Effective Technology Usage in the Classroom

Purpose of Technology in the Classroom

    As a classroom teacher that is still growing, learning, and evolving in this ministry of teaching, my goal for any lesson that I teach is for that lesson to be intentional, engaging, and meaningful to my students. Teaching ELA and social studies to 5th graders everyday can be challenging in that they are not always interested in the content, but it is my job to look for ways that I can draw in my students so that they will develop an interest in what they are learning. Utilizing technology in the classroom is a great way to increase student interest, involvement, and engagement in course content and material. According to How to Use Technology in the Classroom: Benefits and Effects, "Utilizing different types of technology in the classroom creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives. The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom climate" (Drexel University School of Education, n.d). When using technology in the classroom, it should not be utilized as a method to substitute for face-to-face teaching or in-person conversations when it comes to student and teacher interactions on a daily basis. The purpose of technology integration in the classroom setting is to enhance the overall instruction given by teachers in an effort to better meet the learning needs of all students.

Where to Begin with Integrating Technology?

    In an effort to effectively integrate technology in the classroom, it is important to understand that there are some steps that must take place first in this ongoing process of successful technology usage. First, instructional leaders must make an effort to integrate technology in their everyday dealings so that teachers will be more willing to follow their example. As a teacher, my students follow my lead and have an expectation for me to model things before they actually try things out for themselves. My students know that I have their best interest at heart, so they are more willing to follow my example when it comes to completing classroom tasks and trying new things. This same concept is the same for instructional leaders and teachers when it comes down to integrating technology into the classroom. According to National Center for Education Statistics, "Leadership is the single most important factor affecting the successful integration of technology. This is true at the state level and at the school level. Schools which have made the most progress are those with energetic and committed leaders" (Technology in Schools, n.d). We need our school leaders to be willing and confident to try new technology so that teachers will be more likely motivated to integrate technology in their own classrooms.

    Next, schools having a technology coordinator is crucial for the integration of technology. According to The Technology Coordinator’s Handbook (2017), “Successful technology coordinators must possess a wide range of skills and abilities in order to support and facilitate the integration of technology for digital-age teaching and learning and professional development. They must be able to provide technical support for devices and systems and manage or coordinate with others to ensure effective uses and functionality of digital tools" (Frazier and Hearrington, pg. 14). Similar to how teachers have math/reading coaches to support them with math/reading instruction, teachers also need to be supported with technology usage. It is so easy to give a teacher a new form of technology, some directions, and just to have them to figure it out on their own. But, this method is inefficient and will not ensure that technology will be utilized properly in the classroom. It is also the job of the technology coordinator to work with the instructional leaders of the school to schedule professional development for teachers to increase their knowledge in the integration of technology in the classroom. Although we are in a digital era and one would just assume that everyone is confident and knowledgeable about how to properly use and incorporate technology in the classroom, this is not always the case. When trying to plan for and establish professional development for teachers in the area of technology, technology coordinators should be aware of the Standards for Professional Learning and the ISTE Standards for Teachers (Frazier and Hearrington, 2017, pg. 39). Teachers participating in these professional developments allows them to continuously improve their knowledge of technology and better help/teach their students to be more effective technology users in the classroom.

Ways to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

    Technology can be integrated into the elementary, middle, and high school classrooms in a plethora of ways! As stated earlier, the overall purpose of integrating technology into the classroom is to enhance instruction for the betterment of students. Using online resources, programs, games, and tools can all contribute to the enhancement of instruction. According to How to Use Technology in the Classroom: Benefits and Effects, "The use of technology during whole-class instruction can foster student engagement for auditory and visual learners. Integrating simple technologies Power Points, games, internet homework assignments, or online grading systems can be difference makers in students' growth in the classroom" (Drexel University School of Education, n.d). Because technology integration in the classroom can be stressful at times when one is not confident or knowledgeable, it is important to know that effective technology integration is not something that will take place over night, but that it's a process that is well worth it for the academic benefit of students.

References

Frazier, M., & Hearrington, D. (2017). The Technology Coordinator's handbook. International Society for Technology in Education.

How to integrate technology in the classroom. School of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2023.

Technology in schools. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2023.

YouTube. (2019, November 28). Integration of technology in the classroom. YouTube. Retrieved February 14, 2023.