Technology Integration Matrix

 For this weeks blog I will be talking about the technology integration matrix, which is a tool for teachers that illustrates how teachers can use technology to enhance learning for K-12 students.  It incorporates five interdependent characteristics of meaningful learning environments: active, constructive, goal directed (i.e., reflective), authentic, and collaborative.
Today I would like to talk about one of the specific squares in the grid, collaborative at the transformation level. You can find their example here collaborative transformation level. 
This example has the student typing a description of their home city in word, then reciting it in garage band (adding sound effects where necessary) and making it into a podcast for students all over the world to hear. Then they see how their counterpart does, if they have a problem guessing the city, the student adds more details to their description.
After viewing this example and reading the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers  NETS for teachers, I found that a lot of these standards are incorporated in the lesson.  For example, standards 1a, promotes creative thinking and 1b, engaging students in solving authentic problems using digital tools. Also 4d, develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools, can be seen in this lesson.
This lesson does not seem to be that engaging for the teacher, they are more of a monitor in this lesson. Personally, I believe I am at the adaption/infusion level of integrating technology in the classroom.  This is much higher than when I started this class, so I'm headed in the right direction.  I feel that I can easily communicate with parents, students or colleagues over the internet in a comprehensive way, thus expanding the walls of my classroom.