Stages of Technology Integration: Am I there yet?

For many, technology integration is a new term in education that seems fairly vague. So you might be wondering… What is it? How do I get started? And how will I know when I’m there? Let’s start with “What is it?” A variety of definitions can be found on the internet, but New Prague Area Schools describe it as the following:

Technology Integration happens when classroom teachers use technology effectively & efficiently in the curriculum to improve student achievement. The objective is not learning to use technology; it is using technology to learn.

It’s easy to justify the use of technology in the curriculum: increased student motivation, teaching 21st century skills, differentiated instruction, etc. But in a time of state standards, high-stakes testing, and increased accountability, those reasons may not be enough. Before technology is used in a lesson, two questions should be answered:

1. Will the use of technology increase the number of students who reach the learning objectives or their level of mastery? (effective)
2. Can technology reduce the time required for students to meet the learning objectives? (efficient)

The answers to these questions are not always black and white. Often, a teacher’s comfort and skill level determine the effectiveness and efficiency more so than the technology itself. That is why it is important to understand that technology doesn’t increase student achievement, teachers do. The combination of a teacher’s sound pedagogical practices and technological skills can have a profound impact on student learning. (This is where I insert my own shameless plug to encourage you to take advantage of my tip sheets, web resources, and help sessions.)

“How do I get started?” – One unit at a time… if that sounds overwhelming, one lesson at a time. In other words, you may have to step out of your comfort zone, but make it a step that will allow you and your students to experience success. If your teaching style tends to follow a lecture format with whiteboard notes and an occasional video, try using a LCD projector to display your notes in a PowerPoint presentation with images and United Streaming videos inserted as visual aids. If you have a project-based learning assignment that requires students to create a PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate their knowledge of the learning objectives, give students an option of producing a Photo Story video. We challenge our students (digital natives) to become life-long learners; technology integration gives us (digital immigrants) the opportunity to model that lesson.*

“How will I know when I’m there?” – It will not happen overnight. In the 13-years from 1985 – 1998, the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow research project investigated the effects technology in the classroom has on teaching and learning. One aspect of the report described the developmental stages teachers progress through as they begin to integrate technology. As you read the descriptions of the stages below, identify the stage of integration that best describes you, the stage you want to reach, and the stage that helps students achieve their highest level of success.

• Entry: The teacher in this stage avoids technology and only uses it when it is required.
• Adoption: The teacher discovers a few technology tools that make his/her job easier. The technology is rarely visible in the classroom and the teacher avoids students interacting with technology.
• Adaptation: The teacher begins to use technology with the students. In this stage, the technology is not really being used to enhance the learning objectives; it is simply an additional step to the assignment (typing a report in Word for example).
• Appropriation: This is the stage of excess. The teacher has gained the skills necessary to use technology across the curriculum, but he/she is so excited about the technology that it becomes the focus of the lesson. The learning objectives become secondary.
• Innovation: You’ve made it! This teacher has the skills and confidence to use a wide variety of technology, but uses the learning objectives to drive the instruction. Technology is another teaching tool used when it is most advantageous to help students reach the desired outcomes.

Whether you choose one unit or one lesson, set a professional goal to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of technology integration in your curriculum. Next year, add one more. It may not seem like much, but if a student has five teachers who are integrating, it can make a significant impact on their education.

*To learn more about digital natives and digital immigrants, read “Teaching Digital Natives” in the October issue.