Why Integrate Technology?

The debate in the classroom should not be whether or not to use technology; it should be what kind of technology should you use? When you integrate technology in your classroom, you expose your students to a multitude of learning opportunities that can enhance their overall learning experience. It is not as simply as assuming that you could easily be replaced by a computer, as Dr. David Thornburg has suggested. But, it is important that you take a closer look at what role technology should be playing in your classroom.

If you look at the bigger picture, consider today's workplace. The problems that exist are far more complicated that they once were. Technology continues to create new possibilities, but not without new challenges. These elements must be considered when designing curriculum and instruction for your classroom. Your job is not just to prepare your student to move to the next grade, but to be able to develop life skills that will apply from that point forward.

As an educator, you understand that there is a wide variety of learning styles within your classroom. You also know that it can be challenging to appeal to each one of these learning styles. Many of these challenges can be easily overcome if you have a variety of teaching resources at your disposal. When you integrate technology in your classroom, you do just that, making it easier for you to teach and easier for your students to learn.

Resources at Your Disposal

If you haven't been exposed to the benefits of the Internet and the World Wide Web, you must have spent the last fifteen years under a rock. Chances are, you have not only been exposed to this resource, you know how to use it will. The next step is learning how to integrate technology in your classroom so you can maximize the learning opportunities that it presents.

Because your planning and even teaching time can be limited, you need to know how to find things quickly and use them to their full advantage. This is often easier said than done when the Internet can offer as much junk as it does valuable information. Spend some time before the school year starts or before starting a new unit to learn how to navigate through the information you and your students need so you will be better equipped to guide them.

Keep in mind that your students may have different expectations as to what they stand to gain out of the integration of technology in your classroom. Be flexible and incorporate such things as collaboration and team work into your projects so students can gain the most out of the experience. After all, the focus should be on developing their skills in analytical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork, not playing the latest computer games. But don't count out the value of games altogether. Just learn which ones will contribute to a better experience when you integrate technology in your classroom and eliminate those that merely give you a headache.

If you're ready to start experiencing the benefits of using video in the classroom, your next step is to download a free copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" by clicking on the link right now.