Personalizing instruction with technology

Today’s students need to develop 21^st century skills that include critical thinking and proficiency in technology.  Therefore, technology should be integrated into the classroom in ways that will personalize instruction and enhance learning.   Technology can be a tremendous tool for inquiry based projects and interactive assignments.  With technology, educators can quickly assess student performance and adjust instruction accordingly.  Technology by itself is not inherently student-centered, so educators must choose technology that functions to promote personalization.  Examples of technology that personalize instruction are classroom response systems, voice recognition software, word completion software, and various forms of multimedia, such as simulations and games.  Educators are faced with the challenge of infusing their curriculum with many of these technological tools.  With dwindling school budgets, not all of these tools are available, nor do teachers receive the proper training for implementing them.