You Will See Return Upon the Investment

“I would create more lessons the integrated technology if I had the time.” This is a statement I often hear from teachers in my professional development sessions. I think many teachers have the desire to create technology rich lessons, but with the hustle and bustle of everyday classroom routine there is little time left for the detailed planning that goes into a lesson designed around technology use. Let’s face it; time is an educator’s most precious commodity. If teachers constantly feel like they are in a race against the clock it might be a struggle for them to find time to create a lesson that uses technology.

Personally I feel that it is well worth the time and effort spent to integrate technology. I think a common misconception that educators have is: “Integrating technology into my lessons is like reinventing the wheel.” It does not to be that way. The advice I would give is to think about the lessons you already have now what can you do to enhance that lesson through technology. Yes, it is going to be an investment of your time, but it is not reinventing the wheel. If teachers would take the a little bit of extra time to integrate technology I think they would be pleased with the results.

I feel that my response to the question “So is using technology in the classroom worth it to you?” is more than a little bias. As a technology integration specialist it is my goal to help educators see the value in technology rich lessons. Also, when I was a classroom teacher technology was my subject area. So obviously I am biased when I say, “Yes, it is worth the time spent to use technology in the classroom.” It has been my experience that students who learn through and with technology have a deeper understanding of the content. Students today feel a connection with technology so any time you can use it in a lesson it can help make that lesson relevant for the student.

The most important advice I would have for anyone integrating technology into a lesson is to not become dependant on the technology. Sometimes good old fashioned instruction is what a student needs. It is also important to consider the fact that sometimes technology does not function the way it is intended. My last two statements might sound like arguments for why someone would not invest time using technology in the classroom. Technology should not be used to replace instruction just enhance it, and it's important to have a back up plan incase the server is down or you run out of battery.

I think most educator and students would agree they can find value in technology use in the classroom.