Summary
The session aims to answer the question of how technology can be effectively utilized to facilitate authentic learning experiences. It will guide teachers in generating action steps to nurture authentic learning with technology. Participants will explore the essential elements of authentic learning in relation to technology and engage in discussions to make informed choices regarding technology integration. By the end of the session, participants will have gained valuable insights and practical strategies that will enable them to enhance student learning through the authentic use of technology in the classroom.
Essential Question
How can technology be used to support authentic learning?
Snapshot
Engage
Participants reflect on their familiarity with the 5E model using a "Fist-to-Five" self-assessment and revisit elements of authenticity from prior work.
Explore
In content-area groups, participants sort lesson snapshot cards into the five Es, discuss and refine their categorizations using the 5E Framework text as guidance .
Explain
Groups revisit their card-sort conclusions and then evaluate a real lesson from the LEARN repository, identifying the 5E components and authentic learning elements via a rubric .
Extend
Participants apply what they've learned to redesign one of their own lessons into the 5E format, emphasizing authentic teaching features, using provided materials for support .
Evaluate
Participants complete a Triangle-Square-Circle reflection, redo the Fist-to-Five self-assessment, and reflect on how they might integrate the session’s instructional strategies into future lessons .
Materials List
Session slides
Padlet or 3-2-1 handout (optional; attached; one per participant)
Honeycomb Harvest handout (attached; one per participant or group of two or three)
Authenticity Practitioner’s Brief (attached; optional)
Works Cited page (attached; optional)
Authentic Use of Technology handout (attached; one per participant)
Three Corners signs (optional)
Chart paper
Markers
Menti or What? So What? Now What? handout (optional; attached; one per participant)
Laptops or Chromebooks (optional; one per participant)
Learning Goals
Identify the research-based elements of authentic learning as they relate to technology use.
Apply concepts from research to decision charts and conversations.
Generate action steps to nurture authentic learning with technology.
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Display the attached Session Slides and introduce the session topic: Integrating Technology to Foster Authentic Learning.
Display slide 2 and invite participants to reflect on how technology is currently used in their school and classroom. Ask them to respond to all of the 3-2-1 prompts on the Padlet linked on the slide. Once everyone has accessed the Padlet, display it for the group so all responses are visible. If participants have trouble generating ideas, consider offering a few examples or encouraging them to think beyond technology used solely for direct instruction. If needed, clarify that technology includes both software (such as Google Docs and Kahoot!) and hardware (such as Chromebooks and mobile phones).
Once all participants have responded, display slide 3 and introduce the Airplane Landing strategy. Explain that this strategy keeps the conversation moving, even when participants share similar ideas. Ask for volunteers and let them know that everyone will share, even if someone else gives a similar response. Assign each volunteer a numbered spot and have them share their answers in that “landing order.”
After all responses have been shared and the discussion has wrapped up, display slide 4 and introduce the session’s Essential Question: “How can technology be used to support authentic learning?”
Explore
15 Minute(s)
Have participants form pairs or trios, depending on the size of the session, and distribute one Honeycomb Harvest set to each group. Display slide 5 and explain that the goal is to explore connections between authenticity and technology. Instruct groups to arrange the cards so that any ideas they feel are related are touching. They may form one large honeycomb or several smaller ones, but every card should connect to at least one other.
Once all groups have finished, invite two or three to share their honeycomb layout and explain their reasoning for the connections they made.
Explain
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 6 and distribute the Authentic Use of Technology handout to each participant. Ask participants to compare their group’s honeycomb arrangement to the structure of the handout, using the reflection questions on the slide to guide their discussion. After 2–5 minutes of small group reflection, display slide 7. Facilitate a whole-group conversation by inviting 2–4 volunteers to share which elements from the Honeycomb Harvest and the Authentic Use of Technology handout they recognize in the technologies they posted to the Padlet earlier in the session.
Extend
25 Minute(s)
Display slide 8 and introduce the Four Corners strategy, which groups participants based on shared ideas or experiences. For this activity, ask participants to move to one of three labeled corners that best reflects their comfort level with using technology in the classroom:
Tech Wizard: Highly confident with technology, often tries new tools, and may even support others.
Computer Comfort-Zoner: Regularly uses a few familiar tools but doesn’t often branch out into unfamiliar technologies.
AV-Avoidant: Prefers low-tech solutions and is not comfortable integrating technology into instruction.
Once participants have gathered in their corners, display slide 9. Explain that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a strategy used to guide decisions and streamline processes. Ask participants to work in groups of 2–5 to create an SOP that outlines how they decide which technology to use in their classroom. If needed, prompt them with the scenario of planning a lesson where they want to include technology—how would they choose a tool that supports both authentic learning and their instructional goals? Encourage groups to refer to the Authentic Use of Technology handout as they plan. Groups may choose to create an SOP that points to a specific tool, or one that outlines general steps for selecting any tool.
Allow 10–15 minutes for SOP creation using chart paper and markers. Once all groups have finished, ask each to nominate one person to share their SOP and explain their process, highlighting how the ideas from the Authentic Use of Technology handout influenced their decisions.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 10. Ask participants to consider the What? So What? Now What? questions on the slide:
What is an idea that really stood out to you in this session?
So What will you be looking for when choosing tech tools moving forward?
Now What do you want to look into more? (e.g., specific tech tool, concept, etc.)
Display the information to join the Mentimeter. Once all participants have accessed the Mentimeter, display the Mentimeter responses. Highlight responses that reinforce components of authenticity. If time allows, share resources to help participants get started with what they want to look into more.
Research Rationale
To learn more about the research that guided this session, feel free to consult the attached Authenticity: Practitioner’s Brief and accompanying Works Cited page.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Airplane landing. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/78
K20 Center. (n.d.). Canva. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/612
K20 Center. (n.d.). Four corners. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/138
K20 Center. (n.d.). Google docs. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/2327
K20 Center. (n.d.). Honeycomb harvest. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/61
K20 Center. (n.d.). Kahoot!. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/637
K20 Center. (n.d.). Mentimeter. Tech tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/645
K20 Center. (n.d.). Padlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1077
K20 Center. (n.d.). Standard operating procedure (SOP). Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/89
K20 Center. (n.d.). 3-2-1. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/117
K20 Center. (n.d.). What? So what? Now what? Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/95