Journal #9: Grounded Tech Integration: Science (NETS-T I, II, III, IV,V)

(Note: This is a replacement article to "Playing with Skype")

Blanchard, Harris and Hofer. (2010, March/April). Grounded tech integration: science. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20100304#pg34

Summary:  With all the different technologies available to a science teacher (e.g., interactive boards, probeware, simulations), the challenge becomes when to use what technology and where to use it in one's curriculum. The authors, Blanchard, Harris, and Hofer, offer this piece of advice: first plan one's instructional objectives and then decide which technology fits the objective—not the other way around. To help with identifying and matching the technology to curriculum the authors developed a wiki (http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/World+Languages) to help educators do just that in a variety of subjects including science. This article is the sixth article in a series of grounded technology integration in Learning and Leading with Technology. On the wiki, the authors have identified 38 science learning activity types to the expression and building of science concepts and knowledge. An example given for a knowledge-building activity is observing phenomena matched to digital microscopes, a conceptual knowledge-building activity. An example given of a knowledge-expression activity is writing a report to which the authors matched the use podcast technology. Judi Harris led a session at Margaret Blanchard’s SMART Teacher workshop in 2009 to help teachers avoid the “technology first” danger. At the workshop, three teachers learned first-hand how to incorporate the technology into their curriculum. After ascertaining the learning goals for their unit, the teachers built a curriculum by selecting and combining the learning activities that best helped the students achieve the learning goals. Some of the teachers decided to use a portable interactive whiteboard to determine prior subject knowledge and have the students present their initial model to the class by projecting from their tablets. Next, using a whiteboard, the students watched a presentation available from pertinent websites. Working with partners, the teachers had the students further enhance their learning by carrying out detailed online research and use spreadsheets or LoggerPro software to organize data. The students’ research findings would be presented using Flip cameras and/or podcasting and then posted on the classroom website. Finally, an exam review game would be played on an interactive whiteboard. The conclusion from the teachers after developing the unit was a consensus that the students would be more engaged in this unit being taught with the incorporated technologies outlined above rather than solely from a lecture.

Q1. Technology is continually changing, how can a teacher keep pace?

A1. The authors’ wiki page offers a way to share ideas amongst teachers to help grow new technology, refine outdated information and revise existing technology knowledge. By filling out an online survey, ideas to curriculum and technology can be easily updated to the site.

Q2. What if I don’t have all the technology available to me in my classroom?

A2. The integration will still work if one’s only choice is incorporating a small part of a technology component to an existing program. The wiki helps in identifying different ways to incorporate the technology into a variety of curricula. For instance, a simple PowerPoint presentation can be used by the teacher to present ideas and subject matter, by the student for presenting solutions to problems to his or her classmates and posting to a website to share with others. Engaging the student by utilizing this technology is key to his or her learning and builds good technology skills. The authors’ wiki identifies some obvious and non-obvious ways to matching technology (new and old) to the teacher’s curricula.