Technology is everywhere in today's world. It has become an essential part of many of the daily routines we participate in as a society. Children are being exposed to different types of technology at a much earlier age. It only makes sense that technology would be an active part of learning in school.
In order for technology to be a successful part of any school curriculum or lesson, teachers and staff need to have background knowledge on the various programs and ways to use them effectively in class. Teachers who have been in the field long before the technology boom may also feel reluctant to use technology after years of finding successful ways of teaching curriculum (Southern New Hampshire University, n,d,). Professional development can help teachers learn not only how to use different types of technology but how it can be integrated into the classroom. This is the direct connection between that pedagogy and technology integration. You can pull laptops or tablets into the classroom all day long but without a real understanding of how to utilize them effectively makes the process pointless.
As with anything, challenges arise with the use of technology based on many factors. School budgets play a huge roll in the lack of technology integration. In order to be consistent, technology use has to grow and change within the school as it is growing and changing within the world. This may be difficult to keep up with when school districts do not have funding. Other problems include teachers being resistant to the idea of technology based on established routines and norms (Southern New Hampshire University, n.d.). Time is also often a factor with technology use. Teachers are often scrambling to get in all the concepts necessary for students to learn the curriculum standards. Technology requires additional time in class and planning.
Overall, a technology integration specialist really has to wear many hats in order to support teachers and schools in the use of technology. They have to be on top of growing trends, provide professional development opportunities, help support students in the classroom, and find ways to creatively budget new technology.
Reference:
Southern New Hampshire University. (n.d.) The role of the technology integrator. Retrieved from Southern New Hampshire University, EDU641 website.
