School Type: Public	School Setting: Rural
Level: Elementary	School Design: Traditional
Content Presented By:
NEIRTEC, Northeast & Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium

Results

At each of the three elementary schools at Mexico (NY) Academy and Central School District, Amy Spath, the technology integration specialist for the district, collaborated with teachers from three elementary school grade levels to integrate technology into standards-based lessons that were already taught in the classroom without the use of special software or the Internet. The preliminary results of this collaboration--and of the new lessons it produced--are promising.

Immediately following the presentation of the new lessons to their students, teachers expressed their pleasure about the high levels of student engagement they observed. Spath also asked the teachers to complete a follow-up survey a few weeks after the experience. The surveys highlighted the positive results of the workshop experience. One specific lesson using the Web site www.edheads.org drew rave reviews from the students and the presenting third-grade teacher. The lesson encouraged exploration of simple machines around the home, including a faucet, a flagpole, and an alarm clock, and students were able to access a glossary of terms to enhance their understanding. The students commented that the lesson kept them interested because "we were learning at the same time we were playing" and because "the animation was cool." The teacher wrote that at least a quarter of her students had shared the Web site with their families.

Fourth-grade teachers also noted that the Kidspiration and Inspiration software helped them address the elements of the fourth-grade state English language exam with ease. Students became comfortable with the use of graphic organizers and the task of identifying story elements. One teacher even wrote that the experience inspired her to try follow-up technology sessions with her students that went very well.

"This issue is always time," says another participant teacher. "Having the workshop forced me to make the time to integrate the technology...the kids enjoyed it and they demonstrated learning. That makes me want to keep trying to do this more. It helped ease my own uncertainty."

Now that Spath has completed her first round of the professional development experience, she is gearing up to work with more of the elementary teachers in the district. She hopes to inspire others to step out of their "comfort zones" and reap the benefits of integrating appropriate technology tools into their lessons.

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