Technology Integration

I have been thinking how I would incorporate technology into my classroom when I start teaching. I had hit a wall when it came to things I could do to integrate technology into lesson plans that my students would find exciting and help them learn. I couldn’t think of any new and exciting ways to integrate technology until I started my Education Technology class’s new module. I started to realize I could use lots of different forms of technology to gain my students’ understanding of core concepts. I could have them read books and write book reports using the Word program. They could then take this book report and make a PowerPoint presentation about if they would recommend this book to a friend and if they wouldn’t recommend it why. They could use websites that would help them learn math and could also use websites to help them understand History. Technology really could be incorporated into all areas of curriculum. There were so many different thing I could have my students do, I was then overwhelmed.

After I calmed down I wondered what a normal classroom would be like in ten years. Would it still put an emphasis on technology or would it have reverted back to lectures and notes. I like to think that classrooms will still integrate technology into lesson plans. The world is leaning toward a life full of computers and technology in general. I heard on the news this morning that analysts are predicting that people will not use paper money in the future. I don’t understand how this will work but I hope they figure it out. I think teachers will still integrate technology into the classroom because it is still important to the world. In fact teachers might rely on technology more than they use it today. All lessons will be done with computers. Students will not have to learn to spell or do math anymore because they will have spell check and calculators to give them the correct answers. I worry about how the students of tomorrow will function when they get out of school. My daughter is a freshman in the high school. I was shocked over this past month when I asked my daughter what time it was one day. She couldn’t tell me because it wasn’t a digital clock. How could she have gotten this far in school without being able to tell time? She also has difficulties with money. This is really bothering me. I am worried about how she will survive if she can’t make change from a dollar. Will she still be living with me when she is a grown adult? I really hope these questions get answered quickly.

Then I started thinking about my son who is in middle school. How could I integrate technology if I was a teacher at his school? My son is having troubles with some of his teachers this year. He didn’t hit it off too well and is really struggling with Language Arts. If I were his Language Arts teacher how would I change things to ensure my students learned? I would start by thinking outside the box. I would bring in computer programs that would help with my students’ English skills. I would bring in as many computers as I could get to ensure all students worked on the programs at least twice a week. I would also have my students work in small groups making PowerPoint’s presentation to present to the class. If the students could put the terms into language that the other students would understand this would help me teach the lessons. I would also have the students work on projects that would incorporate some of their likes to. I would have them write a paper on their favorite artist. Or I could have the students analyze a popular song to see if the sentences make sense and have the correct subject verb agreement. I realized I could incorporate technology into any classroom; it just would take some time to do it. But as an effective teacher I promise I will take the time to incorporate technology to help my students learn.