RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in EDLE & CUIN
EDUC 5324: INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO EDUCATION
Name:______Medine Soylemez_______

Date: _______9/19/2015____________

Topic Selected:

Teachers need to be trained and go through professional development in order to

successfully implement technology into education.
1. LITERATURE REVIEW:
What does the literature/research say about this issue/topic? By using NAU
Library or Online Search engines, conduct a literature review.

You need to include 5 different sources (book, journal article, web article
etc.) in your review. Try to use current sources as much as possible.

You need to summarize and synthesize your sources by discussing a

common theme or issue.

You don't need to critique your sources

You don't need to evaluate your sources (if the sources are trustworthy,
weather the author has a bias or not)

You need to provide background information such as history and

definitions

Brief Literature Review:

Nowadays most children in the are born surrounded by technology. Their first toys mimic
technology, use technology, or rely on technology to function. Technology is second
nature to them- many of the children use it effectively before they even enter school.
They simply are intuitive about using technology, so for educators to exclude using
something that is an engaging and natural part of their everyday lives is simply foolhardy
and barbaric. Today,whether we like it or not, technology, is a vehicle for acquiring
knowledge that they understand. The use of technologies can increase teachers capacity
to provide support, choice and flexibility to students.
Researches done on teachers view to integrating technologies into their classes lack of

technological development training is great barrier. technology is not easy. It takes time,
which teachers often lack. Lack of released time to learn how to use computers and the
Internet was one of the most frequently reported barriers to public school teachers using
computers and the Internet in instruction (Areu Jone, Cathy, 2001). There are several
challenges teachers face when trying to embrace technology. Learning new software is
just one challenge. Developing lesson plans that incorporate new technology is another.
Modifying traditional teaching techniques to incorporate. Although 70% of the teachers
are satisfied with the number of training given by different facilities such their districts or
own schools their complain is mostly about practicing (An, Y. Reigeluth, C. , 2012). Most
of the teachers in the United States received at least minimal training at the university
level. So this training brings satisfactory if it provides them necessary support to use it
comfortably in their classrooms. Also, the researcher found out that a larger
administrative emphasis on teaching with technology can change teachers' personal
attitudes and beliefs about technology in teaching in a positive way. In her master thesis
Alharbi, Asma Mohammed (2013) states that teachers in the US quote that the more they
learn [about technology], the more they want to use it. Also the study claims that if they
are offered extra payment for the use of technology in the classroom they would ask for
extra time for the training or practicing what they learned in the training instead of the
money. Because in research the participants reported that their current professional
programs provide way too much information at one time, and they dont have enough
time to practice and thoroughly learn what is being presented to them.
The focus on technology training for teachers also affects the schools improvement plan.
Teacher professional development is absolutely essential if technology provided to
schools is to be used effectively. Simply put, spending scarce resources on informational
technology hardware and software without financing teacher professional development as

well is wasteful. While technology increases teachers training and professional

development needs, it also offers part of the solution. Information and communication
technologies (ICTs) can improve preservice teacher training by providing access to more
and better educational resources, offering multimedia simulations of good teaching
practice, catalyzing teacher-to trainee collaboration, and increasing productivity of noninstructional tasks (Scott, D., & Scott, S., 2010)
On the other hand, although researches show that among teachers with computers
available at home, teachers with the fewest years of experience were more likely than
teachers with the most years of experience to use computers or the Internet at home to
gather information for planning lessons (76 percent compared with 63 percent) and
creating instructional materials (91 percent compared with 82 percent), the claim that
students who have grown up with digital technologies will automatically transfer their
skills in using new technologies to their future teaching practice proved to be unrealistic.
It remains important for teacher educators to prepare teachers to use technology in the
classroom, to help them identify the added value of integrating educational technology in
the classroom, and to be facile with teaching strategies and appropriate tools to fulfill
learner needs (Angeli & Valanides, 2005; Koehler, Mishra, & Yahya, 2007).
Notwithstanding their digital upbringing, preservice teachers views of teaching and
learning appear to be influenced by the way they were taught. In his presentation to the
U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Early Childhood Youth and Families
teacher Jeffery Chin explained everyone in education must make a greater commitment to
providing teacher technology training. Teachers readiness to use technology in their
classrooms will be increased with strong support systems that include communities,
parents, business leaders, and administrators.(U.S. House 2000)

2. REFLECTION:

What is your personal opinion on this issue? Do you agree with the
research? If you agree or disagree, please explain why?

Provide examples/experiences regarding this issue from school

perspective or If you are not working in a school, from your profession. Be
specific with your examples. You can mention software/hardware names,
specific methods that you plan to use, etc.

How would you implement this research in your career? (At least 1
paragraph)

Reflection:

It a an undeniable reality that technology has advanced to giant steps that pierced us all
we really need to upgrade to the new generation of today who are native technological.
From the time they were born or ever earlier than that children are into it and the time
they become students at school it is very easy for the teacher to be one or more step
behind the students in term of the use of technology. It not only has negative effects on
teaching learning process but also in school development. Many teachers are afraid to
use technology that feel they can not control everything that students arrive to handle at
one time. It causes the fear that the teacher can not ensure classroom management when
he/she can not handle the technology. Sometimes that's a big challenge for teachers who
are used to being in total control. They don't want to be judged by the students as
technology disabled although it is hard to convert the traditional learned stuff to the new
technological environment. Even the researches shows that the new teachers who grew
up in technology still have issues in integrating their knowledge into the education. Given
workshops or training are far from being applicable just consist of informative seminars
that teach what the new software is but not how to use it effectively in the lessons. The
training must be in a supportive environment where they don't feel like if they ask a
question they are not that smart or behind, and that it's okay to always be learning and
trying new things. Also there must be extra training to practice the new tech overall and
individually. In the sessions the information can be enlightening for a math teacher but

not for a kindergarten one. Because the subjects they cover are totally different and this
causes the material to be misused or non-used. A very simple example. The son uses the
calculator at the 4th grade. He asked for a multifunctional ones some of his friends have.
Later on I found him searching on YouTube how to download games to your calculator
(TI84). A calculator can be count as the simplest version of a computer and even on that
kids find a way to upgrade it for different uses. So it is a must for a teacher to be aware
of technological development maybe not that detailed but always be alert. Even there is
no training given by the district or school teachers must keep themselves alive in this
progress. There are lot of informative websites that teaches the use of software. There are
forums among educators who ask for or give information about these kind of use in the
classrooms. They share their experiences both positive or negative.
Teachers need to move the traditional methods to new methods where technology is
integrated into the classroom. They are just a click away. Even using the the last years
technology considered to be old fashioned today there is no way to be an effective
educator in a classroom without technology. To cope with the kids handling the
technology is the first step. There are uncountable sources for the teachers to use in every
subject, not only materials but others experiences, reflections or advises. Me as an ESL
teacher my subject is very open for the tech use in the classrooms. So there is no way to
have a lesson just handing out a worksheet and working on it. There are numerous
sources (about 19,800,000 results in 0.40 seconds in Google) just by writing a basic
subject as 'teaching the colors'; game websites, films, coloring activities, shapes,songs
etc. Not only for the general even for the most specific ones we can turn our hands full,
like the use of a pseudo-cleft sentence in the subordinated relative clause. This will be
unfair to limit the use of technology only with the internet. Everyday we hear about a
new equipment designed to make our lives better and most of these can be used in the

classrooms. While I was teaching there was only one projector in the cinema hall of the
school was impossible to be moved into the classrooms now even at home we have a
pocket size one to carry everywhere. I was used to ask my friends who was into the
technology whenever I had an issue on my computer but now just by doing some clicking
on some buttons on my computer everything lays beneath my feet. And the good thing is
instead of finding it overwhelming I really like using the new technology not only for
teaching in every area I can without waiting to be trained.

3. REFERENCES:

Cite at least 5 References in APA.

You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal for citing

your sources in APA style.

References:

An, Y. Reigeluth, C. (2012). Creating technology-enhanced, learner-centered classrooms:

K-12 teachers' beliefs, perceptions, barriers, and support needs. Journal of Digital
Learning in Teacher Education, 28(2), 54 - 62.
Alharbi, Asma Mohammed, (2013)"Teacher's Attitudes towards Integrating Technology:
Case Studies in Saudi Arabia and the United States" . Masters Theses. Paper 58.
Areu Jone, Cathy (2001) Preparing Teachers to Use Technology. Principle Leadership
Kumar,V & Vigil, K. (2011). The net generation as perservice teacher: transferring
familiarty with new technologies to educational environments. Journal of Digital
Learning in Teacher Education. 27 (4). 144-153.
U.S. House. 2000. Statement submitted to the Committee on Education and The
Workforce. Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families. The role of
technology in Americas schools. 106th Cong., 2nd sess. 8 March.

Scott, D., & Scott, S. (2010). Innovations in the Use of Technology and Teacher
Professional Development. Methods for Improved Education Delivery Online Learning
Communities and Teacher Professional Development, 169-189.