tablet. Whether we like it or not, children are using

technology and likely know how to use it better than their parents. That’s why it is vital for

teachers and school systems to integrate technology and media into the classroom and the

curriculum. The truth is, children today are growing up in a world where technology is inherent

and if they are not equipped to use it properly and effectively, they will be at a disadvantage.

Included in this competency are two examples of my ability to integrate technology and media

into the classroom. The first example is a reading activity integrating a web-based reading

application called “Epic.” Epic gives students access to a library of books to read either by

assignment or on their own time. The second example is an organizer that I created for students

to complete on their Google Drive. They were then given web-based resources from which to

research the topic of diversity in order to help brainstorm for their unit project.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

The first artifact included in this competency is a reading activity that integrates the

website “Epic.” Epic is a web-based application that I have used in the classroom to assign

reading materials to students. The advantage of this is that students are able to read the same

book without having to ascertain numerous hard copies of the same book. Additionally, students

are able to search for books based on themes or topics that interest them. For this activity,
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students were asked to pick a fiction book of their choosing from the Epic library. After reading

the book, they were asked to fill out “Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then” organizer to practice

summarizing the book. This shows my ability to integrate technology in media in the classroom

simply by assigning web-based reading. While libraries and physical reading material will likely

stick around for many years to come, it is important for students to know that there are other

avenues for accessing books. Additionally, students learn how to navigate the internet and use a

computer for learning.

The second artifact included in this competency is an organizer I created for students to

complete on their Google Drive. The students were given two online resources to complete

research on what diversity in America looks like in terms of language, culture, nationalities, and

food. The students would then record their research findings in the organizer. The first online

resource was Britannica Kids, the web-based, kid-friendly version of the Britannica

Encyclopedia. The second resources the students were given was Pebble Go. Pebble Go is a

website designed to act as an educational search engine for young students. Students are able to

search through their numerous categories, such as “Culture and Awareness” for this lesson, and

learn about different topics such as “Food Around the World” or “Clothing Around the World.”

Each topic provides the students with 4-5 tabs to read through and also includes pictures and a

video for students to watch that explains the topic. This artifact shows my ability to integrate

technology and media into the classroom because this activity is completely web-based and

requires students to learn about and use online research tools and record their research by typing

it into a document on Google Drive. Through this activity, students learn important skills that

will be necessary for them to know as they continue in their education and even careers.

Reflecting on Theory and Practice

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Understanding how to use technology to learn is an important skill for teachers to teach

their students. There are numerous occasions when these skills will be necessary for students to

know in the future including continued education and future careers. According to Rosenfled and

Martinez-Pons’ article titled “Promoting Classroom Technology Use” (2005), when the No Child

Left Behind legislation was signed into law, it required technology to be “integrated into

instruction to promote learning” (p. 145). Unfortunately, teachers who have been in the field for

10 or more years often report not having adequate training on integrating technology into

instruction (p. 145). Specifically, teachers report not having “good models for integrating

technology into their classrooms” (p. 146). Thankfully, technology integration has become a

more prevalent topic in education coursework and has begun to be taken seriously by educators

and school boards across the country.

According to Coffey’s article “Literacy and Technology: Integrating Technology with

Small Group, Peer-led Discussions of Literature” (2012), the International Reading Association

requires students to be “proficient in the new literacies of 21st-century technologies” in order “to

be considered fully literate” (p. 397). This means that in order to provide an adequate-at-best

education, technology must be included in instruction. Some ways teachers go about integrating

technology to encourage literacy include having students “prepare for literature discussion by

keeping electronic response journals in a word-processing program” (p. 397). Simply using

technological methods to complete tasks teachers would otherwise use traditional resources for

encourages students’ ability to understand and properly use technology.

The purpose of technology integration is not only for practical knowledge for the future,

but also to stimulate learning now. According to Keengwe and Onchwari’s article “Technology

and Early Childhood Education: A Technology Integration Professional Development Model for
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Practicing Teachers” (2009), research shows that “3- to 4-year-olds who used computers with

supporting activities had significantly greater gains in verbal and nonverbal skills, problem

solving, abstraction, and conceptual skills” (p. 210). Utilizing a computer in education has also

proven to “serve as a supportive tool for those children who have more than average difficulty

succeeding” (p. 210). Suffice it to say, when educators fail to integrate technology and media

into instruction, they are putting their students at a disadvantage in more ways than one.

As a Christian educator, I value the importance of providing my students with everything

they need to succeed. While some Christians may view the internet and technology as a platform

striving to grasp our children’s attention and steal them away from the good, I see it as a tool that

can help put young men and women ahead of the curve. As with all things, technology must be

used for the good in order to do good. I look forward to teaching my students to use technology

to learn and succeed so that they can go into the world and be positive change-agents in a culture

that is otherwise desperate for change.

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References

Coffey, G. (2012). Literacy and technology: Integrating technology with small group, peer-led

discussions of literature. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 4(2),

395-405. Retrieved from http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/993157128?accountid=13479

Keengwe, J., & Onchwari, G. (2009). Technology and early childhood education: A technology

integration professional development model for practicing teachers. Early Childhood

Education Journal, 37(3), 209-218. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.regent.edu:2048/10.

1007/s10643-009-0341-0

Rosenfeld, B., & Martinez-Pons, M. (2005). PROMOTING CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY

USE. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(2), 145-153,183-184. Retrieved from

http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/231072209?accountid=13479