Educational Technology Overview

•   Safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology-- To me, this means that both teachers and students should understand how to use technology in a responsible manner. For example, students and teachers must understand that the information posted on the internet is permanent. Therefore, it is important that both students and teachers make sure that what they are posting on the internet is something that does not reflect negatively on them. Further, teachers should be sure to cite all sources to prevent potential copyright issues.

•   Digital etiquette and responsible social interactions-- This is very important and relates to proper classroom etiquette as well. Students should not take advantage of the use of technology in the classroom by using it for non-academic purposes. Also, students that communicate with each other using technology should behave as they would in the classroom. This means being respectful of other students. This also extends to technology use outside of the classroom and student character in general. Students should learn to be respectful and responsible in their actions with other students as well as adults in person as well as when corresponding through technology.

•   Meeting diverse needs of learners through learner-centered strategies and equitable access-- Technology can help the teacher reach every student in a meaningful way, if it is used in the right way. Students can research and explore topics that interest them under a broad subject and find different ways to present the information they have found. This is an example of how technology can be learner-centered and thus more engaging for the student. This method can also ensure that each different type of learner is capable of retaining as much information as possible because they are able to have more freedom with how they gather and present information.

•   Global awareness and digital-age communication-- The use of technology in the classroom is necessary in this day in age because so many aspects of modern life are focused on technology. Knowledge of how to use technology for means such as research, information display, etc. is a vital skill to develop in a competitive job market and a globalized world. It also serves as one of the major means in connecting diverse people from different parts of the world.

I-Search and Bibliography

Teaching Tots with Technology

            I am an aspiring elementary school teacher, raised on the brink of the technological age. Therefore, my future students are going to be innately even more adept in modern technology than I. This fact, combined with my personal belief that education must be made relevant in order for students to be engaged and learn to the best of their ability, is my inspiration for researching technology integration in the elementary school classroom. Prior to beginning my research, I felt as though there was a place for technology in schools—yet to what degree? Tools such as SMART boards and skills such as the ability to research on the Internet are undoubtedly important; yet I would like to know what other resources are available and what technology does not belong in the classroom. I have heard many educators and future educators promote the use of social networking sites and the like, but how—if at all—can they be effective educational tools?

            In order to address these questions I began by consulting fellow education students and professors, then researching various technological resources I had heard about. Once I had garnered enough information, I compiled a video using imovie that discussed the potential use of these technologies in the classroom. I felt as though actually using a technological resource as an organizational tool for my research would give me a first-hand perspective on how students may feel when using technology in school.  My next step involved taking the classroom technology I had learned about and implementing two separate lessons using different resources. This gave me insight on what it is like to be a teacher using technology in his or her own classroom. I concentrated on creating lesson plans that aligned with standards, integrated technology, and then conducted the lesson with fellow college students. I wrote personal reflections on the lesson prior to completing it as well as after it had been implemented. The final aspect of my research included reading various articles and watching videos that discuss the benefits of a classroom technology. These tended to confirm the conclusions I had made during my prior research.

            Overall, the research process taught me that as I predicted, technology can be an extremely beneficial educational tool for students; however, I also learned that technology can be an effective learning tool for teachers as well.  For students, using technology helps develop skills that they will be using for the rest of their education, as well as in future careers. It also helps keeps students engaged, and if used right, can create lasting knowledge. For teachers, technology can help share ideas, inspire others, and improve teaching ability. A large part of teaching is finding exciting new ideas, and technology makes those ideas more accessible so more students can have positive learning experiences.

            Based on my research, I now believe that I can successfully integrate technology in my classroom, and in doing so, enrich the education of my students. Further, I discovered that technology can teach me a great deal about how to be a better teacher. However, I did not find anything in my research that proved social networking sites can be successfully used for educational purposes. I now fully support the use of blogs in school, yet I believe that social networking sites do not belong in my future classroom. In addition to all of the information that I learned through this process, I believe I have become a better researcher.  I used the technology that I was researching and I implemented lessons that integrated technology, which gave me a personal opinion, rather than exclusively conducting research from books and articles. 

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