Technology Frameworks - The Technology Integration Matrix

This week, I am going to reflect on myself as a teacher. Specifically, I'll be assessing my use of technology in the classroom through the use of The Technology Integration Matrix.

TIM tools logo
(https://tinyurl.com/ychxl36g) 

What is it? 

The Technology Integration Matrix, according to their website, allows teachers to assess how they are using technology to enhance learning. It is broken up into five different characteristic that are found in a meaningful classroom environment. These five characteristics are active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, and goal- directed. A teacher that uses this evaluation system can rate themselves in these five categories based on their level of integration. I am going to take a look at each category and rate my own classroom and how I used technology currently and in the past. 

TIM Matrix (https://tinyurl.com/y7oy8fc8) 

Active 

This category of the TIM matrix is all about the students being actively engaged in a lesson through using technology as a tool. The students shouldn't only be passively using the technology. In this category, I would place myself in adoption, or second stage of integration. In this stage, the teacher is still the main facilitator of a lesson using technology. Students are led step-by-step through projects or activities. When I use technology for projects, I have normally provided my students in the type of technology to use, a set of pre-determined websites to visit, as well as lead the students through the activity on the Mimio.

Collaborative 

This second category is all about the students working together on technology instead of on their own. I would place myself in the third level of integration, adaptation. In this category, the teacher provides times for student to work together using technology. The teacher normally chooses the tool, and the students are allowed to explore the tool with a partner. When I worked in a one-to-one iPad classroom, my students worked this way very frequently. I would give them a topic, give them a tool (iPad app), and allow them to discover and use the tool how they would like to present their topic. These activities were always one of mine and the students favorites. 

Constructive

In the third category of the TIM matrix the teacher is responsible for using technology to connect new information to prior learning. Again, I would place myself at the second level of integration, adoption. At this level, a teacher is beginning to allow the use of technology to build on knowledge. Examples would be digital graphic organizers. I have done activities with sites such as Storyboard That, or Kidspiration. 

Authentic

In this category, students are using technology to link technology to the world. At this very moment I would place myself very low on the scale in probably either the first or second level of integration. There are times when my lessons use technology and discuss the world beyond the classroom, but it not as frequent as I would like. My school is beginning a new program this year called, PenPal Schools. I believe once I am able to integrate this into my instruction I would be able to move up in this category. 

Goal Directed

In this final category, students should be using technology set their own goals and track their own learning. For this category I would place myself in the entry level of integration. My students use technology programs frequently, but they are all programs that self-track. The student do not need to do anything to monitor their learning. 

Final Reflection

After reading through the TIM matrix and evaluating myself through it's eyes, I feel like I have a long way to go when it come to technology integration. While I feel like I use technology quite a bit in my classroom, I can see now that I am the one using it, and I need to release some of that to my students. I am interested in trying some new activities, using some new tools and then coming back and reevaluating myself on the scale to see if I have grown. If you haven't already, take a look at your teaching based on the TIM matrix. It is has been really eye opening for me.