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Research-Based Resources

With so many technology tools available today, it can be difficult or overwhelming to know which ones are best for your classroom. Teachers need to take careful consideration on the technological tools they will use in the classroom. There are several resources that research educational technology and these sites can be a great asset for teachers to help them decide what technology they will use in their lessons.

     1.     EdSurge Product Index. This is a community-driven database of a variety of technology products from curriculum products, to teacher needs, educational operations, and more. It allows teachers to find resources by category, grade-level, and learning needs. The index includes information from teachers who have used them on the product’s strengths and weakness.

     2.     Graphite. This is Common Sense Education’s listing of EdTech tools. It provides a learning rating, grade-level, price, and easy searches for digital programs to use in the classroom. Tools are evaluated by teachers using a research-based, 15-point rubric to assess engagement, pedagogy, and support (Johnson, 2016).

     3.     Learning Assembly. This site fosters collaboration between educators and technology innovators. Edtech tools are evaluated through a research-based rubric to provide resources for teachers and feedback to tech companies. The results are a research-based collection of resources that have been proven to have a positive impact on learning outcomes.

Sites like these help teachers to find and utilize effective tech tools in the classroom to integrate into instruction and provide an enhanced learning experience for their students. They cut down the guess-work and are valuable and reliable resources for teacher to utilize when looking for quality and outcome proven EdTech tools to incorporate into the classroom learning environment.


Integration

With all of the amazing gadgets and tech available now in classrooms, it is easy to get carried away. Tech should not dominate the lesson, but should enhance it and bring in aspects of learning that would otherwise not be possible. Technology should support the learning objectives and bring elements into learning that engage students, but does not distract from the learning objectives. There are several effective strategies for integrating educational technology into the classroom to facilitate student learning. I am going to focus on two: keeping learning social and ensuring that the technology adds value.


Maintain Social Learning: Social learning and encouraging collaboration and student lead discussions, keeps students engaged in their learning. They get to share ideas on concepts and how they relate and connect to what they are learning. Just because students have individual devices (Chromebooks, laptops, tablets), the social aspect of learning should not disappear. It is important for educators to continue practices that allow students to collaborate and share ideas. That can be accomplished through traditional instructional methods such as share clouds, think/pair/share, small group work, and question/answer. It can also be accomplished through technology that allows sharing, commenting, and editing so students receive feedback in real time.


Ensure Tech Adds Value: Technology, when used effectively, can bring additional value to a lesson by enhancing the learning experience that would otherwise not be available. Additionally, differentiation becomes more attainable and teachers can more easily meet individual student learning needs through technology. Teachers can utilize certain applications to support students at higher and lower levels of learning and understanding. Graphic organizers, reflective notebooks, and questions that promote higher-level thinking and problem solving can all be implemented into the classroom lesson through technology. When planning lessons, teachers need to first determine the learning objectives and the products students will create to achieve the learing goals. Then, technology can be considered, not distract but enhance the learning process and the products students will create to show their learning and increase engagement.

References

Johnson, K. (2016, March 15). Resources to help you choose the digital tools your classroom needsRetrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-03-15-resources-to-help-you-choose-the-digital-tools-your-classroom-needs


Kolb, L. (2018, September 28). Research-based tech integration strategies. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/research-based-tech-integration-strategies