Reading+One+-+B

Discussed by: Therese, Colette, Jessica, Bernadette, Stephen and Benjamin.  **
 *  __GROUP 'B' __

**Q: What is Technology Integration?**
Technology has become an active part of our lives and it is quite important to teach our students how to interact with it **(Bernadette, 30/6/09)**.  The integration of technology should not be understood as the mere presence of computers in the classroom and their use for research and communication **(Ben, 15/05/2009)**. It actually involves incorporating computers and the Internet to help aid the learning process **(Therese, 13/05/2009)**, engage students in various learning activities, and enhance lessons/ topics **(Bernadette, 12/05/09)**. Technology has the ability to deliver information in a medium besides the Teacher's voice and a text book. Its benefits can be seen through various student learning styles that can be increasingly catered for though presenting work in a more understandable fashion **(Colette, 1/6/09).** It means to teach the use of such technology as a skill like reading and writing. Thus, it implies that any subject area should incorporate the use of technology as a lesson outcome or as a skill used to learn the subject matter more efficiently. **(Ben, 15/05/2009).**

The term Technology refers to a vast array of devices that can be incorportated into a lesson, for example, Smart boards, Webquests, white boards, computers, videos, experimental equiptment the Internet and the list goes on...... **(Colette 1/6/09).**

It i s integrating technology with your beliefs about the teaching and learning process. Pedagogy is interfering with technology integration, in many cases due to teacher's being set in their ways and not feeling comfortable changing their beliefs to cater for this integration.

It is certainly difficult to make teachers use ICT if they feel that it’s not compatible with their teaching style. If technology challenges their pedagogy, teachers will resist in using it. Emailing and research easily enhance their communication and research abilities. Hence, it is easily incorporated. But higher technology skills like spreadsheets and WebQuests take up more time and practice. Teachers who are not "convinced" that they need technology to teach will probably avoid it altogether. This is sad though because teachers that use technology usually inspire their students to do the same. **(Ben, 15/05/2009).**

It is the use of technology in the school environment, in a teachers lesson and use both in and out of lessons by students which will then support the education of students in the school. It will obviously focus on use in lessons and use by students to complete tasks outside of the classroom. Technology is a very broad term that applies to many different aspects and we should not get blinkered into thinking that technology is only interactive whiteboards and use of the internet. **(Stephen 3/6/09)**

 An example of Technology Intergation in a classroom **(Colette, 1/6/09).**

**Q: Discuss how technology integration can be improved in the classroom?**
Naturally, schools cannot simply introduce technology without recognising that it must address a set of curricular goals and fulfill key learning components. As mentioned before, it should be used as a way to engage students to do independent learning and to enhance or enrich lessons so students are given more opportunities for creative and critical thinking. Moreover, through technology they are able to receive feedback and connect with real-world experts. With this in mind, teachers should refrain doing old things using new technology. Instead, educators need to become more flexible and open to the kinds of technology students are exposed to and use regularly. **(Bernadette, 12/05/09)**

Therefore, technology in the classroom can be improved by encouraging high-level use, which is centered around student learning. Examples of ICT in the classroom include blogging, WebQuests, IWBs, and Smartboards. **(Therese, 13/05/2009)**
 * Student-centered learning
 * Continual staff training
 * Changing beliefs of teachers in relation to technology use
 * A gradual change, ease teachers into using technology

<span style="color: rgb(255,0,255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">It is important then to convince or motivate teachers to use high-level ICT skills and methodology. The first logical step is to present the technology to the teacher and show its advantages. Perhaps a demonstration class with ICT will be very helpful. This should at least rouse some curiousity. If there is resistance, then perhaps small, comfortable learning groups will help teachers gradually learn and integrate new technology into their lessons. On-going support is also needed as teachers who are new to the technology will continually ask questions on how to use it. School leadership is also an important factor. If a principal definitively tells the teachers to learn and incorporate new technology, then teachers (even resistent ones) will follow that lead and attempt to learn and incorporate it. **(Ben, 15/05/2009)** Unfortunalty however, <span style="color: rgb(255,0,255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Technology is less likely to be adopted if it deviates too greatly from a techers prevaling values, pegagogical beliefs and practices **(Colette, 1/6/09).** Although this can be overcome if we can increase Teachers confidence for using technologu to develop support bases to develop knowledge and skills **(Colette, 1/6/09).**

In order to clearly see how technology can be a tool to enhance student learning, our group would like to share this video entitled "Learning Landscape: Kids Monitor Terrain with Technology". It discusses how students in the United States use technology to research and learn more about their environment. Through this experiment, they were able to do independent research and problem solving. Here is the link and enjoy! []. **(Bernadette, 30/05/09).**

I believe that there is a place for technology is most classrooms in most instances but the teacher needs to be confident in what they are doing and how it is going to be used to enhance the learning of the students. If a teacher is not confident in this then the students will not engage in it, therefore we can't force technology onto teachers. There have been many successful teachers without the new technology being available, technology needs to be intergrated and used by teachers where and when they want to. Therefore reliable technology available throughout a school is an important criteria, if a teacher does not have the technology available in some classrooms this will not encourage them to take it up. Training teachers is a key factor to making the most of the available technology. I believe that a school needs to work as one and ensure the right balance in approach to lessons, the amount of technology used and the amount of hands on, practical work completed by students. **(Stephen 3/6/09)**

Colours by Colette 25/5/09.