What are your thoughts around "seamless technology integration" and the District's focus on Quality-First Instruction? Do you see one happening without the other?
How about the tech coaches work Mr Heintz for sessions on EEI in the 21st Century! No, I do not see one happening without the other because the info network as Project RED says, "needs to monitored" and I say by the professionals in the classroom.
I see Quality First Instruction as the basis for all we do. That needs to be in placed no matter what instructional approach we are using. So, if we want "seamless technology integration" then we need to make sure that our teachers our using strategies and methodologies that make for effective and efficient instruction.
I also agree that Quality First Instruction is the foundation upon which all else is built.
We can't forget Quality First Instruction.
Exactly!
I also have to agree that we cannot have "seamless technology integration" without quality first instruction; especially when content objectives have to be posted, taught, measured, retaught, enriched, and mastered for standardized testing. Yes, we will be using computers; but quality first instruction and technology should be two ways to achieve sucess in test scores and student learning.
No, I do not see one happening without the other. As discussed earlier in another forum (can't remember which exactly), technology is a tool we as educators can use in order to enhance and improve our instruction. Technology is a part of Quality first Instruction.
You are absolutely correct Monica. Technology is part of Quality First instruction. It is just a different delivery system. Also, based on everything we have read in earlier chapters, the shift from teacher centered to student centered instruction is a key to success. Students must collaborate, communicate, and participate in higher order thinking skills and problem solving. If we are properly integrating technology, we are boosting quality first instruction.
Quality First Instruction encompasses technology; I do not see one without the other. If we are to prepare our students with 21st Century skills, technology will support this goal. However, training our teachers to understand how these areas work together and what effective instruction looks like, will ensure that our students will be provided with relevant and meaningful learning.
I am currently reading, "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works" by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn and Malenoski. While I have not finished reading the book (Spring Break reading material) I have seen that they integrate technology based on Quality First Instruction methods. They identify ways of integrating technology in our classrooms while not effecting instruction negatively. Just thinking about how to deliver it differently. I would like to see both the tech integration and Quality First Instruction enhance each other instead of harming each other. We just have to look at how we integrate it into our classes.
I think that the work that Jim Heintz has done with Los Ranchitos regarding task analysis is a good starting point to integrate technology into lessons. The objective is still where we start, the teacher actions and the student engagement strategies are the areas that we can integrate the technology. Quality first instruction (EEI) is the basis and technoloy is one of the tools that teachers will use to provide information, design activities, ask questions and respond to the learner.
After reading all the posts, on Quality-First Instruction, it is clear that everyone agrees that the Essential Elements of Instruction are the basis and technology is one of the tools. Couldn't say it any better!
Ok, so I guess I'm having trouble seeing how "Second Order Change" fits into this, if we keep the model of effective instruction that we've been using up until this point... The Project RED starts off with a bang, shouting loud and clear that we need to TOTALLY rethink how we do education, but then it fizzles out into analysis of what different schools did or did not do. So, are we still considering effective instruction to be the same, and technology but a means to that end -- or are we really going to reinvent ourselves? Not arguing for either; just a question I had after reading the report, a feeling like the dish I ordered off the menu did not come out as described!