One of the biggest problems we face at Auburn Elementary is how to integrate technology into our curriculum with just one computer in the classroom. Teachers must totally redesign their lesson plans to accommodate for use of the computer with the lessons. This takes an incredible amount of time, energy and motivation. Many teachers feel the benefits do not out weigh the amount of time and effort it would take to reestablish the curriculum to include computer use. This page will focus on the "Why" should I integrate computer use into my curriculum and the "How" can I do this with a minimal amount of time spent?
The Why- Studies have
shown that when technology is used to teach content that meets state standards
positive results occur. Not only does it help students master work
force skills, but it can also improve writing skills, problem solving skills,
and peer cooperation. The benefits are even greater for special needs
students such as:LEP, handicapped and "at risk" students. (Cradler)
Linda Roberts, the director of the Office of Educational Technology and
Special Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, stated
in a 1997 article with Keynotes:
| "technology has enormous benefits for all of our kids. But the preliminary evidence is that it seems to have more special benefits for the kids who are behind academically, for the students who are under-challenged and under-motivated, and for the students who have special needs, special learning needs, whose learning opportunities need to be more broadly-based. We have to go beyond just simple print and lecture. That's not good for any kid, but it's especially deadly for the students who are difficult to teach." |
She continues saying:
| "Moreover, the highly-effective drill and practice and
tutorial software that is out there, particularly in the areas of reading,
the basic reading skills and the basic arithmetic skills, shows very promising
results for students who need more time practicing. When I was a teacher,
I used to have to think of endless iterations of the same problem. The
technology can really help us extend the practice time for these students
and extend it in highly-motivating ways.
And finally, for our kids who are in areas impoverished by location, whether we're talking about inner cities or whether we're talking about rural areas, today's telecommunications technologies give these students the passport, the same access to high-quality learning tools that are not normally available in their communities. Whether we're talking about scientists online or we're talking about museum materials and resources or we're talking about original source materials, it is the connection to a very rich array of resources that is of particular value and concern to the school districts that have been in the past disadvantaged because they are not in the affluent communities. So, again, that's the third reason why technology is more important." |
The How
We now know the Why, next is How? How do we change
the curriculum to include technology? The most important thing to
remember is integration. Technology should not be a separate entity.
We, as teachers, need to take the curriculum we are currently teaching
and find ways to use the technology in order to help teach the content.
When interviewed in 1998 Linda Roberts discusses the importance of integrating
the curriculum: "That integration is critical.A good program should
be related to what it is teachers are teaching. So, if you are a history
teacher, you care about history and you learn about technology in context.
All of the examples and applications ought to relate to your work as a
history teacher. They ought to make sense to you so they become part of
what you do." (vojtek,1998)
For Administrators:
Teachers will need support in order to incorporate technology
into the curriculum. Teachers need more planning time to implement new
skills. They need knowledge of the applications, and continuous technical
support. Training and support is crucial to the development of a
technological education. We cannot continue to expect teachers to
learn and plan on their own time. Inservice time should be devoted to the
development of integrating technology. In addition to time, training and
support, technology in the school settings needs to be continuously monitored
and reevaluated in order to be effective. An article from The Secretary's
Conference on Educational Technology , Critical
Issues in Evaluating the Effectiveness of Technology dated July
12, 1999 emphasized that, "the effectiveness of technology is embedded
in the effectiveness of school improvement efforts". Formative
assessments are necessary when establishing and implementing a technology
plan. In order for a successful transition evaluators should focus, in
part, on the following:
Do teachers have the necessary skills to include technology
in their lesson plans?
What skills are they lacking?
What training do we need to provide?
Are the teachers using technology to teach the current
curriculum?
Are the teachers given sufficient amount of time to plan?
Do teachers have technical support?
Is the equipment needed easily accessible?
The following link is another resource administrators can use to assess their technology plan- Seven Goals for Technology.
For Teachers:
Teachers may want to begin by establishing stations.
Students are split into groups of four during a specific subject and then
rotate through the stations. Five stations works best so that by
the end of the school week, each student has been to all five stations-
or four with a fifth day for review and discussion. The stations
I've used include: computer, text, encyclopedias, library books, worksheets
and/or diagrams. You may also try using the overhead projector, videos,
or audio tapes.
Another possiblity for the more ambitious teacher is to establish a computer center that rotates groups of students daily, weekly, or monthly. It will help to have a premade system for rotation purposes. This could be as simple as using student numbers to an elaborate bulletin board pocket system. Students then may work on the assignment using the computer for assistance, for instance: If students are reading about volcanoes in the text, students at the computer center can read information from a cd rom or website and then write or tell about it to the class. Perhaps have them use a word processing program to write about what they've learned. If you gave each group an entire unit's worth of time, they could put together a presentation using software like KidPix or Hyperstudio. You would then rotate the students when you began a new unit. Rotations require a great deal of planning and monitoring. You will want to be sure that the students at the center are learning the content either from the text or from other resources. You will have to assess their progress and guide them with a well thoughtout lesson plan that includes step by step instruction and provides daily feedback. (you see why time is such a huge issue)
Below are links to help you get started using your classroom
computer. All of these links involve ideas for a one computer classroom.
Please feel free to share ideas and comment by emailing
me.
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Creating Web Based Lessons- includes web quests, project examples by grade, assessment rubrics, scavenger hunts and more.
Also check out my Development
Resources Page with many ideas separated by subject area!
L. Sanford
June 17, 2000
Part of the Handbook
Project from EdPsy 490 Net CTER