Journal 2

Journal 2

harris, j, & hofer, m. (2009). Grounded tech integration. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(2), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=September_October_No_2_3&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4381&ContentID=24179&DirectListComboInd=D

In the article “Grounded Tech Integration”, authors Harris and Hofer discuss three basic principles to integrating technology in the classroom. The three aspects are content, pedagogy and teacher planning. While looking at these three points the authors broke down the process to five steps.
Step one, is choosing goals that are appropriate for the students. Most planning done by teachers coincides with district and state standards.
Step two, is to make pedagogical decisions. The authors listed eight continua to follow while make that decision which include student or teacher centered, type of learning, prior experience of students, level of comprehension, duration structure, group or individual and required resources.
Step three, is selecting activity types. Many activities done with in a lesson are combinations of smaller activities. These activities will vary with the content of the course and the lesson.
Step four, is to select assessment types. Using both formative and summative assessment for lessons is beneficial for both teacher and the student.
Step five, is selecting resources to be used by both the teacher and the students. The selection of the type of technology last helps the focus remain on student learning of the lesson and not the technology. The authors use the term “technocenric”, referring to the thought of picking technology first and then building the lesson around it.

Is it realistic that teachers can lesson plan and insert technology as needed?
In a perfect world yes, but in most of today’s classrooms resources are limited and the available technology, especially new technology is not available. I think most of the time while planning lesson teachers know the resources they have at hand and try to incorporate and use as many as possible throughout the lessons.

In today’s technology based world why aren’t the technology standards more of a priority along with language arts and math?
Money, short and simple. The amount of people who really understand how technology can be used to enhance the education and lives of students, are not enough to go against those make the ultimate decisions. Technology cost money and new technology cost more money, not matter how much textbooks cost they are still “cheaper” than keeping up with technology.