Integrating Technology in your Classroom

According to a recent article in Time Magazine, the “Y” generation exists of students who are and must be global citizens in every facet of what that embodies.  And that does not limit the trend to urban and suburban areas, but even rural-area students must embody what Mike Eskew, CEO of UPS, refers to as, "global trade literate, sensitive to foreign cultures, conversant in different languages" and they must also be tech literate and creative thinkers.  Where American students are falling behind, other countries are making long leaps forward.

In addition, educators and parents should also take to heart that a digital interface is what is familiar and engaging to today’s students, the “digital natives.” They were born into and are comfortable with a world that runs on computer technology. Because of this, they expect to use computer technology in their daily lives, and the format taps into their digital cultural background. They also need to feel that what they are learning in school is relevant to what they are learning and experiencing outside of school and what skills they believe they need to have for their future successes.

Expressing her thoughts on the subject, Colorado 4th-grade teacher Erika Hupperts says, “I think that in this day and age using technology as a tool in teaching is an easy and familiar way to captivate and entice our learners. Kids are very familiar with using technology. They're also very willing to experience the quick visual changes that technology can provide. Their attention in some cases can be extremely limited. As adults, we seem to have a tendency to hang on topics for extended periods of time.” The Partnership for 21stCentury Skills warns, “Today’s education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn.”

Now and in the future, the workforce must embody what is called “interdisciplinary combinations.” Twenty-first century skills such as technology, mathematics and art and design were the primary cogs that built the engine that we all call YouTube and Google, as stated by Thomas Friedman, the best-selling author of “The World Is Flat.”

The United States National Educational Technology Plan calls for more digital content in our nation’s schools. This will foster computer literacy by providing daily interaction with digital resources and productivity tools.  But many times, schools get the technology gadgets they need, like computers and internet, but they are lacking or struggling to find good and relevant content. 

geeART16 works well to fill that void, and works on the existing equipment in schools.  Also, the woes of traditional CD-ROM software programs are eliminated; since geeART16 is web-based, the updates are automatic and seamless, and no one is bogged down with tricky file transfers or different operating systems.  Strategizing, implementing and integrating technology is not as scary of a topic as some might think.  As educators, a difference can be made if oppositions and uncertainties are faced straight on and conquered.  Integrated technology and art disciplines will lead our students towards being one of the most competitive workforces to drive and direct the 21st-century, and early adoptions and integrations helps to pave the path.