Technology Integration

Computers in My Classroom? Who, Me?

Have you surfed the Internet? Have you typed a letter or a resume using MS Word? Have you sent/received email? Then you know enough to get started using computers as an instructional tool. (If you have never done one or more of these, don't worry. Read on.) Integrating computers into your classroom instruction need not be an overwhelming experience. Start with what you know, improve your own skills as you go along, and avoid teaching beyond your level of expertise. The more knowledge and skills you acquire, and the deeper and farther you venture to surf the Internet, the more possibilities and ideas present themselves on how best to incorporate computer technology into the adult learner's skill base. What follows are a few practical methods to at least get started that will immediately launch your adult learners into the world of computers as a "need to have", "gotta use" resource and tool.

Most adult learners have had some experience, however limited, with computers. A few, however, have never attempted to turn on one. Where do your students fall in this continuum? A good place to start is to assess their current level of computer skills. The student's self-assessment will actually accomplish two things: instruction will begin at the correct level, i.e., neither too basic nor too advanced for the class as a whole; and more skilled students can be paired with unskilled students for computer work. Several assessment tools can be found on the Internet, such as "Computer Skills Assessment Instrument for Adult Learners," adapted by Jackie Hamlett, Lake County Literacy Program, Waukegan Public Library from the Onandoga Adult Literacy Program Assessment.

A good introductory lesson is a single Web address and a simple Web search. This can be anything that pertains to a regular classroom lesson. For example, students can look up definitions and pronunciation of vocabulary words from a given URL. From there, they can do a simple Web search to learn more about a particular word or to find another reference source, such as a thesaurus. Even the least computer-literate student can do these with hands-on instruction. If needed, the most fundamental computer skills (e.g., point and click, type the address, back and forward) can be covered quickly without bogging down the lesson. Also, the more skilled students can mentor their less skilled partners. This exercise introduces the students to the wealth of information at their fingertips and, hopefully, sparks their interest and enthusiasm to learn more. Students will also demonstrate their actual competency with computers, which may be better (or worse) than their own assessment. Future lessons can be planned according to the class' demonstrated competency.

The Internet is a great resource for immediate access to information needed for solving real world problems. To jumpstart the class, pose a real world problem that requires they locate information to solve it. Have the students search the Internet to obtain and evaluate this information, and then solve the problem. Examples of such problems can be anything that has immediate value to your students, such as financing a car, accessing the Better Business Bureau to research a company or to file a consumer complaint.

To keep the student engaged with the computer as both a resource and work tool, try assigning a "term" paper that requires a minimum of one electronic source. It can be as short as the required five-paragraph essay of the GED writing test or as long as the standard college term paper, or anywhere in between. The "term paper" necessarily engages the student with the computer, both for research and for writing-and satisfies a number of curriculum standards-while learning/ improving computer skills. Another method is online reading. This is not easy on the eyes, but it solves a few problems, such as not enough books to go around. The Internet holds many websites that offer a wide variety of reading materials. Some Web sites that offer free online novels are:

http://www.ipl.org/reading/books/index.html

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/lit3.html

http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/

For those of us who would like to improve our own computer skills, the Internet provides several sites that offer free instruction, such as http://learnthenet.com (learn to use the Internet) and http://www.lgta.org/lessons.html (Word Perfect, Excel, Power Point, Access). Numerous Web sites exist that offer free information and instruction for teachers on how to incorporate computers and Web-based instruction in the classroom. For additional help in accessing Internet resources, using the Web, lesson plans and more, visit the following Web sites: http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/tl/index.html (provides examples of how the Web is being used as a medium for learning, with searchable sites for over 35 subject categories)

National Teacher Training Institute at http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/ntti/ (includes lesson plans, classroom management and online free workshops for teachers).

These are only a few practical suggestions to get started using computers. The possibilities are limited only by the instructor's own experience, courage, and creativity. The more involved we become with what we are trying to teach, the more opportunities we will find for incorporating computer technology seamlessly into regular classroom instruction.

Sandy Jamar is an instructor of GED/ABE with the Adult Education Department of the Victoria College, Victoria, Texas. She teaches in both Victoria and Port Lavaca classrooms. She has a Masters of Education, Counseling and Guidance from the University of Texas-Pan American.