Engage, Enhance, and Extend Through the Integration of Technology

How much technology is too much?

The use of technology in the classroom has been both hailed as a fantastic way of keeping and increasing student attention and condemned as an unnecessary distraction and/or gimmick. Regardless of one's opinion on its practicality, the usage of educational technology has soared in recent years. In her article "Engage, Enhance, and Extend Learning," Liz Keren-Kolb discusses how to correctly integrate technology into a classroom in a way that truly benefits the students. The article breaks the integration down into three main components.




Engage

(Keren-Kolb, 2013)

To engage a student, an instructor must find a way to generate interest in the subject matter (Kolb, 2013). Sometimes this is as simple as starting a group discussion, but sometimes it takes a little bit more to get students interested. Once a student has become actively engaged in a subject, they are able to devote the majority of their focus to it with very few distractions. Arguably most importantly, students switch from a state of passive learning to active learning, becoming much more involved in the learning happening in the classroom as they participate.
In a time where many young children can use iPhones and iPads with more precision than their parents, capturing their attention with the printed page can be difficult. Therefore, engaging younger students in reading lessons can become difficult. However, a simple fix to this is using the many interactive storybooks available online and on app stores for the iPhone/iPad/etc. These interactive books have students complete small activities as they progress through the story, which can help keep the attention of even the most disinterested of students when paired with the sound effects most of these interactive books implement.














Enhance

(Keren-Kolb, 2013)

Once the students are engaged in the lesson, technology can be implemented even further in order to create an easier pathway for students to gain a solid understanding of the content without having to sacrifice the quality of the lesson. For example, Smart Boards have touch screens that allow for a greater amount of versatility than the tradition white or chalk board. In the photo on the left, a young

student uses a Smart Board in order to practice writing numbers. We can see that the "ink" he uses is different for every traced 2 she has drawn, the bright and colorful lines being used as yet another way to attract and keep the attention of children who would otherwise be bored and inattentive. At the Kids R Kids Keller preschool, young students are taught their shapes and colors using a simple matching game using the Smart Board. This technology is perfect for younger children who may not yet have the fine motor skills needed to successfully use a pencil and paper, offering them an alternative way of learning to write letters and draw shapes.





Extend

(Keren-Kolb, 2013)

Extending the knowledge that students gain in the classroom should be much more than just loading them up with homework. Successfully extending knowledge involves the student linking what is learned in the classroom with what they experience in their own lives. High school teacher Kavita Gupta implemented a classroom website in which he uploaded numerous podcasts, notes, practice tests, and other study aids in order to better support his students' learning. In addition to the website, Gupta created a Facebook support group in which his students are able to communicate with one another about the course, sharing information and sources they find to help them understand the material.


References
Gupta, K. (2014, September 8). Increase student engagement & extend beyond the classroom using the blended learning model.

Huneycutt, T. (2013, October 8). Technology in the classroom: the benefits of blended learning.

Kenny, C. (2013, November 11). The false promise of classroom technology.

Keren-Kolb, Liz. Engage, enhance and extend learning. Learning and Leading with Technology. May 2013.