If A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, How Much is a Picture of Words Worth?

A Wordle of Technology Integration 

And They Said You'd Never Use Algebra in the Real World.... Vision of Technology Integration

Education is constantly evolving. Curricula are evaluated and adjusted on a regular basis. Standards are assessed and adopted. And instruction is no different. How things are being taught needs to be a flexible and creative art.

Today's 21st Century learners:

are highly relational and demand quick access to new knowledge...they are capable of learning at a whole new level (Blair, 2012).

In turn, it is our role as 21st Century educators to provide students with the opportunity to manipulate, interact, and engage in their education via technology integration.

If we, as educators, refuse to modify our approach to teaching we will miss out on valuable educational opportunities and connections to, and with, our students. It is a disservice to limit a student's education to cut-and-dry text from 15 years ago when so much modern and relevant material is readily available and accessible in the form of technology integration. 

The state of New Hampshire, along with 42 other states, has adopted the Common Core Standards. The overarching goal of the Common Core Standards is to prepare today's students for life after high school; whether that is college bound or career based (NGA Center & CCSSO, 2014). These standards aim to provide students with the tools necessary for successful and productive futures. The reality of it is that life outside of school is digital. Its connected. Its interactive and interrelated. Technology plays countless roles in everyday life. If we have agreed to prepare students for college or careers post high school, how can we effectively do so without the integration of technology into our classrooms? It would be virtually impossible to adequately and successfully achieve the goals of the Common Core Standards without the implementation of technology. 

Teachthought.com (Heick, 2012) has created a visual of 21st Century Learning. It depicts the major characteristics that combine to form a solidified image of today's education.

As I read through each component of 21st Century Learning I mentally replaced the central circle (21st Century Learning) with Technology Integration. Technology Integration shares each of the characteristics depicted in the above diagram.

Technology in the classroom provides:

• Learner-Centered Learning
• Data-Rich Learning
• Transfer-by-Design Learning
• Personalized Learning
• Media-Driven Learning
• Adaptable Learning
• Visibly Relevant Learning 
• Diverse Learning and
• Interdependent Learning

As does 21st Century Learning. 

Essentially, it all comes back to the transitive property taught in Algebra 1. The transitive property states if A = B and B = C then A = C. Likewise, if 21st Century Learning = 9 components above and 9 components above = Technology Integration then 21st Century Learning = Technology Integration. 

Technology not only opens the door to endless possibilities for educational material and resources, it also is a wonderful strategy for incorporating a wide variety of students' needs. From physical disabilities to learning style preferences and everything in between, integrating technology allows educational material to be manipulated and transferred in manner above and beyond classroom textbooks and pen and paper assignments.  

I believe technology belongs in our classrooms. I do not feel as though technology necessarily needs to be the centerpiece of each and every lesson or that good, ol' fashioned learning doesn't have a time and place in today's classrooms as well. I do however, feel that technology integration is a huge tool for enhancing students motivation to learn as well as their deeper understanding of subject material, and provides real life applicability. To have success in 21st Century Learning for all students, we must include technology integration in our classrooms.


References:
Blair, N. (2012, Feburary 1). Technology Integration for the New 21st Century Learner. Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://www.naesp.org/principal-januaryfebruary-2012-technology/technology-integration-new-21st-century-learner

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2014, January 1). Transitive law (logic and mathematics). Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/602836/transitive-law

Heick, T. (2012, August 31). 9 Characteristics of 21st Century Learning. Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://www.teachthought.com/learning/9-characteristics-of-21st-century-learning/

NGA Center and CCSSO. (2014, January 1). Preparing America's students for success. Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://www.corestandards.org/

Pellicciotti. (2012, January 1). The 21st Century Kid - Learning for Life in Our Times! Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://wwpk-3.sharpschool.com/tc_teachers/grade_levels/grade_3/mrs__pellicciotti/21st_century_learners/

#TweetingOurWayToTomorrow - Social Media Integration in the Classroom, Literature Review EDU 533

Take a moment. Look around you. Things are changing. Time is passing; clouds above are floating by; the air is cooling; fall is coming. Heraclitus puts it best, "The only thing that is constant is change."

These changes are inevitable - even within the four walls of your classroom. Students enter in the fall with the coolest new lunchboxes and leave by spring to make room for the next influx of students with newer, cooler lunchboxes. Lessons change, curriculum changes, and even the resources we use change. Technology, another constantly changing facet, has taken an important role in education. From presenting lessons, to requiring children to explore and manipulate on their own, to developing a professional learning network technology provides the opportunity to create breadth and depth in modern day classrooms. 

In the article Integrating Social Media Into the Classroom Curriculum authors Paige Abe and Nikolas Jordan examine research on effects of incorporating technology in education, particularly at the college level. Despite some hesitation, rigidity, and fear of the unknown, Abe and Jordan found that the vast majority of educators believe technology is a valuable tool for classrooms. Social media integration allows for greater student engagement and interaction. It provides a vessel for critical thinking, reflection and further discussion to take place outside of the classroom. Jordan and Abe share that integrating social media "has potential to trigger significant educational innovations as they enable new forms of interactive and collaborative learning."

Today's students are virtually always plugged in. Whether they're listening to i-pods or texting at the speed of light - the world really is right at their finger tips. As an educator, staying up to date on the latest trends in social media allows you to extend students' affinity for social media to include tools for educating and learning. Wikis, blogs, podcasts, Skype, and other social networking websites can have as much a place in the classroom as a calculator or world map or microscope does and also increase student enthusiasm and participation. 

However, Abe and Jordan go on to share some potential drawbacks to social media integration. Some educators may be so eager to meet students where they're at that personal and professional roles are blurred. Friend-ing students on Facebook may serve as a tool for self disclosure and relationship building. Yet, students are likely to feel as if they are being monitored and invaded. Student-educator Facebook relations may also harm teacher credibility. Social media discussions and posts also extinguish ever important nonverbal cues such as facial expression and body language and some verbal cues like tone of voice and volume. Social media leaves great room for misinterpretation. Another barrier to social media integration is the "out there" factor. Once something has been uploaded or posted or shared online it is forever on the World Wide Web. Even if you delete the comment and it no longer appears on the website, it has still been seen and shared with all who may be watching. 

Ultimately, Jordan and Abe conclude that social media technology does in fact have a place in the classrooms of today. Their article states, "By blending face-to-face and online modes of communication into one, students are free to participate and engage in the course in whichever manner they choose." The key to successful social media technology integration in the classroom is to "instruct students to use social media critically and intentionally to optimize learning" and to minimize the distraction of off topic social media use. 

If technology and social media serve to increase student engagement and participation through providing relevant and efficient tools for learning, I will gladly welcome it into my classroom. There sill exists a lot of gray area and many questions. Yet, what I think is critical going forward is to not shy away from trying new things, but also not feeling obligated to try them all. I don't want technology to become a distraction or hindrance to the learning process. It is meant as a tool to enhance and improve. I can see myself using two or three relevant social media sites to expand student learning inside and outside of the classroom, to facilitate collaboration among students and to grow my base of knowledge and education. I believe technology integration is vital for today's teachers. Technology can become a valuable tool and provide countless opportunities for virtual interactions, information, and innovations. 

Here are links for further related reading:

Teach2Learn

Educators Work to Better Integrate Technology Into the Classroom

Technology Integration for the New 21st Century Learner

#1 Demonstrate the understanding of how technologies can effectively promote student learning 

#2 Evaluate and use a variety of current technologies to enhance content instruction and to advance students' technology literacy

#8 Evaluate, adapt and reflect upon emerging tools and trends by participating in local and global learning communities and by reviewing current research and professional literature