Technology Integration in School : Before you Teach

In our last article, we looked at why we should consider integrating technology. This can occur before the students even come in the classroom - with you using online resources as background material for your lesson. Here's how to find what you need.

1. Use a Search Engine. The bane of librarians everywhere, Google, and other search engines like it, is one-stop shopping for information. Remember that adding search terms adds specificity to your search - think a little deeper into your topic to locate the information you seek. Also, don't forget that placing quotation marks around your query forces the search for that exact phrase, instead of just the terms occurring somewhere (not necessarily together) in the document. For a more scholarly search, you can try Google Scholar.

2. Use a Web Directory. If Google isn't getting you where you need to go, or you'd like to review a list of sites that pertain to your topic, use a directory. Directories are human-created indexes of the Internet. Here's Yahoo's, Google's, and here's DMOZ (which is user-created and really neat.) The thing that makes a directory different, and some would say better, than a search engine is that you can read a short preview of the entire site - not just the page - from the list. Also, when you simple do a typical "web search", it will find many pages that pertain to the phrase you entered - but not necessarily the topic. Directories are focused on the topic, and therefore organize the web better.

3. Use Printed, Online, or Human Resources. Journals and educational magazines will often mention useful sites, but don't forget that other teachers, professors, and your librarian can be a great source also. Actually, while you're down at the library, ask your librarian what online resources the school pays for. Your district probably pays a fee for access to online information that is not available to the general public. Don't let these go to waste!

Finding subject matter experts in your discipline can be a little tricky, but it can be done. Often, plain old-fashioned networking can be the best technique. In our school, for "Apple Crunch" day, we have a man visit us who owns a local apple orchard. He talks to the kids directly about the different varieties of apples - and we even taste a bunch of them. An internet search would not have likely lead us to him; he was a person in the community that we used a resource. However, email can be a good resource for information from experts. By using email, you can get access to people that you would never just "call on the phone" to ask a question. I have emailed the authors of books I've used in class to ask for clarification of points (and even suggestions for instruction.) I would have never called them, but email is less invasive, and easier for them to ignore if they don't want to be bothered. This is another way to integrate technology before the students even step into your room.

There are other ways to integrate technology before you teach, and we'll look at another in the next article.