Levels of Integration

A Journey of 3 years of ICT Professional Development

These are the levels of integration that I have adapted from Larry Cubans book 'Oversold and Overused'. I find these useful in identifying where a teacher is 'at' in the integration of ICT into the classroom. These are included in the individual reports that I write on each teacher.

Levels of Integration

Adapted from Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused. Computers in the classroom. Harvard University Press.

 

 

Entry level of integration

First month of using computers or this teacher has limited personal skills and does not feel comfortable using computers in the classroom.

Case Study:Students use the computer to play games before school or as a spare time activity.

Adoption Level

Teachers generally use text, lecture, and conventional approaches but introduce lessons to teach students how to use keyboard, mouse, and elementary applications. Integration is usually in one curriculum area only. Activities are more likely to be isolated tasks.


Case Study:Teacher is a formal practitioner who uses Whiteboard and Blackboard extensively. All activities and planning are teacher directed. Students will use the computer mostly for wordprocessing stories and for playing games that are usually math or interactive fiction such as ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego’. There is no direction on how to use the programmes; the students independently play them when they are allowed. Students may learn different parts of the computer and some keyboarding skills. Occasionally they may be used for accessing an encyclopaedia CD. Internet is generally not used as teacher is not sure how to let the children use it. Students prefer to work alone on computers.

Adaptation Level

When most of the classroom time is still spent in conventional ways of teaching but students spend about one fourth or more of their time using computers for daily work in class. This could be WordProcessing tasks or using game software for reading or maths. There maybe some evidence of management systems set up.

Case Study:Teacher is still a formal practitioner who uses Whiteboard and Blackboard extensively. All activities and planning are teacher directed. The computer is used more often in the major curriculum areas, wordprocessing is still extensively done, and math and reading software will be used as an activity choice most days. Computer skills are likely to be taught as a formal lesson. The only direction will be to play the games. There will be more evidence of computer management systems and children will know when it is their computer time. Students will use the internet frequently but will not have well developed research skills. Students will prefer to work alone but teacher will have them organised at least in pairs.

Appropriation Level

The teacher is fully confident in the use of computers and integrates technology regularly into daily routines. Activities are more likely to be linked to classroom learning and integration is happening in at least 3 curriculum areas at a time. These classes will more than likely have management systems in place.

Case Study: Teacher is probably a more informal practitioner who is highly organised but is able to operate in a classroom where students are moving around from task to task. This teacher uses the computers regularly themselves and with children; this person has good skills themselves and is able to cope with most problems when they happen. This teacher uses the computer as an extension of their own classroom teaching and learning, clear links are obvious and students can see how the technology is connected to the subject they are working in. Students will know when they are going to use the computers as there will be a timetable in place. Internet is used extensively in all curriculum areas and students will be developing good research skills. Students will be experimenting with other digital equipment. Students will more often work in groups.

Invention Level

Where teachers experiment with new ways of networking students and colleagues and use project-based instruction and interdisciplinary approaches. These classrooms will have integrated ICT seamlessly and children will be using computers from at least 80 – 100% of the day. Teachers and children are using a variety of digital equipment and software for both teaching and learning purposes.

Case Study: Teacher is an informal practitioner who more than likely involves students in the planning of programmes and tasks. Teachers will have very good skills themselves. Students are highly independent and self managing and are able to make choices themselves about what they are going to do and how they are going to go about it. Students are able to work collaboratively and co-operatively with others. The computer is part of the classroom and is considered to be a tool that will be used if it is the best one for the job. Students learn the skills as they are needed. Teacher is able to recognise when a skill needs to be taught. A variety of digital equipment and software is being used at all times with students making the choices.

 

Report writing

I write individual reports on each teacher and the reports include:

bulletLevels of integration
bulletPersonal and Classroom goals
bulletWhat has been achieved since the last visit
bulletWhat has been discussed with the teacher

From these individual reports I write a school report that is included in the milestones for the cluster and for reporting back to Board of Trustees.

Example of teacher report

Name:
School:
Level: Year 5 - 8
Levels of Integration
Term One
She is going to work with other teachers on how to make movies from scratch. She has been using Inspiration extensively in the class particularly in Maths. The following are some of the things she is going to do this year
·Produce a full colour magazine (going to get sponsorship to pay for it)
·Aim to buy a digital camera for each class

Going to make the school website using FrontPage at the next Sunshine Webmaking course (has everything organised to go onto the website)

·Some of her children are going to do the Australian Computer exam
·Children are creating rockpool animations using camera and iMovie

·Students are going to make ‘making the right choices’ movie as a followup and assessment of the Life Ed course they have just completed
Appropriation Level:
 
Looked at downloading Quicktime Pro and how to use for animations. She is going to use this and iMovie as the applications of choice for the children in their next topic studies. 
Term Two
Has a numeracy Taskboard set up with computer options on it for independent learning
Talked about what sort of difference ICT has made to teaching and learning in her classroom
·Teaching style has definitely changed, everything is completely different
oEverything has an ICT component
oChildren take it for granted that they work on computers
oChildren independently access the internet and direct own learning, teacher does not decide what the children are going to do, they decide
oChildren discuss and self evaluate through whole class presentations what changes could be made
 
Children independently making graphs.  She is planning using Blooms new taxonomy. Inspiration is being used for maths. Using higher order thinking cards and Inspiration in reading. Discussed more ways to use HOT.
Term Three
Has made lots of teacher made materials for Olympics. We discussed how to develop children’s questioning skills. Has been using thinking hats extensively. Whole school has planned Olympic Unit with all teachers going to do and internet inquiry research, develop graphic organisers, create animations, movies and PowerPoint presentations. All teachers will be searching for activities and units online.

Has taken loads of photos of the felt making process and is gong to make a PowerPoint teaching SlideShow on how to make felt. Also going to make a movie documentary on felt making but film it as though they are making a cooking show.

Children are also going to make programmes, tickets and advertising for their school production.
Term four
Students have been creating a lot of animations independently using the cameras and Quicktime pro or iMovie. Students are also creating their own individual digital portfolios and a class portfolio of what they have been doing this year. This is going to be burned to a CD and then sent home. Added her Tangram animation to ShareIT.

Students are using Proscope and she has demonstrated its use to the cluster. Children have been doing investigations testing different papers for absorbency. They have been using the Proscope for taking photos and movies. Children then present their findings. Some of the children have also been experimenting with Logo.

Children are ready to start experimenting with GarageBand to make music.
Invention Level:

Personal Goals: 

bullet Set up resource kits for movie making
bullet Get know iMacs

Classroom Goals:
bullet Children are to continue with movie making and editing
bullet Children will create animations
bullet Children are to continue with movie making and editing
bullet Children will create animations

Example of School report

Term 4 Report

School:

Findings:

Teachers are building on the skills the children and themselves have developed over the years. ICT is part of daily life and integrated fully into what the teachers and children are doing. All children from Year 0 to 8 are very independent and it is quite common to see children of all ages wandering around using digital cameras and digital video cameras with expertise and confidence. It is noticeable in the classrooms how children independently access the computers when they need to and how teaching programmes allow this to happen. All 4 teachers submitted activity ideas to ShareIT this term. All teachers are thinking of new innovative ideas and how they can incorporate them into their classroom teaching. Teachers have commented on how the ICT contract has made a large impact on their own teaching practice.

Levels of Integration Term 3 Term 4 Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4

Entry Level: First month of using computers or this teacher has limited personal skills and does not feel comfortable using computers in the classroom.

           

Adoption Level:Teachers generally use text, lecture, and conventional approaches but introduce lessons to teach students how to use keyboard, mouse, and elementary applications. Integration is usually in one curriculum area only. Activities are more likely to be isolated tasks.

 1          

Adaptation Level:When most of the classroom time is still spent in conventional ways of teaching but students spend about one fourth or more of their time using computers for daily work in class. This could be WordProcessing tasks or using game software for reading or maths. There maybe some evidence of management systems set up.

 2 1        

Appropriation Level:The teacher is fully confident in the use of computers and integrates technology regularly into daily routines. Activities are more likely to be linked to classroom learning and integration is happening in at least 3 curriculum areas at a time. These classes will more than likely have management systems in place.

 1 3 4 4 4 2

Invention Level:Where teachers experiment with new ways of networking students and colleagues and use project-based instruction and interdisciplinary approaches. These classrooms will have integrated ICT seamlessly and children will be using computers from at least 80 – 100% of the day. Teachers and children are using a variety of digital equipment and software for both teaching and learning purposes.

          2

Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused. Computers in the classroom. Harvard University Press.

Recommendations:

§         Need to purchase a DVD burner

§         Think about purchasing a midi keyboard for using with GarageBand

§         Look at upgrading Kidspiration and Inspiration

 

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