The OPSRC Tech Team has created 30-45 minute Tech Talks on different technology tools teachers and students can use in the classroom. You can join these Tech Talks live or view the archived sessions below. We are providing new talks via Zoom regularly on Tuesdays (30-minutes) around lunch time and on Thursdays (45-minutes) after school.
Here are the future Tech Talks we have scheduled:
Communicating and interpreting visual language is an invaluable skill that complements and can be more efficient than text-based learning. Well designed images can be used to make connections, tell a story, or illustrate abstract ideas. There are many technology tools that can make producing, editing, and sharing graphics easy and accessible.
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) created their first technology integration standards in 1998. According to ISTE, the ISTE standards "have been used, researched and updated to continuously reflect the latest research-based best practices" and have been adopted in all 50 US states and several other countries. Much like content standards, the ISTE Standards provide informative, clear, and measurable targets for technology skills, knowledge, and attitudes. The standards are grouped by target audience, and each one is accompanied by descriptions and examples.
Several models to guide the use of technology in the classroom have been developed over the years:
The SAMR Model was created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura in 2010 and considers four levels of technology integration in the order from least to most sophisticated: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. This model focuses on analyzing and encouraging deeper levels of student led and engaged activities.
The TPACK Framework was created by Punya Mishra and Matthew J. Koehler in 2006 and considers three areas of Knowledge needed for high-impact technology integration: Technological, Pedagogical, And Content. This model focuses on analyzing and blending the three knowledge domains and prioritizes selecting appropriate technology tools to support content and pedagogical needs.
The Technology Integration Matrix (or TIM) was created by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) in 2005. This framework examines the intersection of five interdependent characteristics of meaningful learning environments (i.e. active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, and goal-directed) with five levels of technology integration (i.e. entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion, and transformation).
These topics are in-depth explorations of education subjects with respect to how intentionally designed academic technology application can enable, augment, and transform learning experiences. They function to spark discussions, share resources, and introduce potentially new ways of thinking about how students learn and grow.
These individual tools can be used with any of the tech integration models listed above to meet ISTE Standards for Students in the classroom. If you have a suggestion for a tool that you would like us to cover in a future Tech Talk, use the "Suggest" button above to send us a note.
