EDLD+5364+Teaching+with+Technology+Week+4

The assignment this week looked a lot harder than it actually turned out to be. Our team tackled the scenario by implementing our individual lessons that utilized centers that we created in week 3. Using this approach made the work less painful. Each team member added a technology component to their lesson. I added a wiki to my budget center that allows students to reflect upon their learning (much like I am doing now) and to do some problem solving with their original balanced budget. Each student would be invited to become a member with access to the wiki to record their reflections and solutions. I felt that a wiki would provide a collaboration solution for students.

During the readings, I found it particularly interesting that we returned to the topic of Professional Development. I think school districts are doing an okay job of getting technology in the schools; however, I feel that districts are not doing a good job of educating the teachers that are charged with implementing the technology. As studies have shown, "Brief classes or workshops without ongoing support seem to create few substantive changes (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p.101). If as much emphasis was placed on technology integration as is placed on state testing, perhaps the system could change. Until the state, districts, and administrators are ready to put their money where their mouths are, then I do not foresee any changes with technology integration. You will always have those teachers that do and those that continue to resist the change.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). //Web 2.0 new tools, new schools.// Eugene: International Society for Technology in Education.