educationworld.com

As I try to ensure student mastery of the Technology Applications TEKS, I am forever looking for resources to use to help me integrate technology into the classroom. This is not necessarily a difficult thing, but it becomes somewhat challenging when you must make sure the lesson is relevant to the TEKS of your content area. One of the best resources I've been able to locate for addressing both content specific TEKS and TA TEKS simultaneously has been a website called www.educationworld.com.

Description of website: This is a website where teachers can gather and share ideas. It is a complete online resource where educators have access to great lesson plans and research materials. The site appears to be organized according to the four basic areas of technology education: Teaching & Learning; Educator Preparation & Development; Leadership, Administration, & Instructional Support; and Infrastructure. Each division has numerous links in which you will find lesson plans, helpful research information, and articles.

Positives: The website is very well designed and easy to navigate. The layout is very intuitive
and the content of the website is awesome. The information is current and there is a variety.

Negatives: Although the website was interactive, it was hard to find the link to be able to contact authors to ask questions.

Website's value to 21st century, information-age education: I think this website is extremely valuable to education, especially considering the challenges we face in preparing our students to be successful in the future. Information itself, as well as technology, is changing so rapidly that today's educators will never be able to stay abreast of it all if we don't collaborate with each other and share lesson plans that have already been designed to teach core curriculum, while at the same time teaching the TA TEKS. This website addresses each of the four main areas of concern in educational technology in a very extensive manner.

My recommendation of the website to other educators: I found this website to be a great resource. I recommend teachers try it for specific lesson plans, articles on technology integration, and educator preparation and development.