Running head: INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES

Integration of Technology and Media Resources

Shelby Holcomb
Regent University

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES

Introduction
With the increasing ubiquity and advancement of technology in our culture, it is the
responsibility of the classroom teacher to prepare students to function proficiently in the real
world by teaching when and how to use technology. A childs familiarity with technology will
brighten his future and unlock more opportunities. Additionally, technology in the classroom
allows an instructor to cater to varying learning styles, giving her opportunities to differentiate
instruction quickly and effectively. Technology also keeps students up-to-date on current events
more so than would a traditional textbook that is only replaced every few years. Lastly, and
perhaps most importantly, integration of technology transforms the classroom into a much more
stimulating and exciting place for young students; they are thrilled to use the new tools provided
to them, and they stay engaged for longer than ever before.
Rationale
My first artifact is a collection of screenshots from a mobile application/website called
Plickers, accompanied by photos of myself conducting a whole-group lesson utilizing Plickers.
My first cooperating teacher introduced me to Plickers, and I found the program to be a very
innovative way to record student comprehension quickly and effectively. Plickers are used with
multiple choice questions; the teacher plugs in the question and the correct answer to the app.
Each student has a paper cut-out that has been personalized for them. The cut-out is turned one
way if they are choosing A, another for B, etc. When its time for the student to choose the
correct answer, he holds up his card, the Plicker, with his correct answer choice on top. The
teacher quickly scans the room with the camera of a mobile device, in my case an iPad, and the
application records student responses within seconds. While I could have just given students
whiteboards, had them write their answers, and instructed them to hold them up for me to see,
the Plickers allowed me to see this information more quickly, and they also allowed me to go

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES

back later and view which children struggled with the activity, thus aiding in differentiation for
subsequent lessons.
With Plickers, I made use of technology during a whole group lesson, but I also used
technology in my class during small group. At least a couple of times per week, my students used
a website called Storia during small group time. I have included Screenshots from Storia, both
from student and teacher views. Storia is a Scholastic website that provides students with
electronic independent reading books on their reading level. Storia allows students to click a
word that they dont know, and it will be read aloud to them; it also allows them to highlight
important words and make notes as they go along. For students who require read-aloud, we can
provide headphones, and Storia will read their books to them as they follow along. Independent
reading is vital in a language arts classroom, and because they love using technology, Storia gets
kids more excited about reading independently.
Reflection
I immediately saw student engagement rise during my whole-group lesson when I passed
out the Plickers, and each week, I saw students racing to their computer centers and logging onto
Storia as efficiently as they could, thrilled to spend the next twenty minutes reading on a
computer. Both of these pieces of technology converted my classroom into a more interactive,
fun, and efficient learning environment.
During my time at Regent University, my professors consistently stressed the importance
of technology in the classroom, particularly technology that provides teachers with instant
feedback on the success of their lessons, as do the aforementioned Plickers (Partin, 2005, p.
214). Regent instructors always reminded us that children are digital natives, approaching
learning and literacy development in ways that werent possible a decade ago, and that
[various] types of digital media are transforming...reading and writing development
(Tompkins, 2013, p.73). My three years of undergraduate education classes at Regent University

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES

have given me the knowledge and resources to plan instruction in ways that utilize modern
methods, such as Plickers and Storia.
While the Bible does not explicitly discuss todays technology or how to use it in the
classroom, it does encourage effective teaching and use of God-given resources. The Bible takes
teaching very seriously, saying that not many of you should become teachersbecause you
know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1, New International Version). In
Ephesians 5:15, we are instructed to make the most of every opportunity; from these verses,
one can conclude that great teaching is vital, and great teachers make use of whatever they can to
further their effectiveness. By incorporating technology in my classroom, I am taking my
teaching career seriously, as God instructs.

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES

References
Partin, R. (2005). Classroom teacher's survival guide: Practical strategies, management
techniques, and reproducibles for new and experienced teachers (2nd ed., p. 214). San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Tompkins, G. (2013). Emergent Literacy. In Language arts: Patterns of practice (8th ed., p. 73).
Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.