Building a 21st Century Culture is more than just teaching the technology, it requires reflection on the behind the scenes routines and structures of a classroom. Developing these routines and structures is the framing for your house. When you are teaching throughout the year you will forget about these routines, but without them we are unable to build our house.

Why make this investment?

When integrating technology there is a lot of room for wasted time, distraction and chaos. If we want technology to enhance the learning, not distract from it, we need to establish routines and structures for success. Consistency and practice on the routines and structures created is critical to making technology easily integrated into the classroom. If it takes 30 minutes to get out devices, you will be less inclined to pull out devices when those perfect opportunities for technology integration arise. 

Questions to ask yourself?

Where/How will my devices be stored and organized? How will students get out the devices quickly and quietly? How will my students return the devices? How will I get my students attention when they are using devices? What basic agreements do we need to have about the care and use of the devices? How will I store and make accessible peripherals, such as headphones? What will be the ways in which we trouble shoot issues in our classroom? What rules will we have about how students will support one another?

Challenge: Take a few minutes to answer the questions above and build your frame for technology integration. Being intentional about these little decisions will give you the freedom later to focus on THINKING!
More Information about How you Can teach this? What it will look like? and Follow Up? for Routines and Structures