| In the past few years of research on instructional | | | | The instructional strategies employed in such |
| technology has resulted in a clearer vision of how | | | | classrooms are teacher centered because of the |
| technology can affect teaching and learning. | | | | way they supplement teacher-controlled activities |
| Today, almost every school in the United States | | | | and because the software used to provide the |
| of America uses technology as a part of teaching | | | | drill and practice is teacher selected and teacher |
| and learning and with each state having its own | | | | assigned. The relevancy of technology in the lives |
| customized technology program. In most of those | | | | of young learners and the capacity of technology |
| schools, teachers use the technology through | | | | to enhance teachers' efficiency are helping to |
| integrated activities that are a part of their daily | | | | raise students' achievement in new and exciting |
| school curriculum. For instance, instructional | | | | ways. |
| technology creates an active environment in | | | | As students move through grade levels, they can |
| which students not only inquire, but also define | | | | engage in increasingly sophisticated hands-on, |
| problems of interest to them. Such an activity | | | | inquiry-based, personally relevant activities where |
| would integrate the subjects of technology, social | | | | they investigate, research, measure, compile and |
| studies, math, science, and language arts with the | | | | analyze information to reach conclusions, solve |
| opportunity to create student-centered activity. | | | | problems, make predictions and/or seek |
| Most educational technology experts agree, | | | | alternatives. They can explain how science often |
| however, that technology should be integrated, | | | | advances with the introduction of new |
| not as a separate subject or as a once-in-a-while | | | | technologies and how solving technological |
| project, but as a tool to promote and extend | | | | problems often results in new scientific knowledge. |
| student learning on a daily basis. | | | | They should describe how new technologies often |
| Today, classroom teachers may lack personal | | | | extend the current levels of scientific |
| experience with technology and present an | | | | understanding and introduce new areas of |
| additional challenge. In order to incorporate | | | | research. They should explain why basic concepts |
| technology-based activities and projects into their | | | | and principles of science and technology should be |
| curriculum, those teachers first must find the time | | | | a part of active debate about the economics, |
| to learn to use the tools and understand the | | | | policies, politics and ethics of various |
| terminology necessary for participation in projects | | | | science-related and technology-related challenges. |
| or activities. They must have the ability to employ | | | | Students need grade-level appropriate classroom |
| technology to improve student learning as well as | | | | experiences, enabling them to learn and to be able |
| to further personal professional development. | | | | to do science in an active, inquiry-based fashion |
| Instructional technology empowers students by | | | | where technological tools, resources, methods and |
| improving skills and concepts through multiple | | | | processes are readily available and extensively |
| representations and enhanced visualization. Its | | | | used. As students integrate technology into |
| benefits include increased accuracy and speed in | | | | learning about and doing science, emphasis should |
| data collection and graphing, real-time visualization, | | | | be placed on how to think through problems and |
| the ability to collect and analyze large volumes of | | | | projects, not just what to think. |
| data and collaboration of data collection and | | | | Technological tools and resources may range |
| interpretation, and more varied presentation of | | | | from hand lenses and pendulums, to electronic |
| results. Technology also engages students in | | | | balances and up-to-date online computers (with |
| higher-order thinking, builds strong problem-solving | | | | software), to methods and processes for planning |
| skills, and develops deep understanding of | | | | and doing a project. Students can learn by |
| concepts and procedures when used | | | | observing, designing, communicating, calculating, |
| appropriately. | | | | researching, building, testing, assessing risks and |
| Technology should play a critical role in academic | | | | benefits, and modifying structures, devices and |
| content standards and their successful | | | | processes - while applying their developing |
| implementation. Expectations reflecting the | | | | knowledge of science and technology. |
| appropriate use of technology should be woven | | | | Most students in the schools, at all age levels, |
| into the standards, benchmarks and grade-level | | | | might have some expertise in the use of |
| indicators. For example, the standards should | | | | technology, however K-12 they should recognize |
| include expectations for students to compute | | | | that science and technology are interconnected |
| fluently using paper and pencil, | | | | and that using technology involves assessment of |
| technology-supported and mental methods and to | | | | the benefits, risks and costs. Students should build |
| use graphing calculators or computers to graph | | | | scientific and technological knowledge, as well as |
| and analyze mathematical relationships. These | | | | the skill required to design and construct devices. |
| expectations should be intended to support a | | | | In addition, they should develop the processes to |
| curriculum rich in the use of technology rather | | | | solve problems and understand that problems |
| than limit the use of technology to specific skills or | | | | may be solved in several ways. |
| grade levels. Technology makes subjects | | | | Rapid developments in the design and uses of |
| accessible to all students, including those with | | | | technology, particularly in electronic tools, will |
| special needs. Options for assisting students to | | | | change how students learn. For example, graphing |
| maximize their strengths and progress in a | | | | calculators and computer-based tools provide |
| standards-based curriculum are expanded through | | | | powerful mechanisms for communicating, applying, |
| the use of technology-based support and | | | | and learning mathematics in the workplace, in |
| interventions. For example, specialized technologies | | | | everyday tasks, and in school mathematics. |
| enhance opportunities for students with physical | | | | Technology, such as calculators and computers, |
| challenges to develop and demonstrate | | | | help students learn mathematics and support |
| mathematics concepts and skills. Technology | | | | effective mathematics teaching. Rather than |
| influences how we work, how we play and how | | | | replacing the learning of basic concepts and skills, |
| we live our lives. The influence technology in the | | | | technology can connect skills and procedures to |
| classroom should have on math and science | | | | deeper mathematical understanding. For example, |
| teachers' efforts to provide every student with | | | | geometry software allows experimentation with |
| "the opportunity and resources to develop the | | | | families of geometric objects, and graphing utilities |
| language skills they need to pursue life's goals and | | | | facilitate learning about the characteristics of |
| to participate fully as informed, productive | | | | classes of functions. |
| members of society," cannot be overestimated. | | | | Learning and applying mathematics requires |
| Technology provides teachers with the | | | | students to become adept in using a variety of |
| instructional technology tools they need to | | | | techniques and tools for computing, measuring, |
| operate more efficiently and to be more | | | | analyzing data and solving problems. Computers, |
| responsive to the individual needs of their | | | | calculators, physical models, and measuring |
| students. Selecting appropriate technology tools | | | | devices are examples of the wide variety of |
| give teachers an opportunity to build students' | | | | technologies, or tools, used to teach, learn, and do |
| conceptual knowledge and connect their learning | | | | mathematics. These tools complement, rather |
| to problem found in the world. The technology | | | | than replace, more traditional ways of doing |
| tools such as Inspiration® technology, Starry | | | | mathematics, such as using symbols and |
| Night, A WebQuest and Portaportal allow students | | | | hand-drawn diagrams. |
| to employ a variety of strategies such as inquiry, | | | | Technology, used appropriately, helps students |
| problem-solving, creative thinking, visual imagery, | | | | learn mathematics. Electronic tools, such as |
| critical thinking, and hands-on activity. | | | | spreadsheets and dynamic geometry software, |
| Benefits of the use of these technology tools | | | | extend the range of problems and develop |
| include increased accuracy and speed in data | | | | understanding of key mathematical relationships. A |
| collection and graphing, real-time visualization, | | | | strong foundation in number and operation |
| interactive modeling of invisible science processes | | | | concepts and skills is required to use calculators |
| and structures, the ability to collect and analyze | | | | effectively as a tool for solving problems involving |
| large volumes of data, collaboration for data | | | | computations. Appropriate uses of those and |
| collection and interpretation, and more varied | | | | other technologies in the mathematics classroom |
| presentations of results. | | | | enhance learning, support effective instruction, and |
| Technology integration strategies for content | | | | impact the levels of emphasis and ways certain |
| instructions. Beginning in kindergarten and | | | | mathematics concepts and skills are learned. For |
| extending through grade 12, various technologies | | | | instance, graphing calculators allow students to |
| can be made a part of everyday teaching and | | | | quickly and easily produce multiple graphs for a |
| learning, where, for example, the use of meter | | | | set of data, determine appropriate ways to |
| sticks, hand lenses, temperature probes and | | | | display and interpret the data, and test |
| computers becomes a seamless part of what | | | | conjectures about the impact of changes in the |
| teachers and students are learning and doing. | | | | data. |
| Contents teachers should use technology in ways | | | | Technology is a tool for learning and doing |
| that enable students to conduct inquiries and | | | | mathematics rather than an end in itself. As with |
| engage in collaborative activities. In traditional or | | | | any instructional tool or aid, it is only effective |
| teacher-centered approaches, computer | | | | when used well. Teachers must make critical |
| technology is used more for drill, practice and | | | | decisions about when and how to use technology |
| mastery of basic skills. | | | | to focus instruction on learning mathematics. |