What is Technology Integration?

Have you ever walked into a teacher's classroom and it takes a few minutes to actually see the teacher? Instead you notice students in small groups, working with partners, or even absorbed in an independent activity, you hear a quiet hum of purposeful conversation, and see evidence of student work published everywhere. . Upon closer observation, you notice there are various tools in the students' hands or at their fingertips. You might see old fashioned manipulatives, laptops, desktops, an odd assortment of "junk," Interactive White Boards, SMART table, books, flip cameras, pencils, paper, and/or an iPod or iPad.  Finally you notice the teacher working with a couple of students over in the corner. If so, then you know what I mean when I say that the teacher is a facilitator and the technology is invisible and is only a tool used to help learning take place.

Ever wonder how to get your classroom to this place? A lot of it depends on the technology comfort level of the teacher, the expectations of the administrator and an understanding of what technology integration means. I was reading an excerpt from an ISTE publication that really nailed the term integration for me.

To clarify what the term integration means, one must first understand what it does
NOT mean. Integration is NOT the use of managed instructional software, where a
computer delivers content and tracks students’ progress. Integration is NOT having
students go to a computer lab to learn technical skills while the classroom teacher
stays behind to plan or grade papers. Integration is NOT using the Internet to access
games sponsored by toy manufacturers or popular television shows. Integration is
NOT using specialty software for drill and practice day after day. Integration does
NOT replace a teacher with a computer.

Integration is when classroom teachers use technology to introduce, reinforce,
extend, enrich, assess, and remediate student mastery of curricular targets.
Integration is an instructional choice that generally includes collaboration and deliberate
planning—and always requires a classroom teacher’s participation. Taken from It's Elementary: Technology Integration in the Primary Grades by Boni Hamilton. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that technology is not the focus, but the content or curriculum is always the focus. To truly get comfortable and proficient at integrating technology, instruction needs to move away from the shiny tool and its bells and whistles, but instead focus on using the tool to allow students to learn content.

How are you integrating technology in your classroom?