One of ECISD's goals is to have teachers integrate technology into their curriculum and promote a student-learning environment that assists and encourages technological skills. It is the district's belief that when technology tools are effectively integrated into the curriculum, they can enhance learning in powerful ways while preparing today's students to be competitive in a highly technological society. View a video entitled A Vision of K-12 Students Today by B. Nesbitt.
 

Below you will find examples of lessons which integrate technology while incorporating various educational skills. Please peruse the examples and if you need assistance with a lesson, contact Ms. Valastro. Also if you have a lesson (or link) which integrates technology that you would like to share, please let us know.

Integrating Technology Lessons:

• Cyberbullying - Cyberbullying can be defined as "willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices." The Cyberbullying Research Center is dedicated to providing up-to-date information about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of cyberbullying among adolescents.
   

• Great American Mail Race - Students participate in corresponding with other students across the nation by writing letters and questionnaires. This lesson incorporates writing skills, Internet research, word processing skills, document formatting, and keyboarding. See Binder.
   

• Interactive Stories with PowerPoint - Students design an interactive story that allows the reader to decide which path they take to ultimately control the plot. This lesson incorporates writing skills, creativity, and multimedia skills while using PowerPoint.
   

• Collaborative Learning Using Wikis - A wiki is a webpage that can be edited quickly and easily--you don't need to know code or have any technological skills greater than the ability to use a word processing program. Wikis are wonderful tools for collaboration/project-oriented assignments. Multiple users can add, change or delete information on a wiki, and they can be public or private as well as password protected. Wikis also keep a "history" allowing you to see all the changes made by users--you can even revert to earlier versions of your wiki page if you want. You can arrange to be notified in the event of changes to your wiki as well. Just because the wiki is collaborative, doesn't mean you have no control over it.
  
  Related Sites of Interest on Wikis - Using Wikis in the Classroom; 10 Best Practices for Using Wikis in Education; and Wide Open Spaces - Wikis Ready or Not; and Wikis in Plain English. There is an abundance of information on the Internet regarding this topic.
   

• Digital Storytelling - "Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Digital stories derive their power by weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights. Tell your story now digitally." - Leslie Rule, Digital Storytelling Association.
  
  Google "digital storytelling" to receive numerous hits and ideas on the concept. - Google Search Link
  Visit Scott Firenza's Digital Storytelling Link (with permission from Scott Firenza)
  Visit videointheclassroom.com .
   

• Build a Snowman:  Spatial Reasoning and Geometric Shapes - Students use draw tools in Word, Paint, or any other available program to draw and decorate a snowman. Develops motor skills, spatial reasoning, and reviews geometric shapes. Modify object to be drawn to fit curriculum needs.

• Blogging:  A Digital Journal - Students sign up for a blogging account and then use it to journalize according to the teacher's instructions. The teacher can assign topics or allow it to be open-ended. To develop good writing habits, grammatical emphasis should be required with occasional opportunity for "free-style" writings. Teachers should determine if the blog will be available to the general public or a predetermined audience. In addition, students can be required to post comments to classmate's entries or to teacher-created entries. Teachers should have students and parents sign off on a code of conduct for blogging to avoid potential problems; however, any potential trouble is worth the rewards.
  
  Visit classblogmeister or edublog for free blogging sites for teachers. Visit blogger a free personal blogging site.  For more information on blogging, visit these links, and look at this example of a devotional blog. Blog with various prompts. Other sites of interest may include:  epals, Gaggle, and Imbee. Blogging Contract example.

• Multiplication Table:  Using Excel - Students will create a multiplication table in 2 formats.  With the first table, they will calculate their products "in their heads." With the second table, they will learn how to use Excel's formulas. They will also learn the difference between absolute cell referencing and relative cell referencing. In addition, formatting tools can be utilized.

• Using Google Earth - Visit the Google Earth Lessons web site to learn how to incorporate Google Earth into your instruction. Also visit Google Earth for Educators and Google Earth Lessons by Shambles. Download Google Earth free at this link.
   

• Glogster - A Glog is a very easy to use drag and drop interface containing multimedia elements including text, audio, video, images, graphics, drawings, animation, and data for teachers and students to use to express their creativity, knowledge, ideas, and skills in the classroom. Vist Glogster Edu.

Integrating Technology Links:

• Education World - Technology Integration Made Easy - link

• Education World Technology Integration - link

• Lee's Summit, MO R-7 School District - link

• Technology Curriculum Integration Ideas - link

• Best Practices of Technology Integration in Michigan - link

• Best Practice of Technology Integration with Inspiration & Kidspiration - link

• Innovative Teachers Network - link

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Last updated 08/26/2011