Technology Integration

Technology integration is a hot topic within the educational community.  With new applications, devices, and programs added on what seems to be a daily basis, classrooms are buzzing with the possibilities of utilizing the latest and greatest technologies in the classroom.  While many teachers may be hesitant and even scared to break away from the old teaching style focused on lecturing and route memorization, other teachers are embracing technology, as well as the possibilities it provides within the classroom.  As a special education teacher for at risk youth, my vision for technology integration is one that actively engages students while meeting their individual academic needs.

My role as the educator is to utilize technology to increase student engagement.  Most of the students in my program lack interest in school, find it boring, and do not want to be there.  I constantly try to utilize technology as a "hook" to spark an interest or get a student to think critically about a topic. The role of the educator within my vision of technology is someone who uses technology to motivate and excite students.  In a recent speech,  2009 Teacher of the Year, Anthony Mullen discuses the two major challenges with educating today's at risk youth:

1) They feel no one cares about them

2) They are bored 

Having worked with this population of students for the past five years, I confirm, that Mullen's statement is spot on.  In order to reach these students, an educator must first get to know them, and know their story.  Only once an adolescent feels safe and comfortable, will they be able to learn.  Even after a rapport is established, students frequently complain of being bored in the classroom.  If I had a dollar for every time I heard the question, "when will I ever use this in life?", I would no longer have to teach.  Technology can help to bring classrooms to life.  For example, if a geometry class is learning about the Pythagorean Theorem, the teacher can pull up videos or graphics of how this theory is applied when building a porch,

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or figuring out how much mulch you need to fill a garden.
  Technology can be integrated into the classroom to reach out to students and give them multiple ways to complete an assignment.  For example, if students need to do a project on a famous battle of World War II, they can use technology to create an interactive project with video links, interesting graphics, and amazing multimedia effects.  In my experiences, I have seen how these types of assignments really get students excited and motivated to learn more.  Giving these students a poster-board and some scissors is much less engaging than opening up the gates of technology and allowing them to unleash their inner creativity.

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In addition to its benefits with increasing engagement, technology can also be used to meet the needs of all learners.  As Mullen says in his speech, he used technology for his students to, "design curriculum to suit their particular needs".  Having experience working with students of various cognitive levels, I can see how technology can be implemented across the curriculum, to benefit all students.  From the delivery of instruction, using tools such as interactive SMART boards,
to students demonstrating knowledge through project-based learning, technology provides opportunities for all students.  Using technology helps to even the playing field, regardless of a student's learning style.  For example, by showing visual aids such as graphics and videos, teachers are able to get through to visual learners who may have difficulty with oral processing.  Teachers can also provide choices of various types of assignments that students can complete based on their individual learning style.  These choices may include a traditional paper/essay, some type of speech or oral assignment, and another option to complete a PowerPoint or web-based presentation.  By providing various choices, teachers are reaching out to all types of learners regardless of their ability or learning style.      

Works Cited

"A Digital Classroom." YouTube. YouTube, 09 Dec. 2008. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

"SMART Speaker Series - Engaging At-Risk Students with Classroom Technology." YouTube. YouTube, 02 May 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.