Technology Integration…It’s a Journey, not a Destination…..

       Each day, when I go to work, I incorporate a great deal of strategies and tools just as I am sure you do. There is never ONE right way or ONE only way to do my job. In addition, as soon as I complete ONE task it leads to another…. K-12 education should be the same. As an educator, if I want my students to have real world experiences, I must provide them. Technology integration is a huge part of that real world experience. If my students are going to have these experiences parents will be a very important stakeholder in helping me integrate the technology.

       In order for parents to jump on this technology integration bandwagon it is important that they understand what technology integration is and what it is not… In order for parents to have this understanding the following needs to happen:

1. Parents need to be part of the conversation from the very beginning. In other words, include parents in the planning stages, long before you purchase the technology or have a plan in place. If parents feel like they have ownership, they will go to bat for you with other parents and students.
2. Parents need to realize that the technology will not replace the way that things have been done in the past; it will, however, enhance how things are done. My guess is that when parents go to work they do not do everything on a computer. Each day, it is my decision as to how I will achieve the tasks I have been given. Some I choose to complete using my technology, others are quicker to complete using the old tried-and-true methods prior to technology. Parents need to understand that your goal is to teach students how to make the decisions as to which way they wish to complete the task. This is a huge part of developing critical thinking skills.
3. Parents need to know that their child is safe. Today, it is common place for them to hear stories about young adults that have fallen prey to online predators. It is important to have a plan in place that teaches students about digital responsibility. How to protect themselves while using the technology that has been entrusted to them. Digital responsibility is not intuitive, even when the user is a young adult. This plan needs to be shared with parents so that their worries can be put at ease.

       It is important to note that even with the above mentioned suggestions, technology integration will not be a smooth ride; there will be bumps along the way. Technology is ever changing; therefore, technology integration is a journey, not a destination.