By Susan Biggers

Lisa Eidson, Media Specialist at Villa Rica Middle School in Temple, GA, goes beyond the norm when teaching teachers and increasing their technology comfort level. She not only trains teachers to use technology in the regular staff development class format, but she continues the training with classroom demonstrations which make the technology relevant to the teachers instruction.

Media Specialist three years. Middle Grades Teacher, ten years. M.Ed. In Middle Grades, West Georgia College Media Add-on, West Georgia College 2006

Response: Integrating technology is the use of software or hardware to enhance curriculum standards and meet the objectives of each lesson, unit or activity.

Response: Technology should not drive the curriculum. The curriculum should drive the technology. Teachers must remember that technology is only a tool to enhance or support instructional strategies.

Response: Technology Literate means that educators are able to use learning specific tools, such as software or hardware, successfully in the classroom. They are knowledgeable in the applications that enhance learning and are able to implement those applications with the learning objectives as the focus of the lessons. They are able to differentiate instruction by infusing technology.

Response: Lack of teacher training Lack of administrative support Limited time for teacher planning Discontinuation of use by teachers because of minor problems Technology infrastructure problems-network connections, wireless connections, electrical connections, cable availability Budget constraints Basic resistance to change by teachers

Response: Planning by the school district for every aspect of technology integration from budget, to installation of hardware and software, to teacher and staff training. Planning by school administrators for teacher training and time needed for follow-up, staff development, and promotion of collaboration among teachers, media specialist, and technology specialist.

Response: Make sure you are fully trained to use the technology. Speak with educators that are successfully using the technology. Find specific examples of how best to implement the technology.

Teachers must plan how they will teach the curriculum, what areas they need to cover for content, and where they can use technology to meet learning objectives

Response: Successful technology integration is when you achieve the goal you were seeking and your students master the standard being covered. A failed attempt would be when one of these two are not accomplished.

Mrs. Eidson currently serves students and teachers as a media specialist in Carroll County. She was previously a classroom teacher and has certification in math, science, language arts, and social studies. Her previous classroom experience has helped prepare her for the task of integrating technology and has made it possible to identify with the classroom teachers need for support. She makes every effort to train teachers and educate students on ways to integrate technology in teaching and learning.