Technology Integration Article #2

Harvey-Woodall, A. (2009, July 16). Integrating Technology into the Classroom: How Does It Impact Student Achievement?. Online Submission, (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED505984) Retrieved September 27, 2009, from ERIC database.

This article discusses the fact that technology is increasingly more important, and students are more technologically-savvy than ever. As a result, schools are using technology to make learning more interesting and meaningful, and as a result, they may become more successful. Because of No Child Left Behind, schools are constantly looking for ways to increase students’ achievement, especially on test scores, and it is the job of the educator to learn how to use technology that can benefit the students and increase achievement. While some teachers know how to use and are comfortable with using/learning about new technologies, many are apprehensive. Lowell Monke states, “There is a hug qualitative difference between learning about something, which requires only information, and learning from something, which requires that the learner enter into a rich and complex relationship with the subject at hand” (2009, p. 8). This is the biggest challenge with integrating technology into the classroom; teachers must know enough about it to be completely comfortable teaching others about it. Teachers must get out of their comfort zone (where they have been teaching for the past 10, 20, or 30 years) and learn how to incorporate technology to increase their students’ performance.