The Technology Integrated Classroom

I'm proud to be a part of the ISTE leadership network. I am a member of several communities and believe that contributing to the proper use of educational technology.   One of my goals this year is to explore the good and bad uses of educational technology. Too often, I am caught up in a new tool because it promises something or looks impressive only to find that its use is very limited or that it is too much work to learn, too time consuming for my students to use in class, or is so limited in the "free" version that it is useless.   The truly good technology is rare and when I find it, I want everyone to know about it. I have a few of these tools that I'm excited to use this year. 1. Nearpod. This tool will always be among my tools, and I can't imagine going back to teaching without it.  The interface is easy to access, it's easy to transform an existing presentation into a Nearpod , and there are lots of features to add into the lesson to make

This is a new beginning in a lot of ways. I began blogging about using iPads in my classroom in 2011, but let the blog fade away due to lack of time. I was working on my doctorate, and it was too much to maintain the blog.  With the doctorate completed, I am freed up to return to blogging. I'm also looking forward to the new school year and finding new ways to integrate technology into my classroom. Philosophy toward Technology My philosophy about technology use in the classroom is that it has to be easy to use, quick for my students to learn, flexible to adapt to my content, and offer more than just bells and whistles. Engagement is not enough. Students need to be engaged in the right thing at the right time. Too many apps are just bells and whistles without strong pedagogy behind them. iPad Integrated Classroom I have had a cart of iPads in my classroom since 2011 when the iPad 2 was released. There have been lots of challenges along the way as I struggled to use the device