Separate or Integrated

The notion of separate or integrated has been debated in education for as long as the classroom has existed. Should girls be educated with boys? Should Blacks go to school with Whites? Should we group students homogeneously or heterogeneously? Should subjects be taught separately or as a part of an integrated unit? With the emergence of technology, we now have a new question. Should technology be taught separately or should it be integrated with other subject areas? I believe that there is a place for both. In order to effectively integrate technology into subject area coursework, the basics of the software must be first taught in isolation. For instance, a teacher should not require an English class to use PowerPoint to present the research for their novel study unless they have first taught the students how to use the software to create a presentation. Teaching the technology in isolation allows for the seamless integration of the technology as a part of the curriculum. Furthermore, the goals of a course should always be taken into consideration when deciding on instructional activities. If the use of technology does not fit with the instructional goals, or technology does not enhance the lesson, it should not be used.