Winds of change are blowing through American classrooms from several directions. Schools are serving a more ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse student body than ever before. From our universities and research institutions, studies about education, cognitive psychology, and neurology have offered new insights on how humans learn. And from the marketplace, the infusion of technology has redefined work skills and society's expectations about what it means to be an educated person.

In more and more classrooms, teachers are using technology to help them meet the challenges posed by these changes. Constructivism, a theory of learning, provides a valuable framework for using computers and other technology in productive, interesting ways. Technology can enrich students' use of a variety of resources and help them gain understanding about their world. Assisted by teachers and peers in their growth as individual learners, students can use technology to enhance their work and increase their connections with resources outside school walls. However, computers are not inherently instructional tools, and most teachers need suggestions for using them. This guide provides such suggestions. It is not a nuts-and-bolts manual, but a discussion about using technology in environments that support learning.

The definition of "technology" is limited here to include only computers and anything that attaches to computers. Beginning with an overview of learning principles based on constructivist theory in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 presents classroom activities without technology. Chapters 3 and 4 examine ways computers can complement classroom instruction to support learning. Chapter 5 is a practical compendium of questions, answers, and considerations for introducing technology into the learning environment. A resources section is provided for those wishing more information on technology and constructivist theory.