On the Web: Preparing to Use Technology

The links provided at On the Web: Preparing to Use Technology present recommended resources for managing the technology classroom, popular educational indexes, planning for instruction, objectives and assessment, as well as professional organizations for teachers, general information regarding special learners, and standards-based links. Sections are listed alphabetically. If you know of a site that is missing from this collection but provides helpful information to teachers, please contact us.

Managing the Technology Classroom || Popular Educational Indexes || Planning for Instruction || Professional Organizations || Special Learners || Standards Based-Sites

Managing the Classroom during Technology Implementation

Computer Classroom Management
Internet4Classrooms (i4c), a collaborative effort of Susan Brooks and Billy Byles, is designed to help teachers provides a large collection of links for K-12 teachers to more information on managing the classroom when using computers as well as in-school integration support. Managing a computer classroom is key to technology integration. The computer management section allows teachers to browse effective management for one computer classrooms as well as an online workshop from WNET in New York that provides information on whole-class presentations, computer teams, independent work and special challenges such as difference in skill levels and those having no computer at home.

Managing Computer Use: Challenges and Solutions
Intel presents this resource that shares information about managing classrooms during computer use. Common challenges faced by teachers as well as questions and concerns from teachers implementing technology including how to keep students on task and productive, getting work contributed by each member of collaborative technology groups, dealing with the digital divide.

Popular Educational Indexes

Blue Web'n
This online searchable library, sponsored by AT&T, is a great place to find lesson plans and a host of other resources.

Discovery School
The site, sponsored by the Discovery Channel and offers links on curriculum topics in science, natural history and geography as well as serving as the host for the well known Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators as well as a clip art galley, homework helpers and a Puzzlemaker. Teacher may sign up for the newsletter and visit the Teacher's store.

Education World
Education World provides a searchable database with for educational resources only. Additionally, the site offers original lesson plans, practical information for educators, information on how to integrate technology in the classroom, articles written by education experts, web site reviews, daily features and more. Techtorials are weekly step by step instructions on using various aspects of technology including emerging technologies.

Educational Web Adventures (Eduweb)
This award-winning site provides digital learning games and interactives for art, history, science and technology. Eduweb is where learning experiences bring learning theory and digital technology together. It’s definitely worth the visit.

Exploratorium
This well known museum, based in San Francisco, provides one of the best educational sites available for digital explorations, online exhibits and activities, webcasts, and a library of digital media.

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
This index is a rich resource for teachers. Schrock, a former technology coordinator, keeps this site updated regularly and provides links to a vast amount of information for teachers.

Global SchoolNet
Global SchoolNet supports 21st century learning though project-based online activities. Teachers and students develop literacy and communication skills, promote collaboration and foster workforce preparedness and multi-cultural understanding as they connect to people worldwide. A media gallery provides videos and podcasts.

PBS Teachers
The Public Broadcasting service (PBS) provides a large collection of standard-based resources for the arts, health & fitness, math, reading & language arts, science and technology, social studies as well as a section for early childhood learners. A featured resource is online professional development on assessment and evaluation.

Scholastic
Scholastic offers a huge selection of teacher resources for K-8 including organizers and templates. Printables are available and much more. There is a section provided for strategies of for integrating technology. Interactive student skill builders as well as RSS feeds and podcasts. There are also resources for kids and parents.

Thinkfinity
This site, sponsored by Verizon Foundation, features quality standard-based lesson plans, interactives and more at this site. The powerful resources available here are developed to "deliver resources to advance the knowledge and skills that are required of citizens in the 21st century."

Planning for instruction, lesson plans, objectives and assessment

Planning for Instruction
This online module is designed to assist pre-service teachers in developing unit plans and lesson plans that guide instruction in K-12 classrooms. The sections of the module present information about why plan, unit plans, lesson plans, instructional objectives, writing objectives with an interactive practice, classifying objectives (revised Bloom's taxonomy), and instructional methods for presenting information to students (teacher-centered and student-centered). These may used as needed to supplement or reinforce your learning as you develop unit plans and lesson plans.

Professional Organizations for Teachers

Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)
ACEI promotes and supports the optimal education and development of children, from birth through early adolescence, and streams to influence the professional growth of educators.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
CEC is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit professional organization with a worldwide membership of individuals in educational technology. ISTE provides leadership and service to improve teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in K–12 education and teacher education. This site is rich with resources for teachers. Technology using teachers and teachers in preparation MUST join this organization to meet other teachers with great success stories about technology.

National Art Education Association (NAEA)
NAEA is a professional organization for Art Educators that provides bi-monthly journal articles on the directions, problems or approaches in art education (visual). These articles share information about the art curriculum, teaching strategies, innovative programs or special areas including studio art, art history and more. Research the benefits that this organization offers to undergrad and graduate students as well as the first year professional and active teachers of art.

National Association for Music Education (MENC)
MENC was founded in 1907 and has grown into a membership of 130,000 music teachers, university faculty and researchers, college students preparing to be music teachers as well as high school honor society members and MusicFriends. Read about the mission, the many activities and programs which include the national standards for music education.

National Education Association (NEA)
National Educational Service provides tested and proven resources to help those who work with youth create safe and caring schools, agencies, and communities where all children succeed.

National Council of Teachers of English
An professional organization dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English and language arts, NCTE provides helpful links for K-12 teachers at this site.

National Council for Teachers of Mathematics
NCTM is the main organization for K-12 teachers of mathematics and has the responsibility of providing broad national leadership to mathematics education.

National Council for the Social Studies
This site is developed by the professional organization representing social studies teachers in the US. Featured here are teaching resources, professional development activities, publications, news, and Internet resources.

National Science Teachers Association
NSTA is the largest organization in the world that promotes excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning.

Special Learners

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
At this site, CAST provides abundant information regarding Universal Design for Learning (UDL). CAST, a non-profit educational research and development organization, works to create opportunities for all students, particularly those with disabilities, through using technology to make education more flexible and accessible. The book, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, which outlines the process of UDL, is available online at this site.

Assistive Technology Training Online (ATTO)
ATTO offers information on assistive technology (AT) applications that assists students with disabilities in elementary classrooms. This award-winning site, funded by the US Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, provides basic information on AT use, information on AT decision making, and new tutorials about how to use AT hardware and software. The site includes links to other resources and organizations.

Students with Special Needs
Sponsored by New Horizons for Learning, a non-profit organization, this site links to resources for inclusion, attention deficit, autism, gifted, and English language learners. The site also features links to a database of teaching and learning resources and strategies for inclusion, including technology related research.

Special Education Resources on the Internet (SERI)
SERI is a collection of links to information on various disabilities, professional organizations, legislation, and technology resources related to Special Education.

Standards Based Sites

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS•T) and Students (NETS•S)
NETS•T provide teachers, and teacher preparation institutions with standards, performance indicators and rubrics for teachers. The online site does not provide the rubrics. They can be purchased from the NETS Resource Library found at this page. NETS•S provide teachers with student standards, profiles and performance indicators.

National Education Standards for Administrators (NETS•A)
ISTE NETS Project determined that to creative a systematic change, the administrators of schools must also be held accountable to standards. ISTE adopted the Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA) standards for the NETS•A for the administrators that lead the schools. (Note: NETS•A are being revised and will be available in the summer of 2009. The current NETS standards for administrators are presented here.)