Holli Spitzli

IT442
Why integrate Technology?
Due: May 24, 2016
Why Integrate Technology?
Technology has become much more than paper, pencil, and the moving
wheel in a short amount of time in retrospect of our planets existence. It
amazes me how much we rely on technology to get us through the day and
be a part of a functioning community. I remember in school how important it
was to practice typing and how to use a purple Mac computer, but then
again I dont remember too much other than Friday free day and playing
Oregon Trail. Up until a few years ago I could go days without using a
computer or my phone. Before coming to Western I told myself I would never
use computers with the younger children. I have seen time and time again
when the T.V., the computer/IPad, and the phone have became the main
babysitter for a child. I was raised a bit old fashion in the sense that I would
much rather handwrite a paper and turn it in face to face. I suppose this was
my own personal philosophy for years. Though, through taking classes I
would like to think my technology lens has opened.
According to The American Academy of Pediatrics in the NAEYC article
Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs
Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, says that screen time should not
be available to children under two, and limited to no more than one or two
hours of screen time a day for children older than two because it has been
associated with childhood obesity. (2012, p. 3) The article goes on to say that

within reason and smart use of technology, its less of a risk factor and it can
be used to benefit children. Also that Technology and media should not
replace activities such as creative play, real-life exploration, physical activity,
outdoor experiences, conversation, and social interactions that are important
for childrens development (2012, p. 5). Which I have learned through
taking this course that technology can actually enhance all of these different
areas of learning to benefit many children within the classroom.
Reading through Growing Up Digital: Media Research Symposium
posted by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) posted in 2015, states all
the benefits of technology where there were once stigmas. Instead of saying
that there is only bad technology, they list the ways families and schools can
be responsible when using technology with children. Nevertheless, at the end
of the day it is up to the families and the theories behind a childcare center.
The AAP give a list of how to be responsible and think about the purpose of
the screen. One that stuck out to me is media in the background. Many of us
like it for white noise, but what do we really benefit from it? Last quarter I
had a student who came to school not tired, but exhausted. He would tell me
about the show that would play in his room which helped him have cool
dreams. We know that sleep is important, and our brains need rest.
Unfortunately, this was a norm in the childs night time routine. I did find it
interesting though, that for this child I saw a disadvantage for the technology
like this at home, but at school he had a large benefit from it. He is a child
that showed signs of a sensory disorder and writing was a chore for him, but

he could write for days with other tools such as a simple white board or an
IPad. This allowed him to finish tasks in a timely matter just like the other
students in his class. I soon realized that there was definitely a time and a
place.
After visiting The Ershig Assistive Technology Resource Center (E-ATRC)
I have seen many different tools that can assist all types of learners. Linda
shared with us many low tech to high tech tools. She was kind enough to
have shared with us scenarios which she then had us look for a tool so that
we were able to help a given student. The student in our story was new to
the area and needed assistance with language. We found a few tools that
would help this student such as an electronic pen that helps read phrases of
a book in order to help them learn and hear the sounds of the word. This
would be an example of a beneficial tool used in the classroom. There were
also other forms of communication such a simple flash cards that could help
the student with tasks such as showing the teacher a card with a toilet in
order for the student communicate. If a students didnt have other forms of
communication they might hit a wall where it interferes with their academic
learning because basic needs were not being met. (Schleef, 2016)
Ineffective technology and circumstances where technology should not
be used would be a time passing game that are given to children in order to
keep them busy and quiet. We, as teachers need to ask ourselves, what is
the purpose? In class we reflected on a YouTube video about The SAMR Model
which talks about different levels of enhancing the learning of the classroom.

Substitution is the first form of enhancing learning. I briefly stated above that
this was an affective way of helping out a student to complete work,
however, this video talked about how a class set of IPads could potentially
become a really expensive set of digital worksheets ("What is the SAMR
Model and what does it look like in schools?", 2015). Teachers are the some
of the first tour guides into the world of technology and it is important for
them to recognize the purpose for teaching skills in technology. One of our
articles posted by the ISTE, 27 Tools for Diverse Learners, talks about Projectbased learning (PBL) and how the Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
guidelines help bring purpose in to the classroom (Perez, Grant, 2015). This
article is an example of how we can bring real life into the classroom.
Children have the capability of enhancing their own learning when we give
them the opportunity to explore using the real thing. We talked about this
during our exploration with the See-Saw app. Why cant we allow students to
go outside in nature, find something meaningful and allow them to become
the experts? Apps such as these can bring a classroom of diverse learnings
together to help build skills. We talked about recording voice into their
presentations for the child who might not want to share in front of a
classroom, should they get marked down because they dont stand in the
front of the class to explain. There are other ways to find out what a child
knows through different means of communication.
Communication in the classroom is important, but as teachers we
need to also think about their first teachers, their parents. Parents and a

childs home is their first classroom and teacher. So we need to think of how
we can also connect beyond the classroom and the child. We know that not
all families can afford fancy IPads and Chromebooks, so how else are the
children and families able to expand their learning. Technology has proven
that translation tools are a benefit within a community of English language
learners. Many children come from homes where the only English they speak
is at school. We can help bridge home and school by simple acts such as
translating homework and news letters for families. Though, we think that
technology might be the number one way to go in making a task easier or
more engaging, we need to think about family resources. Not all families
have access to tools as common as it may seem now. When using technology
in the classroom, are we giving the students enough time to finish their task
seeing as though not all families can afford IPads or Chromebooks?
This class and the resources provided to us have taught me a lot. The
article from the NAEYC, Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early
Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, expresses
that Technology and interactive media are here to stay. (2012, p. 2) We as
educators need to think resourceful, what is my purpose, and how am I going
to give my students the tools that they need? I understand now that
technology is not the problem, its been the way its been presented over the
years. I know that I can give students, of all ages, the opportunity to expand
their learning through purposeful exploration of different mediums and tools.
I am not longer afraid to use it, even with young children.

Sources:
Growing Up Digital: Media Research Symposium. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24,
2016, from https://www.aap.org/enus/Documents/digital_media_symposium_proceedings.pdf
Perez, L., & Grant, K. (2015, June 8). 27 tools for diverse learners. Retrieved
May 24, 2016, from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?
articleid=434
Schleef, L. (2016, April 26). Lecture presented in The Ershig Assistive
Technology Resource Center, Bellingham.
Technology and Young Children | National Association for the Education of
Young Children | NAEYC. (2012). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from
http://www.naeyc.org/content/technology-and-young-children
O. (2015). What is the SAMR Model and what does it look like in schools?
Retrieved May 24, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SC5ARwUkVQg