K – 12 Technology in Classroom

• Integration of technology in K – 12 schools. School Administrators must devote research and time in planning their overall programs when introducing technology in their classrooms.

Integration of Technology in K – 12 Schools

Integration of Technology in Special Education Classroom

• Technology plays a unique role in the special education program for eligible students. One area of technology for these students is assistive technology. Assistive technology includes devices that extend the abilities of an individual in ways that provide physical access (i.e. Braille, close captioning), Roblyer and Doering (2013) Other assistive technology devices include FM Amplification systems and wheelchairs.

Funds for Technological Resources

• Funds for technological resources. When considering the purchase of technology tools for the school the administrator should consider government and private grants in addition to district allotment for technology.

Teacher Training

• Teacher Training. Researchers agree that little has been done by most teacher education institutions to help teachers use instructional technology or to prepare preservice teachers who are capable of using technology. Integrating technology into teaching and learning is a difficult task for most teachers because it requires them to first learn how to use the technology and then reconceptualize their approach to teaching

Collaboration with Universities, Mentors, administrators, and Teachers of K – 12 School

• In order to meet the challenges of effectively facilitating technology in K – 12 schools. Thompson, Schmidt, and Bentley (2011) recommend collaboration on technology with the school and a teacher education program. These collaborations can help facilitate technology in schools and change the way teachers teach and students learn.

International Society for Technology in Education

• International Society for Technology in Education. The ISTE developed National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students, teachers and school administrators. NETS for students are considered to be the basic skills that students, as well as their teachers should meet. NETS for Teachers focus on teaching skills that use technology (Roblyer and Doering, 2013).

Technology in Virtual School

• Since their inception in 1996, K – 12 virtual schools have grown in popularity (Di Pietro, Ferdig, Black and Preston, 2008). Roblyer and Doering (2013) use the National Forum on Education Statistics’ definition to define virtual schooling as “Instruction in which (K – 12) students and teachers are separated by time and/or location and interact via computer and or telecommunications technologies.” There is little research on the success of online teaching in K – 12 schools according to these researchers.

Community Input

• The school is a part of the Community therefore, parents and community leaders are expected to have a voice and participate in the decision of integration of technology as well as any other program or activity at the school.

Technological disparity in K – 12 Schools

• The technological disparity among school districts and their schools is a problem. Many school in the same city are wired for technology which provides the Internet while others have funds for only a few computers. Usually, those schools who have a small number of computers are located in low income communities.

References

• DiPietro, M., Ferdig, E.R, Black, W.E., Preston, M. (2008). Best practice in teaching K – 12 online: Lesson learned from Michigan Virtual School teachers. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 7 (1), 1 – 21. Retrieved from http://www.ncolr.org/jiol

• Roblyer, M.D.,& Doering, H.A., (2012) Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (6th ). Boston: Pearson.

• Thompson, D.A, Schmidt, A. D, Bentley, E. (2012). Technology Collaborative for Simultaneous Renewal in K – 12 Schools and Teacher Education Program. Iowa State University. Retrieved from http://aces.nmsu.edu/bchamberlin/589/paper.cocsso.thompson.doc

• Thieman, Y.G., (2008). Using Technology as a Tool for Learning and Developing 21st Century Citizenship Skills: An Examination of the NETS And Technology Use by Preservice Teachers With Their K – 12 Students. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 8(4), 342 – 366. Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v8i4socialstudies1.pdf