Technology+Integration

media type="custom" key="10277391" ﻿ ﻿ The video, "Five-Year Olds Plot Their Own Project-Based Learning", is my favorite of the five from the assigned video library. I like it because it features a pre-school that uses technology to teach a progressive philosophy. Here, the Internet opens doors by providing answers to questions with the click of a mouse, and pictures or videos help reinforce ideas and concepts. Smartboards, at the Auburn Early Education Center, allow the kids to manipulate letters and words in a hands-on manner that makes learning more meaningful and fun. This is a new way for me to see technology integrated for such young children. Progressivism is the school's philosophy, and I believe it promotes motivation through individual and group effort in the class projects. Here, each student learns to be resourceful, cooperative, and creative. I have learned from this video, that even very young children benefit from the technology of the Internet and Smartboards when presented to them in age  appropriate ways. In my opinion, the integration of technology is important in todays classroom because it is so pervasive outside of the classroom that it's absence takes away the credibility of the educational system itself. Frankly, it is so important that not having it doesn't even make sense, and is a failure for students and teachers. Todays' students truly are the digital generation; born into a world of networked media that is ingrained in them, yet remains fresh and innovative. In education, technology instantly adds millions of books and articles to curriculum resources, and saves time by efficiently  managing data and communication. Ideas to integrate technology in my classroom thus far, have come from my field observation experience where YouTube, Google, and DVDs' are used consistently to capture the interest of the students  and to help them learn. Also, the school maintains a database with an ongoing profile of each student that identifies their <span style="background-color: #b6b8d2; font-family: Georgia,serif;">unique issues and includes a photograph. I would like to work with such a tool, because it enables all of the teachers who <span style="background-color: #b6b8d2; font-family: Georgia,serif;">come in contact with that student to understand him or her better. I realize that I have a lot more to learn! Lisa Steiner