Tech+Integration

Technology Integration Essay

I watched the video “Educating the Digital Generation” on www.edutopia.org. The video is mostly about the importance of incorporating modern technologies into today’s classrooms. I really liked the video, as it was straightforward and contained a lot of information (but not too much information).

Although I already knew a lot of the information the video presented, there were some things I did not know or didn’t think about. One thing was what a teacher said regarding the use of technology being kind of like a talent. Some kids are exceptional at technology, and without the foundations of technology education, their talents may lie dormant or never be discovered.

At a recent family gathering, my cousin’s daughter Lucy grabbed her mother’s iPhone and began to scroll through the pictures. Lucy also managed to figure out how to enlarge a picture she liked- something my cousin didn’t even know how to do. Even more surprising is the fact that Lucy is only 18 months old! It just goes to show what a huge impact the technology of today impacts children everywhere.

Today’s technology is evolving at an explosive rate, and we as educators have to keep up with it and make sure our students know the proper ways to use the technology. Without twenty-first century skills, a student cannot thrive. A child who can’t use the Internet will have trouble being successful in an increasingly online world. Children who lack technology skills will be left in the dark, maybe more so than children at any other time.

I plan on teaching ECE, so the technology integration in my classroom would be fairly simple. Any introduction to technology would have to be in a meaningful way and developmentally appropriate. Also, I would have to take into consideration the fact that some children have had very little exposure to technology at home, while others can run circles around adults in what they know about technology.

In my ideal classroom, I would have a SMART board that the children would use to sign in every day. They would also see me using technology in practical ways. I would have iPads available for every child to use. I know conditions in the real world are far from ideal, but I plan to make the most of what I have.