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This is a 2012 article from the Journal of Technology Education and was found on eric.ed.gov/. It is a peer reviewed study that was conducted for the purpose of identifying the research needs for technology in education. Their goal was to provide a concise list of topics that could be used to better oneself within the community.

This was interesting as they looked at technology research and the fact that more people are needed for this,

This article is about the idea that adding technology into the classroom is not leveling the playing field for all students. That is a scary idea given the fact that we are integrating more and more technology into the classroom in hopes of trying to figure out how to better the education of all students. The question from here is, what can we do about this if the facts support the hypothesis presented in this article?

This is definitely something to consider. We make sure that technology is effective for all students.

This article discussed the importance of parental involvement in special education. Several ways to support families were discussed. In the conclusion the author indicates that teachers should work with parents to build positive relationships and leave behind assumptions about parents.

This article describes a teaching experience in which information and communication technologies were applied in five industrial engineering courses at the Universidad de Tarapaca in Chile. The paper compares the performance and course pass rates of the e-learning platform and portable pocket PC platform with those of the same courses teaching in traditional classroom methods. Two of the courses involving 62 students used an e- learning platform and its associated pedagogical model, while the other three, covering 110 students, employed a portable Pocket PC platform and a collaborative pedagogical model. The results show that there is no statistical evidence that technology rise the students marks, but did reveal significant improvements in course pass rates.

This is really interesting as there are many people who would agree that technology does not have a significant impact in improving grades.

This study examined ten teachers' use of technology for five years following initial certification. Only one in ten reached the highest of the five stages the authors used to "grade" the teachers' use of technology. Researchers (e.g. Russell, Bebell, O'Dwyer, & O'Connor, 2003) have pointed to the need for teacher education and professional development programs to provide the time to implement the technology to allow for more ownership of how to teach with the technology.

Teachers are wondering if their student's attention spans and their ability to face and work through challenging tasks are hampered by technology. Some teachers argue they have to work harder to capture their student's attention and curiosity. Currently, there is not enough evidence from studies to substantiate this claim so researchers are querying educators as they feel their subjective input is the most accurate at this current time.

An interesting perspective on technology in the classroom!

Edudemic is a website that posts research, news, and reviews for teachers and students. "How Technology is Being Used in Special Ed" gives statistics regarding funding, services, types of disabilities, tools, and resources available to Special Education programs in schools. A very detailed and colorful Infographic is given.

Learning about how technology is being used and what tools are used the most in special education was fascinating!

Digital learning starts with teachers. Technology is not something that can just be thrown into a classroom with no instruction. The three tips include: 1- Plan Ahead 2- Try Something New 3-Become an Educational Designer.

Great advice! I didn't know there was a Digital Learning Day!

78% of K-12 teachers believe technology in the classroom makes a positive difference; however, 17% believe it does not make a difference. Students today spent a majority of their day using 21st century technologies and if teachers put them in a 19th century classroom settings, they will have a significant disconnect with their students. Technology can raise students enthusiasm for learning, as well as amplify a teacher's strengths or weaknesses.

If a teacher isn't invested or prepared, technology can definitely spotlight a teacher's weaknesses.

This article is about a secondary education language arts university class that paired with a 6th grade class. The 6th graders would submit their papers to the college student, who would then edit it and return it electronically. The purpose of this pairing was to use technology to make the 6th graders better writers and the future English teachers better at revising papers. Both teachers involved believed that it was a success and all of the students improved as a result.

This is a great activity for middle school kids.

From holding a kindergartner back a year to lengthening the school day, here are the education trends grabbing headlines and prompting debate: Academic "Redshirting, student-led conferences, K-8 schools replacing middle schools, laptops for all. The author brings up each subject and points our the pros and cons of each. DISCUSSION: Is "academic redshirting," or starting your child in Kindergarten later so they are older, a good idea? Is lengthening the school day the answer to many academic problems? Should all students have a laptop?

I like the list of topics, but be sure to add more to make this a summary of what you read. Good questions!

Studies are finding that when teachers and parents agree with kids that STEM subjects are not their best, students do not pursue those subjects. IT also says we should focus our praise on the process and not necessarily what comes natural. This encourages our children to embrace the process of learning instead of only the things that come natural. What are some other reasons you think kids quit STEM subjects? Do you think we validate our students/children too often? Why or why not? How else can we engage or encourage our students without the typical element of praise?

This article is TOTALLY speaking to me :) Wish I could re-do science in high school and believe more in myself. (Got good grades, but never "got" it.)

A teacher edited his student's rough drafts for statewide test to make sure punctuation and capitalization were correct on their exams. She stated she felt the pressure of performing well on the exams. Other states have been found to cheat on the standard test created by No Child Left Behind. How do you feel a teacher should be punished for violating standard assessment rules for a broken system like NCLB? Do you feel NCLB standards help or hurt students? teachers? Why do they hurt and why do the help? Why do you fell there are so many scandals with teachers cheating for students? Do they not have confidence in their teaching abilities and/or their students?

Such a heartbreaking and timely article. Great summary and questions.

Five trends in CCSS: Instruction in How to Listen; Evolution of the Teacher-Student relationship; Increased Responsibility for Students; Move toward Project-based learning; and K-12 will get serious about Coding. These trends will have an impact on you as a teacher, be informed...be a learner first. Questions: 1) How will these trends affect or change the physical make-up of your classroom setting? 2) If you compare how your students use social media with the trend of teaching students how to listen, what challenges do you anticipate? 3) What are your thoughts regarding the trend "the evolving of the teacher-student relationship"?

Make sure your summary represents graduate level writing. I like the list, but impress me with the last two sentences. WONDERFUL questions!

Little attention has been given to absenteeism in schools. A new report finds that many students miss up to a month of school a year and it effects their test scores tremendously. It can set students back by 1 to 2 years, even more so for special education students. 1. How do we as teachers effect student absenteeism? 2. On a bus stop I drive by everyday, it says, "The solution to truancy is A(p)parent." How can we get parents to be involved with their kids in school? 3. What classroom practices can we have in place to help students to miss class? For example, my cooperative teacher has a blog students can pull information from if they miss class and she requires them to do so.

Student absenteeism is a reality we face in schools. Great questions!

This article looks at two different structures in place at different school systems to investigate and introduce new technology into the classroom. In the first example, the school district has invested in a full time administrator whose job it is to find new technologies and uses in the classroom and then provide the information to the teachers. The second case study involves a more traditional approach where the classroom teacher collaborated with other teachers and developed an program in Kindergarten through 3rd grade to introduce the children into inquiry into technology by dismantling robots and other forms of technology, solely to awaken a sense of discovery within the students.

More and more school districts are hiring integration specialists/technology coaches/21st Century Learning Coaches. Both case studies reveal important ideas for how technology can and should be used.

"Imagine a system that provides teachers with real-time insights to understand how a student is performing. The teacher can then use the data to spot weak areas and adjust the lesson plan accordingly. This type of tailored instruction has the ability to greatly improve student performance." We've been learning about individualized instruction in all of our classes, and now Xerox researchers have been tracking students for the past 7 years in New York and California to invent a system where teachers "could determine what concepts were being taught successfully and which were missing the mark-- and they could do it on a student-by-student, class-by-class basis."

In this article, the author is explaining the difference between technology being taught as course content, or as a teaching tool. He also discusses the role of technology in a math classroom. This article also discusses how it it difficult to integrate technology into a mathematics classroom.

Nice find. I always have a soft spot for math instructors. One of my favorite subjects to teach.

This article speaks about all the educational data that is being collected but not used. Virginia has created an app to make that information accessible to parents. This allows them to use the data to choose which school they want to send their children to. I think all states should create an app like this to make sure data is being utilized and also to bring light to the schools who need more help.

This article makes the point that we as educators need to use technology as the teaching tool it is, and NOT let our students (or ourselves) get into the habit of taking information for granted. We need to work to teach accurate and evolving tech habits and learn together by doing--not by copying and pasting. This article also seeks to bring this collaboration of learning tech in the classroom as a human interaction network where we can promote interaction--not isolation.

Good article on the Net-Generation! I enjoyed reading about the distinct approaches that different people take towards technology depending on their comfort level and the purpose.