How to Integrate Technology (Easily?) in Schools and Education


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzCyIEvfsBE

"I don't have time to teach my students how to use the techology."

This is a challenge I face constantly. I work with about 600 students across 28 classes. Because we don't have a designated "tech lesson," it is up to the teachers and me to find pockets of time to integrate digital skills.

Recently, our 4th graders were wrapping up a Social Studies unit on Responsibility. They explored the driving question: How do our choices as consumers affect the world? To move beyond just learning the content, we wanted them to take Student Action—to create a campaign to influence others using digital media.

The Problem: The Sustainable Model

Initially, our EdTech team thought about pushing into every classroom to teach specific tools (websites, posters, videos). We quickly realized this wasn't sustainable. With so many students and conflicting schedules, we couldn't be everywhere at once.

The Solution: Asynchronous Resource Stations

We decided to flip the instruction. My team members, Keith Ferrell and Chris Smith, and I created "Tech Resource" posters.

We printed these posters with QR codes that linked directly to our video tutorials and example projects. Students could scan, watch, and learn at their own pace.

The 4 Key Benefits

Implementing this model transformed the classroom dynamic in four ways:

  1. Better Blueprints and Planning: Because students could see concrete examples of the final products before they started, their planning (storyboards and drafts) was significantly more detailed and sophisticated.
  2. Efficiency: In a single class session, students were exposed to three different tools. Traditional instruction would have required three separate days of direct teaching.
  3. Personalization: Students had genuine choice. They selected the medium that fit their strengths and interests, and they could pause or rewind the tutorials as needed.
  4. From "Tech Support" to "Creative Coach": This was the biggest win for me. Because the tutorials handled the "how-to" (where to click, how to edit), I wasn't running around fixing software issues. Instead, I got to facilitate creative thinking. I spent the class helping students with storytelling, graphic design, and refining their message.

My Recommendation

If you are struggling to find time to teach digital skills, I highly recommend creating (or curating) your own resource stations. It could be created by your team, school or district. It empowers students to take ownership of their learning and frees you up to focus on what matters most: the content and the creativity.

Resources:

Storyboards & iMovie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehz9ZTjrRis

Posters with Keynote - https://youtu.be/WtJF1H1sFZY

Google Sites - https://tinyurl.com/y4t5wvz9

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