Running head: TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 1

Technology Integration Proposal Assignment

Pia L. Bowes

Grand Canyon University: TEC 530

Dr. Shawn Shavers-Sublett

12/6/17
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 2

Technology Integration Proposal Assignment

As technology becomes more widespread, affordable, and integrated into society,

students must learn how to use technology to become successful as adults. I completed this

technology integration proposal for an early childhood center, as that is where I teach. The

student population ranges from ages three to five and consists of general education students and

students who receive special education services under various categories, but predominantly as

students with developmental delays. Though monetary requirements are typically addressed in

proposals, this paper will not contain the school budget, pricing of materials and labor, or any

costs analyses. The following technology integration proposal will address students accessing

technology, students using digital information and technology, and students using digital age

communication and collaboration tools.

Technology Integration Proposal

When integrating technology into an early childhood centers, the hardware may be

similar, but its use will most likely be very different from that of older students. Also, as early

childhood centers primarily serve students eligible to participate in the Special Education

Program, we must follow the requirements set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and Individualized Education Programs. When we use

technology, we must align our use with technology standards and technology policies and guide

lines at the national, state level, and district level. When focusing on integrating Kenmoor Early

Childhood Center with technology, we should consider technology accessibility, digital

information and technology, and digital age communication and collaboration tools.

Students Accessing Technology

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 3

To have technology effectively integrated into our school, students must have access to it.

Though we have students with disabilities and very young learners, all students should have

access to technology. The National Education Technology Plan (NETP), which was created by

the U.S. Department of Education to “ensure that learners of all ages have opportunities for

personal growth and prosperity and remain competitive in a global economy,” focuses on

equitable access in its first section (U.S. Department of Education, 2017, p. 8). We currently

have Assistive Technology devices available, Smart Boards or Interactive Whiteboard inside

every classroom, and an iPad assigned to every room, so this already supports NETP. This

difficulty comes when a “digital use divide” is created because some classrooms consistently use

Smart Boards as interactive tools, while others only use it as a projector, and some don’t use it at

all (U.S. Department of Education, 2017, p. 7). Some teachers may not know how to operate

Smart Boards or use iPads educationally, so they go unused. If the technology is not being used,

a disservice is being done to the students. Another hardware issue preventing students from

accessing technology is broken desktop computers, broken headphones, and broken monitors.

These prevent students from an opportunity to independently experience developmentally

appropriate and educational technology. The latter issue can be easily resolved by creating and

inventory of the malfunctioning equipment and replacing or repairing it, but the former issue is a

little more complicated. Some early childhood teachers believe that instruction with young

children should be concrete experiences and any technology should be developmentally

appropriate and used to help children explore the world, so they have difficulty finding value in

tablets and Smart Boards (Shifflet, Toledo, & Mattoon, 2012). If our teachers and

paraprofessionals took surveys, we could see their philosophies and how to train them to

properly operate and create engaging instruction with technology. It could be beneficial for
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 4

teachers to observe a model technology integrated classroom, so they could see how student

instruction and engagement is improved.

Once students begin using the technology, they must know how to operate and properly

interact with the software and hardware. This aligns with International Society for Technology in

Education (ISTE) Student Standard 1d, which is about students understanding technology

operations, being able to troubleshoot issues, and transferring learning so they can explore new

technology (ISTE, 2017-a). Teachers can then build on those skills to create empowered learning

activities instead of passive learning, which is supports ISTE Educator Standard 5b: “Design

authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and

resources to maximize active, deep learning” (ISTE, 2017-b). Of course, teachers should use

modeling, guided practice, and independent practice over days or weeks, rather than just one

lesson. This will not only help instruction, but social and emotional skills, because students will

be learning how to share resources and take turns, when engaged in a highly desired activity.

Students Using Digital Information and Technology

Once students begin consistently having access to technology and resources, students

should learn how to properly use digital information. Students, in early childhood, use digital

information differently than older students, but they should use digital information in a safe,

healthy and ethical manner, so they would require lessons. For teachers who are unsure of how to

facilitate learning about digital information and online behavior to young children, there are

several resources to assist them. Brainpopjr.com has a video about internet safety, which

specifically pertains to online behaviors, like downloading and messaging, so students should

already have some familiarity with those activities (BrainPOP, 2017). Another option is a

website called “Smartie the Penguin,” which addresses issues like pop-ups, inappropriate sites,
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 5

and cyberbullying (Childnet International, 2015). These are downloadable lessons, of different

levels, which include problem solving of situations involving an anthropomorphic penguin who

gets a tablet for Christmas. One benefit is that this presentation is on PowerPoint, so slides can

be eliminated or addressed at a later time. Access to inappropriate sites and restrictions on

harmful matter are already addressed by our district because the district procedures align with

those the regulations from the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), so those points can just

be adjusted to language appropriate for early childhood students (Federal Communications

Commission, 2017).

Another way to address the responsibilities associated with using digital tools and

information is through teaching digital citizenship skills. Students would have to know the three

elements of digital citizenship, which are “how to protect themselves, respect themselves and

others, and educate themselves” before they are allowed to have unstructured time on the

internet, for instance during centers (Ribble, 2017). Otherwise, students may do things like get

on Waterford.org under another student’s name, after their turn is over, which would be

accessing someone else’s digital information. Cyberbullying for early childhood students may be

as simple as adding pictures that other students don’t like to their feed on a communication tool,

or asking an older sibling to type something mean about another child. Among other issues,

cyberbullying can cause “feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression” in young children (Ey,

Taddeo, & Spears, 2015). Students who commit these actions will have to get additional lessons

on appropriate online behaviors or may lose their privileges until the additional lessons are

completed. Increased online access would require parent permission and an acceptable use

policy, which students would review with their parents, would also need to be signed. This
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 6

would make students and parents aware other the repercussions of their actions and hopefully

deter negative online behaviors.

Students Using Digital Age Communication and Collaboration Tools

Before students participate in using digital communication and collaboration tools, their

parents should sign a permission slip. As some parents do not even want their children’s pictures

taken, this could be difficult, but if the site name, the actions available to students, and the

information that would be exchanged on the site were explained, parents would be more

amenable. Communication tools would probably be the easiest, as many of our students are

already aware of ClassDojo.com (Class Twist, n.d.). Early childhood students communicating

with others digitally, would consist of pictures or memes, if they were independently posting, but

words or sentences if an older sibling or parent assisted them. Opportunities for collaboration

could be units about diversity, where they posted pictures of their families, the name of the

country where their parents are from, or the country’s flag. Students could review the pictures

and see where their classmates families originated and make graphs, print and sort images, or

just have a discussion. Communicating with people outside of the school would not be an

independent project. The teacher could locate a class in another country and both class could act

like pen-pals, only they would be posting information about the curriculum, holidays, the

geography of the region, and extracurricular activities. This would help to create a better

understanding of how similar we are to people of other cultures. Our new iPads would assist in

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) because hand-held devices “promote

collaborations with classmates to develop content and technology skills” (Szmodis & Columba,

2013). You see this whenever students are crowding around an adults phone to see pictures.

Conclusion
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 7

Though there are some costly changes that should be made to integrate technology

further into our building and instruction, many of the steps just require documents and teachers

to “overcome [their] fear of the unknown” and be willing to try new strategies for facilitating

learning (Boss, 2008).

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 8

References

Boss, S. (2008). Overcoming Technology Barriers: How to Innovate Without Extra Money or

Support. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/technology-how-to-implement-

classroom

BrainPOP. (2017). Internet Safety. Retrieved from

https://jr.brainpop.com/artsandtechnology/technology/internetsafety/

Childnet International. (2015). Smartie The Penguin. Retrieved from

http://www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin

Class Twist, Inc. (n.d.). ClassDojo. Retrieved from https://www.classdojo.com/

Federal Communications Commission. (2017). Children’s Internet Protection Act. Retrieved

from https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act

International Society for Technology in Education. (2017-a). ISTE standards for students.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students#

International Society for Technology in Education. (2017-b). ISTE standards for teachers.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students#

Ey, L., Taddeo, C., & Spears, B. (2015). Cyberbullying and Primary-School Aged Children: The

Psychological Literature and the Challenge for Sociology. Societies, Vol 5, Iss 2, pp.

492-514 (2015), (2), 492. doi:10.3390/soc5020492

Ribble, M. (2017). Digital Citizenship: Using Technology Appropriately. Retrieved from

http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/nine-elements.html
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT 9

Shifflet, R., Toledo, C., & Mattoon, C. (2012). Touch Tablet Surprises: A Preschool Teacher's

Story. YC Young Children, (3), 36.

Szmodis, W., & Columba, L. (2013). Technology for Young Learners: Making a Case for

Innovative Tools. National Teacher Education Journal, 6(1), 61-68.

US Department of Education. (2017). National Education Technology Plan. Retrieved from

https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf

Waterford Research Institute, LLC. (n.d.). SmartStart. Retrieved from

https://www.waterford.org/smartstart/