Effective Technology Integration
It is not uncommon when one integrates technology into learning, one intends to use technology to test scores. In fact, researchers are still unable to offer proof that "technology" improves test scores. Therefore, it is an inappropriate use of technology If we are using it to improve test scores. Here is a well-known debate on educational technology and learning, Clark-Kozma Debate. Students are encouraged to read this site to gain a correct understanding how educational technology relates to learning.
Effective technology integrations require four important components: Content, Technology (tools), Instructional Strategies, and Evaluations.
Frequently, students focus on the designs and developments of content and technology. In other words, students indicated that they will use certain technologies to teach certain subjects without signifying instructional strategies and evaluations. Technology itself does not improve learning. What actually improves learning is "how we integrate technology into learning." It is what we call instructional strategy. So we should say that I will integrate "wiki" technology to engage students in "online collaboration" to learn the 5th grade social science and apply "blog" "reflection" to evaluate students' learning experiences.
Here, we actually identify four components of technology integrations:
Content: 5th grade social science
Technology: Wiki, Blog
Instructional strategy: Online collaboration
Evaluation: Self reflection
Content is fairly easy to identify. As classroom teachers, we have specific content that we need to teach. Classroom teachers are content experts
Technology: It is not difficult to identify technologies because with computers, there many technologies available for us to integrate. It ranges from Smartboard, Kid Pix, Inspiration, Kidsparition, Internet, discussion boards, wiki, blog, social network sites etc.
Effective instructional strategies/designs are referred to a constructivist model which ranges from collaborative learning, discovery learning, Project-based learning, problem-based learning, situated learning, distributed cognition, inquiry learning, discovery learning, computer-supported collaborative learning, community of practice, knowledge-building community, scaffolded knowledge integration etc. In fact, researchers found effective instructional strategies improve learning, not technology itself. In other words, it is not the tools that we use to teach, such as technology; it is matter about "how" well we put together, instructional strategies. We need to put more thought into our instructional strategies and designs in addition to the technology we intend to integrate. So we should avoid any drill-practice type of instructions because they are aligned to behaviorism, not constructivism learning.
Do you have any resources for me to know how to judge Instructional Strategies/Designs?
Visit: Diigo Resources
Evaluations: are the processes used to understand how the learning goals are achieved and met. Evaluations are related to learning goals and objectives. Typically, students compose goals and objectives for "contents" only. It doesn't assess "technology" and "instructional strategies." If this is the case, we seem to be able to achieve the goals or objectives without integrating technology and instructional strategies. Therefore, we do not know what actually improves learning.
So quizzes or tests are not effective assessments for constructivism instructions.
When we are writing our learning goals and objectives, we need to make sure they include technology and instructional strategies in addition to contents. In order to assess learning goals and objectives, we need to design effective learning "activities" integrated with technologies and aligned to "instructional strategies."
Here is an example for your references.
In Project objectives/outcomes look like:
I. Goal 1: Obtain knowledge and skills of distributed learning system.
a. Objective 1-1: Students are able to identify key instructions of distributed learning system. (Threaded Discussion Evaluation Criteria & Research Paper Rubrics)
i. Activity 1: Students will participate in two weeks of threaded discussion board. (Threaded Discussion Evaluation Criteria)
ii. Activity 2: Students will complete a research paper on wiki (Research Paper Rubrics)
b. Objective 1-2: Students are able to demonstrate distributed learning skills. (Unit Rubrics, & Social Annotation Rubrics)
i. Activity: Students will design an effective distributed learning unit and share with peers. (Unit Rubrics: Item 1-8)
ii. Activity 2: Students will review peers’ distributed learning units. (Unit Rubrics: Item 9-10)
iii. Activity 3: Students will apply Diigo, a social annotation tool, to provide feedback. (Social Annotation Rubrics, Item 1-5)
iv. Activity 4: Students are required to respond to the comments/feedback received on Diigo. (Social Annotation Rubrics , Item 6-7).
vi. Activity 5: Students reflect their distributed learning experiences (Self-reflection Rubrics)
In this outline of goals, objectives, and activities, three major areas are assessed:
Content: Distributed learning system
Technology: Online discussion; wiki, Diigo
Instructional strategies: Social interaction learning, community of practices, student publishing, project-based learning, Peer review
Evaluation: Peer evaluation, self-evaluation, project-based performance