Classroom Technology Integration Article

This article was published in April 2009. It discusses the need for teachers to attend and participate in professional development courses that teach them how to teach children of the 21st Century. The idea is that teachers must know how to get students to “develop higher order thinking skills.” The article suggests that while most people would agree that this is what teachers need to be doing many are not getting the in-service they need to be able to effectively teach the children of the 21st Century. Many school systems are attempting to integrate technology into the curriculum. More than 40 states have now added technology standards to their curriculum map and just as many states have begun equipping classrooms with more technology. The problem is, according to the article, teachers are getting training as to how to use the technology but not examples of how to incorporate it into lessons. There is too much focus on standardized test scores and not on engaging our students and that is one of the reasons for the lack of positive responses from teachers about technology integration. Many feel too overwhelmed with meeting the state standards that they don’t feel as if they have the time to learn or implement new technology. This article suggests that WebQuests are becoming an increasingly popular way for teachers to begin implementing technology. Ultimately, teachers, schools, and parents are moving past the excitement of Web 2.0 tools and realizing that technology integration is not just about teaching students how to effectively utilize technology but also about teaching them the life skills that they will need as adults. The hardest part about integrating technology in the classroom is instilling teachers with the confidence to feel comfortable using it in the classroom.

MINERS, Z. (2009, April). Classroom Technology Integration. District Administration, 45(4), 35-38. Retrieved August 22, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.