Findings from Phase I and Phase II (1989‹91) of the Middle School Technology Integration Project

Teacher Knowledge and Practice

1. In order to improve the way technology is used with diverse learners in the mainstream, teachers need to gradually acquire, draw on, and integrate knowledge about:
   • the developmental needs of adolescents
   • special needs students' strengths and needs
   • how inquiry-based learning can meet the needs of developing adolescents, taking into account their diverse learning needs
   • the potential contribution technology can make to the learning of all students within inquiry-based instruction
   • instructional strategies that support inquiry-based learning
   • assessment strategies
   • hardware and software

2. An inquiry-based curriculum unit, such as an I-Search Unit, can serve as a vehicle for using a variety of technology applications that help students become exposed to information, explore a topic of their own choosing, gather information, organize and analyze information, and express what they know.

3. In order to promote successful technology integration with all students who have diverse needs, it is critical for the teacher to employ active teaching practices. This includes being actively involved with students' use of technology applications, regardless of the type of technology.

4. When teachers engage with others in ongoing reflection about the curriculum, instructional methods, technology, and student progress, they are more likely to critically evaluate their practice and redesign instruction to better meet student needs and curriculum goals.
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   Technology Resources

5. Someone needs to be responsible for ensuring that hardware is kept in good working condition and that technical problems are solved as they arise.

6. When teachers consider their curriculum goals, they have a context for reviewing and narrowing down choices of software that will meet student needs.
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   Teacher Development

7. When novice computer users have someone to whom they can turn for knowledge about computers as well as emotional support and reassurance, they are more likely to begin integrating technology into instruction to meet curriculum goals and student needs.

8. In-service workshops can contribute to teachers' acquisition of this knowledge, but are insufficient in helping teachers use this knowledge in their work with students. Teachers best learn to successfully design and redesign curriculum and integrate technology through ongoing school-based support and structures for collaboration and communication.

9. Teachers benefit from receiving ongoing technical assistance from those who have expertise in the areas of inquiry-based learning, curriculum design, and technology use.

10. By engaging with colleagues in designing, implementing, and evaluating an inquiry-based curriculum unit, teachers develop and expand their knowledge and skills.
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    Collaboration and Communication

11. When two people work together collaboratively to try out software within a curriculum unit that meets students' needs, technology use tends to be more successful.

12. Regular, ongoing communication between regular and special educators who teach the same students often facilitates designing and implementing successful curriculum units that integrate technology if the focus of the communication is on curriculum goals, instructional strategies, and student needs.
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    School-based Facilitation

13. When decisions about hardware acquisitions, hardware allocations, and scheduling focus primarily on curriculum goals and teacher experience and expertise, they are more likely to lead to using technology to support learning and teaching within a strong curriculum.

14. Once a curriculum decision is made, it is unlikely to be implemented unless someone who is committed to the decision determines what steps must be taken and ensures that the next step happens at each point in the implementation process.

15. Once a curriculum decision is made, administrators and teachers need to communicate with each other during implementation to determine whether the decision is working or needs to be revised.

16. In order to support teacher's efforts to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum, administrators must put structures in place so teachers can communicate and collaborate on a regular basis.

17. When administrators vary expectations according to teachers' individual needs, interests, and abilities, and give teachers choices about how and when to implement inquiry-based curricula, successful technology integration across classrooms is more likely to occur.

18. In order for successful technology integration to occur beyond individual classrooms, administrators and teachers need to:
    • understand that curriculum innovation is the starting point for technology integration
    • have a vision of the value and potential of inquiry-based learning
    • have a vision of how technology and other tools can enhance inquiry-based learning
    • understand that organizational-level changes are needed to support teachers' efforts

19. When there are policies and procedures that promote links between special and regular education programs, then it is more likely that curriculum planning and implementation will meet the needs of diverse learners in the mainstream.

20. In order for teachers to feel comfortable about developing new curricula that integrates technology, administrators need to give teachers permission to vary or modify content, instructional processes, and the materials they use in the classroom.

21. Administrators need to find ways to provide teachers with technical assistance, not only in terms of technology use, but also in terms of understanding inquiry-based learning, curriculum design, and effective instructional strategies.

22. When technology use becomes the catalyst for simultaneous change at the organizational, curriculum, and instructional levels, then it is important for a school to have a facilitator who has:
    • effective leadership abilities and the power to influence change
    • expertise in inquiry-based learning, curriculum design, and technology use
    • a schedule that allows for providing support to teachers on both an ongoing and as-needed basis

©2000 Education Development Center, Inc.