eTIPs

Recently I read an article by Sara Dexter (2002) entitled eTIPs, which stands for Educational Technology Integration and Implementation Principles.  The article reviews principles that support technology integration in the classroom and school.  In a classroom setting, the teacher must select and use appropriate technology that will enhance student learning.  On a schoolwide level, teachers must be supported so that the technology can be implemented.  The following are three classroom level principles discussed in the article:

• Learning outcomes drive the selection of technology.
• Technology use provides added value to teaching and learning.
• Technology assists in the assessment of learning outcomes.

There are also principles for schoolwide technology implementation:

• Ready access to support technology is provided.
• Professional development is targeted at successful technology integration.
• Teachers reflect on, discuss, and provide feedback about the role of and support for educational technology.

Technology is able to add value to student learning when it makes possible lessons that would otherwise not be provided to students.  Technology implementation in the classroom can individualize instruction, motivate students, provide resources, scaffold learning, support collaboration, allow for reflection, support practice of skills, allow for a multisensory approach to learning, organize information, connect related information via hyperlinks, aid in assessment and demonstrate learning.  In this respect, the values added to education discussed in eTIPs correlates to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as both theories seek to provide greater access to resources and learning opportunities to improve student success.  Both also stress the need for a multisensory approach to learning, flexibility and connectibility of digital media, and connecting instructional goals to the appropriate use of technology. 

In our MD400 class, each of our projects focused on reaching diverse learners and providing access to resources that can be used in the classroom.  Our blogs, tableaux vivant exercises, Inspiration maps, podcasts, Photoshop images and digital stories each reach auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners, can be individualized as needed and connect both information and people together to allow for an accessible learning environment.