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#trending in technology
Technology Integration Teachers are a
echnology Integration Teachers
ology
t gra
r
relatively new trend in education in Missouri
and Lincoln County R-III jumped aboard with
the trend in the 2013-14 school year. James
Bertels, Lori Horner and Sharon Schlup, are
new to the position, but definitely not new to
technology. The three teachers in the Lincoln
County R-III School District are trailblazing a
path to use technology as a classroom tool at
the district’s elementary schools.
At the start of the school year, the three
technology teachers focused on teaching
students “computer logic,” which Schlup
describes as becoming familiar with the toolbar,
knowing keyboard shortcuts or even simple
skills such as highlighting text. According to
the teachers, many students were quite used to
mobile devices such as phones and tablets and
using desktop computers are foreign to them.
The technology teachers believe students need
both mobile devices as well as knowledge about
more traditional computers.
“Desktop computers and mobile devices
each have different capabilities. Students need
to have it all these days,” Schlup said. In his
new role with the R-III District, Bertels quickly
discovered he wasn’t just teaching the students.
“I’ve had teachers come to me and tell me
they’re learning stuff just from me being in the
room,” he said.
These
These instructors teach the district's 2ndteach the district's 2nd
e
h
tri
5th grade students. The three focus on the
systematic process to using a computer such as
using keywords to conduct online research.
“When they began researching, they didn’t
know how to use Google efficiently. They just
want to type ‘Abraham Lincoln. Enter.’ And it
gives them eight million results,” Bertels said.
“We stress to them that while doing their
research, they need to have a question in mind.”
Bertels said this prevents the “scroll and look”
and ensures they will absorb the information
they are seeking.
Students are also exploring programs
to deliver their assignments or research
such as the now primitive PowerPoint to
newer technologies such as Prezi, Voki and
Glogster. Although all three teachers embrace
technology, they are also teaching students
the key is learning and sometimes technology
doesn’t belong.
“Part of what we do is educating the kids on
how to use what and when to use it. There are
times when a magazine is appropriate and the
computer isn’t. Sometimes we use a magazine
to collect information and we use a computer
to present that to others,” Horner said.
Bertels, Horner and Schlup hope to
see technology or “computers” treated
as a natural augmentation in classroom
in content areas and not as a “special.” “In three
years, our (current) second grade students and
fifth grade students will be producing some
amazing things in the classroom,” Schlup said.
25% of kids are using
the internet daily by age three
Pediatricians recommend no
screen time for children under
two, and a maximum of 1-2 hours
per day for ages 2 and up.
P R O U D LY S U P P O R T I N G
TROY SCHOOL DISTRICT
120 Hammer Lane • Troy, MO 63379
Phone: 636-528-8988 • Fax: 636-528-5879