With the increasing demands for enhanced and interactive curriculum and the need to prepare students for online testing, effectively integrating the use of technology in the elementary grades is more important today than ever before. But what should that integration look like? How can teachers best use technology to foster greater student achievement and retention?
Four Ways Technology Boosts Learning
Research adapted from Cohen and Ball (1999) has identified four ways that technology can be used to accelerate student learning:
- Provide more effective instruction through the use of prerecorded lessons.
- Facilitate differentiated instruction through software that offers one-on-one tutoring or skills practice.
- Offer more and expanded opportunities to practice critical skills.
- Increase learner engagement through videos and games.
With these four goals in mind, the next step is to decide how to implement them. And that’s where the hard work really begins. How in the world is an elementary educator with limited time supposed to research the best ways to accomplish these goals?
How ETC Supports Elementary Educators
The good news is that TCEA is here to help with the Elementary Technology Conference (ETC), held June 11-13, 2023 in fabulous Galveston, TX. Workshops and sessions at this interactive and fun learning event will focus on giving you ways to integrate technology to boost learning, so you don’t have to spend time searching. And everything applies to you because this conference is just for elementary educators!
Jeannine Freeman, TCEA’s Partnerships and Events Manager, was an elementary digital learning coach prior to joining TCEA in 2022, and she’s been attending ETC since 2013. “My background is in primary education and to go to a conference where everyone speaks the same language I do gives me life!” she says. “The biggest benefit is a schedule full of sessions that speak directly to elementary educators. You can find something in every single session that will benefit you in your role and enhance your work.”
At ETC, experienced presenters offer ready-to-use lessons and resources that you can easily integrate into your teaching this fall, all while you enjoy the beach and fun of Galveston. The included continental breakfast, full lunch, and an afternoon snack make the learning even more delicious!
Sign up for one of the four deep-dive workshops and take your own learning to the next level:
- Put the TEAM in STEAM (grades K-2)
- Teach in Style: Elevate Your Materials with Canva (all grade levels)
- How STAAR Librarians Support Teachers and Students (grades 3 and up)
- Applying the Latest Research to Improve Instructional Coaching
Register today for just $259 before the price increases on April 7. There’s no better way to learn and grow than with TCEA!
