TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE

How To Effectively Integrate Technology in your Schools
By Sharnell Cox
Biology Teacher-R.M. Bailey Sr. High School

Integration of technology within one’s pedagogy is not something you just “throw into the pot like thyme”. Technological integration requires time, planning, organization, funding, and in depth knowledge of the device and content area to be “effectively” integrated into the curriculum or pedagogy. It has been discovered that teachers are most likely to embrace technologies if they can see the connection between their work and the tools" (McKenzie 1999). According to the author, Stephen Jeffries, integration should support a solid curriculum, not dominate it. Technology should assist the student with problem solving, and create collaborative learning environments whereby the teacher seamlessly transitions from the role of facilitator to that of a learner. Technology is a vehicle used to help students solve problems and should not in any way create difficulty and unnecessary problems. It should assist the student in becoming an engaged learner; this enables the student to take ownership of his or her education. "Engaged learning challenges teams of students to employ information technologies to investigate authentic problems which parallel curriculum question and topics" (McKenzie 1999). Technological integration is shunned by many calling it ‘confusing and difficult.’
A wise man once said, “I do not fear computers, I fear the lack of them.” Do you as an educator share this view? Or do you dread the day that computers and all technological devices forced their way into your world? Or maybe, you investigated the reality of the situation which is, “low or no budget along with no or limited resources and gave up the idea of integration before getting started?” It was said that “technology integration in the school systems has lagged behind other disciplines because people are generally uncomfortable with change. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on technology, there are still those who resist this change. It is a paradox of sorts; people realize that the world is changing but they refuse to change with it” (F. Jeffries, 2000). This is perhaps the toughest barrier to overcome in the implementation of technology integration. Despite all possible conclusions, I will give you some helpful hints on how you can integrate technology on a budget with limited resources to expand your style of administering effective educational instruction.

PLANNING
“Technology integration is more than merely utilizing a computer as a typewriter, calculator, or film projector. Rather, integration begins with solid planning by the teacher so that the use of technology is meaningful and relevant to the educational experience of the student” (F. Jeffries, 2000). Integration of any technological device into ones pedagogy requires a plan. This plan will include research on the type of devices you would like to add to your resource library, the cost of the devices, troubleshooting and maintenance information, classroom management of the device i.e. seating arrangements, and research on how these devices will be bought and where they will be stored. You will also decide on the way all of your devices will be used and when they will be used for leisure or lesson. Such planning requires time and deep thinking and reasoning.

TRAINING
Time and money are two variables that are needed in creating a technology rich classroom. Which do you have more of? The best way to learn something is by doing. Knowledge of any technological device can be mastered with constant practice. As an educator find ways for you to incorporate the device into your daily preparation for class. If you are preparing a test use the computer. If you need to teach a lesson that requires lots of diagrams instead of drawing them use a digital camera to take pictures or even your cell phone to take live pictures and add them to your lesson. Take advantage of much teacher software that is available to you. Exhaust all resources surrounding your duties as an educator technologically. Try to create an electronic portfolio, or online grade book, become familiar with PowerPoint so that your class can take a virtual field trip using technological devices that provide the entire scene of the trip as if your students had ‘left the building’. The internet is a great resource for free software that educators can use to complete their tasks more efficiently with much organization. Time spent teaching yourself things you do not know about various software can inspire you to find new meaningful ways in which the device can assist you in delivering a lesson. Remember that sometimes that best planned lesson can crumble. “It’s like the hamster in the computer get dizzy and crashes” as one author states, so, always have a plan B, C and even D.

Within training you would find time to enhance what you have. If your classroom is a ‘one computer classroom’ you would want to install zip drivers. If your classroom has more than one computer network your computers using the device with the largest hard drive as a file server. You would also want to locate ‘tech support’ at all times in the event something happens. But then again, “Who are we kidding”, as Alex. E. Peshett of Davis Joint Unified school district in the United States puts it, “You probably are the tech support!” So with this in mind, especially because you are working on a budget, “groom” the most techno whiz kid and make them apart of your technical team and work along with members of your computer department to resolve technological problems and create solutions.

FUNDING
In most classrooms today funds for textbooks for all students are sometimes scarce. It is also a major problem when it comes to finding money to purchase and maintain technological devices. However, in your planning you will find creative ways to fund and support your ‘project.’ You are your first resource for this project. You must decide what your contribution will be to the creation of your technological resource pool. After acquiring the cost of the devices of interest you must determine your budget. The difference in cost that you cannot fund you can look into requesting assistance from the Parents Teachers Association, parents, other organizations within the community and members of the corporate world.

In conclusion, there are approximately 640,000 words in the English Language, five times more than in Shakespeare’s day. Students today must learn to sort information, analyze information, and critically solve problems creating practical solutions. Technology is a medium designed to assist students with comprehending the aforementioned skills that are required for not only understanding the English Language, but, life. “No body made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do little.” Ednum Burk presented this quote I am sure with the intent to inspire many that look at the challenges, the disadvantages, whatever they maybe and cast the judgment to keep technological integration far from their pedagogy. It is evident that time changes, that students have changed, however, is it apparent in our country that educators have changed with the times and have effectively integrated technology within their classroom to achieve the purpose of educating? Have you?

Works Citation


Jeffries. S (April 12th 2007). Technology integration in the classroom: A prospective from a future teacher.
Host address: www.http://pt3.nmsu.edu/educ621/steve4.html

Mckenzie, J. (1999). How teachers learn technology best. Bellingham, WA: FNO Press

Peshett, A (.November 11, 2000). How to integrate technology within the classroom. Host
Address: www.http://imet.esus.edu: Davis Hoint Unified School District