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Scoop.it!
"It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when handing a student a calculator to work through algebraic equations caused many teachers and parents great consternation. It makes you wonder what type of pushback the creators of the abacus faced! In both cases, while the tools students were using may have been more advanced than previous generations’, the goal remained the same – to enhance classroom learning."
Beth Dichter's insight:
As technology becomes more available through schools many may be asking this question: What comes first, the curriculum or the technology? This article notes that "a great, robust and adaptable academic curriculum" needs to come first, and that technology can be used to (in my words) reinforce, enhance and extend the curriculum. There suggest that a school consider four questions before bringing in new technology. Two are below. * Regardless of the technology, what’s the most important lesson for students to learn? * What will the students do with these tools – during and after class? The post then discusses "five ways to ensure you’re putting the curriculum before the technology." The short hand version is below. You will find additional information in the post. * Learn how students are using technology at home * Don't use technology for the sake of using technology * Focus on just one tech implementation * Utilize the SAMR Model * Actively seek our professional development opportunities In any school you will have your early adopters and those who will wait as long as possible. Bringing new technology in means you will confront new issues, and at times components will fail, but the class will move forward and overcome those obstacles and technology can help us move to new levels. 
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"So how are we doing on the push to teach “digital literacy” across the K12 school spectrum? From my perspective as a school-based technology coach and history teacher, I’d say not as well as we might wish – in part because our traditional approach to curriculum and instruction wants to sort everything into its place."
Beth Dichter's insight:
How often have you heard the term digital native or digital immigrant? Are our students digital natives because they were born after digital items were widely available? Does this factor mean that they understand how to use these tools effectively and that they are digitally literate? For me the answer to that is that they do not fully understand how to use digital tools effectively and they are not digitally literate. This is something we need to teach them. This post does an excellent job looking at this issue. Specifically it looks at these areas: * Students must learn how to evaluate online content - Think of this as a research skill. * Students must be able to engage with others online and communicate - Think of this as a communication tool. * Students need to learn how to create and projects can be digital. These three areas come together and create the skill sets needed to digitally literate. More information is available about this in the post. And if you happen to live in the New England area you might consider checking out the Massachusetts New Literacies Institute that will be taking place in at the Kittredge Center in Holyoke, MA from July 8 - 10. Information for this may be found at http://mnli.org/. This institute looks at three cornerstones: Online Content Reading, Online Collaborative Inquiry and Online Content Construction "preparing future-ready teachers."
Melissa Marshall's curator insight,
October 25, 2014 10:42 AM
A very interesting article that examines whether digital literacy is a surface approach, or something understood clearly by students. I think we could do it a little better, and this involves some extra awareness of these teaching moments when they arrive! For instance, I use the first presentation-style assignment for my Year 7s to teach about plagiarism and referencing online sources. 
Julie Hogarth's curator insight,
November 4, 2014 9:09 PM
Digital Literacy should be integrated into every day curriculum to be effectively instilled into student thinking and behavior.
Scoop.it!
A major criticism I have of most educational institutions is that their primary focus is on students' intellectual and cognitive development. Too often individual learner's needs do not enter into...
Beth Dichter's insight:
Although our jobs as educators is to teach our students we must also be aware of their other needs. In this post Jackie Gerstein explores how Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs intersects with education and technology. The infographic above (from the post) shows how each of the area of needs intersects with technology and some of the 21st century learning skills. The post looks at each area Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and provides additional information in the six areas that may be addressed through technology. (Physiological needs, the base of the needs, is not addressed via technology.)
David Baker's curator insight,
March 15, 2014 7:21 PM
This is the second perspective on Maslow's hierarchy I have seen in the past few weeks. As we try to make learning more rigorous and more inclusive for all students the importance of meeting student needs in a variety of ways is very important. This must include Social/emotional as well as technological. 
Ali Anani's curator insight,
March 18, 2014 4:42 AM
A fresh perspective on Maslow's Pyramid of Needs 
Ness Crouch's curator insight,
March 29, 2014 5:43 PM
I really like this pyramid. It certainly makes the psychology of learning clear.
Scoop.it!
Recently, I've been noticing that a lot of instructors are under the impression that they are successfully integrating technology, when in fact they are simply using technology. Although this might...
Beth Dichter's insight:
Take a look at this chart. As you reflect on your use of technology where does it falls? Do your activities fall into the column, using technology, or in the second column, technology integration? Are their changes you think you need to make based on this interpretation?
Rebecca Ferlazzo's curator insight,
May 12, 2013 9:27 PM
An important point to remember when we are considering using technology in the classroom. The integration of technology can be a help in the classroom while simply using technology can become a hinderance. So where do we make that distinction? 
James Buchanan's curator insight,
June 5, 2013 11:47 PM
This article is about digital technology and how it is used and integrated. Are we truly USING technology when it is not integrated? When we ask for assessment that is presented with powerpoint, for example, we could just as easily ask them to write it in a book or make a poster. Digital technology should be used to facilitate collaboration and build high level thinking skills, that is how learning occurs.
Rebecca Wilkins's curator insight,
July 17, 2015 9:18 PM
Technology use is the first step. Technology integration is the opportunity to combine technology with pedagogy. Technology infusion is the process of using technology as a tool for learning, thinking, and problem solving.
Scoop.it!
Are we living in a world of information overload or information abundance? This post by Jackie Gerstein poses suggests we look at this as a time of information abundance. "... we have technologies to access any type of information and to create products that match the pictures and voices in our minds; and we can use technology to get the assistance and feedback from folks around the globe." In this post she looks at the implications this has for education, exploring five points (quoted below): * Educators are no longer gatekeepers to information. * The Internet needs tobe open and available to students. * Information and media literacy needs to be integrated across the curriculum and grade levels. * Global-oriented and mulitcultural education also needs to be integrated across the curriculum and grade levels. * Students developing their own Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) should be viewed as major instructional strategy. Additional resources are referenced in the post.
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Beth Dichter's insight:
This Technology Integration Matrix from Arizona allows educators to determine their level of technology integration: entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion and transformation with "five interdependent characteristics of meaningful learning environments:active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, and goal directed" creating a matrix. Each cell provides two lesson plans, focusing on two these three grade ranges: K - 4, 5 - 8 or 9 - 12. Although the lesson plans are written for Arizona Common Core Standards are also referenced so others may find valuable information within this matrix. This site takes you to the interactive version that provides the lesson plans. A pdf version is also available at http://www.azk12.org/tim/docs/AZK1031_Matrix_Print.pdf.
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The breakthrough happened after the student took the Bartle's Gamer Profile Quiz and we found out that he was a "killer." Off-the-charts killer, but achievement meant nothing to this student. Just li
Beth Dichter's insight:
Gamification...do you ask yourself if this will work in your classroom? In this post Vicki Davis shares her experience of bringing games into the classroom. You will learn how games may be the tool for some students to break through barriers, and also that the language used by games is not always up to school standards. She shares five elements of gaming that should be considered as gaming and education come together. 1. Game Mechanics (think game theory) 2. Bartle Test of Game Psychology (more information on this in the post) 3. Gamification is a Process - In this section she shares the experience of another teacher whom has gamified his classroom, including an embedded video from a Google Hangout he hosted. Take the time to watch the video and learn from his experience with his 6th grade class. 4. Serious Games can be Used Anywhere - from elementary through college level (and some businesses are using games to help train future employees). 5. Serious Games can Tackle Serious Issues, and serious issues may help us promote rigor in our classrooms. 6. We Can't Trust App Stores to Curate our Games Click through to the post for more information. After reading the post do you think that gaming has the potential to be a "powerful 'killer' tool in a 21st century teacher's toolkit?
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Evolution, in its broadest sense, serves as a force to help humans move towards a better way of living given the current times or Zeitgeist. It follows, then, that the education field should evolv...
Beth Dichter's insight:
This infographic illustrates how SAMR may be used as a framework as we move from Education 1.0 to Education 2.0 to Education 3.0. The actual post also includes a wide variety of links to additional resources. Have you considered using the SAMR model as you develop new curriculum or revise curriculum. As you move up SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) Gerstein would say that Substitution and Augmentation are Education 1.0, Modification is Education 2.0 and Redefinition is Education 3.0. For more information on these concepts click through to the post.
Scoop.it!
"Technology integration can be one of the most challenging topics to find quality research on. The term itself is a broad umbrella for numerous practices that may have little in common with each other. In addition, technology tools change rapidly, and outcomes can vary depending on implementation."
Beth Dichter's insight:
Edutopia has done a review of literature on technology and published five articles that provide an amazing number of resources. Learn about: * Three key elements of successful technology integration * Possible learning outcomes * Recomendations for specific practices and programs by academic subject * Tips for avoiding pitfalls with the adoption of new technologies * An comprehensive annotated bibliography with links to the studies and reports There is a wealth of information to be found in these articles so find the time to dig in.
Soha Fallata's curator insight,
October 27, 2014 6:47 PM
The term Technology integration covers so many things thus literature on it is difficult to find depending on what tools are used etc
Scoop.it!
"Our new video series goes inside the classrooms of educators who use technology tools in their lessons every day. Learn from their challenges, celebrate their successes, and share their resources in every episode." Current episodes include: * Free or Low-Cost Technology Tools * Video Games and Programming in the Classroom * Storytelling with Digital Video Production (video coming in July; resources posted) Along with a video there are resource links to additional materials.
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Helpful questions to be asked before buying a new shiny piece of technology.