Introduction

The emergence of technology in the educational environment has impacted how teachers design and deliver instruction. As a teacher in a K-12 environment, you will be performing many tasks related to lesson planning, instructional delivery, and management. Technology can be an effective tool for assisting with these tasks. The traditional paradigm for learning and teaching is transforming into technology-integrated and project-based instructional activities. Therefore, it is important that you increase your technology skills and be able to determine effective and efficient methods for technology integration.

By preparing for the technology-integrated paradigm for learning, you will be able to handle the many challenges that will occur in the classroom when using technology for instruction and for productivity tasks, such as progress reporting and grade management.

The goals for this learning environment are as follows:

1. To become aware of the national standards for educational uses of technology and integrate the standards within instructional design and delivery.
2. To determine the appropriate technology to use for different types of learning activities.
3. To provide a framework and strategy for creating lessons plans based from past technology experiences.
4. To examine and reflect on teacher experiences with technology in K-12 environments by acknowledging effective strategies used and providing suggestions for improvements.
5. To create a teaching unit that reflects effective and efficient strategies of technology integration.

To obtain these goals, this learning environment is divided into four modules along with a culminating activity that encompasses each of the modules. The module sections are as follows:

1. National Education Technology Standards
2. Lesson Planning
3. Media Selection
4. Assessing Technology Integration Experiences
5. Creating a Teaching Unit Integrating Technology