My Tips for Technology Integration – Leave the Giant Steps to the Astronauts


Technology integration can be frustrating. It is difficult to change the way that people have done things for years. The introduction of a shiny device will not bring everyone onboard with your vision as an Edtech Coach. Besides focusing on basics like relationship and time, it is essential that you also keep these three things in mind.

Three Keys to Technology Integration
Daniel’s Three Keys to Technology Integration

 

First, never stop growing. The growth mindset is essential to our growth as professionals. We must also find a way to demonstrate that with our staff and students as well. We should be constantly providing our staff, our students, and our peers  with the opportunity to continue their learning. It might be a total mindshift in a lot of ways, but it is necessary if we are going to improve the outcomes for our staff and students.

Leave the giant steps to the astronauts, remember that we are dealing with people.
Leave the giant steps to the astronauts, remember that we are dealing with people.

Secondly, remember that we can take baby steps. Use the stepping stones. Leave the giant steps to our astronauts, remember that we are dealing with people. People are not spacecraft. People thrive on relationships. They also thrive on appropriate pacing. Don’t treat everyone like a race car to see who can go zero to sixty the fastest. Allow people to work with you at a pace that is comfortable to them. Will you have a race car? Yes. Will you have a glacier? Yes. Be prepared to differentiate like you would for the many different students that are in your classroom.

Finally, remember that some things are done better without technology. Don’t lose focus on the soft skills. Many employers still seek the soft skills, the group work, and the ability to get along with others. Don’t lose focus on that because you are laptoping a kid to laptop a kid. Be purposeful in what you do and realize that paper, pencil, or small group work might still be the best way to teach certain topics and skills.

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