How to use technology in the classroom?

By Michael Hilkemeijer

 

 

Strategies for Integrating Technology in Your Classroom Today

How do you integrate technology in teaching and learning? There is a difference between just using and/or exposing technology in the classroom and technology integration in the classroom. Anyone can use technology in the classroom but if it is not used in a meaningful context, it is not really deemed as what is known as technology integration.

 

On the other hand, for it to be truly called technology integration then it is important that the technology is ‘transparent’ being that the children are so focused on using ICT as a tool to achieve other outcomes that they hardly notice that they are using technology itself.

 

This is the ultimate aim in developing ICT capability and is about equipping children with sufficient experiences to enable them to use ICT without having to stop and think. You have enabled them to develop a range of ‘transparent’ routines and ICT techniques that are part of their unconscious action.

 

As a primary school teacher, it should be your ultimate aim to enable the children to reach the stage where the technology becomes sufficiently ‘transparent’.   But what are examples of strategies for integrating technology in the classroom that truly uses technology in a ‘transparent’ manner?

 

 

 

Choosing applications that are Transparent

If technology is to be transparent then it is also important that the ICT capability and not the ICT skills that the students learn is ‘transferrable’ from one context to the next. This must be a key feature of your technology integration in the classroom.

 

It is why I always encourage teachers in my online workshops to be very knowledgeable about one program that their students will use than to have an acquaintance with a large number. So that students will get to work with a small number of versatile programs in such a way that will enable them to progressively develop their ICT capabilities and confidence in carefully structured activities as opposed to learning how to use a large number superficially.

 

It is vital that the ICT tools for teaching and learning have the quality of ‘transparency’ so when choosing applications that are transparent ensure that it can be used across the curriculum. For example, Integrated Learning Systems such as Numeracy learning software and Literacy learning software cannot be integrated across various contexts successfully. Yet, programs such as spreadsheets and word processors can be used to learn numeracy and literacy with the best practices to do so.

 

The best programs that you can use are the ones that give the student almost complete control over the computer itself – like content-free and generic application software. This is otherwise known as tool software and it can be used in many different ways. Such programs provide a high level of control for students and this also includes their decision-making too.

 

Finally, every program needs to provide opportunities for students to be intellectually challenged.

 

 

The Best Practices for integrating Technology in the Classroom

 

Throughout my studies of research about technology integration, I have learned a lot about what you can do. Here is what I learned.

 

All of this has implications for you as a teacher in your planning work and organising of activities.

 

Planning

For technology integration to be transparent and for ICT capability to be developed it needs to occur in meaningful activities that are embedded in purposeful, subject-related contexts. Rather than just teaching children how to use a database, it can be taught through using a database to help children learn something useful about a subject.

 

Another key principle in planning is that the level of demand of most ICT activities can be adjusted to meet the needs of the children. For example, if the learning outcome of a science activity is to label a picture of a plant then by taking into account the current level of ICT capability of the children you can have the ones with little experience of ICT to drag and drop labels from one part of the screen to another.

 

For those with more experience they can extract labels from a word bank and then for those who are more confident can even type the names in. The most advanced group of children in terms of their ICT capability can go further and locate a suitable image from the Internet or use a paint program to draw their own image.

 

 

Another point to remember in your planning is to ensure that students have the support that needs for developing their ICT capability while providing them with the contexts which stimulate learning in the subject as well.

 

Questions such as the ones here need to be considered:

• What is the educational purpose of the activity – to develop ICT capability, to support learning in another subject, or both?
• Will the children need to be monitored to identify opportune moments for you to intervene to enhance their skills?
• Does it provide the children with experience of using ICT as a tool?
• Are there opportunities for you to assess student ICT capabilities?
• Will the children work co-operatively or collaboratively? How will this be introduced and supported?

(Bennett, 1997)

 

If your children are to have rich and stimulating experiences, the learning environment should be well-planned and well-organized. All ICT objects, activities, and programs that you will provide need to be planned with sensitivity and understanding.

 

Furthermore, if you analyse your classroom situation of technological affordances, social affordances, problem contexts, and student ICT capabilities then this can help you to plan for technology integration in the classroom. Your role is to manipulate the contexts and affordances in relation to students existing abilities to facilitate learning. However, if there is little to no gap between the abilities and the affordances involved in the application of the software, then only learning in that subject will be enhanced.

 

This can be changed if there is a manageable gap between the affordances and abilities in areas of ICT techniques and processes. In this instance, learning occurs in both the subject area and ICT capability.

 

Consider how ICT can be used effectively in the planning process and what factors you need to consider to ensure it is integrated effectively in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Guided Approach to Bringing Digital Tools into Your Teaching Practice

Why This Question Matters to Today’s Teachers

If you're wondering why use technology in the classroom or how to integrate it meaningfully, you're not alone. These are some of the most frequently asked—and most important—questions in education today. Technology is everywhere, but that doesn't mean it's easy to use well. Knowing where to start, how to plan, and what actually supports learning can feel overwhelming without guidance. This blog is here to help you move from uncertainty to clarity, with a supported path forward.

 

 

It’s Not About the Tool—It’s About the Purpose

Before selecting a device or app, it’s essential to define the purpose of technology in the classroom. Meaningful integration is never random—it starts with the curriculum and ends with the child. According to Edutopia, integration is most effective when it is “routine and transparent” and used to enhance learning outcomes—not replace them.

Purposeful planning often starts with these three questions:

• What is the learning goal?

• How can digital tools extend or enhance that goal?

• What outcomes am I hoping to observe?

When you're clear on your intentions, tools become enablers—not distractions. They support collaboration, creativity, communication, and problem-solving in context.

 

 

 

Why Integration Often Feels Out of Reach

Even with good intentions, many educators still feel uncertain about using digital tools meaningfully. This is often due to a lack of structure rather than a lack of will. Without clear examples, planning support, or feedback, it’s easy to fall into trial-and-error patterns that lead to frustration.

Some common challenges include:

• Selecting tools without linking them to learning goals

• Feeling unsure how to observe or assess impact

• Limited time to reflect, refine, or adjust

• No peer feedback to support confidence

That’s why learning how to integrate technology in the classroom requires more than ideas—it needs a guided framework and real-world support.

 

 

 

What It Looks Like With Support: A Real Example

Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, members are guided step-by-step through planning and implementing technology-integrated learning. One example comes from Mia, an early childhood educator working on language development with her preschool group.

 

Mia wanted to introduce digital storytelling but wasn’t sure how to make it meaningful. She opened the membership workbook and used the Lesson Planning Template (pg. 114) to map out her goal: help children express ideas using sounds and spoken language.

She selected the Outdoor Digital Storytelling lesson plan, then used the Observation Guide (pg. 101) to decide what to track: collaboration, verbal storytelling, and digital literacy.

Before the lesson, Mia shared her plan in the community to ask if others had adapted this for mixed-ability groups. Members offered visual scaffolds and pacing ideas.

During the activity, her children recorded nature sounds and built their own digital storybooks using Book Creator. Mia recorded her observations and used the Reflection Prompts (pg. 182) to consider how to support students with fewer verbal skills next time.

This activity became a core part of her literacy block—because now she had a plan, the tools, and ongoing support to refine and adapt her practice.

 

This is what integration looks like in real classrooms when teachers have the structure and support to do it well.

 

 

What You Learn vs. What Members Apply

To help clarify how knowledge becomes practice, here’s how this journey compares for non-members vs. members:

WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING NOW	WHAT MEMBERS APPLY IN THE ACADEMY
Understand the purpose of technology in the classroom	Plan with intention using the Lesson Planning Template (pg. 114)
Learn common challenges with digital integration	Identify and track success using the Observation Guide (pg. 101)
Discover the need for reflective teaching	Reflect and adjust using Community Reflection Prompts (pg. 182)
Seek examples of meaningful integration	Access full lesson plans like Outdoor Digital Storytelling
Know that you're not alone in this process	Get advice and encouragement inside the member community

 

This connection between learning and application is what sets supported integration apart from guesswork.

 

 

When You Have the Right Support, Everything Changes

Once you learn how to integrate technology in the classroom intentionally, your planning changes. You stop chasing ideas and start creating impact. You focus on student learning, not devices. And with the right structure, you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

 

That’s exactly what the ICT in Education Teacher Academy provides: curriculum-aligned lesson plans, planning templates, observation tools, and a supportive community of educators moving forward together.

 

 

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📘 This lesson is available inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy — Members can download it now, along with the workbook tools that guide planning, observation, and reflection.

👉 Join Now — Save instantly on the annual plan

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What Would Integration Look Like for You—If You Had the Right Tools?

If this is something you’ve wanted to do but haven’t known where to start, the support is already waiting. With clear, flexible learning and a community behind you, you can make technology a natural and purposeful part of your classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Ideas to Impact: Understanding How to Use Technology Meaningfully

Turning Curiosity Into Confident Action

Educators often begin their journey by looking up ways to use technology in the classroom. But real change doesn’t come from collecting apps or tools — it comes from applying teaching strategies using technology that elevate your practice and engage your learners meaningfully.

 

This blog is designed to take you from idea to strategy, and to show how educators inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy apply those strategies with structure, support, and confidence.

 

 

Start With Why: Purposeful Planning Before Tools

Before choosing a device, app, or software, educators must ask: What’s the learning intention? The most effective technology strategies in the classroom begin with pedagogy, not products.

According to your Differentiation and Formative Assessment ebooks, meaningful tech use:

• Connects to curriculum goals

• Builds ICT capability through purposeful experiences

• Adapts to learner needs and context

• Is designed for observation, reflection, and refinement

 

 

 

5 High-Impact Strategies That Guide Technology Use

Here are five research-backed strategies drawn from your ebook collection. Each is already embedded in membership lesson plans and tools.

1. Transparent Technology Use

Defined in the Science Tech ebook, this strategy promotes the idea that tech becomes an invisible support—not a novelty. Children learn with technology, not about it. For example, using a voice recorder to retell a story makes the tech part of the literacy process, not an add-on.

2. Scaffolded Integration

As shown in ICT in Primary Science, effective integration means layering support and gradually building independence. This strategy is commonly used in digital investigations or coding lessons, where children move from guided to independent use.

3. Differentiated Digital Access

The Practicing Inclusion with ICT ebook outlines the use of assistive tech, multimodal platforms, and UDL-aligned planning to support diverse learners. Whether it's using touch screens, predictive text, or storyboarding apps, the goal is equitable engagement.

4. Observation-Based Planning

Drawn from the Formative Assessment guide, this strategy helps educators plan and adapt based on what they observe. Inside the membership, the Observation Guide (pg. 101) and Reflection Prompts (pg. 182) allow teachers to track how learners use technology and adapt accordingly.

5. Ethical and Safe Technology Use

Explored in Digital Play and Safety & Ethics, this strategy ensures ICT use is developmentally appropriate and socially responsible. It involves teaching children to navigate technology safely, use tools respectfully, and understand their digital footprint.

 

 

From Learning to Application: Strategy in Action

Strategy	What You’re Learning Now	What Members Apply Through the Academy
Transparent Technology Use	Understand how to embed tech within the learning process	Use literacy or science plans that build tech seamlessly into storytelling
Scaffolded Integration	See how to design gradual, supported tech learning	Apply lesson scaffolds for coding, robotics, and photography-based tasks
Differentiated Digital Access	Learn how to include every learner	Use planning templates that align tech choice with learner needs
Observation-Based Planning	Discover why observation drives intentional teaching	Record and reflect using workbook tools before modifying the next activity
Ethical and Safe Technology Use	Understand the risks and responsibilities in digital play	Use digital citizenship plans and eSafety discussions during group tasks

 

 

Inside the Membership: Where Strategy Becomes Support

Educators in the ICT in Education Teacher Academy aren’t just given lesson ideas—they’re given the tools and structure to bring each strategy to life.

For example:

During an inclusive technology unit, Sofia, an F-2 teacher, used the UDL-aligned Drawing with Programmable Toys lesson. She modified the activity for a non-verbal learner using a photo-based choice board.

Using the Lesson Planning Template (pg. 114), she selected “Differentiated Digital Access” as her guiding strategy.

She tracked student responses using the Observation Guide and later shared her reflection in the member community, where she was encouraged to build a follow-up literacy task using the same approach.

 

Inside the membership, strategies aren’t abstract—they’re embedded, applied, and supported.

 

 

You’ve Seen the Strategies — What’s Your Next Step?

There are many ways to use technology in the classroom, but the most impactful ones are those backed by strategy, planning, and reflection.

📘 Members don’t just learn what strategies are. They:

• Apply them using workbook planning tools

• Observe learner growth with structured guides

• Reflect, adapt, and refine with peer support

• Receive access to ebooks, like the ones used in this blog

• Explore the Success Path to grow professionally with every lesson

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👉 Join the Membership — Save instantly on the annual plan.

 

Which Strategy Will You Apply First?

What would change in your classroom if you had a clear strategy for every piece of technology you used? That’s what our members experience—and that’s what’s possible for you too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dual Role of Digital Tools — Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning

It’s About More Than the Device

The use of technology in teaching and learning isn’t about screen time or digital games. It’s about purpose. Educators who understand how to integrate ICT with intention see technology as more than a classroom resource—they see it as a bridge between how students learn and how teachers teach.

In this blog, we explore how technology strengthens engagement, capability, and instruction—and how members of the ICT in Education Teacher Academy put these ideas into practice every day.

 

 

 

The Purpose of Using Technology in Education

The core use of technology in teaching and learning is to support the curriculum in ways that are responsive, inclusive, and observable. According to the Formative Assessment in ICT Capability guide, digital tools work best when they are embedded in authentic learning activities that:

• Align with a learning goal

• Extend children’s thinking and communication

• Offer a way to document, reflect, and adapt

This applies whether a child is coding, capturing a photo, drawing on a screen, or recording their voice.

 

 

 

How Technology Enhances Learning

Here are three key ways technology can be used to support student learning:

1. Using Technology to Engage Students

Children learn best when they are curious and involved. Digital tools offer multiple pathways to engagement—from expressive art and storytelling to science investigations and problem solving.

For example:

• Drawing apps allow children to illustrate their understanding visually

• Bee Bots make sequencing fun through purposeful movement

• Digital storytelling apps help children build narratives, combining sound, text, and image

As shown in your Digital Play ebook, these are not passive tools. They invite children to think, communicate, and reflect.

2. Building ICT Capability

The ICT in Primary Science guide shows how using digital tools over time helps children build ICT capability, not just skill. That includes knowing how to use tools and when to use them appropriately, collaboratively, or independently.

3. Encouraging Metacognition

Technology also helps children think about their own learning. Self-assessment, group reflection, and voice-based portfolios (e.g., recording “what I did today”) deepen understanding.

 

 

 

How Technology Supports Teaching

Educators don’t just use tech for content delivery—they use it to observe, reflect, differentiate, and adapt. Based on insights from your ebooks, here are four ways teachers benefit:

• Observation & Feedback: Teachers use voice recordings, photos, or video clips to document learning in the moment

• Instructional Flexibility: Tech supports inclusive strategies—visuals, prompts, and input choices for all learners (see: Inclusion)

• Assessment for Learning: Using tech as evidence for formative feedback supports ongoing planning

• Community Reflection: Teachers reflect on their strategies using community prompts and peer input to improve practice

 

 

 

Table: How Technology Supports Both Learning and Teaching

Role	Purpose of Technology Use	How Members Apply This Purpose
Student	Express ideas creatively through voice, drawing, and story	Use plans like Digital Nature Walk or Bee Bot Drawing to show learning
Student	Build ICT capability through inquiry	Apply layered lesson scaffolds from ICT in Science to build independence
Teacher	Observe, adapt, and reflect	Use Observation Guide (pg. 101) and share reflection in community spaces
Teacher	Design inclusive learning experiences	Modify lesson plans using tools from Inclusion and Differentiation

 

 

 

Inside the Membership: Strategy Comes to Life

Here’s how this looks in action for Michelle, a Year 1 teacher:

Michelle wanted to improve engagement during phonics and support a child with auditory processing needs. She opened the Digital Storytelling with Voice Recording lesson plan and selected “Engagement through Multimodal Expression” as her focus.

She used the Planning Template (pg. 114) to break the activity into steps, integrating listening, drawing, and storytelling.

Michelle documented outcomes with the Observation Guide and shared her approach with peers in the community, where another member recommended an extension task using digital puppets.

The child who once avoided group work was now leading their story session. Michelle knew she could adapt this success across other learning areas.

 

This is what supported implementation looks like.

 

 

 

It’s Not Just What You Use—It’s How You Use It

There’s no shortage of technology in the classroom ideas. But the real impact comes from how those ideas are chosen, supported, and adapted to meet the needs of both learners and teachers.

 

When teachers have structured planning tools, aligned lesson plans, and a professional community, they stop guessing—and start growing.

 

 

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📘 The lesson plans, planning tools, and reflection guides shown in this blog are available inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy.

👉 Join Now — Save instantly on the annual plan

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How Are You Using Technology—to Teach, to Learn, or Both?

If you’ve been asking how to improve the use of technology in teaching and learning, it’s time to go beyond collecting ideas. Inside the membership, you’re supported to implement, reflect, and succeed—one strategy at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching with Intention — Teaching Strategies Using Technology

Why Strategy Comes Before Software

Many teachers have the tools—tablets, cameras, drawing apps, Bee Bots—but still feel unsure about how to use them to teach well. The real challenge isn’t just choosing an app. It’s choosing a teaching strategy that helps you use technology to meet learning goals with clarity and confidence.

 

This blog will show you what teaching strategies using technology really look like in early childhood and primary classrooms—and how educators apply them inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy with planning tools, lesson structures, and reflection support.

 

 

What Are Teaching Strategies Using Technology?

Teaching strategies using technology are intentional approaches to instruction that incorporate digital tools to support, extend, or differentiate learning. They’re not the same as tech “activities”—they give your lesson shape, structure, and purpose.

 

For example, Formative Assessment in ICT Capability outlines how strategies like guided instruction, exploration, or modelling can determine how children interact with a technology—not just what tool they use.

These strategies help you answer questions like:

• “What role will this technology play in the lesson?”

• “Will I use it to explain, model, explore, or reflect?”

• “How does this tech support the learning goal, not distract from it?”

 

 

Core Technology-Based Teaching Strategies

Here are five technology based teaching strategies educators can use at any level:

Strategy	What It Means	Purpose
Explicit Instruction	Teacher-led modelling using visual tech or screen mirroring	Introduce or demonstrate a new skill/concept
Guided Practice	Scaffolded activities using tech with structured support	Build confidence and fluency with tools
Exploratory Learning	Open-ended digital play or investigation	Promote creativity, inquiry, and flexible thinking
Collaborative Learning	Pair or group tasks using shared digital tools	Support communication and shared problem-solving
Reflective Practice	Using ICT to document, review, and respond to learning	Deepen understanding and plan next steps based on student thinking

 

Each of these strategies appears in the lesson plans and professional guidance offered inside the membership, supported by tools like the Lesson Planning Template (pg. 114) and Observation Guide (pg. 101).

 

 

Planning and Applying Each Strategy

Teaching Strategy	What It Looks Like in Planning	How Members Apply It with Support
Explicit Instruction	Plan a demo using interactive whiteboard + app model	Use lesson plans that script key questions + visuals
Guided Practice	Design task steps in Planning Template	Apply coding or drawing activities with scaffolded levels
Exploratory Learning	Choose open-ended tech tool for exploration	Adapt Bee Bot Butterfly or AR Nature Hunt plans
Collaborative Learning	Assign group roles and shared tool use	Use Reflection Prompts to analyse group interaction
Reflective Practice	Embed time for documentation or voice journals	Use Observation Guide + portfolio tools to track growth

📘 Strategy definitions adapted from "Effective PD in ICT" and “Primary ICT Coordinator’s Handbook”

 

 

Example in Action: Reflective Practice with Purpose

Isabel, a Foundation teacher, wanted to understand how children were interpreting her digital phonics task. She used a drawing app for students to illustrate words, then recorded short voice reflections explaining their choices.

She chose Reflective Practice as her core strategy and used the Lesson Planning Template to include time for discussion. She later used the Observation Guide to analyse how children were explaining their thinking—and adjusted her next lesson based on what she learned.

Inside the membership, Isabel also shared her plan in the community and received feedback on how to turn it into a portfolio task for reporting.

 

 

 

Why Strategy Makes Technology More Effective

Without a strategy, it’s easy to fall into the pattern of rotating between apps. But with clarity on your purpose, the tools become more meaningful—and manageable.

By applying technology teaching strategies, you can:

• Teach with confidence, not guesswork

• Differentiate for varied learners

• Reflect on how tech supports the actual learning

• Build ICT capability and curriculum outcomes at the same time

 

 

📘 All the strategies shown in this blog are embedded in lesson plans, planning tools, and educator guides inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy.

👉 Join Now — Save instantly on the annual plan

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Which Strategy Will Shape Your Next Lesson?

The best technology teaching strategies don’t just make lessons easier—they make them more intentional, inclusive, and effective. When you plan with purpose, technology becomes a tool for learning, not just a tool to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is Technology in Teaching and Learning?

Beyond Tools: Understanding the Role of Technology in Education

Educators often ask: What is technology in teaching and learning—is it simply about using devices, or is there more to it?

The answer lies in how technology is used with purpose. In schools and early childhood centres, technology becomes meaningful when it’s intentionally applied to support student learning and enhance teaching practice. It’s not about which tool you use—it’s about how it transforms the learning experience.

 

 

Defining Technology in Teaching and Learning

In education, “technology” refers to digital tools and processes that help represent ideas, solve problems, communicate meaning, and reflect on understanding.

When we talk about technology in the classroom, we mean more than just access to devices. We’re referring to tools that are:

• Chosen based on a clear learning intention

• Used by both teachers and students to explore and deepen understanding

• Supported by a pedagogical strategy—not just novelty

 

Your ebooks on formative assessment and digital play show that technology becomes most powerful when it:

• Encourages creativity and communication

• Builds ICT capability over time

• Supports differentiated and inclusive learning

• Enables observation and adaptation by the educator

This applies equally in preschool coding activities and upper primary literacy tasks.

 

 

Two Roles, One Purpose: A Visual Explanation

WHO	HOW TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS THEM	REAL LESSON PLAN EXAMPLES
Students	Explore, create, and reflect through sound, image, movement	ECE: Drawing with Programmable Toys Year 5: Script Writing with Audio
Teachers	Plan, differentiate, observe and respond in real time	ECE: Observation Guide + Planning Template Year 5: Group planning matrix

 

These activities are not isolated tech moments. They’re part of larger learning sequences where technology is integrated—not added on.

 

 

 

How Is Technology Transforming Teaching and Learning?

Technology is transforming education by shifting the teacher’s role from content delivery to learning designer. As outlined in the ICT in Science and Effective PD in ICT ebooks, this transformation involves:

• Designing lessons where tech supports student thinking—not just answers

• Using tools to observe, document, and adapt on the spot

• Engaging students in authentic, expressive learning tasks

For example:

• In the Preschool Shapes series, technology is used to help children create real-world images using geometric concepts

• In the Year 5 Literacy unit, students use digital tools for scriptwriting, voice recording, and multimodal storytelling—building both literacy and ICT capability simultaneously

This is how the transformation occurs: not through having tech, but through knowing how to plan for it, implement it, and reflect on it.

 

How the Membership Enables This Transformation

Transformation Focus	How It Happens in the Membership
From delivering content to designing learning	Members use the Lesson Planning Template to align digital tools with learning goals
From using tech occasionally to using it intentionally	Each lesson is strategy-based, with step-by-step guidance and differentiation suggestions
From passive digital use to reflective, capable learners	Members embed Observation and Reflection Prompts to monitor and extend learning
From working alone to growing in community	Members discuss, share outcomes, and receive ideas through the Member Community

 

 

 

From Learning to Doing: What You Know vs What Members Apply

What You're Learning Now	How Members Apply It Inside the Academy
Tech supports student expression and capability	Choose ECE lessons aligned to ICT Capability progression
Tech supports teacher observation and adaptation	Use the Lesson Planning Template (pg. 114) and Observation Guide
Tech is most powerful when integrated with strategy	Follow the Success Path to embed strategy into every plan
Technology transforms learning when supported by reflection	Use Reflection Prompts (pg. 182) and get peer feedback on adjustments

 

 

This is where the difference lies. Learning what tech can do is one thing. Knowing how to apply it with guidance and community is what makes the ICT in Education Teacher Academy a supportive environment for growth.

 

 

📘 Every example and tool shown in this blog is available inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, including step-by-step lesson plans and structured templates.

👉 Join Now — Save instantly on the annual plan
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What Will You Do Differently Now?

Now that you understand what technology in teaching and learning truly means—how will that change your approach to your next lesson?

Because when you stop collecting tools and start applying purpose, technology becomes a bridge—not a barrier—to meaningful teaching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does technology integration mean in Primary education?

The integration of technology in the classroom really means the use of technology in the classroom by the teacher in student learning activities. Technology use in the classroom should always be ‘transparent’ or to put it another way, the students hardly know that they are using when they are working on the learning outcomes that you have set for them.

This is the best way to develop student ICT capability within meaningful and purpose-driven contexts.

 

How to integrate technology in the classroom?

There is a common misconception that the simple use of technology in the classroom would be sufficient. Just exposing children to technology is not enough and will only result in mediocre lessons that focus little more than skills and techniques.

 

Another misconception is that the use of technology in the classroom can be a financial burden for schools. However, students do not necessarily need their own tablets or laptops to succeed with technology. Whole class instruction can foster student engagement for auditory and visual learners.

 

Here are some ideas that will learn you learn how to use technology in the classroom.

 

PowerPoint and Games

Presentation software like PowerPoints is commonly used in education setting – teachers will often present lessons using PowerPoint or Keynote, and students often use them for assessment. PowerPoint presentations can be used to introduce a classroom concept while providing opportunity for engagement. Bulleted lists and animations can combine with graphics and videos .

 

Internet homework assignments

The Internet has made it easy for students to post their assignments online via learning platforms like Moodle and Blackboard. Teachers can easily access these assignments to mark and student access means an increase in engagement levels.

 

Classroom tablets

Tablet computers are becoming more common in classrooms and this allows for teachers to differentiate instruction with technology. Students can work at their own pace.

 

 

 

Strategies of Implementation

It is not the technology itself that makes a difference, but the way in which it is used. In other words, it is teachers employing sound instructional practices. The issue is that many websites that claim to have strategies are just really ideas. Strategies need to be evidence and research-based in order for it to have an impact on learning and enhance student understanding of contexts. They need to be able to be applied across the curriculum by all teachers in a way that will build on each child’s level of capability.

 

Here are a number of strategies that I talk about more in my ICT in Education Teacher Academy (60+ online PD courses):

 

• Classroom Management strategies when using technology in the classroom;
• Using formative assessment to develop ICT teaching strategies;
• Scaffolding technology in the classroom;
• Solving discontinuity;
• Grouping students when using technology in the classroom;
• Providing effective support

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Tech in the Classroom Benefits

The use of technology in the classroom brings about with it many benefits. It not only adds to the curriculum learning, but also prepares students for an integrated society where technology or ICT dominates.

Technology integration in the classroom is an instructional choice by teachers to introduce, reinforce, extend, enrich, assess and remediate student mastery of curricular targets. It mostly includes collaboration and deliberate planning. Teachers should never depend on technology for teaching. Technology integration also requires teacher participation by using appropriate scaffolding and support for students in the form high impact evidence based ICT teaching strategies.

These are the top 10 benefits of technology in the classroom today.

 

 

Improves student achievement

With thoughtful planning, students can find lessons engaging by which this leads to 21^st century skills such as complex thinking, creative problem-solving and collaboration.

 

Develops students’ ICT capability and ICT literacy

While technology supports subject learning, it can remain transparent in the background and help promote the development of these 21^st century skills.

 

Strengthens teachers’ competence in ICT

Teachers can also build on their capacity as a technology integrator by continuing to learn the best practices in the classroom and develop their own ICT capability. For teachers, like students, it is not just about acquiring ICT skills, but developing understanding and judgement about how to use those skill appropriately. For example, you might decide to use PowerPoint for a presentation. This would depend on your judgement of the group or class and whether you believe it would be better than other teaching techniques.

 

Encourages collaboration

This is a great benefit as it naturally has the capabilities to bring children together. In turn, this also promotes the development of language and literacy especially in early childhood education.

 

 

Mobile apps help systematic learning

Mobile learning is really starting to take off in schools these days and that means that teachers and students can benefit from the educational apps out there. It is significant though, that teachers choose wisely to ensure that each is capable of helping students achieve the learning outcomes.

 

 

Stay connected to the outside world

In the modern age of Wifi, most classrooms are connected to the Internet. Even cable connectivity is not a problem these days for schools as technology gets installed so does cables. It is common these days for newly built schools to be fully wired in most classrooms.

 

 

Allows every individual to learn on the same playing field

Everyone has different learning styles, however, with technology SEN students can learn with their more able friends from the curriculum. Technology levels the playing field for everyone allowing disabled students access to curriculum learning.

 

 

Prepares students to be well-equipped for technology-dominated society

More industries today are depending on employees to have some sort of ICT proficiency. By providing students with meaningful context-driven activities with embedded ICT tasks you can prepare them for their future.

 

Creates more engaged and better teachers

Technology integration in the classroom is the key as it provides great resources especially to information from the Internet, but also as it provides effective ICT tools that can be used for educational purposes. It will be important that you understand:

 

• How to use the technology;
• How to train students to use the technology;
• How the technology supports your curriculum and;
• What benefits does technology bring to your lesson?

 

If you are going to introduce new software to students always remember to start discussing what it can do and how this might be achieved, rather than merely demonstrating a fixed sequence of techniques.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Types of Technology Can Be Used in the Classroom?

Have you ever walked into your classroom, looked at your devices or apps, and thought: Am I using the right technology for learning? If so, you're not alone.

 

With so many choices, it can be overwhelming to decide what tools are actually going to enhance teaching and learning. As someone who supports educators like you every day, I want to help you understand the different types of technology in the classroom—so you can stop second-guessing and start planning with confidence.

 

 

 

What are the different types of technology in the classroom?

Let’s begin with a clear, practical list of technology in the classroom that teachers commonly use. But instead of just naming them, I’ll show you how they appear in real learning settings so you can envision what makes sense for your own space.

• Interactive whiteboards: Great for collaborative whole-group activities and visual learning.

• Programmable toys (like Bee-Bots): Perfect for problem-solving and early coding skills.

• Tablets: Useful for drawing programs, photo documentation, and literacy apps.

• Desktop or laptop computers: Essential for research, writing, and digital creativity.

• Digital cameras: Encourage observation, nature exploration, and storytelling.

• Augmented reality apps: Add layers of digital discovery to science and outdoor play.

• Audio recording tools: Support oral storytelling, reflection, and language development.

Each of these examples of digital technology in the classroom has its strengths, depending on what you want children to learn and how you want them to engage.

 

 

Choosing the right kinds of technology in the classroom starts with a question

What do you want the child to do with technology? That one question can guide you toward technologies for teaching and learning that actually support meaningful outcomes. For example:

• If your focus is on literacy, using speech bubble apps or Book Creator can help children narrate stories visually.

• For problem-solving, programmable robots combined with obstacle courses give children hands-on opportunities to think critically.

• For creative expression, drawing software and digital painting apps allow for experimentation without mess or fear of making a mistake.

The best technology for the classroom is the one that serves a purpose—not just the flashiest gadget on the shelf.

 

 

A closer look at the types of technology in schools (real member examples)

Members of the ICT in Education Teacher Academy are already using a wide range of technologies in their schools. Here’s how they integrate different types of classroom technology with confidence:

 

LEARNING AREA	TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CLASSROOM	ACTIVITY EXAMPLE FROM THE MEMBERSHIP
Nature & Science	AR apps on tablets	Children use Seek by iNaturalist to identify plants and animals outdoors.
Literacy	Bee-Bot with alphabet mat	Children spell their names using programmed sequences
Creative Arts	Paint 3D or Sketchpad	Children create digital nature collages from their photography walk.
Problem Solving	Adventure simulation game	Children make decisions and reflect on outcomes in games like "Bob's Castle Adventure."

 

When you have access to structured lesson plans and training like the membership provides, it becomes easier to choose the types of technology to use in the classroom based on what suits your goals.

 

 

How do you know what’s the best technology to use in the classroom?

It isn’t always about what’s new. Sometimes the most effective types of technology for the classroom are the ones that:

• Align with your curriculum or early learning outcomes

• Allow children to explore independently and collaboratively

• Promote creativity, thinking, and problem-solving

• Help you assess and reflect on learning through documentation

That’s why the Teacher Academy membership includes not just a list of technology in the classroom, but fully developed plans that help you implement, adapt, and reflect on its use.

 

 

From uncertainty to confidence: A roadmap for teachers

Too often, teachers are handed devices without the time or support to understand how to use them well. That’s where the ICT in Education Teacher Academy steps in.

• You get clear guidance on the different types of technology for the classroom.

• You receive lesson plans matched to EYLF or primary curriculum outcomes.

• You can adapt each activity based on the types of technology used in the classroom available to you.

• You learn to match each tool with a purpose, not just a feature.

The membership shows you how to take the different types of technology for the classroom and turn them into teaching strategies that work.

 

 

What’s next?

By now, you probably recognise that there isn’t one right tool—there are just better decisions based on what your children need, and what you want to achieve as a teacher.

 

Are you ready to stop wondering about the types of technology in the classroom and start using them with confidence and clarity?

 

Become a member today and download your first lesson plan to see the difference structured, meaningful tech integration can make.

 

Remember: As a member, you’re not just getting digital activities. You’re gaining a complete path to professional growth with resources that help you reflect, adapt, and truly transform your teaching with technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Do You Integrate Technology Effectively Into Your Teaching?

If you’ve ever felt uncertain about whether you’re truly using technology in a way that supports learning, you’re not alone. Integrating digital tools into the classroom can be confusing, especially when you're expected to do so with little time, support, or direction.

Let’s change that.

In this blog, I want to talk to you directly about what integration really looks like. Not just using devices for the sake of it, but implementing technology in the classroom in a way that improves outcomes for children—and for you.

 

 

What does the effective use of technology in the classroom actually look like?

It begins with a mindset shift: technology isn't just equipment—it's a tool for thinking, exploring, creating, and connecting.

Here’s a simple contrast:

 

TECHNOLOGY INSIDE THE CLASSROOM	WHEN IT'S INTEGRATED
A tablet used to watch a video	Children record and narrate their own nature videos using tablets.
A Bee-Bot driven randomly	Children program Bee-Bots to retell a story or solve a challenge.
Drawing app open during free play	Drawing app used during a maths activity to trace shapes.

 

This is the difference between just using technology and achieving meaningful integration of technology in the classroom.

 

 

 

How do you know you’re on the right path?

One of the most common questions I hear is: Am I utilizing technology in the classroom the right way? If you’re asking that question, you’re already moving forward.

Here are a few signs that show your use of tech is purposeful:

• You match the tool with the learning intention.

• Children can explain what they’re doing and why.

• There’s creativity, collaboration, or problem-solving involved.

• You’re capturing observations or using the tool to assess.

That’s how teachers using technology in the classroom shift from passive consumption to active learning.

 

 

 

Start with one goal, one tool, one idea

One of the simplest ways to start is to choose one learning goal, then find a digital tool that helps children achieve that goal in a meaningful way.

Let’s look at some practical ideas for using technology in the classroom drawn directly from our membership resources:

• Use an audio recording app to create nature soundscapes and digital stories.

• Combine QR codes with outdoor learning to build curiosity and observation.

• Draw 2D shapes with digital painting programs to support maths and fine motor skills.

• Take apart a broken computer to explore the proper use of technology for students while encouraging curiosity and inquiry.

Each of these is a small, intentional step toward more impactful teaching.

 

 

 

 

What’s the most appropriate use of technology in the classroom?

The key is knowing your learners and using technology that amplifies what they’re already curious about. The appropriate use of technology in the classroom supports children’s developmental needs—it doesn’t replace creativity, play, or hands-on exploration. It enhances it.

That’s why our lesson plans and activities are designed with EYLF and curriculum goals in mind. They include:

• Clear learning outcomes

• Suggested ICT tools

• ICT differentiation levels

• Reflection and assessment prompts

So you’re not guessing—you’re guided.

 

 

 

The difference membership makes

Educators inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy aren’t left to figure it out on their own. With each download, they get:

• A pathway for incorporating technology in the classroom that aligns with best practice

• Done-for-you lesson plans with clear instructions and reflection tools

• A workbook to track their growth and confidence

• A community to ask questions, share experiences, and grow together

When you have support, planning the effective use of technology in the classroom becomes something you look forward to.

 

 

You don’t need to know everything to get started

You don’t have to be an expert. You just need the right tools and guidance.

 

Are you ready to take the guesswork out of implementing technology in the classroom?

 

Become a member and get immediate access to your first lesson plan—designed to help you apply what you’ve just read, with real children, tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Is Technology Important in Today’s Classroom?

If you’re reading this, you likely already believe in the potential of technology within the classroom—you just want to understand how to make it work better, feel less overwhelming, and deliver real value to your teaching and your students.

 

Let’s talk about why this matters.

 

 

 

The importance of technology in the classroom starts with student learning

Children today live in a digital world. They don’t just encounter technology; they grow up with it. So when we talk about the importance of technology in the classroom, we’re talking about giving students access to the language, tools, and skills they need to thrive in their world.

Used well, digital tools can:

• Encourage creativity and self-expression

• Support collaboration and shared learning

• Offer new ways to problem-solve and explore concepts

• Deepen engagement through interactive, multimodal experiences

This is where technologies for teaching and learning go beyond novelty—they become transformational.

 

LEARNING FOCUS	TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM	MEMBERSHIP LESSON EXAMPLE
Language & Literacy	Digital drawing apps and speech bubble tools	Children add digital text to their photos to tell a story.
Science & Inquiry	AR nature identification apps	Children scan plants and animals outdoors, then create a digital journal.
Problem-Solving	Programmable toys like Bee-Bots	Children solve mazes by inputting directional commands.
Creative Arts	Digital photography and collage apps	Children capture nature images and create themed slideshows.

 

These aren’t just activities—they are authentic applications of digital technologies in the classroom.

 

 

But isn’t the curriculum already full?

Absolutely. Which is why integration matters.

When the integration of technology in the classroom is done right, it doesn’t add more to your plate. It becomes a tool that helps you:

• Deliver core outcomes in new, engaging ways

• Capture and document learning more efficiently

• Empower students to work more independently

• Reflect on your own teaching practices

In our membership, you’ll find lesson plans that embed digital tools into everyday curriculum areas. You’re not tacking on extra tech; you’re building it into what you already do.

 

 

 

Why does this matter now more than ever?

Technology is changing our classrooms. But that doesn’t mean we hand over control to the devices. It means we guide children with intentional, well-supported strategies that reflect the importance of technology in the classroom while also supporting play, creativity, and child-led exploration.

 

That’s why educators in the ICT in Education Teacher Academy don’t just download a tool. They learn how to choose the right one. They track their growth. They reflect on outcomes. They transform.

 

 

 

Where do you begin?

The biggest shift happens when you move from trying to use technology to actually understanding it as a teaching tool.

 

Are you ready to go beyond digital tools and start using technology in ways that truly matter?

 

Join the membership and get your first lesson plan—aligned with your curriculum and designed to show you what purposeful technology looks like in action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Practical Path for Teachers Ready to Turn Technology into Real Learning

 

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the rapid pace of technology change in schools, you're not alone. Many teachers are told to "just use the tech" without ever being shown how. What’s missing isn’t motivation. What’s missing is the right kind of support.

 

When it comes to training teachers to use technology in the classroom, the solution isn’t another one-day workshop. It’s a professional learning experience that helps you grow, apply, and reflect—one that’s integrated into your everyday teaching.

 

And that’s exactly what the ICT in Education Teacher Academy membership is built to provide.

 

 

Why professional learning must evolve

In the past, professional development often meant seeking out external workshops, hoping your school would approve, and juggling schedules to attend. Unless you worked in a setting with a dedicated digital learning specialist or team leader, you likely had to find training on your own—and hope it was worth the time.

But today, CPD looks different.

Ongoing, embedded, and accessible training is now essential. CPD for teachers should live where your teaching does—in the day-to-day, in the classroom, and in the moments where you’re actively trying to improve student learning outcomes.

 

The ICT in Education Teacher Academy brings all of this together. It's professional learning in one place, offering a structured, purposeful pathway designed specifically for integrating technology in the classroom.

 

This is what we believe CPD for the future looks like—and it's why so many educators are making the shift.

 

 

What teachers actually need

From talking with educators around Australia, I’ve found that most teachers don’t need more devices. They need clarity. Clarity on how to:

• Use the technology already available in the classroom

• Make lessons more engaging and purposeful with tech

• Feel confident applying digital strategies that work

• Understand how technology impacts student learning

This is what real transformation looks like. Not adding more tech. But using it better.

Whether you’re a beginning teacher unsure where to start, or a confident user looking to take your ICT use further, this membership gives you the structure, tools, and guidance to grow—at your own pace, in your own context.

 

 

Training that fits your day-to-day teaching

The membership isn’t about theory. It’s about helping you put ideas into practice.

• Every lesson plan is tied to real teaching outcomes

• You get digital activities that fit within your learning program

• You can adapt plans to match the tools you already have

• And you build confidence—not by guessing, but by following a clear path

This isn’t a one-off training. The membership walks with you through your classroom journey. It adapts as your confidence grows. And because it’s embedded in your real classroom work, you’ll see immediate impact—not just theory.

You don’t need a tech background to succeed. You just need a structure that helps you learn by doing.

 

 

 

From Overwhelmed to Confident: Sarah’s Story

Sarah, a Foundation teacher in regional Queensland, used to avoid the iPads in her room. “I knew I should be using technology more purposefully,” she said, “but I honestly didn’t know where to begin.”

 

After joining the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, Sarah downloaded a digital storytelling lesson. She used the planning template to map the learning outcomes, matched it with her curriculum goals, and tried it with her students.

 

“The difference was immediate,” she shared. “The lesson worked. The kids were engaged. And I could see what they were learning. For the first time, I felt like I knew why I was using tech—not just how.”

 

Sarah now uses the workbook to document each new activity and track her growth. “It’s not just resources. It’s a journey—and I know I’m becoming a better teacher through it.”

 

 

 

 

You’ll see impact—on learning and on your own growth

When you join, you’re not just learning how to use technology in the classroom effectively. You’re building:

• Better learning experiences for your students

• New ways to teach that excite you again

• A stronger understanding of how technology improves thinking, creativity, and collaboration

You won’t just try new tools—you’ll understand their impact. With built-in reflection prompts and professional learning templates, you’ll track your own growth and make better instructional decisions. As your confidence builds, so will your ability to lead your students into richer, deeper learning using digital technologies in the classroom.

 

This is what it means to learn with and about ICT: you're helping children achieve outcomes in literacy, science, arts or numeracy while also giving them the digital skills they need in life.

 

 

 

What’s included when you train through the membership

For teachers searching for a meaningful way to develop their ICT capability, here’s what makes this training experience stand out:

• Structured lesson plans that show you how to implement tech with purpose

• Planning templates to help align tech use with curriculum outcomes

• Observation and reflection tools to monitor impact on student learning

• Step-by-step guidance for digital storytelling, coding, augmented reality, and more

• A professional workbook to track your development and build confidence

• A supportive educator community to share wins and ask questions

• Mapped alignment to APST and EYLF outcomes for professional learning goals

Every part of the membership is designed to help you confidently choose and apply technology—not for its own sake, but for meaningful teaching and learning.

 

This is the CPD teachers need now—and it’s all in one place.

 

 

 

No more wondering what to do next

Inside the membership, you’ll find:

• Lesson plans with step-by-step guidance

• Tools that help you adapt ideas to your context

• Prompts that support planning, observation, and reflection

• A workbook that helps you track your progress and build confidence

The workbook gives you more than checklists. It helps you reflect on student engagement, map your professional growth, and make informed decisions about what’s working and what to try next.

You’ll stop second-guessing and start seeing the results of your decisions. And you’ll finally feel like someone understands what it’s like to teach in a real classroom with real time constraints.

 

 

 

Why this membership is different

This isn’t just a resource library. It’s a complete process designed to help you make meaningful changes in your classroom.

• You’re not learning for the sake of it. You’re learning to transform.
• You’re not just collecting ideas. You’re applying them.
• You’re not stuck in trial-and-error. You have a map.

 

 

 

Ready to stop attending training sessions that never quite stick?

If you're serious about transforming how you use technology in your classroom—while saving time, building confidence, and improving learning outcomes—this is the training you've been searching for.

Join the ICT in Education Teacher Academy and discover a better way to teach with technology, starting today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What ICT tools and resources should you use in the classroom?

Technology here and technology there – today, there are so many choices for teachers to choose from. However, it does not have to be this hard. Research tells us that when it comes to integrating technology in the classroom, it is a matter of exploiting our own sense of familiarity with technologies that is common among young people.

 

It also highlights that this process is all about exploiting the here and now of the available technologies in the classroom and not be concerned with looking for the next big technological development to solve your problem of integrating technology in your teaching and learning. Integrating technology in the classroom is not a straightforward process. So let me explain this to you in a way that is practical and immediately actionable.

 

One of the most important notes to remember when deciding to use technology in the classroom is that just by exposing your students to technology will not enable them to completely develop their ICT capability. As a common misconception amongst many educators, this has had negative implications on the learning of students. Providing a laptop or iPad or desktop computer to students to use by themselves is therefore not an ideal environment for learning. They need structure, stimulation and scaffolding for effective learning in ICT capability and not ICT skills. As a teacher, you require effective teaching strategies in order for you to increase the chances of enhanced learning.

 

A common question asked by many teachers, the choice of technology in the classroom varies on a teacher’s plans and purpose for it. For example, you first need to decide whether you just want the students to use it in order to support subject learning, to develop their ICT capability or both. In my opinion, the best option is both because this is entirely possible and it is the ultimate aim of using it in the classroom. To remain completely transparent in the background whilst supporting the subject. On the other hand, you may just wish to use it support to support subject learning such as literacy and numeracy, but I will discuss pros and cons of this later.

 

The reason why I believe teachers should choose the third option is to do with the following circumstances. ICT capability is amongst the seven 21^st century skills or general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum. It also has a strong emphasis in the UK ICT Curriculum. However, my expertise only allows me to discuss that of the Australian Curriculum. As a general capability it is embedded throughout all Learning Areas especially Technologies (Digital Technology and D & T). In this instance, I mainly am speaking about other subject areas and the integration of technology throughout them. Choosing the right ICT tools and resources should then have a lot to do with your intentions as a teacher to meet the curriculum requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Need for Digital Technology in Classrooms

 

The digital technology in class that we emphasise is important has to do with the fact that they are:

• Content-free and generic;
• They develop student ICT capabilities;
• Challange students intellectually;
• Enable a high level of decision-making on behalf of the students.

 

Below I have outlined the other reasons why we should use technology in the classroom.

 

1. E-learning or Online Learning: The presence of ICT in education allows for new ways of learning for students and teachers. E-learning or online learning is becoming increasingly popular and with various unprecedented events taking place in our lives, this does not only open opportunities for schools to ensure that students have access to curriculum materials whilst in the classroom but also allows them to ensure students outside the classroom such as at home or even in hospitals can learn.
2. ICT brings inclusion: The benefits of ICT in education is of such that students in the classroom can all learn from the curriculum material. Students with special needs are no longer at a disadvantage as they have access to essential material and special ICT tools can be used by students to make use of ICT for their own educational needs. Despite this, it opens up new issues related to the 'digital divide' and providing access to ICT tools and resources for those who are less fortunate.
3. ICT promotes higher-order thinking skills: One of the key skills for the 21st century which includes evaluating, planning, monitoring, and reflecting to name a few. The effective use of ICT in education demands skills such as explaining and justifying the use of ICT in producing solutions to problems. Students need to discuss, test, and conjecture the various strategies that they will use.
4. ICT enhances subject learning: It is well known these days that the use of ICT in education adds a lot of value to key learning areas like literacy and numeracy. 
5. ICT use develops ICT literacy and ICT Capability: Both are 21st-century skills that are best developed whilst ICT remains transparent in the background of subject learning. The best way to develop ICT capability is to provide them with meaningful activities, embedded in purposeful subject-related contexts.
6. ICT use encourages collaboration: You just have to put a laptop, iPad or computer in the classroom to understand how this works. ICT naturally brings children together where they can talk and discuss what they are doing for their work and this in turn, opens up avenues for communication thus leading to language development.
7. ICT use motivates learning: Society's demands for new technology has not left out children and their needs. Children are fascinated with technology and it encourages and motivates them to learn in the classroom. 
8. ICT in education improves engagement and knowledge retention: When ICT is integrated into lessons, students become more engaged in their work. This is because technology provides different opportunities to make it more fun and enjoyable in terms of teaching the same things in different ways. As a consequence of this increased engagement, it is said that they will be able to retain knowledge more effectively and efficiently.
9. ICT use allows for effective Differentiation Instruction with technology in the classroom: We all learn differently at different rates and styles and technology provide opportunities for this to occur.
10. ICT integration is a key part of the national curriculum: The integration of digital technologies or ICT is a significant part of the Australian Curriculum for example, and this is a trend that many global governments are taking up as they begin to see the significance of ICT in education.
11. We live in a “knowledge economy": This is an economy where it is vital to have the ability to produce and use information effectively (Weert, 2005). It is a time when ICT is pervasive and permeates throughout all industries in the economy whether it may be health, education, environment or manufacturing (Moon, Feb/Mar 2007). The significance of ICT in the Australian economy was emphasised in the recent article by Alan Patterson, CEO of the Australian Computer Society, in his statement that the “ICT industry now rivals mining in terms of the contribution to the economy” (Patterson, Jan/Feb 2013, p. 8). 

 

 

Effective technology to use in the classroom

Digital technology in the classroom in a world that is dominated by technology is essential and with global events such as pandemics, acquiring digital capabilities is a must for the 21st-century student of today and workforce of tomorrow. Choosing the right technology is essential which is why the above reasons stand above what others might think are inconsequential to a student's learning.

The integration of digital technology in the classroom begins with the here and now of the available technology in the classroom. Why wait for the next big technological development to come around. Imagine the potential of the digital technology for learning within the context that it will be taught.

 

You can begin to use digital technology in the classroom such as:

• laptops
• digital cameras and video recorders
• iPads
• Desktop computers

 

However, digital technology is also about software too, and there lots to choose from.

• Word processors
• Desktop publishers
• Graphics programs (drawing and painting software)
• Spreadsheets and databases
• Web creation and development programs
• Email
• And the list can go on!

 

So make sure that you don't try to outshine your colleagues too early and quick with a fancy piece of software. You can lead by example using the available technology in the classroom as this will also let administration and senior management know that their current investments in technology are being optimised already and maybe just encourage them to invest in more updated versions of what you have got.

The above digital technologies in the classroom represent your best chance as a teacher to ensure that student ICT capability is developed alongside meaningful context-driven learning activities in key learning areas today. By making sound instructional decisions, you will be able to employ evidence based ICT teaching methods that will increase the attainment level in ICT capability and ICT literacy in your school in weeks to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defining Successful Tech Integration

There are many benefits to integrating technology in the classroom. Yet, if you are to seamlessly allow students to develop ICT capability in subject learning then it is important that you ensure that technology use in the classroom is transparent, accessible and supportive of the curriculum learning goals.

 

Simple exposure to any kind of technology in the classroom is not sufficient today if you are to develop proficient users in ICT.

 

Defining Technology Integration

In my view, the ICT pedagogy that you use as the teacher should make the technology transparent in its use to the extent that the students hardly notice they are using it to achieve the learning outcomes that you have set for them. Successful technology integration is also not only about using technology in the classroom daily, but also having access to a variety of ICT tools used in classroom teaching that match the task at hand and provide them the opportunity to build a deeper understanding of content.

 

Studies have found that integrating technology in the classroom in a successful manner can be achieved even if you have just one computer, laptop, tablet computer or any other ICT tool or resource.

 

When effectively integrated into key learning areas of the curriculum, technology in the classroom can extend learning in powerful ways such as:

• Access to up-to-date material
• Methods of collecting data and recording data.
• Ways to collaborate with students, teachers, and experts around the world.
• Learning that is relevant and assessment that is authentic.

(Edutopia)

 

 

 

Different Types of Digital Tech

As mentioned earlier, there are many different types of digital technologies in the classroom. Despite this, you must always remember that integrating digital technology in the classroom is not about waiting for the next big technological development. It is, however, about imagining the potential for learning with the ‘here and now’ of the available digital technologies in the classroom.

 

They must give students full control over it in order to be able to used seamlessly in the lesson learning outcomes.

 

So what is available?

 

Tablet Computers such as iPads.

• Desk top Computers
• Laptops.
• Smartphones used appropriately by teachers and students.
• Virtual Learning Environments

 

Try integrating this type of technology in the classroom today. Learn how to by visiting this online workshop for teachers now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond Strategies: How one teacher Transformed Technology Integration with 10 key membership steps

What does successful integration of technology in the classroom actually look like in practice?

 

Introduction: Why general strategies only go so far

You’ve probably read the lists—structure your tasks, choose tools wisely, align with learning goals. These are great starting points, but what happens when you’re ready to go further?

 

If you’ve ever found yourself asking “What does real progress look like when integrating technology in education?”, this story is for you.

 

Let’s walk through the 10-step transformation journey that educators inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy take. Unlike a one-time workshop, this membership equips you with a professional learning roadmap, community feedback, ready-to-use resources, and a toolkit to apply best practices for integrating technology in the classroom—all in one place.

 

 

10 strategies the membership uses to support technology integration in the classroom

Below is a list of the membership’s internal strategies that guide real educator transformation:

STEP	STRATEGY	PURPOSE
1	Self-Assess Your Starting Point	Know your current level of ICT integration confidence and capability.
2	Follow a Structured Success Path	Use a clear Adoption → Adaptation → Infusion → Transformation model.
3	Map Your Learning with the Workbook	Set personal goals and connect ICT strategies to your teaching.
4	Use Done-for-You Lesson Plans	Start applying technology with confidence using editable, pre-made activities.
5	Track TPACK Growth Visually	Use the workbook’s radar chart to see your development across TK, TPK, and TCK.
6	Apply Feedback from the Community	Share your lesson plans and get input from peers who’ve been there.
7	Integrate Observation & Assessment Tools	Use templates to observe student use of ICT and gather evidence for APST.
8	Reflect Using Prompted Reflection Tools	Move beyond surface reflection with structured workbook questions.
9	Share and Adapt with Member Collaboration	Access the Members’ Library and see how others modify lesson plans.
10	Revisit and Scale Up	Use scaling guides to adapt one lesson over time and across age groups.

 

Each of these strategies aligns with best practices for integrating technology in the classroom, but the magic lies in how they build on each other.

 

 

 

 

Meet Amelia: A case study in successful integration of technology in the classroom

Amelia is a foundation teacher at a public primary school. She had access to a laptop trolley and a few Bee Bots—but never quite felt confident weaving technology into her weekly lessons. It always felt like an “extra,” not a natural part of learning.

 

When Amelia joined the membership, she began with Step 1: Self-Assessment. She quickly realized she was operating at the Adoption stage—using tech occasionally but without deep student engagement.

 

From there, her journey unfolded:

• In Step 2, she chose to focus on the Numeracy stream in the Success Path and selected a Shape lesson plan using Bee Bots.

• She used the lesson planning template from the workbook in Step 3 to adapt it to her Year 1 class.

• With Step 4, she downloaded the “Roll a Shape and Trace It” plan and conducted her first tech-enhanced maths rotation.

• Using the TPACK radar chart in Step 5, she tracked her growth in Technological Knowledge.

• At Step 6, she posted her reflections in the membership community, receiving feedback about grouping strategies and extension questions.

• With Step 7, she used the observation table to assess how students applied directional language and digital drawing tools.

• In Step 8, the reflection prompts helped her articulate not just what worked—but why it worked.

• By Step 9, she had shared her variation of the lesson with the community, adapting it for outdoor chalk mazes.

• In Step 10, she used the “Scaling Your Lesson Plan” guide to move the same activity toward Infusion, integrating it across numeracy, art, and digital technology over three weeks.

 

Today, Amelia doesn’t just use technology—she integrates it. She feels empowered, her students are engaged, and her lessons are now purposeful and future-focused.

 

 

 

The Real Question isn't “can you integrate technology?” — it’s “Are YOU supported to?”

The integration of technology in the classroom doesn’t happen by accident. It requires structure, support, and time—exactly what this membership is built to offer.

 

This isn’t just professional development for technology integration in the classroom—it’s a transformation framework. A membership that supports your growth step by step, resource by resource, lesson by lesson.

 

So if you’ve ever downloaded a tech lesson from Pinterest and wondered what to do next—now you know where to go.

 

 

Ready to go beyond the strategy list?

Join the ICT in Education Teacher Academy and start following the 10 strategies that move you from intention to action.

🟢 You’ll get structured tools.
🟢 You’ll grow professionally.
🟢 You’ll actually see technology working in your classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What every teacher should know about managing technology in their classroom?

From device rules to digital routines—here are 10 practical points every educator should master.

 

Managing technology is more than keeping kids on task

You asked how to manage technology in the classroom.

You’ve got the devices.

You’ve got the lesson ideas.

But how do you create a learning environment where technology supports focus, collaboration, and responsibility?

 

That’s exactly what we answer in detail on our full blog:
👉 Classroom Management Strategies for Laptops

 

But if you're short on time and need the highlights, here are 10 key strategies that will change the way you think about managing technology in any learning space—whether you’re teaching preschoolers, Year 3s, or somewhere in between.

 

10 strategies to help you confidently manage technology in the classroom

STEP	STRATEGY	WHY IT WORKS
1	Establish Digital Expectations Early	Children respond to structure—define what responsible tech use looks like from day one.
2	Create a Visual Tech Agreement With Students	Co-create class rules about technology use so expectations are shared and respected.
3	Designate Clear Tech Zones and Access Times	Helps children associate tools with purpose, not distraction.
4	Model, Don’t Just Tell	Demonstrate how to open apps, handle devices, and ask for tech help.
5	Use Visual Timers for Tech Tasks	Keeps young learners on track without needing constant redirection.
6	Teach 'Tech Talk' Language Prompts	Phrases like "I need help with…" or "Can I swap with you after?" promote collaboration and reduce interruptions.
7	Assign Tech Monitors or Helpers	Empowers students to take responsibility for devices and routines.
8	Integrate Screen-Free Transitions	Support self-regulation with clear off-tech activities (stretching, journaling, pairing).
9	Reflect with the Class on Digital Use	Use end-of-day check-ins or journaling to build digital citizenship.
10	Have a Plan for Glitches and Tech Failures	A predictable Plan B keeps learning smooth when tech doesn’t cooperate.

 

 

Each of these is unpacked in our full blog

These 10 points are just the beginning.

In our full article, Classroom Management Strategies for Laptops, you'll get:

• Real examples from early years and primary classrooms

• Tips for adapting strategies for tablets, laptops, or Bee Bots

• Workbook-based planning suggestions for members of the ICT in Education Teacher Academy

• A mindset shift: from “managing devices” to supporting digital responsibility

If you’re serious about making technology work for your classroom, not against it—this blog is essential reading.

 

 

Ready to rethink how technology is managed?

Click below to read the full blog and find classroom-tested strategies that fit your context:

👉 Read: Classroom Management Strategies for Laptops

Or explore how our members plan, manage, and scale tech use using step-by-step tools inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy.

You’ll learn that managing technology in the classroom isn’t about control—it’s about building digital fluency, independence, and engagement from the ground up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Strategies to Start Today

As a primary teacher, your aim should be to develop student ICT capability when integrating technology in the classroom. This is best achieved when the technology remains transparent in its use and this is when the students hardly notice that they are using technology to achieve learning outcomes.

 

This is the key to successfully integrating technology in the classroom.

 

It is significant to remember that it is the way that the technology in the classroom is employed, not the technology  itself that makes the impact on student learning. You will find many strategies for integrating technology in the classroom in our 60 + online technology integration professional development courses (Academy).

 

To help you get started, here are 8 of the best strategies for integrating technology in the classroom today.

 

Start with classroom organisation

The way in which a classroom is organised can make a difference to the potential of ICT capability development. It is important, therefore, that the computers are placed in a classroom so as to maximise the opportunities for curriculum activity.

 

Additionally, if the activities are well planned then good ICT work can be achieved with even one or two computers. Effective technology integration in the classroom can be achieved with just one or two technological devices. Clear planning also concerns the age-group or the curriculum activity for which the technology is best suited.

 

It will also be important that establish your classroom rules and procedures when using technology in the classroom. Students should be clear about the expected behaviour and how to handle any arising technological issues. An idea would be to number each device and allow students to have a sense of ownership.

 

 

Group students and resources appropriately

Successful schools in the past have given careful thought to the strategies for integrating technology in the classroom. Grouping students and resources for ICT activities were influenced by their decisions.

 

The pairing of students needs to take into account various factors such as the differences in ICT capability, the personalities of the children, sex, and the nature of the task.

 

It will be difficult to give adequate attention to groups working on different activities so if you have adult assistance it would be imperative to brief them and to use the following strategies for integrating technology in the classroom:

 

• Invite the children to plan ahead;
• Ask them to listen to what the children say and encourage them to share their ideas;
• Provide assistance and help to children so that they understand that it is acceptable to try their ideas and to make mistakes;
• They need to give the students time to work out their answers;
• Make the most of every opportunity to give praise to the students’ success when they have completed an exercise or developing a computer skill.

 

Take into account students’ ICT capability when planning

To achieve this, you can plan a mini-lesson that will have an ICT activity that will demonstrate the expected level of capabilities of the students. From here, you can plan for the progression and continuity of their ICT capability.

 

Teaching a mini-lesson prior to the actual lesson itself is the key as the students won’t be distracted and are likely to fully participate. This is because they will know that paying attention and demonstrating their understanding of rules, procedures and tasks means that they will get to use the technology again.

 

Become familiar with the ICT resource

It is more important for you to be knowledgeable about one program than it is to be acquainted with many. This is because it is better for students to work with a small number of versatile programs and progressively develop skills and confidence in these through carefully structured activities than it is to learn how to use a large number of programs superficially.

 

However, being familiar involves more than just knowing how to use the program for a variety of tasks. It is about reflecting on the processes it helps the student to carry out and the ICT techniques with which particular effects can be achieved. It then also requires you to consider how the students will be introduced to the program, what ideas need to be clear before they start and where they might find difficulties.

 

Make digital citizenship a priority

When students are ready to use technology in the classroom to achieve the learning outcomes set by you as the teacher, it is your chance to develop their ICT capability. This comprises of 21^st century capabilities such as routines, ICT techniques, concepts, higher-order thinking skills, and processes. To learn more about achieving this, you will find this online workshop in my Academy.

 

Monitor progress and intervene to help students

The most effective teaching when integrating technology in the classroom occurs when you have well-planned interventions and are capable of responding to ad hoc opportunities that arise to stimulate learning at important moments. Timely interventions in the past have been proven to be beneficial in developing students’ technical skills and knowledge of ICT in addition to developing their higher-order thinking skills.

 

Monitoring is also important as it is common for students to appear to be usefully occupied with the task when they are in fact working very inefficiently and failing to exploit the potential of the technology in the classroom. Also, because of the richness of the ICT resource, students may divert from the intended tasks without it being obvious from their behaviour.

 

In this online course for teachers, I discuss how you can monitor the key characteristics of ICT capability such as those mentioned earlier. Again, you can join this course when you become a member of the Academy today.

 

Use the power of choice

Integrating technology in the classroom is an instructional choice that generally includes collaboration and deliberate planning. Thoughtfully planned it can engage students in lessons and lead to developing 21^st century capabilities. This is only the case if you provide opportunities for each student to make choices over their own learning. By this, strategies for integrating technology in the classroom have a lot to do with providing choices for practice, creativity and discovery.

 

Successful teachers have employed such strategies for integrating technology in the classroom which has led to the progression of ICT capability. They don’t just teach more and more ICT techniques for their own sake but provide tasks that require sensitivity to information requirements, sophisticated decision-making, knowledge of available tools, and accuracy in evaluation. It is best to teach ICT techniques at the stage where the task provided a subtle context.

 

Question the whole class

Past studies have indicated that successful teachers have questioned the whole class or group prior to ICT activities to clarify their expectations. This also helped in getting students to focus on what they going to do and also generated ideas about how they might go about it.

 

During this process, it was found that it was helpful for the students to identify the reasons why they needed to plan their work on paper first so that they had a clear view of the layout of a document or the structure of a database.

 

 

Structure tasks

Use structured tasks to introduce particular ICT techniques and ensure that students have the opportunity to use those ICT techniques subsequently in more open tasks in which students can make decisions about the choices of ICT techniques.

 

Understand that there is more than one learning purpose

It is important to understand that ICT activities typically have more than one learning purpose. If you plan to integrate technology into meaningful subject-related activities you will be able to combine the ICT and other subject issues into your discussion and questioning of the class or group.

 

You can learn more about successful strategies for integrating technology in the classroom by enrolling in one of my many online workshops for teachers today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does it look like to plan a lesson with technology—confidently and purposefully?

See how members move from idea to implementation using a 10-step planning framework.

 

 

When the lesson plan is the bridge, not the barrier

It’s easy to feel stuck when you're holding a great idea… and then asking yourself:

• “How can I integrate technology into this lesson?”

• “How do I match the tech to my learning goals?”

• “What’s the best way to make sure it’s not just a ‘fun extra’?”

 

Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, lesson plans are more than just activity ideas. They’re designed to take you step-by-step from a great idea to a well-integrated, curriculum-aligned, confidently executed learning experience.

 

This is where you move from just adding technology… to intentionally embedding it.

 

Let’s walk through the exact process.

 

 

 

The 10-step method to integrate technology with purpose

Every lesson plan in the membership comes with a structured framework that supports teachers in applying best practices for integrating technology in the classroom—even if they’re starting from scratch.

STEP	WHAT YOU DO	MEMBERSHIP TOOL	HOW THIS SUPPORTS INTEGRATION
1	Choose a lesson that fits your curriculum goals	Access the Members' Library	All activities are curriculum-linked
2	Map the learning intention and outcome	Workbook: Planning Template (pg. 114)	Helps ensure technology enhances—not distracts from—the learning goal
3	Match ICT to the children’s ability level	ICT Levels of Differentiation	Provides tiered tech skills (basic, intermediate, advanced) to personalise learning
4	Set Learning Goals	Embedded in each lesson plan	Already linked to EYLF outcomes so you can copy straight into your program
5	Ask: How can I incorporate technology into this activity?	Workbook prompts for lesson alignment	Encourages intentional ICT use—not just “adding a device”
6	Decide how you’ll observe and assess learning	Higher Order Thinking Table (pg. 182)	Makes tech integration visible with structured skills-based observation
7	Adapt to your context	“Ideas for Adapting to My Context” in every plan	Whether you’re outdoors, tech-limited, or working 1:1, there’s a modification suggestion ready
8	Reflect after implementation	Critical Reflection Prompts in the Workbook	Questions guide you to adjust and scale tech use after the lesson
9	Share with peers and get feedback	Community Forum & Wisdom Tool	Get ideas, extensions, and solutions from other educators in real time
10	Scale up the lesson	Scaling Your Lesson Plan Guide	Move from first attempt (Adoption) to deeper tech use (Infusion) without needing a new lesson

 

This planning method is more than a checklist—it’s your guide to continuous growth.

 

 

 

Meet Lena: A member story in real-time

Before joining the Academy, Lena had a set of Bee Bots sitting in a cupboard for six months. She’d seen them used in PD sessions but never felt sure how they connected to her class goals. "I kept wondering—how can I integrate technology into this lesson if I don’t even know where to start?"

 

Here’s how Lena used the membership’s 10 steps to move forward:

🟢 Step 1-2: She chose the “Drawing with Programmable Toys” lesson and mapped her learning intentions in the workbook. It linked to both numeracy and creativity.

🟢 Step 3: Using the ICT Levels of Differentiation, she realized most of her class could move the Bee Bot randomly, while two children were ready to program turns.

🟢 Step 4: The plan already listed clear EYLF goals, which she copied straight into her documentation.

🟢 Step 5: A workbook prompt asked: “How can I incorporate technology into this activity to give children control?” That inspired her to let children pick the marker colours attached to the Bee Bots.

🟢 Step 6-7: She used the Higher Order Thinking table to track logical reasoning and creativity, and adapted the activity to run outdoors using chalk paths.

🟢 Step 8-9: After the session, Lena reflected in her workbook and posted in the Community Forum: “How can I extend this into a digital storytelling activity?” A member suggested using a drawing app for retelling the Bee Bot’s “journey.”

🟢 Step 10: Lena then used the Scaling Your Lesson Plan guide to embed the concept across numeracy, literacy, and digital art over a 3-week period.

Today, Lena doesn’t ask “How can I integrate technology into this lesson?”—she’s now designing cross-curricular units using ICT with confidence.

 

 

 

When planning is Professional Development

Planning with the Academy tools isn’t just preparation—it’s professional development for technology integration in the classroom.

Every lesson plan includes:

• APST-aligned reflection prompts

• Tech integration at three ability levels

• Structured feedback loops with peers

• Built-in assessment tools and curriculum connections

• Guidance for ethical, developmentally appropriate ICT use

This means every time you plan, you’re building your digital pedagogy and tracking your growth—not just prepping an activity.

 

 

Imagine what your planning could feel like in 3 weeks…

• You download a lesson and know it’s already curriculum-aligned

• You use the workbook to plan and reflect without starting from scratch

• You confidently differentiate the tech tools based on skill levels

• You walk away with clear observations, peer insights, and new ideas for extension

This is what technology integration in the classroom looks like—when it’s built into your routine, not added on as a burden.

 

 

 

You're one lesson away from starting the journey

Every time you ask “How can I incorporate technology into this activity?” or “How do I do this meaningfully, not just for the sake of it?”—the answer lives inside the membership.

🟢 Start with one lesson plan.
🟢 Follow the 10 steps.
🟢 See what happens next.

👇 Click below to get access to your first lesson and begin your planning journey.

 

 

Also in this series:
Read the first part of this blog—“Beyond Strategies: How One Teacher Transformed Technology Integration with 10 Key Membership Steps”—to see the full path from self-assessment to transformation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does effective Professional Development for Technology Integration really look like?

Most educators are searching for the next PD. Our members are transforming their classrooms instead.

 

Not another one-off session—Something deeper!

Emma didn’t sign up for another course.
She didn’t attend another after-hours workshop hoping it would “stick.”
She joined something that fit into her teaching—because it grew with her.

 

She’d searched for professional development for technology integration in the classroom after too many moments of frustration—when the ideas were there, but the application wasn’t.

 

What she found was not just PD.
It was a space to learn, apply, reflect, and evolve—as a teacher, not just as a tech user.

 

This is Emma’s story.

 

 

Emma’s Week 1: Choosing one lesson and finding clarity

Emma logged into the ICT in Education Teacher Academy with one goal:
"I just want to feel confident using technology in a purposeful way."

 

She opened the Members’ Library and found a lesson titled “Digital Nature Walk & Photography.”

 

What caught her attention?

A section in the lesson plan that read:

Best-suited workbook tools:
Planning Template (pg. 114), Observation Guide (pg. 101), Community Reflection Prompts (pg. 182)

 

She downloaded it and opened her workbook to page 114.

 

Within 30 minutes, Emma had:

• Mapped out her EYLF-aligned learning intention

• Identified how the digital photography experience met both science and literacy goals

• Jotted down her own context notes (limited tablets, small group rotation)

• Used the ICT Levels of Differentiation table to set different tech goals for each group

 

She wasn't just reading about ways to integrate technology in the classroom.

She was doing it—thoughtfully and with structure.

 

 

Emma’s Week 2: Applying, observing, and noticing something new

By the following week, Emma was in the school garden with five children and two tablets.

 

She watched as:

• One child zoomed in to photograph leaf patterns

• Another noticed symmetry in bark and captured it

• A third recorded a voice message explaining the difference between two plants

Emma pulled out her printed Observation Guide (pg. 101).

She wasn’t guessing what to look for.

She was observing digital skills, inquiry learning, and communication—all aligned with EYLF and the Higher Order Thinking Skills Table.

 

After the session, she turned to pg. 182 and answered a prompt:

What surprised you about the children’s interaction with technology?

 

She wrote:
“They showed more intentionality than I expected—especially with framing and explaining their photos. The tech enhanced—not replaced—their connection to nature.”

 

 

 

Emma’s Week 3: going deeper, not wider

Instead of jumping to a new idea, Emma followed the Scaling Your Lesson Plan guide.

 

She returned to the classroom, uploaded the photos, and used Book Creator to help the children make digital nature journals. Each child narrated their learning with voice recordings.

 

Emma posted in the membership community:

“Has anyone extended this activity into storytelling or science journaling?”

 

By morning, she had 3 replies and a shared video of a similar adaptation using QuiverVision.

 

She chose to try it next week.

 

 

 

Emma’s Reflection: “This is the first time it’s felt embedded”

Three weeks.

One lesson.

And she had:

• Implemented and adapted a tech-integrated lesson

• Differentiated based on digital skill levels

• Collected real-time observations for formative assessment

• Reflected on pedagogical decisions using structured prompts

• Shared and received peer ideas inside a supportive, focused community

No extra sessions.

No disconnected advice.

No gimmicks.

 

Just embedded, authentic, and supported professional development for technology integration in the classroom.

 

 

 

What makes this the place to learn best practices?

We don’t have to say it.

You just read it.

 

From choosing a lesson to scaling it across key learning areas—every part of the membership is designed to guide educators in learning by doing.

 

Here’s what’s quietly built into every lesson plan, workshop, and reflection prompt:

• Clear EYLF outcomes and APST alignment

• Differentiation tools that meet children where they are

• Lesson templates that help you plan with purpose

• Assessment tools that make learning visible

• Reflection questions that build your confidence, not just your checklist

• Peer stories and examples that keep you evolving, not overwhelmed

 

This is how members experience and apply the best practices for integrating technology in the classroom—not through a one-day event, but through repeatable, supported practice.

 

 

 

So if you're still asking, “What’s the best way to grow in tech integration?”

You already know the answer.

It’s not another article.

It’s not another PD flyer.

It’s a place where planning, reflection, and peer feedback are woven together every day.

📥 Click below to step into the membership and begin your own Emma-style journey.
Start with one lesson. Follow the workbook. Ask a question. Reflect. Grow.

You’re not just joining PD.

You’re joining a movement of teachers embedding real technology integration in early learning and primary classrooms.

SAVE ON THE ANNUAL PLAN TODAY!

 

 

 

The Professional Growth You’ve Been Waiting For — Teacher Technology Training That Actually Works

Why Training Matters More Than Tools

If you've been reading our recent blogs about integrating technology, exploring strategies, and understanding its role in teaching and learning—this is your next step.

You now understand the why and how. But what’s still missing is a guided, supportive path to actually do it. That’s what teacher technology training should offer—and that’s exactly what the ICT in Education Teacher Academy was built to deliver.

If you're like many teachers, it’s not the technology that’s holding you back. It’s the lack of training, confidence, and support.

Teacher technology training isn’t just about learning how to use devices. It’s about learning how to teach with them—effectively, creatively, and with purpose. And for that, you need more than one-off PD days or disconnected app tutorials.

This blog will walk you through what meaningful, classroom-ready training actually looks like—and how the ICT in Education Teacher Academy gives you exactly that.

 

 

What You’ve Learned So Far — And Why Training Is the Bridge

BLOG TOPIC	WHAT YOU NOW UNDERSTAND	WHY YOU NEED TRAINING THROUTH THE MEMBERSHIP
Integrating technology	The process for embedding tech with purpose	You need support to apply it consistently and confidently
Classroom strategies	Key ways to use tech to enhance learning	You need structure to choose and implement them
Purpose of tech in teaching	The impact of tech on students and teachers	You need tools to deliver that impact day to day
Teaching strategies	What works and when	You need reflection and examples to adapt them
The big picture	What technology in teaching truly means	You need a pathway to make it part of your daily practice

 

You’ve read the ideas. The membership is where you take action.

 

 

 

What Does Technology Training for Teachers Involve?

Real technology training for teachers involves more than logging hours. It means learning how to:

• Plan with intention using frameworks like TPACK

• Integrate ICT to support curriculum and differentiation

• Observe and assess student capability using digital tools

• Reflect, adapt, and grow through feedback and collaboration

If you’ve read our ebooks on Effective PD in ICT or Formative Assessment, you’ll know that great training focuses on how you use technology—not just what you use.

This is especially important for early childhood and primary educators, who often don’t receive subject-specific training in digital integration.

 

 

 

Why Training Teachers to Use Technology Must Be Ongoing

Learning to teach with technology isn’t a one-time event. It requires ongoing reflection, guided implementation, and shared insight.

Here’s what you might have already experienced:

What You Might Get Now	What You Actually Need
A tool demo or app walkthrough	A lesson plan structure with strategy, purpose, and scaffolding
One-off PD workshop	A progression pathway with built-in feedback and reflection
Tips from a colleague	Evidence-based strategies tested in classrooms and supported by experts
A new device rollout	Planning and assessment tools aligned with curriculum and ICT capability

 

 

This is where training teachers to use technology in the classroom must shift—from tools to transformation.

 

 

 

The Membership Model: Teacher Training with Real Impact

Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, you follow a structured yet flexible training journey that’s built for real classrooms.

Here’s how you’ll experience teacher technology training that lasts:

• ✅ Use the Lesson Planning Template (pg. 114) to embed ICT with purpose

• ✅ Reflect with Observation Guides (pg. 101) and Community Prompts (pg. 182)

• ✅ Choose lesson plans that model strategy, not just activity

• ✅ Share challenges and adapt with peer support

• ✅ Build confidence through action—not overwhelm

 

 

 

From Training to Confident Practice — How You’ll Grow as a Member

STAGE	WHAT YOU'LL LEARN	HOW YOU'LL APPLY IT IN THE CLASSROOM
Getting Started	Foundational concepts (TPACK, digital pedagogy)	Choose appropriate tools for learning outcomes
Building Capability	Strategies and scaffolded lesson plans	Implement with planning + observation tools
Reflecting and Extending	Peer support, feedback, and adaptation techniques	Modify plans, track impact, and contribute to community

This is professional development for teachers using technology in the classroom—not in theory, but in daily practice.

 

 

 

Lesson Plans That Support Your Learning

Whether it’s:

• 🎒 Bee Bot School Bus (spatial reasoning + programming)

• 📸 Digital Nature Walk (photography + oral language)

• ✏️ Year 5 Literacy with ICT (scriptwriting, podcasting, digital storytelling)

…you won’t just download activities. You’ll download support, with built-in guidance that strengthens your teaching over time.

These are the kinds of activities that turn training into transformation.

 

 

 

The Real Reason to Join

If you're thinking about how to confidently use technology in your classroom, the time to start is now.

You’ve already gained ideas, strategies, and insights through our blog series. What you need next is support that helps you apply them with clarity.

Here’s why the membership works:

• You don’t need to figure it out alone — we guide you step-by-step

• You don’t have to keep searching — everything is in one place

• You don’t need perfect conditions — just a willingness to grow

 

You don’t need another webinar. You need guidance, community, and clarity. That’s what training looks like here.

Save on the Annual plan now!