Essential Conditions For Effective Technology Integration

In my opinion, "It's Magic" by Annermarie Timmerman really encompasses the 6 essential conditions for technology integration because the teacher have access to the digital tools to create and integrate technology in the learning process. I agree to what the writer said about how technology allowed teachers to transform education rather than just automate old ways of learning. The students were guided by their "cherubs" and developmental mentor during the learning process. The infrastructure bandwidth that supported the learning process have enabled students to design a holographic replication of a historical personality in the socratic seminar. It enabled the students to live the life of the historical figure whereby the students wore virtual projection suits to manipulate their characters within the virtual conference and they were expected to respond and participate in the seminar not as themselves but as the characters they created. This student centered approach to learning, through technology integration creates creativity in the students. The students realised that at Hogwarts, Harry learned wizardry through experimentation and doing and they got into trouble not for misbehavior but for the curiosity to know. Like students in Hogwarts, students should be given the infrastructure and the technological support to construct knowledge. As the author said, with harry Potter, students envisioned schooling as a wonderful, fun activity that allowed all students to reach their potential.I hope all the 10 essential conditions for technology integration be in place in the education system to give the "magic " touch to learning in the 21st century.

The second article "After the Bell, Beyond" by Eric Langhorst challenges the education community to rethink about the learning process, where and when and how it should be. We always assume learning can only take place in the classroom, but in fact, it's beyond the bell. The author;s essential questions : as to where the learning takes place for your students, does it begin and end in your classroom or do you use technology to extend your students' learning beyond the classroom walls?

I believe that learning beyond the classroom using technology has not happened to me because I lack access to technologies and software and as an educator, I am not skilled in the use of technology for learning. These are 2 greatest setbacks I have in right now. I truly know that learning is beyond the classroom and technology integration is the best way right now because our world is increasingly using media- music,, video games, ipods at our convenience anywhere and anytime. The studycasts that have been used for student learning is a great way to involve students, educators and authors or community in the learning process. By discussing in an open forum and receiving immediate feedback from authors give the students an opportunity to interact with the book in front of them and being able to communicate their ideas to the relevant people involved give the students a sense of ownership in their own learning process. it's a form of self discovery and inquiry. Assessment and feedback given by experts in the field helped the students to learn and interact with the community. Thus, its not only the teachers that assess the students work in the classroom but it;s an ongoing process with the help of technology.The author said,"Reading the book became a 2 way street in which inquiry was possible for both reader and author. The author further emphasized that; technology didn't; kill the book, it gave it more life and enabled it to grow beyond individual experience. I totally agree with that and I believe this will encourage students to read more. Of course, as what the author said, technology will not magically save the U.S. education system but it will effective teach all students. It;'s about effective instruction and effective learning in and beyond the classroom.

"The brick-mortar school,along with the teachers, should be the core for learning. But we cheat our students if we continue to think of school as a class period that begins and ends with a bell."- Eric Langhorst