Capstone Project - Technology Integration in the Classroom

Integrating technology in the classroom can be a scary task, considering the fact that school has been done the same way since the beginning of public school systems. Integrating technology can be the key to changing your classroom into a more modern and effective way of learning.

The amount of schools and individual educators implementing the 21^st century learning initiative has definitely risen in recent years. The high school I attended, Winterboro High School, focused on 21^st century skills such as collaboration, communication, technological skills, and critical thinking skills. We learned in a very hands-on way.

Winterboro High School has a 1:1 student to computer ratio. In the classroom, we would use the computers to do our work. Most of our work was done on the computers to further enhance our technological skills as well as creativity. We used Moodle in every class, and overall I think Winterboro will always succeed while focusing on the 21^st century skills that are necessary in today’s society.

By integrating technology into certain classrooms, you can see how the technology is going to be used.

Take a look at this classroom...

 photo credit: Cameron Bennett via photopin cc

This classroom looks pretty boring. The teacher appears to be lecturing away while writing on a chalkboard. This classroom is lackluster. It is boring and it doesn't seem like a place I would be comfortable learning in.

Now, take a look at this classroom...

 

Photo Credit - The Daily Home

 

This classroom is extremely appealing. The students are obviously collaborating and the teacher is instructing in a more comfortable personal level. Each student has a computer, and two students are even using iPads. Some of the students have Macbook computers. This classroom is a 21st century classroom. This classroom is also one of my high school's learning suites. (We call them learning suites at Winterboro High School.) The grey wall will actually open up, so you can have classes that are combined. I was actually a student in this class. It was my junior year and I was in chemistry. The point is, no one wants to be in a musty old school classroom anymore. We want a fresh new look. 





Educators can use many different forms of technology in the classroom including desktop/laptop computers, iPads/tablets, and many other different forms of technological hardware to enhance learning. This article, written by William McCoy of Demand Media, says that technology would be beneficial in the classroom because there are not only educational games, but it can promote globalization, research, web seminars, and distance education.

The easiest way to integrate technology into the classroom is to create more hybrid classes. This could be the test. Jacksonville State University could fund at least ten iPads per hybrid class as well as laptop computers. By doing this, you are not only testing out technology in the classroom but testing to see if it is an effective way to learn. Students could share the technology, which will increase collaborative and oral/written communication skills. By integrating technology, you can know if it will truly work at Jacksonville State University.

To see a more fun, 21st Century model of the information above, please click here!