The more I look into this topic, and primarily technology in education, I find that it is a vast topic that will continue to develop. I originally wanted to look into apps and software that are useful for teachers to utilize technology in the classroom to encourage classroom engagement. That is still my question and now I feel I have found a lot of helpful information to help work towards more successful technology integration. But I also want to look more closely into game-based learning, to see what strategies are available to help students adapt and be successful in our 21st century technology dominated society. I will continue to pursue technology education and encourage technology use in my own classroom.

I started with a goal to find ways to utilize technology in ways beyond the hardware. Not all schools have access to the same technology options so it is up to us as teachers to find ways that we can integrate technology without relying on the hardware itself. SMARTBoards are great, if you have one, if you don’t then you’re not just without technology, there are apps, websites, so many software options that you can use for similar tools without needing the expensive hardware. The more I researched into my inquiry the more I realized is out there that isn’t being utilized in the school system. Even myself, having this knowledge and yet I didn’t integrate half as much technology as I had thought during my unit planning. It’s hard to move away from what we’re used to. That is why I will continue to look and explore ways to use technology in the classroom that is not reliant on being tech savvy. Instead practical and useful softwares that teachers can use for student engagement and their own efficiency.

The inquiry process is not a final destination but instead a starting point to start thinking about important aspects involved in our teaching practice. I started this inquiry because optimally my goal is to design software that teachers can use to help engage students with the material that teach life skills and critical thinking. For example, Shakespeare is a topic many students dread, and yet if they interacted with the characters and the play in a digital sphere they would take away a better understanding of the content as well as the language. Technology has always been an important part of education but also always slow to move with development, as the rush of technology advancement education needs to speed up the adapting period and start using what is already available.