Bloom’s Taxonomy and Technology Integration

While planning on how to integrate technology into the classroom, it’s important to consider how Bloom’s Taxonomy fits into each lesson.  As a classroom teacher, considering Bloom’s Taxonomy in every lesson is essential in making sure all students gain the knowledge they need and can apply, synthesize, evaluate and create artifacts with the gained knowledge.  The goal of Bloom’s Taxonomy in the classroom is for students to gain skills and knowledge so they can use it to help further their education.  Bloom’s Taxonomy can be applied to the use of technology directly.  Students can gain knowledge through technology.  They can help build comprehension through the use of technology and analyze situations with it as well.  Through the use of different technological tools, students can apply their learning and create products that show their learning.

While creating my budget matrix, I had to think of disadvantages and potential issues that could arise with different technological configurations.  Through all of the configurations, students can gain knowledge and help strengthen comprehension.  However, when you’re in a classroom with limited technology (one computer or ten computers) students are limited to learning in small groups, large groups, or with the whole class.  When students have their own computer to use, they can explore what they want to learn and it gives them an opportunity to be in charge of their own learning.  When students are responsible for their own learning, they tend to value what they are doing more, and more can be achieved for more students.  That is not to say learning in larger groups is bad.  Sometimes in groups, questions and learning arises that may not have happened if there weren’t other learners bringing ideas up.

Teachers can overcome obstacles in classrooms with limited technology by coming up with alternative learning opportunities for students who don’t have technology to work with.  They can also modify lessons so technology fits within their lessons better.  The most eye opening thing that I discovered while completing the assignment was the monetary aspect.  Obviously, the harder of the configurations to integrate technology is the classroom with just one computer and a projector, which cost just under $900.  The configuration of having a computer cart with 25 Chromebooks cost about $6500, and was about seven times more expensive.  If I was working with my district, talking about bringing in some technology to classrooms, I would really push spending more money on chromebooks.  For seven times more, all students would have technology available to work with (given the cart would need to be signed out), but technology would be able to be used more effectively in lessons.  By having just one computer in a room with a projector, student technology use is limited, and integrating technology into lessons is much more of a challenge.