Technology has come a long way in the last decade and has made our lives easier in so many different ways. As technology has become more prevalent in our lives it only makes sense that we incorporate it into the classroom. The only problem with trying to incorporate technology into the classroom is that many teachers are not sure how to do it. That is why Extend has created a great site that breaks down how teachers can incorporate technology into their lessons.
Using the infographic below I briefly explain what the main takeaways from Extend’s site are. It is an infographic that allows the reader to quickly gather what some of the main points are from the site and how they can start incorporating technology into the classroom. I decided to use an infographic because they are a great visual to help catch the readers eye. I also choose to use it since it allowed me to clearly write down and show the steps necessary to start using technology in the classroom.
Upon going through the website and participating in the modules that Extend had I gained a few new tips for ways of making use of technology in the classroom. First of all when reading the articles I related what I was reading back to the SAMR Model I had learned about before. Fromm the article they talked about how using technology needs to be useful for the users. When I was reading this I thought of how by using SAMR we want to try and aim for more than just substitution. So if I want to incorporate technology into my classroom I want to try and use that technology to enhance the learning experience or make it easier for my students to solve problems by using technology. Another aspect from the Extend website I found could be very useful for someone trying to use technology is the prototype step. This prototype steps talks about designing, sharing, and refining your use of technology. I think this is a very important step for new teachers trying to use technology. By understanding that the technology might not be perfect the first time you trying using it, helps the teacher not get discouraged when the design does not work. Understanding that taking advice from users will help the teacher to rethink the technology and improve its use in the lesson is a key component. Overall I think this website clearly lays out how to begin using technology in the classroom. There are also many useful links embedded within the Extend website itself. Now if you just want a brief outline of what is on the Extend website then checkout my infographic below!
