I have been very fortunate this year to be able to attend lots of different trainings that have been offered to teachers throughout our district. Why would the Instructional Tech Teacher need to attend K/1 writing training or 2nd-5th Small Group training or be part of a Middle or High School PLC? I believe with my whole being that Technology CAN'T be separate from what teachers are already doing in the classroom. Good instruction is good instruction~ no matter the grade level. Throughout our system I see teachers striving to become better, to reach more students. They are all grappling with the HOW. We know the WHY...we need students to love learning and be engaged so they can create, collaborate, communicate and problem solve. The HOW is tricky. But what I notice as I meet with teachers, is that no matter if they teach Kindergarten or High School, it's all about the instruction. Teachers throughout our District are asking WHAT and WHY as they think about their own instruction. Lessons are being intentionally developed through the lens of reaching more of our students in an authentic and meaningful way.
So what does this have to do with technology? In an article by Edutopia called Why Do We Need Technology Integration the author states: More and more studies show that technology integration in the curriculum improves students' learning processes and outcomes...Students are engaged in their learning using these powerful tools, and can become creators and critics instead of just consumers.
Technology is a tool to help improve the good instruction that is already happening. It can't replace the teacher or the good instruction. However, it can make our job easier, engage students, take us(teachers and students) to places we never thought possible.
My goal is to learn as much as possible, through various staff development opportunities, so I can have meaningful conversations with teachers about HOW we integrate technology. Technology can't be separate from what we are doing. It can't be ONE MORE THING teachers need to fit in. Technology has the power to transform our teaching and our students' learning! Now we just need to figure out the HOW!
