Since the addition of Chromebooks into our school this year, the pressures of using technology throughout a class period pulses through the halls. Teachers, novice and veterans alike, are finding themselves on a frantic search for technology tools to integrate into their lessons… but at the end of the day, are we finding the RIGHT tools?
The following is the process I am seeing many educators go through:
- Find a website/tool that seems appealing
- Think of a lesson or content that is upcoming
- Create a way to integrate the tool into the lesson
As a result, students are using technology and at times, creating things that seem very impressive. Yet, when scratching the surface of the product, it is clear the learning objective was not the focus – using technology was more important than students learning the content.
At the end of the day, though teachers are USING the technology, it is not being used in a purposeful way; it is simply being used.
When looking to integrate technology, the process needs to flip. It must start with the learning objective.
- What is my teaching objective?
- How will I know when the students have mastered the objective? What skills do they need to acquire and/or demonstrate?
- Can technology make this process more effective, engaging, simplistic/advanced?
- In what ways can technology support this lesson?
- Which web tool can help me achieve this goal?
My best piece of advice: at the end of the activity, reflect.
What did the students throughout this process?
The answer should be your learning objective!
Don’t forget! Good teaching is good teaching. Trust yourself as a professional. The decisions made about your lesson plans should always focus on achieving mastery of the skills/content on the student’s end.
Keep that UBD mindset from your undergraduate classes fresh in your mind when integrating technology!
*********************
Looking to change your thought process?
There are several great infographics to help teachers sort through this process since it CAN be overwhelming, especially to those new to technology integration.
I’ve included several resources below to help through this thinking process!
Be sure to like and share!
