Adapting Uses of Technology: Doing the Same Old Things with New Tools

Adapting uses of technology directly support the curriculum and do put the technology into the hands of the students.  The activities are common and familiar lessons which could be done without the technology, however the use of technology does support the learning activities.  The technology may reinforce the learning but is not necessarily mandatory for the lesson.

 

Indicators:

  Integrating is translated into “use it for something, anything… just use it”..

  Technology is used for drill and practice with content software, instructional games.

  Productivity tools are used to adapt assignments and tasks given in the past without technology.

  Research is go “look it up” and “tell it back”.

  Teacher talk is "same stories with new tools".

  Instruction is teacher-centered/teacher-directed using direct instruction.

  Teacher and student roles remain the same; learning and assessment practices are unchanged as well.

  Technology uses are still optional for traditional curriculum goals.  Technology is viewed as interesting but optional and not necessary to achieve curriculum goals.

  Participation and support for staff development, while encouraged, is still optional as well as unfocused.

  Staff development funding is inadequate.  Less than 30% of total technology budget supports staff development.

Examples:

  Students working in small groups collect information about explorers and present the data using Timeliner™ software.

  Students use a word processing program to type their final reports for English composi­tion assignments.

  Students post their book reports as web pages.

  A teacher shows video clips during her presentation as examples of issues about Vietnam war.

  Students use a draw/paint computer program to illustrate their original story.

  Students use online resources to obtain state flags, birds and flowers for their multi­media state reports.

  Students practice math facts using MathBlaster™.

  Students practice keyboarding skills by typing their book report.

  Accelerated Reader™ is used to motivate reluctant readers and track the number of pages read by students that semester.