I stopped teaching 5 years ago and it amazes me how far technology has come in that short amount of time. Some of the concerns that I had about integrating technology into classroom instruction were addressed in this article. I too wondered at times was the technology I was using impacting learning the way I had hoped it would or was it serving more as entertainment. In the past I was guilty of abandoning a program and labeling it a flop when it did not go as planned. I found it helpful to read about how others stuck with it and found success by either using a similar program that suited their needs better or by working through glitches in order to achieve the desired outcome. Social media was a touchy subject at the school I taught at and I am pleased to hear that there are restricted options available now.

To be honest I would never have considered using a game such as Civilization or  a simulation such as SimCity in the classroom. However, after reading this article and seeing the educational benefits I would be open to incorporating them into my classroom instruction.

It is true that our students are more tech savvy then ever before. My goal as a teacher is to prepare my students for the world in which they will live and work in and that involves integrating more technology into lesson plans, activities, and assessments.