CTAP 120- Activity 1a
What are the primary factors you consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool?
Do you find that your inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is more of a result of your knowledge of what is available, or more a result of your experience with a given application?
Do you find that the availability of a given technology hinders its use at your site or that many educators at your site do not see realistic ways to integrate technology in their students' learning and exploration?
Do you find that your inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is more of a result of your knowledge of what is available, or more a result of your experience with a given application?
Do you find that the availability of a given technology hinders its use at your site or that many educators at your site do not see realistic ways to integrate technology in their students' learning and exploration?
posted by Lainie McGann at 8:14 AM
97 Comments:
There are several factors that I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool. The most important considerations are whether or not I have access to the technology and whether or not I know how to use it well enough to troubleshoot any potential problems that may arise while using it. In addition to these, I envision what it would look like if I implemented the technology in the classroom. Would it enhance my students’ learning or would it distract them from what I want them to learn?
My decision to include or exclude a given technology depends on what is immediately available at my school’s site more than what my experience is with it. I make the effort to locate what I need and, if necessary, I will independently learn how to use it, specifically for my classroom. I will look for manuals or just try it out.
For my site, the main problem has been not only the availability of equipment, but also its reliability. Fortunately, this year, we are in a position where the equipment is new and available to everyone. It is my hope that the teachers will take advantage of this and begin to actively find ways to incorporate more technology into their teaching. Although some teachers might be reluctant to change their teaching methods to incorporate technology, many of them are aware that technology is important and will not go away. I find that giving the teachers a direction on where to learn the technology for themselves and sharing examples of how the technology is being used in current classrooms, they are encouraged to try it out for themselves.
Narisa
Where did the name "blog" come from?
Tory,
Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site. In education, teachers are finding many other ways to use them, for example to discuss books, get comments and feedbacks from students on particular comments, etc.
When deciding on which technology to use for instructing, I go first to something I know how to use: software I'm familiar with; hardware I've used before. If I don't think these familiar things will do the best job for what I want to do then I will investigate other technologies. I am fortunate to have teaching partners who are knowledgable in current technology and enthusiastic about using it, so they keep me moving forward. Also, our school site has very up to date technology for use by the staff.
The factors I consider when creating a lesson are what applications and resources are available to me as well as ease of use. I find that the inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is a result of both... my knowledge of what is available and experience with a given application. What my school site has available in the way of technology and applications is also a factor. At Woodland there is an abundance of technology available for use (three mobile labs with laptops, united streaming, computer lab lessons preplanned, activeboards, digital cameras, digital camcorders, keychain drives) but the use is hindered mostly by the collegues that do not see the value in integrating technology into the curriculum. They view it as "one more hoop to jump through".
I have to consider how familiar I am with the technology, whether or not it is available to me to use, how valid the technology is for my lesson objectives, and how much time I have to prepare the lesson. I find that I would tend to include something that I have knowledge of, and that relates to what I teach. I prefer validity to wasting classtime just for the use of technology for the sake of using it.
I think that availability hinders some teachers at my school, but there are some teachers that just refuse to even consider it at all. Very sad!
I agree with Narisa that the primary factor for using technology is the availablity at my school site. I also do tend to shy away from using certain technologies if I am not proficient at them. If there is something I want to use however, such as an activ-board or activ-vote lesson, will work to familiarize myself with it.
My exclusion of technology usually comes from not seeing how it enhances student learning. Although all technology can increase attention and motivation, I like to see how the technology improves the delivery of the standards. I know that there are many types of technology uses out there that I do not know about, and if I did I would use them. An example of that is the Wikispace sites. I have very limited knowledge of them, therefore do not think to use them when the opportunity arises.
Lastly, I think our site has worked hard to begin to develop ways to integrate technology. There are still some who do not see how technology can be used to make teaching better, but overall we are making headway. We have the technology and are dedicating the time to teach our students technological proficency.
My main reason for considering using technology as an instructional tool is whether I believe it will enhance student learning. I also want it to be interactive and provide the students an opportunity to independently use technology to reinforce what they have learned.
My inlcusion of technology is more a result of my knowledge of what is available. Unfortunately, at my site there is little technology available. Therefore, writing grants has been the only way to obtain the tools necessary to bring more to the classroom. I'm also working on acquiring more experience through taking classes and getting a little help from my friends.
I definitely think that the availability of technology hinders its use at our site. Some of our classrooms don't even have internet access. Almost every classroom is equipped with only one usable computer. In general, I believe that many of our teachers would be willing to incorporate technology to increase student learning and exploration, if the equipment and lessons were easily available. I have shared a couple of examples of how technology could be used and they have expressed a desire to learn.
When debating about using technology as a tool for teaching to students, one must consider whether or not technology would be useful or harmful in the learning process. There may be times when technology could help but it wouldn't improve the speed at which a student learns or helps them any more then the information already given to them.
I notice that I include technology that we have available to us as well as my own experience using that program. I tend to stay closer to the programs I know well to design lesson plans, but I try to stray from what I know to give students more range of programs even if I do not know completely how to use it. I feel in the end it is a learning process for both.
I find that the availability of technology seems to be helping at my site. Although there are some teachers who are very reluctant to use/touch a computer, they only use it for communication purposes. For the most part, I think that all our teachers on campus have a general idea that technology can be useful in their students' learning experience but fear using it on their own without the aide of someone else like the computer teacher.
The primary factors I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool is the ease of the tool. What I mean by that is I first make sure it is something I am comfortable with using or teaching so time is not lost during the lesson/instructional time trying to figure things out. I do however test out new technologies and try my best to learn them. Once I am comfortable with a technology, I then try to slowly teach the students how it is used and allow them to use it.
My inclusion of a technology it therefore based on the result of my experience with a given technology. Again , I do look into and test out new technologies, but I look at how user friendly they are. I don't want instructional time lost if I am not very familar with the use.
I find that the availability of a given technology hinders its use at my site. Many of the teachers at my site are able to use United Streaming. However, many teachers did not use it because they did not have projectors to display the videos large enough for the entire class. Some of the teachers did play them for small groups, but found it difficult to do this effectively.
Another problem our site has is that there are some teachers who are just not interested in learning new technology. They are often timid to use the computers but allow students to use them for basic functions. But, once the computer acts up a little, it will sit for weeks with out use until they speak up and ask for help.
#1, Factors I would consider are as follows: Do I have access to the technology tools or equipment, i.e. LCD projectors, software, internet access and can I be reasonably certain that it will function properly? Other factors: Is the content delivered easily presented through the use of the specific technology used. Ex: Can my students read and see clearly the smartboard in my classroom? Is the researched content, factual, reliable, and relevent to the lesson goals, objectives, and standard requirements?
#2 Certainly having access to the technology tools needed to teach a lesson is of primary concern. IF I find that I can easily obtain the tech equipment needed, I am more likely to use. EX; Is it located on the school site and is there someone willing to help me secure and properly operate. The choices of how I will teach a certain lesson and what tools are to be used is generally based on my working knowledge to how to produce and present. Ex: I feel comfortable with digital photo and video production apps, therefore I would be more likely to present using these tools.
#3 I believe that most teachers tend not to use technology for a variety of reasons. Lack of familarity with the equipment and how to produce the presentation are probably the biggest factors. The time spent researching the content and learning the production and delivery process may appear to be too daunting for most teachers. Other demands on teachers time from students, teachers, parents, and administrators only further pull them away from consistent use of technology. I think one way to more effectively get teachers to use these tools is through more frequent hands-on training of the hardware, software, and other tools needed.
Bang for your buck is the my primary consideration. Meaning is the classroom time spent on the technology (including getting to the lab and settling in) worth the output- and not just the product. Is the journey worth it? Does the application/software engage my students, allow for collaboration and meaningful self-learning. In other words to they grow as they use it and is what they produce better than if they had not used a computer.
As far as including or excluding, I agree with Maggie. It's not just a matter of knowing its available, its knowing it like a friend- your experience with it. I see tons of cool stuff all the time, but if I don't sit down and DO it, it doesn't stay in my brain. I also prefer to use a few application that have a superficiality that is total satisfactory, but a depth of possiblity that I can get into later. Like word, we used to just word process, now we do cool art. But if you had showed us the cool stuff before we had the basics down, we wouldn't have used it.
As far as the general population of educators using technology goes, I think its neither one or the other. Availablity and vision are yin and yang. Not many can envision beyond what they don't see. As a tech coordinator I have taught myself not to be disappointed with the dust the builds on some equipment in some classrooms. Obviously you don't put the best stuff in those rooms, but by making it available some day at the right time, when that teacher is ready, because of something they've seen another teacher do, or the nagging of their students,
they'll decide, well maybe I could try that. If they have to walk down the hall or even next door, to get to the "stuff" the thought will pass. But if its right there at their fingertips...they will begin to own it.
The primary factors for choosing which technology to use as an instructional tool are my instructional objectives. Instructional objectives are determined by Content and Technology Standards and students’ specific needs.
I find that inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is a result of my experience with a given application. The more I use an application, the more it comes to my mind as a resource for a lesson when I am planning instruction. The limited time available to explore applications has been a deterrent for me in expanding the use of technology to enhance student learning.
From my experience, teachers will use the technology available as they gain confidence using it. We have a great computer lab at my school, and the more I use it the more I learn the different ways I can use technology to enhance student learning. I started using the computer lab with another first grade teacher. Knowing that I had a second teacher on board to collaborate, solve problems and manage students’ behavior in the lab gave me the courage I needed to get started. I believe many teachers have not yet explored enough the technology we have available and do not feel comfortable using it with students.
What are the primary factors you consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool? One factor is whether or not my students are familiar with the technology. How much time will I have to take to teacher the technology before I can integrate it? Another factor is similar to Narisa's comment about knowing it well enough to troubleshoot possible problems.
Do you find that your inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is more of a result of your knowledge of what is available, or more a result of your experience with a given application? I believe that I use technology that I am familiar with as well as technology I am interested in trying out. I do enjoy a certain amount of a comfort level when I know that technology will successfully help students to learn. However, I wouldn't be much of a teacher if I were not willing to integrate something new into my classroom.
Do you find that the availability of a given technology hinders its use at your site or that many educators at your site do not see realistic ways to integrate technology in their students' learning and exploration? Part of my job is to show teachers at my site how they can successfully integrate technology. I do see that some are hesitant with the new technology if I am not there to help them each step of the way. I believe they are worried the technology will not work when they need it, and there are times that is true.
Amanda Donnell
I consider many factors when deciding to use technology in my instruction. The first thing I consider is if it is appropriate to the standards and the level of my students. I also consider the time it will take to implement.
I am always interested in the latest technologies. I think it is a great teaching tool and try to gain access to what others think is valuable. There is limited time to discuss the latest and greatest with other teachers or go out on my own to find it so that would be my exclusion.
The teachers at my school site are very fortunate with the availability of technology. I do find it frustrating because many don't see the benefits of integrating it into their curriculum.
I feel I don't use technology enough due to both my lack of knowledge and experience. It's hard to find the time to search for lessons and experiment with the new materials I've been offered in class.
Factors that drive my use of a given technolgy is equal access for all learners and how it will weigh in as a vehicle for to enhance students abilities to contruct meaning.
My inclusion of technology directly relates to my experience with a given application. For example, I have muddied around with .mac account, and only today I truly see the power of this web link as compared to the district web account.
I am fortunate to work with an inspired group of teachers who savor new ideas and are willing to find the time to integrate new technology into their lessons.
Will technology support and extend student learning? Will technology provide adequate resources?
Inclusion & exclusion, at the moment, depends on my experience.
Our site tends to "share" asap, any new trends, techniques, or integration for student learning.
Some primary factors I consider when deciding which technology to use as an instructional tool are the following:
Instructional objective
Ease of use (efficiency and feasibility)
Level of student engagement
Access to the technology
Multiple uses
Student confidentiality and Internet safety
My inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is primarily a result of my knowledge of what is available. Secondly, my personal successes or frustrations with the given technology would influence my choice to include or exclude for instructional purposes.
Availability of resources or support is abundant at our school site! Of course, with technology constantly changing, I would be concerned that we will be able to keep up; however, there is fantastic financial support from our parent organizations.
The primary factors I consider when deciding upon use of a technology tool is if the use of the tool will make the lesson better in some way and enhance student learning. I am likely to use a tool if it will make my/my students job easier.
More technology is available at my site than I know how to use. Therefore my experience with the technology is a stronger influence on my than its availability.
Many people at my site are technologically advanced than I, yet some of us are resistant.
The primary factors I consider when using technology are my level of knowledge and experience with it, the amount of time it will take, and if the tool is available to me.
I would say that my exclusion of a given technology is more a result of the availability. I am willing to learn with training.
Our site is full of teachers using technology in extraordinary ways!
One of the first factors is whether it is the highest and best use of the lesson being taught; am I able to capture the moment and the minds of the students in a powerful and creative way.
My inclusion of technology is really a function of my knowledge of a program, how to use it, and what is available. This goes back to time, not desire.
I think instructors at our site are extraordinary at seeing realistic ways of integrating technology, and are very willing to share their time and expertise. The availablity of technology at our site is extraordinary, what we lack is the time to explore its use.
I think that the educators at Lincoln are working hard at finding realistic ways to integrate technology. We are at many different levels of proficiency but most of us are committed to the process. We have a generous PTA who have helped in providing a lot of technology, but obviously cost and availability can still be an issue. I personally do not automatically think of including technology as an instructional tool. However, since I just got a smartboard this year, I am trying to restructure my teaching style to include MUCH more technology. I am constantly looking for interactive games, videos, and websites to inhance my lessons. Including technology is becoming more comfortable as I use it more, but right now it is still a struggle due to lack of experience. I'm amazed with how much I've grown in this area, and I'm staggered by how little I know.
The primary factors I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool include: content standards, learning objectives, and student ability.
My use of technology is more a result of my experience with a given application. There is a lot of technology available at my site, however I have not taken the time to familiarize myself with it.
I find that technology is available at my site but that teachers to do not see realistic ways to integrate technology in the classroom.
The first thing that I consider when thinking about using technology is whether or not I have access to it in my classroom. The next thing that I consider would have to do with whether or not I have the time and experience needed to efficiently teach the information. As a new teacher, I am always asking myself if I know the information well enough to teach it in multiple ways to meet the multiple learning needs of my students.
I love to integrate technology into my curriculum. I am fortunate to work with a team of teachers in my grade level that are extremely technologically savvy. I feel that it is my obligation (most of the time) to attempt to teach students in a way "gets to them." Let's face it- the things that are "getting to" our students these days has everything to do with the latest advancements in technology.
The primary factors I consider when deciding upon using technology as an instructional tool is how interesting the tool is for my students, the appropriateness to the grade level, and how comfortable I am in using the particular tool. As far as inclusion or exclusion or a given tecnology, I would definitely say that I exclude more then include because I do not feel comfortable using a lot of technology. I am just now getting interested in using technology(comp uters, smartboards, etc)in my classroom, but I don't feel prepared enough to use technolgy all that often. The availiability of technolgy at my school site is incredible. There are many educators at my school that integrtae multiple forms of technolgy on a daily basis. I think that the teachers that are comfortable with technology incorporate it daily, while the teachers that are not comfortable with technolgy don't use it as often
The primary factor that guides me when deciding upon the use of a technology, is my lack of expertise. I can envision many uses of technology, but just do not know how to use it and feel that I am bothering other proficient teachers when I ask for help.
Many teachers at my sight are wizards with technology and I know I will just need to ask for more help. I love to teach science and can feel that there would be many technological applications that would help students to see and understand scientific applications.
My decision to include or exclude technology has all to do with my level or lack to expertise.
When choosing which technology to use as an instructional tool, I consider whether or not the technology is going to make the lesson more interesting, more involving, faster, or more convenient for me. If it doesn't, I'll use more traditional teaching methods.
My decisions about including technology is based on the above considerations, and also on what technology is available to me.
My school site provides a wealth of technology to teachers, and most of our teachers are eager to utilize it. Our tech support staff is great at providing ideas and tech support.
The first issue I deal with is what type of technology is appropriate for the lesson. Will it be a math game downloaded from the internet or something to enhance social studies or science lessons. I want to be sure the material is relevant and not "bringing in an elephant to teach the color gray."
I feel that the inclusion of a given technology is definitely a result of whether I have been significantly exposed to it and spent time on my own becoming comfortable with it.
We have multiple types of technology at our site and are gaining in this area everyday. Many of our teachers are incredible users of these. As these teachers share their successes and products, I feel encourages and inspired to try them in my own class. I am hopeful that with time and support I will be able to create and integrate new technologies into my classroom.
The factors I consider when creating a lesson are what applications and resources are available to me and how the lesson corresponds to what curricular area I want to teach. I also consider how easy or difficult the technology lesson will be. I find that the inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is a result of both my knowledge of what is available and experience with a given application. At my site we have a plethora of technology so availability does not hinder its use. I know that many educators at our site completely take advantage of the ways to integrate technology.
There are several factors that come to mind when I consider when to use technology as an instructional tool. First is the needs of a specific student and what areas are to be remediated. My access to technology is slowly increasing. With incresed use I feel more proficient. I agree with "anonymous" in that I do not always know how to troubleshoot any potential difficulties that may arise.
Whether I incude or exclude given technology is whether I have access to the technology. Unfortunately I do not always have the materials available. Without continued use I feel unsure of how to apply some components of technology within my lessons. My time with a student is very limited, so both experience and knowledge impact my inclusion of a given technology. We are very blessed with the availability of technology on our campus and our school population uses it to explore students learning.
When deciding on using a given technology as an instructional tool, I first consider whether I have the tech tools available to use this tool on an ongoing basis. If I do not have the tech tools available, I consider sources to obtain the tools. I also consider the ease of which the tool will be implemented and the value to the students in terms of motivation and acquiring knowledge. For instance, will the tool help the children grasp a concept more easily or is it so complicated it muddles the learning? Is the tool interactive and easy for the students to use or is the use a lesson in itself? If the tool is more difficult to use, is it highly motivating and therefore easy to teach the students to use?
I find that I include technology more readily when I am familiar with its application. Also, when I find what is available, time is a factor in becoming familiar with that application.
I find that educators at our site work to make technology available through grants and PTA donations. I believe there are only a few educators at our site who do not see realistic ways to integrate technology. Again, lack of time is more a deterrent than either availability of buy in.
The primary factor is first, is it hands on and enriching? Can my students manipulate it somehow? Can they have fun while learning?
My experience, or lack thereof, definitely determines what tech program, activity, etc. I use and how often. I can't teach what I don't know.
Our site has a lot of technological opportunity but the invention of faster and newer technological devices is moving too fast for some to learn with confidence. The time constraint in teaching is stiffling at times and I feel that this does hinder educators from learning and implementing realisitic ways to integrate.
The primary factor I use in deciding whether or not to use a given technology is whether or not it will enhance student learning beyond what doing the lesson without the technology would produce.
My knowledge of what is available is more of a driving factor in whether I use the given technology or site or application. Once I learn about something new, I usually give it a try. Then I go back to question one and determine whether or not it enhances learning.
I feel like we are all pretty open to trying new technology. The biggest factor in my world is TIME to explore and research and make run smoothly. There are probably others at my site that feel the same way.
The primary factors I consider when using technology are my level of knowledge, tools and time to do it properly.
My inclusion is really based on what I have available to me. I enjoy doing a slide show in the classroom.
Exclusion- In first grade, I am often concerned with reading from books and haven't yet ventured to tech lessons.
I think are teachers do quite a bit with technology in the classroom. Others of us are slowly learning more and are willing to use in the classroom.
The primary factors I think about before using technology in Kindergarten are
1) is the material age appropriate
2) can the students manipulate the equipment and learn to use it easily
3) can I find subject matter that enriches the curriculum and students
The inclusion of technology is based on equipment availability. I am fortunate to have good working technology available to me and my students.
My cohorts strive to use various means of technology throughout the curriculum. I am enriched and challenged to expand my use of the tech available to me.
The primary factors that I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool are:
1. The technology in question must be available to use with my students.
2. The technology should enhance my students learning experience.
3. The technology should further engage my students into the curriculum.
4. As the teacher, I must be able to guide my students through the use of the technology.
5. The technology must be developmentally appropriate for use for kindergarteners.
I find that my inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is most often directly related to what my kindergarteners are able to do at their young age. Logging in is a task in and of itself! My current inclusion of technology is mostly in the form of teacher computer generated documents. I often create my own class projects utilizing Word, Excel, Print Shop or Print Master. This year, as a kindergarten team, we are having our kindergarteners utilize the computer lab. I am thrilled that we are making the shift from inclusion of technology for the teacher, to inclusion of technology for the child as well.
Technology can be limited by the availability of tools to the classroom or teacher. I recently observed another kindergarten teacher’s use of a SmartBoard within her classroom. I am interested in providing similar instruction, however, I do need to find access to this or similar equipment.
Teachers at Lincoln are very creative and eager to include technology in their lesson plans. The challenge that I face, as well as the Kindergarten Team, is finding a way to incorporate technology into the lessons that are developmentally appropriate for kindergarten.
First I decide the standard, and then I imagine an engaging introduction and consider if the lesson will need front loading. If it does then I use technology to gather schema in order to build the students background knowledge before beginning. I try to use the SmartBoard to present lessons and have totally moved away from the whiteboard and overhead. Other factors I consider when choosing a type of technology include: ease of use, how will it enhance my lesson, and can the kids participate.
I try to use everything that excites me when I find out about it. It's exhausting but I believe my students benefit from my own personal drive to incorporate the latest and greatest.
Many teachers at our site integrate technology, however some do not and some do not wish to either. Technology know how is what is best for the kids and their future. Their jobs, their secondary schooling, their personal lives will be integrated with technology so why wouldn't we start now?
When deciding whether or not to use technology, I first consider its availability, and then consider the capability of my students given their individual challenges.
After deciding that technology is appropriate, I consider my experience with the technology and whether it's sufficient to ensure it will help the student's learning.
There are certain applications I know would enhance the capabilities of my class that I don't have access to, but the tech staff at my school is working hard to
reach everyone.
In using technology as an instructional tool, I consider factors such as ease of use for both student and teacher, how it will enhance the lesson I am teaching and how readily available is it to my stduents and will the students know how to use it.
I find that my inclusion of a given technology is more of a result of what is available. Many times there is insufficent tools accessible for the teacher/student to use in the classroom; which hinders use, specifically at my site because of lack of facilities and that many educators at my site do not see realistic ways to integrate technology in their students' learning and exploration or are afraid to use it in the classroom.
Before deciding to use a given technology, I consider whether it will enhance the standards I'm trying to teach and engage the students in the learning. I need to be familiar with the given technology in order to use it in my classroom.
I'm very fortunate to have different types of technology available at my school site. However, I'm still learning about all the ways to implement this technology in the classroom and don't use it as much as I would like to.
Our faculty does an excellent job integrating technology in the curriculum.
Daniel Patterson
First, I factor in whether or not my students will be able to use the technology, or if it will simply get in the way of their learning. Also, I consider how the technology will enhance and add to the Standards I am covering.
The inclusion or exclusion of technology absolutly depends on its availability. At this point, I really don’t use technology in the classroom very often, as I don’t have any. However, I still use it outside in many ways such as with my blog and website that my students refer to. I am not afraid to use new technology- there is always someone who can help.
I find that both are an issue. Many teachers simply chose not to go beyond the scope of a computer or a dvd player when it comes to technology. I also feel that it is hard to gain access to the computer lab in the event that you actually want to take your class there to work.
The primary factors I use when deciding what technology to use in my classroom is whether it is student and educationally friendly and if it is something that I think that the teachers will get some good use out of. I include technology equally with what I know is available and what I have had experience with, but when I do not have the technology up and running to use for students then I really can't be very effective in using it.
Test Comment
The factor I use most when considering technology is how comfortable I am with the application
Whether or not I use the tool has more to do with my experience with the application rahter than what else is out there.
I find that the biggest hinderance in using technology is the availability of the tool.
Question 1. The factor I consider most when deciding upon using a given technology is how big the bang for the buck is, very similar to how Eva Wagner feels. Does using the technology help students learn more than they could learn without it? Does it engage my students more, provide visuals that could not otherwise be provided? Do they produce better products (writing, etc.) than without it? Does it extend the thinking and learning of my challenge students as well as help my students that struggle to learn?
Question 2. For me, the inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is a combination of both knowing what is available as well as my experience with a given application. I want to feel comfortable with a given technology before using it in the classroom. I prefer applications that are powerful, with a myriad of possibilities, even if I have only used then on a minimal level because I know that I can continually find new uses for the software as I learn more about it. I would rather know a few proven technologies and software applications well rather than have a superficial understanding of many that do not have a lot of depth. I like using software such as EXCEL, WORD and POWERPOINT for these reasons.
Question 3.
For some teachers, I think the availability of a given technology would make a big difference. Teachers who say they would not use it even if it were available, might change their minds as they see other teachers use it successfully. Another factor is time. In the classroom, if you have glitches in your lesson due to factors not in your control, behavior in the classroom is an issue. A backup plan is nice, but again, it gets back to the issue of time. It takes time to plan a technology lesson and then more time to have a backup lesson. It is difficult for educators to see realistic ways to integrate technology but this varies with the expertise and the how interested the teacher is in integrating technology into the classroom.
trial
As with most teachers, I tend to use the Technolgy that I am familiar with and is appropriate for the class room. I don't use it just for the sake of using it or because it is the latest and greatest.
I do try to stay up to date and use those new technologies that will help my students.
If it is something I need and don't have , I try to get it.
As for my site most teachers use technology in the classroom in realistic ways. We are not hindered by many outside forces.
1a) When deciding to use a given technology tool and an instructional tool, there are several factors involved. The most important factor for me finding a program I have had experience with and that I could teach it to the child. Also, I consider whether the program is available to me and if the child would benefit from the program. I always evaluate the process and modify it to help work with the child so they can benefit from it.
When I decide to include or exclude a program, it usually gets used if the district is supporting it, if I'm required to use it, whether it fits with the lesson goal, and I look at it to see if it's familiar to me so that it would benefit my students or distract from their needs.
In my program, availability is not a problem, because I have many resources to use, it's usually a choice that day to try different ways in which children can learn. For the Regular Ed teachers, I can see that availability and reliability of technology could be a major problem. Since I am a resource teacher, I have more opportunity to grab a program and work with a student independently and see how the child either benefits or wastes time. It really takes a lot of monitoring for the younger ages. I like to let all the children try using the computer daily when possible.
Jeanette Bebeau 12/20/06
1a.) My previous experience guides my use of technology in my classroom. I might learn a new technique but am very apprehensive as to whether or not I feel comfortable demonstrating in front of my clss. It may depend on grade level and classroom management as to what I am comfortable with. (babernathy)
1a.) My previous experience guides my use of technology in my classroom. I might learn a new technique but am very apprehensive as to whether or not I feel comfortable demonstrating in front of my clss. It may depend on grade level and classroom management as to what I am comfortable with. (babernathy)
1a.) My inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is more of a result of my experience with a given application. Even if something is available I will be reluctant to use it until I feel compleletely competant to use it in the classroom. I need to be more adventurous and try things out.
I am not quite sure what other educators at my site feel regarding technology. I believe there are a few that were educated more recently and ready to use all sorts of technology in their classroom. However there are others that have experienced a great deal of frustration as the hardware breaks down. In order to get everyone on board I believe we need to see technology at a successful level at our school site and others will follow the lead. (abernathy)
The prmary factors I use when determining technology is what can I use based on Reading First limitations and hardware/software limitations. Since we are a Reading First school, we can only use HM software. In addition, I only have 2 computers in my room that are on the internet, so scheduling students on the computer is difficult.
Activity 2b
Performance indicators that I would expect from my second grade students are to be able to use input devices such as at the mouse and keyboard.
Communicate about technology using appropriate technology.
Work cooperatively using the technology.
There are a few factors I consider when deciding upon a given technology as an instructional tool. One factor that I consider is the use of the technology applicable to the lesson I am teaching? Another factor is will the use of the technology become the focus of the lesson when that is not the primary objective? Also, which technology is best suited to assist in meeting the objective?
I find that my inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is both a result of my lack of knowledge of what is available and my lack of experience with a given application.
I find that availability of a given technology hinders its use at our site as well as the age and funtionality of the technology. I find that as more updated technology and training in the use of this technology comes to our site the more enthusiasm will be generated to integrate technology in their students' learning.
There are a few factors I consider when deciding upon a given technology as an instructional tool. One factor that I consider is the use of the technology applicable to the lesson I am teaching? Another factor is will the use of the technology become the focus of the lesson when that is not the primary objective? Also, which technology is best suited to assist in meeting the objective?
I find that my inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is both a result of my lack of knowledge of what is available and my lack of experience with a given application.
I find that availability of a given technology hinders its use at our site as well as the age and funtionality of the technology. I find that as more updated technology and training in the use of this technology comes to our site the more enthusiasm will be generated to integrate technology in their students' learning.
1.When using technology as an instructional tool I consider what is available to me. I also consider if it is realistic to use. I also factor in the ease of utilizing the technology. With a classroom of kindergarteners, I would want to use something straightforward that would not take the focus off the objective and make sure that it is grade level appropriate.
2.I teach at a Reading First school where technology use becomes a tricky thing. Having such a scripted day as it is with many limitations of what can be added into our instruction, my exclusion is mostly due to lack of knowledge of what technology would be allowed by the requirements of our program. I think that a lack of experiences with various technology also plays a small part in my exclusion of technology.
3. The main reason for lack of technology use at my site is the lack of technology that is available. We have very limited resources available, but thankful is slowly beginning to change for the better. Once we do gain the technology, I think that we will have to get over the hurdle of technology being realistic to integrate. As mentioned before, my site is a Reading First school so we will face some challenges of realistically integrating technology into our scripted program.
There are several factors that I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool. Most importantly, I look to technology that I am familiar with and have easy access to. It is very important to be familiar with the given technology so I can execute it properly and not waste instructional time.
I find that my inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is definitely a result of my experience. Although, I am fairly technology savvy I still find myself using the applications that I have mastered.
The teachers at my school site are very fortunate to have access to an abundance of technology and most of them do see the benefit in integrating it into their classrooms on a daily basis.
There are several factors that I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool. Most importantly, I look to technology that I am familiar with and have easy access to. It is very important to be familiar with the given technology so I can execute it properly and not waste instructional time.
I find that my inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is definitely a result of my experience. Although, I am fairly technology savvy I still find myself using the applications that I have mastered.
The teachers at my school site are very fortunate to have access to an abundance of technology and most of them do see the benefit in integrating it into their classrooms on a daily basis.
The first thing that I consider when planning any lesson is the best method to transmit the knowledge to my students. Often this includes technology. I decide whether or not to use technology depending upon how readily available it is, how long it will take to implement the technological tool as opposed to another method and most importantly, will the use of technology be the most beneficial way to present the subject to my students. For example, when teaching the 5th grade colonial unit, I opted to use a web quest to give my students some background knowledge because we were unable to visit colonial sites personally so visiting them on the web was the next best thing.
I think that my decision to include or exclude technology is a result of both my knowledge of what is available and also my experience with using a given application. I am more likely to use something that I have experience with because it is in my comfort zone. I also must know that a resource exists and how to find it easily if I am going to use it. I think that if I had to decide, I would say that my experience would be more of a deciding factor when it comes to using resources at our school. Until I feel comfortable with a technology, I feel I am not capable of teaching it to my students.
I think that many educators at my school would use technology more often if it was more readily available. We are truly lucky at our school to have all the resources we have and I realize that not everyone has as much as we do but at the same time, scheduling time to use the computer lab or making time to get the digital camera will hinder use. I can see a lot of ways to integrate technology into my student’s learning but time is always an issue and unfortunately sometimes technology is not available when you need to use it.
To use technology as an instructional tool, it must be a tool that the teacher is proficient with, and if it involves students, they must be proficient in it as well. Including technology does depend upon its availability and also what level of competency the user has. At our site, much is available, and most of the teachers have quite a high level of expertise.
There are factors I need to consider when I decide to use technology in my lessons.
1. I ask myself if the technology I plan to use is appropriate for the grade level which I am teaching.
2. Will the technology I plan to use go along with the content standards?
3. I also look at the time it will take to implement.
Technology is very important to incorporate into lessons due to the fast pace world we live in. Our students will rely on technology even more than we ever have in the past. It is our job to introduce different types of technology so that our students may become successful in the future.
The major factor I consider when planning the use of technology is how will I be able to differentiate my lesson enough to keep high kids challenged and low kids attentive. Some students are very computer savvy, maybe even more than their teacher, but my job is to keep them all challenged and successful.
Amber Stearns
When deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool, I consider several factors. First, will it enhance my students' learning?
If it will, I next consider the logistics of using it; such as availability, time it will take to set up, plan, implement, etc. Then I think about how familiar I am with the technology; do I need to spend time learning how to use it first, and do I have the time and the opportunity to do that? Is there a person available that I feel comfortable asking for help if I need it?
My exclusion or inclusion of a given technology is due to a combination of availability and experience with the technology. If's it's available, and I feel it's worthwhile, I will definitely make every effort to use it. After that, the more experience I have with it, (especially if it is successful!) the more I will use it.
I think a key factor is having a supportive staff, with colleagues that are willing to openly share their talents and ideas, and help each other in any way. Having a technology TOSA is certainly a big bonus, and it is unfortunate that all sites don't have one. With all we have to do as teachers, it helps to have a staff that values technology and keeps it at the forefront of the school culture.
There are many factors in using technology in the classroom. First, is it available to me. Also, how will I implemente it in the classroom. Sometimes it is avalible to us but its off limits or you need training which we have not had.
traci warmington
There are many factors that I consider when I use technology in my classroom. One of the most important factors to me is how comfortable I am with the technology being considered. I am very lucky that at my school, I have access to laptops, digital cameras, video cameras, DVD players, etc. My students are also very good at teaching me and each other, if they know how to use different tools.
My decision to include or exclude technology is again dependent upon my comfort level, and how it will enhance the students' learning.
Again, we are very fortunate with the amount of technology that is available to us at our school. Many of our teachers have written grants for technology in the classroom, and have received them. One teacher used digital cameras to show geometry in our world. Students took pictures of things in their world that had geometric shapes. Our kids are definitely benefiting from having technology integrated into the curriculum.
Primarily I take into consideration the curriculum and standards that I happen to be teaching at the time. I also consider which technology skill I'd like my students to learn or practice. Finally, I think about the ability levels of my students in regards to what they can do academically or technologically.
I find that I usually use a given technology that I have had experience with. Otherwise, I have found that I have a hard time explaining the information in a way that my students can understand. This also poses problems when it comes to troubleshooting. Using a technology that I am experienced with helps my lessons flow more smoothly, my students understand my instructions better, and the work they produce shows better learning.
I find that district-based programs or internet-based activities are the usual suspects in regards to technology hindering the flow of a lesson. There is nothing more frustrating when I have my students on a web quest, a scavenger hunt, or even just researching and the links are temporarily unavailable. Another problem is if the server is down and the students can't even access the internet. I also find troubles when dealing with web-based programs like Accelerated Math, which my students and I both love to do on a daily basis. It throws a monkey wrench in my schedule and the students' when we can't use the program the way we are used to.
The primary factors I consider when using technology are: am I prepared and know the program which I am going to use, and do I know enough so that if a problem occurs, will I know how to troubleshoot to solve it. Also I will consider how valuable the lesson will be for my students.
I find that my use of a technology program is based more on my knowledge of what is available. I speak with my colleages and search on internet for resources.
The major problem I have found is that technology is not always reliable and consistent; the server is down, passwords don't work, or there is a problem with the program. It is frustrating when you plan a lesson in the lab and it does not work.
There are several factors I consider when deciding on using technology as an instrucional tool. First, I take in consideration if the technology is accessible. Next, I ask myself if it will enhance or improve my students' understanding. Also, will it be time consuming?
I find that I am familiar with most technology and it dosen't intimidate me to use with my students. The only factor is availability and convenience.
I think the availability issue is more prevelant than finding ways to integrate it.
There are three factors I consider when determining whether or not to use technology as an instructional tool First I determine whether technology can enhance understanding of the content being taught.Next I consider if the technology can provide a real-world application. Finally I would look to see if the techology would produce greater retention of content material.
My inclusion/exclusion of technology is a combination of knowledge of avalability and results of given experiences. I tend to be very comfortable with the technology that is readily available to me and that I use consistently instructionally and personally. This then dictates my experiences with it. However the more experiences I have with a certain type of technology the less inclined I am to explore other forms that are available--but that I have little knowledge or experience with.
I do feel that availability is not an issue at my school.Our school is very fortunate to have many tech resources. I think the hinderance in using the technology is that teachers do not feel that there is the TIME to take to plan and teach intergrated technology lessons. With pacing guides that dictate many content areas, teachers feel a "time crunch" to cover required material and therefor for go many amazing technology opportunities.
Primary factors I consider :
* Is this tool (hardware/software) available to me when I need it - daily, weekly, a few times a year ?
* Does this technology help with the learning process for students or is there a better tool that could be used ? Standards based instruction can be approached from many different angles. Hands-on learning will always be the preferred method of content delivery, but we can't stand at the edge of a volcano and watch it erupt.
* Are all of the pieces needed for using technology available and working ? If the network is down, anything online is not available. Speakers are needed for laptops when connecting to United Streaming Video, do we know who might have some or do we need to purchase some ?
I tend to use the technology that I am familiar with and that I know the students will be able to use with some instruction and some prior knowledge. Something unique about our school is that we have a Technology Coordinator TOSA. She guides us through the programs available for students by teaching our class every other week. Then we are on our own the week following. This type of hands-on learning and staff development has really brought me up to speed on the technology available to me. I know in the past, when I haven't had the support or training, I tended to use what I knew and try to self-teach tools that I wanted to integrate into my instruction. Now that I have two kids and many obligations, I feel lucky to have a TOSA to take out the guesswork and hours of frustration !!
Seeing realistic ways to integrate technology is not that difficult. The difficulty is having the actual technology available to you and having it work properly. Tech maintence and tech problems can seem very daunting when you have many other things to plan and create. Teachers rarely get the training, support and tools they need to implement successful integration of technology. It is no wonder that there is frustration. In the "real" world, training and support is everything. Big business spends big bucks on training and support in order to cultivate successful employees. Are we doing the same for teachers ?
There are many factors that I consider when deciding upon using technology as a tool for my instructional teaching. First and foremost I consider whether or not I am proficient at using the particular means of technology. Before I bring the technology into the classroom or teach my students how to use a particular means of technology I like to make sure I have mastered it and that I have worked out any glitches that could come up. I feel very fortunate with the availability of technology at my school site. We have the resources to integrate technology into many of our standards based lessons. As a team we discuss the different ways we can bring technology to our different areas of study. We are also very fortunate at our school to have a Technology Lab Teacher that teaches our students every other week. The next week the teachers lead our students in a similar lesson or a follow-up lesson to the one we had with out Technology teacher.
There are many factors that I consider when deciding upon using technology as a tool for my instructional teaching. First and foremost I consider whether or not I am proficient at using the particular means of technology. Before I bring the technology into the classroom or teach my students how to use a particular means of technology I like to make sure I have mastered it and that I have worked out any glitches that could come up. I feel very fortunate with the availability of technology at my school site. We have the resources to integrate technology into many of our standards based lessons. As a team we discuss the different ways we can bring technology to our different areas of study. We are also very fortunate at our school to have a Technology Lab Teacher that teaches our students every other week. The next week the teachers lead our students in a similar lesson or a follow-up lesson to the one we had with out Technology teacher.
There are many factors that I consider when deciding upon using technology as a tool for my instructional teaching. First and foremost I consider whether or not I am proficient at using the particular means of technology. Before I bring the technology into the classroom or teach my students how to use a particular means of technology I like to make sure I have mastered it and that I have worked out any glitches that could come up. I feel very fortunate with the availability of technology at my school site. We have the resources to integrate technology into many of our standards based lessons. As a team we discuss the different ways we can bring technology to our different areas of study. We are also very fortunate at our school to have a Technology Lab Teacher that teaches our students every other week. The next week the teachers lead our students in a similar lesson or a follow-up lesson to the one we had with out Technology teacher.
The factors I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool are availability, my knowledge of the technology, the time needed to utilize the technology, and is it the best way to address the students needs. I find that I will include technology when I feel comfortable using it. I feel that I am at the beginning stages of learning all that is available at our school site. We are fortunate at our school to have a TOSA to help us, and a staff that is equally as helpful in sharing information and lessons.
Question #1 - When deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool, I need to decide whether the available technology will really increase the understanding of what I am trying to teach. Second, if there is a problem with the technology I am using, will I know how to troubleshoot it or will it bring my lesson to an abrupt halt?
Question #2 - For me, inclusion is more of a result of my experience with a given application. If it is something I am using within the classroom with the students present, until I am comfortable with it, I do not like to use new things. If I am focusing more on the tool than my class, I will start having classroom behavior issues. That does not mean that I won't use new things. It just means that I have to get in some practice with them first. If it is not something I use with students present, than I am more apt to "give it a try".
Question #3 - I think that I am very fortunate for all of the technology available to me at my school site. For me, the most frustrating thing is time. Educators are required to do so much in such a short amount of time. While technology can definitely help with what can be accomplished in a given amount of time, it can cause problems if it isn't working correctly. If something doesn't work when we need it to, we tend to go back to what we know has worked for us in the past.
When considering whether to use technology it depends how familiar I am with it. I can create excel sheets, word documents, and research lesson plans easily so I tend to use these forms of technology often. I have access to my desktop computer, a printer, and a copy machine which is what I need to implement the materials. I am less likely to use technology that I am not familiar with or do not have access to.
My school site lacks technology which makes it hard to become proficient in its use. Practice makes perfect, but without practice by the teachers or the students, technology is lost.
Due to the lack of technology, I see many teachers resort to the old methods - writing on the board, using an overhead, copies. Some teachers have been successful with writing grants and have beautifully incorporated technology into their lessons.
In the course of my work it is necessary that I include technology as the major consideration when planning lessons as I am a technology teacher. When selecting what to teach I rely on my experience in deciding what students need to know about varying applications. In most cases I look at a unit or program of study and decide how to sequence the learning components while leading to a meaningful outcome or product.
Keeping content standards in mind, I will attempt to gauge which components of a series of lessons on a given topic can be discussed and practiced within a given class period. A typical lesson plan in a computer class is not much different than any other discipline: determine the objective, select an outcome or product, break the project down into its components, sequence the components of the lessons, model the components, provide time for practice, monitoring and feedback, and, finally, evaluation.
Furthermore, whenever possible I try to directly link the technology learning with the integration of core content or subjects of important general knowledge. While implementing technology standards I implement content from the general studies and core subject matter. In many ways the goal might be to clearly illustrate how technology can be the support for all subjects. Students must be clearly aware of how technology impacts every facet of their lives. Technology is not going away – ever! For better or worse technology will continue to impact and invade every single aspect of our very existence. Students need direct instruction in the proper use of technology.
Christopher Brady
Ensign Intermediate
I always consider how useful or appropriate a technology item is for a lesson, as well as if the technology will be beneficial to my students ability to process the instruction. Given that I teach algebra to 7th and 8th graders at the moment, I find that direct instruction is usually the best method to cover the sheer amount of interconnected standards I have to face each year. Most of my lessons are presented in PowerPoint with a SmartBoard, but there are times where demonstrating to my students how to do something by hand is much more useful.
My decision to include or exclude technology in a lesson has primarily come from experience and observation of other teachers. I have access to a wide array of technological resources and am able to make ample use of any tech I find appropriate. The only shortage at my school is enough computer lab space for all of the teachers who wish to make use of it. This will improve next year, with our opening of a third computer lab with dedicated math software.
The main problem with technology use at my school is not so much availability or reliability, but the knowledge base of many of my fellow teachers. Even after having had ample LCD projectors and SmartBoards over the last four years, several teachers did not know all you needed to present a lesson from a computer was just the projector, and that they didn't have to have a SmartBoard for that.
Availability of the tech and the age and abilities of my students. I include things I have had experience with. WhenI am exploring new things, I do that at home.
The site I am leaving, Pomona El, makes great use of tech. Many teachers have smart boards and use them regularly. The site I am moving to, Paularino, is looking forwqard tohaving at least projectors in each classroom.
The primary factors I consider when using technogology is whether or not it will improve student learning. I would definitely use more technology if it was available to me. I would love to have a Smartboard. Technology is used a great deal at my site.
I consider how effective technology would be with that particular activity. Will technology help the student understand? I use more what I know best with my students. The availablity of technology makes is very attractive to use. Most teachers are very willing to learn and use what they have access to.
1) Does this enhance the understanding of my students. Will this make the material more comprehensive for the students.
2) The more positive experience I have with a system the more likly I am to use it. IT needs to be user friendly and not tidious. I tyipically explore different things that are avaliable to mer, but time consume items are usually not going to be given class time.
3) The computer seem really out of date and not reliable, which makes it difficult to rely on the technology and requires double the work since you do not know if things are going to function that day or not, plus one class may get the lesson while others do not. This makes it difficult to integrate technology for the classrrom. For example I have new item that wont function properly and tech resources does not know how to fix.
Some factors I consider when using technology in a given lesson is will the students retain the subject matter presented using the technology or just be distracted by it. Do I have enough technological resources for all students to have access to the material presented in the lesson and attain the objectives I am teaching with the technology. Will this technology help to open up the world of music to my students and inspire them to learn more.
First, I consider whether the computers are going to work at my school for the given lesson I will be teaching. Also, I worry about being able to extend the learning using technology when some students don't have computers and the computers in my room don't work.
The exclusion of given technology is a combination of our faulty computers at school and my inhibitions with technology. Although I am basically proficient in using the technology available I am not current on many uses of technology that might be useful for student understanding, e.g., bloggin, IMing, creating a website, etc.
I think that the availability of the given technology and educators not seeing realistic ways to integrate technology into their students' learning and exploration both hinder the use of the given technology. In addition, being a school in it's first year of school improvement makes teachers feel that we cannot stray from the core curriculum or in the manner prescribed for teaching it. This makes many feel that integrating technology (when it is even available at our school) is something that may be done only during a moment of free time, which most never encounter versus making the technology useful in teaching the content to students.
The factors I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool are whether I understand the technology and how comfortable I feel about using it. I think the teacher needs to feel 100% comfortable with the technology in order to use it efficiently and for the studnets to feel comfortable with it.
Whether I include or exclude a given technology is a combination of my knowledge and my experience with the given application. Just in my first year of teaching I became more aware of technolgy that was at my disposal, but I am sure there is still much to discover. Also, if I have just discovered a program and am not familiar with it myself, then I would probably not include it in my instruction until I feel comfortable with it.
At my school site we have many technolgy resources available to us. Our staff is mostly cut in half with half using technology on a daily basis in most lessons and half that rarely use it. The half that rarely use it probably don't because they have been teaching for years and either haven't or don't want to update their practices. I am also learning about the technology that is available to me therefore I can understand how it is somewhat scarey and take a lot of time, but because I am a new teacher I am willing to put in the time. I think it is necessary for a new teacher to learn what is available because our society and children are demanding the use of technology through video gaming, cell phones, new computer programs, etc. Technology is everywhere and if we don't inlcude it in our classrooms we are doing our students a dis-service.
The primary factors I consider when using tech as an instructional tool is what my school site has to offer in regards to what I need to successfully instruct. Also, another factor is what is my knowledge of the tech tool I decide to use? If I do not feel comfortable with something such as excel, I will most likely not be incorporating that into a lesson I am going to teach. Also, another factor is troubleshooting. I will use certain technology as an instructional tool only if I know how to fix what it is I am using in case of a glitch.
My inclusion or exclusion of a given technology is a result of my knowledge of that specific tool. I would feel uncomfortable teaching a classroom of students how to use a certain tool if I am not knowledgable in that area. If I was unaware of a certain aspect or tool and my students wanted to learn it, then it would now be my responsibilty to learn how to use it, then teach it to my students.
The availability of technology at my site is minimal. Classrooms do not have many working computers and the computers in the lab do not work all the time. If I had a working computer that was reliable I would be more apt to use it in the classroom with my students.
#1 The primary factors I consider when deciding upon using a given technology as an instructional tool are how familiar I am with the piece of technology. I can only teach what I know. Therefore, the technology I use may be limited. I do want it to be interactive and benifitional to my students. I want to be able to integrate other subjects/topics we are learning in the classroom.
#2 I tend to include technology that I have experience with. My exclusion of technology would have more to do with my knowledge of what is available because I feel like I don't have a really good grasp as to all the current things my students could be benifiting from in technology. In the end I am excluded things I don't know about because I may be out of touch with what is going on in technology!
#3 There are teachers at my site who see technology as a scary thing. They feel it will be more work to integrate technology so in the end it is easier to exclude it. However, there are teachers who feel strongly about the integration of technology. If there is something our school does not have, there are a few teachers who will write grants for their own classrooms.
My students educational needs are a primary factor when considering using technolopgy as an instructional tool. With that in mind the instructional tool needs to be of value to what is being taught. It needs to either provide the students with additional support to what is being taught or provide an enhancement so the students can practice what they have learned.
I find myself using certain aspects of technology more often because of my comfort level. However, when I have the time I will explore other technology resources to implement in my classroom or with my students.
The avalabilty of technology resources at my site does hinder some teachers ability to use it. However, there are many resources on site to refer to when you have questions. There are regular teacher meetings on integrating technology into the classroom
My use of technology wether included or excluded in my lessons is due to how accessable certain resources are for my use. Yes, my comfortablitiy level with the particular technology used does play a part in the inclusion of it in my lessons. The more comfortable I am the more I attention I can give to my students and their success with the content I am teaching to my students
Since I am an elementary music teacher who travel to several sites. Its not only the availablity but the scheduling issues I run into and how I will have to be flexiable in making changes to get access to certain technology equipment. Also each site has its own issues with their equipment. For instance the number of resources available and how reliable they are varies at each site.
1. My first consideration is will I have access to the tool and will I actually use it to accomplish something? If I answer no to these questions then I choose not to use a particular technology because it's just not realistic.
2. For me it's a combination of both.
3. Of course this can happen a lot.
There are many factors I consider when deciding upon a given technology. With my K-3 students, ease of use is definitely a primary factor. If I have to spend most of the lesson explaining how to do it, the rest of the "meat" of the lesson and technology is lost. Interactivity is another factor given the younger ages of my students, they need to be engaged, just watching a long presentation of mine would just not cut it. Also, how much value will the students get out of the lesson?
I would have to say that it would be my experience with a given application since I feel I have a higher than average knowledge of what's out there since I'm the technology coordinator, (although it's hard to keep up sometimes!) If I'm not comfortable with an application and can foresee the bumps and difficulties my students are going to have with it with some certainty, I don't use it until I'm more comfortable with it.
Probably the availability of a given technology at our site hinders its use since we haven't found the pot of gold just yet. We have come a long way at my site with the teachers and their abilities as well as their view of technology. I would say that the overwhelming majority see the value of technology for themselves definitely as a productivity tool and also see the value of technology for their students. On the other hand, not many teachers think of using technology with their kids on their own (projects wise) outside of what I do with them in the lab or what they do with their SmartBoard (which is a lot though). This is our next area of growth I think.
I consider whether the lesson would be more effective with the use of one or more technologies. "More effective" might relate to the delivery of the lesson or -- more often for me -- the accessibility of it. For example, a training for teachers that the teachers not present (or not remembering it 6 weeks later) can access again and again shows how important powerpoint might be. The essence of the training is available beyond the day I actually presented it.
Technology gets used when it is accessible and reliable. How many of us would make deposits in an ATM if it only worked 90% of the time? So the message for school for schools is "make sure it works". A few simple tools that are generally accessible and highly reliable will be used more than a wider variety of tools that are not always available and may not always be working.
The primary factor to consider when contemplating using technology as an instructional tool is student learning. It is essential for you to consider if using the technology will enhance and improve the learning connection for your students. Another factor to consider is if the technology is accessible to the students. It has to be easy for the students to access and it can't interfere or overrule the intended learning objective.
My inclusion or exclusion of a technology is more of a result of my knowledge or experience with that application. As with students learning, the hands on/experiential mode works best for me. The more familiar I am with a use of technology, the more comfortable I am with integrating that with the subject matter objectives for my class. I find the more natural way I can integrate that use of technology into my daily routines, the quicker it will become part of my repetoire of strategies. I often lack the time to just go practice a technology strategy, but if I'm using it for myself, I reach automaticity sooner. I have found this recently with Power Point, I starting using it at a basic level and have learned more features through my use of it. I would feel comfortable integrating this into a lesson with students.
We have an abundance of technology available to our teachers at our site, but I think teachers struggle with meaningful ways to integrate it to truly enhance student learning (not just make it fun, but actually better.) If we had all the time to consider, I believe that collaboration time for teachers to brainstorm, share, experiment with new technologies would be deemed valuable by our teachers.
the primary factors i consider when choosing to use technology in the classroom is how is it going to help my students access the information needed in the lesson.
at my sight there is a wealth of technology to support every aspect of student learning. i feel that i will try to use as much technology as i can throughout the day even if i am not totally familiar with it. although i do tend to stick with what i know more than with what i don't.
i think educators at my sight do not see realistic ways to use some of the technology because of all the regulations and restrictions we have due to reading first.
The primary factors I consider when deciding to use technology as an instructional tool begin by asking the question, "How will this enhance my student's learning?" Furthermore, I consider how the lesson will encourage student engagement.
The use of technology is dependent upon what is available at my school site, and how much experience I have with the tecnhology as well as my my comfort level of the lesson itself.
The availability of technology resources at my site does hinder some teachers' ability to use it. However, there are many resources on site to refer to when you have questions, including a site tech rep.
The primary factors I consider when deciding to use technology as an instructional tool begin by asking the question, "How will this enhance my student's learning?" Furthermore, I consider how the lesson will encourage student engagement.
The use of technology is dependent upon what is available at my school site, and how much experience I have with the tecnhology as well as my my comfort level of the lesson itself.
The availability of technology resources at my site does hinder some teachers' ability to use it. However, there are many resources on site to refer to when you have questions, including a site tech rep.
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