Chapter 6

Curriculum can be defined as the knowledge, skills, and performance standards students are expected to acquire in particular grade levels, or through sequences or clusters based on subject matter units of instruction. The Departments of Education provide districts with documents called curriculum frameworks or curriculum guides, which describe curriculum standards and the benchmarks for learning. Sometimes there are Grade level Expectations (GLEs) and Mastery Objective Checklists built into the curriculum as well. In current years, technology has become a huge part of our curriculum. Technology integration (also known as curriculum integration) is the combination of all technology parts, such as hardware and software, together with each subject-related area of the curriculum in order to enhance learning. One example of this movement is attempting to put computer labs in every school and, in many cases, even multiple computers in every classroom. Today you don't only just use computers in your computer class. You will be using computers and technology in basically every one of your classes, regardless of the subject area!

This chapter also discussed the learning process and the many benefits technology brings to it. Authentic learning experiences are instructional activities that demonstrate real-life connections by associating the concept being taught with an actual real-life experience. Active learning occurs when students become engaged in inquiring, investigating, solving problems, and formulating and answering their own questions. Can you think of any device or tool that is more capable of promoting this type of learning than a computer!? It also promotes and enhances anchored instruction, problem-based instruction, and discovery learning. Two popular softwares that have proven to be great learning tools are Body Works, used to teach concepts about the human body, and Microsoft Encarta, an interactive computerized encyclopedia.

Recently, I have been practicing Microsoft Word through SAM training and tests, as well as through creating my web evaluation form. I always considered myself pretty proficient with Word, especially compared to how little I know about most of the other computer programs out there. However, my recent usage has opened my eyes to whole new wonders about Word! I did not know that there is a Forms toolbar where you can create form fields to be filled in and check boxes to complete. You can then protect the document so those who access it can only complete the form; the system will not allow them to make any other changes. I believe I will often create these types of forms throughout my educational career. I also learned how to do a “mail merge” on Word. This is a very efficient way to compose the same letter addressed to many different people. Also, it was pretty cool to create a web evaluation form. The lack of credibility of online sources is something I am aware of, but I had yet to consider its ramifications in the classroom. After the activity, it made me realize that it as an issue my students need to know, and I plan to use a similar form when I have a classroom of my own.