El Ed El Ed Technology Technology IntegrationIntegration

By: Whitney DonaldsonBy: Whitney Donaldson

Learning Learning Objectives:Objectives:

Students will Students will need to find need to find

research about research about an animal in an animal in

order to create order to create an informational an informational

text.text.

ComputerComputerI thought that it would be very I thought that it would be very

helpful for students to find helpful for students to find research, about their specific research, about their specific

animal, from the internet. Usually animal, from the internet. Usually the teacher just has students find the teacher just has students find research from books in the library, research from books in the library,

however, I think that using the however, I think that using the computers to find research is computers to find research is

much more effective and suitable.much more effective and suitable.

I first had to book the computer I first had to book the computer lab. I wanted to do the lesson in lab. I wanted to do the lesson in the computer lab so that each the computer lab so that each student would have their own student would have their own computer to find research on.computer to find research on.

When we arrived at the When we arrived at the computer lab I had the computer lab I had the

students sit down on the floor students sit down on the floor while I demonstrated on the while I demonstrated on the

projector what they were projector what they were going to need to do on their going to need to do on their

own computers.own computers.

I showed the students the district I showed the students the district research website that they needed research website that they needed to use. I also showed them how to to use. I also showed them how to

find research on that website.find research on that website.

I reminded the students about all the I reminded the students about all the information that needed to be in information that needed to be in

each article they found. They had to each article they found. They had to get permission from me before they get permission from me before they

could print off their articles.could print off their articles.

The students were required to find The students were required to find at least one article and one picture at least one article and one picture of their animal from the internet.of their animal from the internet.

StrengthsStrengthsThe students really enjoyed the The students really enjoyed the

lesson. It was a lot more interesting lesson. It was a lot more interesting for the students to research on the for the students to research on the computer than in the library. The computer than in the library. The

students really dove into the students really dove into the research and came up with some research and came up with some

great articles and pictures. I am glad great articles and pictures. I am glad that I showed the students what to that I showed the students what to do on the projector beforehand.do on the projector beforehand.

WeaknessesWeaknessesThere are only a few things that I would There are only a few things that I would change for future references. One thing change for future references. One thing

that was hard was that students kept that was hard was that students kept surrounding me when they had questions. surrounding me when they had questions.

In the future, I would emphasize that In the future, I would emphasize that students needed to stay in their seats and students needed to stay in their seats and

put the “red cup” on top of their computer. put the “red cup” on top of their computer. Another problem was that students pressed Another problem was that students pressed

the print button multiple times. In the the print button multiple times. In the future, I would be the only one that prints future, I would be the only one that prints

articles.articles.

Four principles of Effective Four principles of Effective Technology IntegrationTechnology IntegrationMy technology integration met the four My technology integration met the four

principles of effective technology integration. principles of effective technology integration. Every single student had their own computer Every single student had their own computer to work on. The computer was essential to to work on. The computer was essential to the students finding research about their the students finding research about their

animal. The computer was useful, however, animal. The computer was useful, however, the focus remained on finding research about the focus remained on finding research about

their animal so that they could create an their animal so that they could create an informational text. Without the computer to informational text. Without the computer to

do the research, the research would have do the research, the research would have been more difficult and time consuming.been more difficult and time consuming.