Integrating Technology into the Curriculum (Entry 2)

I recently reviewed an article dealing with preparing new teachers for 21st century schools with regard to integrating technology with literacy. Reading affects all subject areas, and so I felt strongly that this article would encompass some aspect of each of the team blogs associated with this portal. Below you will find my summary of the key points of the article I chose and to the left you will see one student using an Elmo to present her picture story to a class of kindergarten students as she told us the details. This story and several others were used in a VoiceThread project called Kelly's VoiceThread. The link is located to the right under the VoiceThread heading. This tool would be an excellent means to encourage new teachers to integrate technology due to its ease of use and accessibility.

The Reading Teacher volume 57 was written by Susan Watts-Taffe. It was titled “Preparing Preservice Teachers to Integrate Technology with the Elementary Literacy Program” and focused on three teacher scenarios and the importance of integrating technology with literacy. The authors tracked the teachers during their teacher preparation classes and later as beginning teachers. According to my research and personal experience teachers, especially new teachers, are not prepared to meet the growing demands of utilizing technology in the day-to-day routines of the classroom. Creating courses that emphasize the connection between literacy and technology are especially important to teachers as they attempt to differentiate instruction. General technology courses are also necessary.

Not only are teachers at different grade levels unsure of how to use technology effectively to support the curriculum, they have also developed very differing views as to the significance and usefulness of technology by grade level. Therefore, the meaningful experiences that could be achieved through the use of technology are not happening for teachers or students, especially new teachers.

The article ended by revisiting the fact that the tools themselves are very important, and that school districts should continue to supply the newest technology available; however, the key to successful technology integration rests in the preparedness of teachers. Without this foundation the technology quickly becomes obsolete through lack of effective use.