Blog 1-4 Reflection

Technology integration specialists are an essential position in today’s educational world. There are so many responsibilities and understandings that they need to know and inform other educators on. Through my previous coursework at SNHU I have learned a lot about the expectations of what goes into the position of a technology integration specialist. Some of those expectations include, writing policy, professional development on technology resources, creating ideas for teachers using technology in the classroom, maintenance, troubleshooting, the distribution of equipment, budgeting, and so much more. This role is ever changing with the constant update of technology and the new creations occurring every day. “With all of the new technology available to educators and its implementation into schools, it is even more important for schools to utilize a technology integration specialist,” (SNHU, 2015).

Technology is being used constantly in the world today, especially for students outside of school. Many of my students don’t know what to do when they don’t have their phones or internet. “Technology is students’ connection to the world,” (SNHU, 2015). People are frequently posting on social media websites, texting, taking photos so much that most conversations occur in an online written format rather than using their voices. It is so easy to quickly look something up on Google and answer a question or disagreement you may be having on a topic; when 10 years ago you just continued to argue over the answer, not being able to show proof until later. Technology has altered the way students think and learn, they are able to take control of the learning and take action in “relearning the content and becoming the creator and the producer of their work,” (MacArthur Foundation, 2010). Students expectations in life and school are changing drastically from previous decades.

Education today is incorporating technology much more into the classroom setting, not just in word processing but through lessons that allow students to complete assignments through their own creation, giving them choice and freedom to express the knowledge learned. This allows teachers to instruct on expectations and then stand back and facilitate. It’s not that educators are “abandoning formal learning, but getting the two to work in a much more coordinated way,” (MacArthur Foundation, 2010). Standards are being put in place to ready students for future expectations in the work place, such as Common Core State Standards, ISTE NETS Standards, and adjustments to state standardized testing. By these expectations occurring at the state level each district is bringing in new initiatives to teachers on how to incorporate this into the everyday classroom to better prepare the students. Many districts are integrating one-to-one laptops, so that students are using technology on a daily basis.

Technology is a positive learning tool for students today, it gives them choice in the learning process. Although too much of anything is not good, and at times I fear that the expectations may be excessive. Giving our students the skills and knowledge to use technology is important, but that is not all that is out there in the world. Having a balance of technology time and technology free time is important in all of our lives, don’t forget to take breaks.

Resources:

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2015). About. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/

International Society for Technology Education. (2009). ISTE Standards Administrators. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-A_PDF.pdf

International Society for Technology Education. (2008). ISTE Standards Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf

MacArthur Foundation. (2010). Rethinking Learning. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=c0xa98cy-Rw

Southern New Hampshire University. (2015). Module One: Reviewing the Role of the Technology Integration Specialist. Retrieved from https://bb.snhu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5505202-dt-content-rid-11313205_1/courses/EDU-642-15TW3-MASTER/EDU-642-14TW2-MASTER_ImportedContent_20131105031557/EDU-642-13TW1-MASTER_ImportedContent_20130725042753/EDU-642-13TW4-MASTER_ImportedContent_20130514031222/Learning%20Modules/Module%20One%20Module%20Lecture/EDU642_Module1_Lecture.pdf