The Technology Infusion Process
Why infuse technology into existing lesson plans?
Technology can help you to make learning more engaging for students.
These shifts can occur:
-
FROM: Teacher-centered instruction TO: Student-centered learning (CONSTRUCTIVISM)
-
FROM: Single path progression TO: Multipath progression (STUDENT
CHOICE AND INITIATIVE)
-
FROM: Single media TO: Multimedia (SOUND, VIDEO,
INTERACTIVITY)
-
FROM: Isolated work TO: Collaborative work (DISTRIBUTED
EXPERTISE)
-
FROM: Information delivery TO: Information exchange (GLOBAL
COMMUNICATION)
-
FROM: Passive learning TO: Active/exploratory/inquiry-based learning
(REAL PROBLEMS)
-
FROM: Factual/literal thinking TO: Critical thinking, informed decision-making
(SITUATED PRACTICE)
-
FROM: Reactive response TO: Proactive/planned action (STUDENT
CHOICE)
-
FROM: Isolated, artificial context TO: Authentic, real world context
(REAL DATA)
-
Real work in any subject-matter
increasingly involves technology tools and skills
-
In subject-matter courses, technology
should add value to subject-matter learning, and not be
infused for its own sake.
-
If you have lesson plans that are already successful with students, and
are already tied into the standards that you are trying to meet, you can
often save a lot of time
compared to creating something from scratch.
-
Existing lesson plans are already well
integrated into the scope and sequence of your course, and are not
simply "add-ons" that use technology.
-
Existing lesson plans often incorporate years of teaching
experience that can be used to increase their effectiveness.
-
Changing everything at once is
more risky than changing only the technology component of
a lesson plan.
-
The "real value" of technology will often be determined by seeing
how technology infusion helps students to do better on existing
assessments.