Technology Use vs. Technology Integration

By: Didi Roy

Technology allows teachers to appeal to a variety of learning styles.

Widely accessible forms of communication, such as e-mail, are made available through technology.

Processing and maintaining information is made easier by technology.

Teachers are increasingly integrating technology into their curriculum instead of treating it as an individual subject area.

Research is made easier and, sometimes, more appealing through using different technology mediums.

Development of ideas, such as paper topics, are executed more efficiently.

Students are able to increase their problem – solving and creativity skills through experimenting and implementing technology.

A variety of readily available communicational technologies are also used.

According to the National Forum of Education Statistics, Forum Unified Education Technology Suite, technology integration, “is the incorporation of technology resources and technology – based practices into the daily routines, work and management of schools” (2005).

Technology use is a meaningless implementation of technology in order to perform a task.

Technology integration is a method employed in a thoughtful manner so as to increase and/or enhance the learning process for any subject matter.

Teachers should provide many instances in which the students not only learn how to use technology but also when to employ the technology.

Technology should be integral to the learning process, not something that is unnecessary.

Students are better able to express and explore themselves and topics more efficiently when the teacher integrates technology into the learning process.

Blogs can be a very effective tool when integrated into the classroom curriculum. Students and the teacher can express, share, and expand upon their ideas on topics covered in class.

The Internet is an incredible resource of information that teachers can implement though requiring research on class topics.

Teachers can use computer programs to present and model information as well as engage students through a different, possibly more interactive approach, to learning.

Deubel, P. (2001). Technology integration: Essential questions [Online]. Retrieved [fill in date] from Computing Technology for Math Excellence at http://www.ct4me.net/technology_integr.htm

Kelly, M. (2007). Integrating Technology Into the Classroom [Online]. Retrieved : 26 September 2007. At: http://712educators.about.com/cs/technology/a/integratetech.htm