Technology That Supports Teaching and Learning
[from Technology Making a Difference, TERC]

Effective, Appropriate Technology Integration —

• aligns with local, state and national standards
• is accessible to and meets the needs of all learners
• identifies clear identifiers of achievement

Active

• Learners interact with an environment.
• Learners manipulate objects in that environment.
• Learners observe the effects of their interventions.
• Learners construct their own interpretations.
• Learners explore.

Constructive

• Learners construct models to explain observations.
• Multiple solutions to problems are accepted.
• Errors are used to clarify and refine knowledge in the activity.
• Learners build on prior knowledge.

Intentional/Reflective

• Learners articulate the learning goals.
• Learners explain what they are doing and/or the strategies they use.
• Learners explain how they find answers.
• Learners manage and/or monitor their own learning.

Authentic

• Tasks are meaningful and real world.
• Tasks are presented in a case-based or problem environment.
• Connections are made to community/state/world outside of school.
• There is a personal connection to learning.

Cooperative

• Learners work in groups to complete a common task.
• The task requires communication.
• Individuals have separate roles or responsibilities.

Unit Design Descriptors

• Unit Design Descriptors (pdf )
• Unit Design Template (pdf)