Instructional Technology Resources

As early as 1998, the International Society for Technology in Education recognized technology and its impact on education. Through their efforts, the National Educational Technology Standards were developed. Updated in 2008, those standards remain the basis for standard teaching practices in educational technology methods today. It is through the power of technology that individualized learning can be achieved.

Technology Standards

The original 1998 Standards covered six basic areas of instructional technology that should be addressed. The core areas included: basic operations and concepts, social, ethical and human issues, technology productivity tools, technology communication tools and technology problem-solving/decision-making tools. Today’s standards adhere to the principles that were originally developed. It is every educator’s obligation to be familiar with theses standards.

• National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Rubrics: Educator assessments and Student achievement rubrics for Grades Pre-Kindergarten through High School
• The North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium: Twenty-four-page booklet containing Technology Standards for School Administrators with ideas for implementation.
• National Educational Technology Standards: A list of the six National Technology Standards.
• Standards and Indicators for Student Learning: A comprehensive guide compiled by the American Association of School Librarian’s Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
• Overview of Technology Content Standards: The State of Michigan’s overview of technology standards with suggestions for assessment.

Technology Planning and Implementation

It is important for schools and school districts to plan and implement a technology integration plan. An effective plan is one that can be adapted into the current curriculum easily with focus on student achievement. Other concerns of a technology plan are the funding needed to implement the plan and teacher training. Through careful efforts, a workable technology plan can be implemented.

• Critical Issue: Developing a School or District Technology Plan: Strategies and methods in planning a district wide technology plan.
• Technology Planning in Transition: An interesting article concerning effective planning for technological literacy goals.
• Technology Planning Tools: This is a systematic toolkit, which breaks down the technology planning process.
• Planning and Implementation: Discusses how the formation of committees to plan technological strategies is important.
• Technology Influences in Teaching and Learning: A fourteen-page PDF document containing an interview with Dr. Mary McNabb on the subject.
• Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology: Answers to critical questions on technology integration.
• Technology Planning for Libraries: Information on being a responsible Netizen.
• User Empowered Process for Information Technology Planning and Implementation: Very informative material presented by Educause with diagrams.
• Planning Technology Adoption: An online module outlining the process of adopting a technology plan with many links.
• Education Technology: Discusses the Missouri Department of Education’s long-term goals in planning technology education.

Internet Technology and Research Tools

The Internet is like a vast library with a great deal of information available on most any subject. The key to opening the door to all of this knowledge depends upon knowing how to search out the quality information. Many times individuals who have limited experience on Internet researching cannot find the information that is required. It is important to address the need for teaching the proper skills in this area.

• Finding Information on the Internet: A tutorial by the Library at Berkley, which introduces many ways to use the Internet for searching out information.
• Research Tools: In depth article discussing the research and evaluation process involved in Internet searches.
• A Student Guide to Researching on the Internet: Provides information on how students should manage their resources and time when researching.
• Evaluation Techniques of Internet Resources: This site offers an extensive list of links providing information on evaluating web pages for content.
• Searching the Internet: A comprehensive guide to the different types of Internet searches that are used to find needed information.
• Internet Research Tools: A website that provides a list of the most popular search engines, Usenet services, mailing lists and phones books.
• Tips and Tools for Internet Research: This intensely informative site is devoted to sharing little known facts about search engines and how to search websites.
• Research Tools for Kids: A very detailed site with many options for children to do their own Internet searching.
• An Internet Search Engine Comparison Chart: A very informative chart that compares important features found or not found in different Internet search engines. Diana Botluk, author of, “The Legal List: Research on the Internet”, put this together.
• The Library of Congress: All of the online research tools offered by The Library of Congress including a thesaurus and full-text resources.

Technology Based Curriculum Ideas

Many times Educators feel overwhelmed with the idea of trying to incorporate technology into their existing programs. It should be stressed that once the initial work is completed on a technology project it can be used for many years successfully. The possibilities are endless to adding technological aspects to any lesson successfully. It is important to be creative in the methods used.

• How to Build a Technology Based Curriculum: This is a helpful site that explores developing a curriculum based on technology.
• Learn it, teach it: A great resource for many technology based lesson plans for a variety of grade levels.
• Make Your Own Project Based Lesson Plan: A fourteen-page booklet with information and templates for creating technology based lessons.
• Technology Lesson Plans: An instructor’s guide to diverse technology based lessons with a multitude of links from which to choose.
• Teacher’s Network: This site offers many, many types of web-based and technology based lesson plans.
• Creating Inquiring-Based Lesson Plans with Webquests: Learn all about creating a Webquest with the intensive instruction offered in the material.
• ArtsEdge Lesson Plans: Maintained by the Kennedy Center, this site offers hundreds of lesson plans in a variety of formats.
• Teaching English Using Technology: This site is full of technology based lesson plans and links for English and Language Instructors.
• Technology Lessons from the Teacher’ Corner: Several quality lesson plans in many subject areas and grade levels.
• Teacher to Teacher: Many invaluable lesson plans using a digital camera.
• Best Practices in Technology Education: Descriptions and links to many types of technology oriented lessons.
• Technology Integration Ideas: A site filled with a variety of lessons with technology.
• Technology Supported Lesson Plans: Integration methodologies in many curriculum areas.
• Teaching with the Web: A variety of cross-curricular lessons in many areas of study.

POSTED BY: admin - July 19th, 2010 at 01:16pm ( 0 )