Entry Level vs. Infusion Level (Collaborative Learning Environment)

Similarities

* Both levels of technology integration supplement respective science lesson.

* Both levels are suitable for grades 3-5.

* In both levels, teachers keep students on target.

* The types of technology used in both levels were interactive for students--the class was engaged with use of Smart Board and work in pairs with Entry Level lesson; students were engaged with their research and collaboration on the wikis with Infusion Level lesson.

* Both levels require students to use a type of technology, allowing them to enhance their skills with each tool (Entry: Smart Board, interactive games/activities; Infusion: online research, wikis, upload files).

* Teachers have control over what is displayed with the technologies in both levels of integration.

Differences

* With Entry level of integration, students are directed to work alone when using technology, whereas with Infusion, students are directed to use technology tools collaboratively.

* The teacher who demonstrated Entry Level explained that the technology was used for a review of the science unit, as a "refresher" for vocabulary words/concepts learned during the week, whereas the teacher who demonstrated Infusion Level explained that the students used different technologies to "take a stance" on the issue presented in the science unit and present their information—indicating that some of content involved was not entirely a review or "refresher" but an opportunity for students to share additional information they gathered aside from what they had already learned in the science unit.

* Entry Level included specific interactive games/activities for further practice, whereas Infusion Level included a variety of technologies for students to use—giving them more choice.

Assessing my math lesson plan: students work in pairs make graphs on the computer (variety of graphing sites, they choose 1) to compare & visually represent number of angles, sides, lines of symmetry of different shapes.

Level: Infusion (provided learning context, students choose display)

Learning Environment: Collaborative (students work in pairs)

(Background image retrieved from http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/smart_board_in_action_3.jpg)