Technology Integration Proposal

Technology Integration Proposal

Ced’Rica Johnson

Grand Canyon University: TEC 530

09/06/2017
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Purpose: The purpose of this proposal is to incorporate Royal Live Oaks Academy’s mission, to

“provide an individualized, hands-on, engaged learning environment where every child can

acquire the secrets to success for college and careers,” as related to integrating technology with

curriculum and instruction.

Project goals:

Teachers and instructional coaches will collaborate with one another to meet these crucial goals

in integrating technology campus wide, K-12.

 Educate students on digital citizenship and legal and ethical use of digital resources and

tools

 Integrate ISTE/Technology standards with core curriculum standards using technology

resources (such as the Google Chromebooks), activities, and assessments.

 Use resources that can connect students globally to gain cultural perspectives

 Design ongoing professional development sessions to continually educate teachers/staff

on technology integration

The first goal of the project is to educate students on digital citizenship as well as legal and

ethical use. According to the ISTE student standards, students are to recognize their rights and

responsibilities in the digital world (2017). To teach the students about digital citizenship, the

program Netsmartz may be used. Netsmartz is a free online program that offers training for

teachers on teaching digital citizenship and lessons/lesson plans on safe use that can be used and

adapted to any K-12 classroom. It is highly important to educate students about digital

citizenship throughout their learning experiences with technology.

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As the school’s technology coach, I will address the first goal by offering professional

development sessions and collaborating with each of the classroom teachers to educate the

students on digital citizenship. Because the school offers equitable access to Chromebooks and

various digital tools to all students on campus, it is of the upmost importance that every student

becomes knowledgeable about the purpose of using the tools. During these professional

development sessions, teachers will be educated on the safe, legal, and ethical uses of digital

information and technology. They will be educated on the following topics:

 How to keep student and personal information safe, and ways to teach students about

keeping personal information safe

 Healthy amount of time that students or individuals should spend on digital tools

 Using digital tools and resources legally and ethically. (copyrighted tools and materials/

creative commons use)

Benefits of Integrating Technology:

There are many benefits of using technology in the classroom. According to Capella

University, the main benefits are engagement, motivation, differentiation, collaboration, and

preparedness (2017). Introducing smart devices such as computers, tablets, and cellular devices

can create an atmosphere that is more engaging. Students can use such tools to participate more

actively in the learning process. Using such tools also engages the teacher more. Instead of

always following or designing a teacher-centered, lecture-styled lesson, educators can create a

learning environment that is more student-centered. Teacher can also allot more time with

struggling students in the classroom rather than lecturing.

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Using digital learning devices also motivates young scholars to do well and participate

actively rather than passively. The brain is a novelty seeker in that it focuses on new and

engaging tasks. A technology-enhanced device will accommodate the brain’s fixation on

newness. For example, a tablet has the capabilities to produce sounds, colorful pictures, and

motion with a tap on the screen. These are a few features the brain continues to seek for. Beyond

the classroom, students encounter many forms of technology. They use alarm clocks on their

cell phones to awaken in the mornings, stroll through social media threads that encompass many

alluring features such as pictures and videos, and connect with peers via video-calling and video

messaging. Because the classroom is figuratively competing with “real life,” aspects from “real

life” should be added to the classroom.

Technology can also produce an environment that promotes differentiation. In one

classroom, there may be up to 30 different personalities that prefer many of learning. Howard

Gardner coined the term multiple intelligences. Because the learning environment encompasses

so many different intelligences, the teacher must differentiate instruction. With technology, this

can be done by using videos or picture to appeal to visual-spatial students, music to appeal to

musical-rhythmic and harmonic students, or computer models to appeal to bodily-kinesthetic

students.

Collaboration is key to the growth and success to every person. Gaining and processing

multiple viewpoints is essential in developing and using critical thinking skills. Technology

promotes collaboration using social media platforms or tools such as Google Docs, SlideRocket,

and Skype. Within these tools, students can share ideas and experiences on topics to gain

perspective. On top of gaining perspective, collaborating sustains students’ interests and

improves focus because it allows all students to contribute (Thomson, 2014). Students can also
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use a free online program called ePals to collaborate with students in different parts of the

country and world.

Lastly, using technology prepares the students for careers in the 21st century. In this new age,

most things are digitized, and there is hardly ever a need for paper and pencil. Standardized

testing has even taken is turn towards producing digital tests (a now preferred method of testing)

for the students. Integrating technology in the classroom now defines the preparedness of a

student who is off to college and/or careers. By introducing and refining technology skills now,

educators are shaping the future of students.

To complete the third goal of using digital age communication and collaboration tools to

promote diversity, a program called ePal can be used by students in grades k-12. The ePals

program connects students from classrooms around the world. In the lower grades, the classroom

teacher can use the program to help students practice their writing skills. Within the program, the

first through fifth grade teachers can use Pen Pal Exchange for students to share ideas or personal

narratives. The students can be paired with other students across the country (or across the globe)

to practice revising and editing skills, or build critical thinking skills through multiple

perspectives. According to the National Education Technology Plan (NETP), “increased

connectivity also increases the importance of teaching learners how to become responsible

digital citizens.” So not only will the students learn to become responsible digital citizens

through the lessons provided by Netsmartz, but they will also get continual exposure to digital

citizenship using ePal’s Pen Pal exchange.

A competition teachers and students can use within ePal that builds science literacy is called

the Global Invent It Challenge. This challenge tasks the students to invent something that is an

innovative solution to a environmental problem. The challenge is available to students aged 5 to

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21 years of age. By participating in this challenge students will be building the 7 character traits

international society for technology education standards: empowered learner, digital citizen,

knowledge constructor, innovative designer, computational thinker, creative communicator, and

global collaborator.

Lastly, the ePals also offers collaboration experiences through the arts. English Language

Arts teachers can use the Poster Power experience to work with a partner class (from another

region). First, students will explore the use of posters in the community and all over the world.

After, students will communicate with their partner class to discuss the uses of posters in each

other’s communities as well as the many elements that are found on posters. Finally, students

from both classrooms will continue to collaborate to design their individual posters to represent a

cause. This collaboration lesson teaches students how text, image, color, and composition works

together to communicate ideas.

In closing, integrating technology using the programs Netsmartz, to teach digital citizenship,

and ePals, to build science literacy, communication & collaboration skills, and critical thinking,

will help our students grow developmentally in preparation for college and career. It will also

take us closer to our mission to create differentiated, hands-on learning experiences for all

students as it prepares them for their future.

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Works Cited

Capella University. (2017). 5 reasons to incorporate technology into your classroom.

Retrieved from https://www.capella.edu/blogs/cublog/benefits-of-technology-in-the-c

lassroom/

International Society for Technology in Education. (2017). ISTE standards for students.

Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

National Education Technology Plan. (2017). Section 1: Engaging and empowering learning

through technology. Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/netp/learning/

Thomson, S. (2014). 6 online collaboration tools and strategies for boosting learning.

Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/6-online-collaboration-tools-and-strategies-

boosting-learning