Authors: Angela Christopher, Jennifer Nelson, and Donna Williams

Table of Contents

Overview

Why should I integrate technology?

Technology, when used for strategic purposes in educational settings, can have a positive impact on the nature of the classroom and student achievement (Cramer, 2007). Technology can create an interactive, enjoyable learning environment, assist diverse learners, collect and store information for data-driven decision making, enhance collaboration and improve methods of accountability (Valdez, 2000, p.22).

In order for today’s students to produce the great ideas of tomorrow, we must teach them to be life long learners. Constructivist strategies support learning environments conducive to technology integration. When teachers facilitate student engagement with content, effective pedagogy and technology, students take responsibility for their own learning. Knowledge is no longer isolated and disseminated from experts to learners. It is ever changing and growing; knowledge is created by learners. Consequently, in order for young people to develop new ideas and build knowledge, we must take a closer look at the recent research surrounding contemporary frameworks and models to support technology integration.

Benefits to the Instructor
Integrating technology provides teachers with a variety of benefits such as:

1. Enhancing learning resources
2. Expanding modes of communication
3. Amplifying discussion opportunities
4. Ensuring student access to course information
5. Capturing student participation and production

Benefits to the Student
Benefits to the student include addressing learning style differences, disabilities, time and space constraints and the ability to review further, to provide for self-directed study and real-world applicability of course content.

--Houghton MifflinCollege

"Today"
Teachers explain how they will integrate technology "today."

• TPACK

• Lesson Plan Models

• Assessing Digital Work

References

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Cramer, S. (2007). Update your classroom with learning objects and twenty-first-century skills. The Clearing House, 80(3). Retrieved July 7, 2008 from the Wilson Web database.

Eisenberg, M. (2008). Big6 . Retrieved July 22, 2008, from http://www.big6.com.

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Shepard, Glen (n.d.). The assure model. Retrieved July 18, 2008 from http://www.unca.edu/education/edtech/techcourse/assure.htm

Valdez, G., McNabb, M., Foertsch, M., Anderson, M., & Hawkes, M. (2000). Computer-based technology and learning: Evolving uses and expectations. Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Educational Lab. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED456816).

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