After reviewing my district's specific technology plan, I learned more about the National Educational Technology Plan published by the U.S. Department of Education in 2010. This document outlines goals and specific objectives to be implemented nationwide by the year 2020. The two major goals seem admirable, yet quite bold and ambitious:
- We will raise the proportion of college graduates from where it now stands (around 41%) so that 60 percent of our population holds a two-year or four-year degree by 2020.
- We will close the achievement gap so that all students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers.
("National technology plan," 2010)
There are five specific areas of focus to meet the goals stated above. Recommendations are made to improve student learning, assessment measures, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity.
To meet the challenges of succeeding in a connected and global society, learners must master both advanced content and 21st Century skills. In our classrooms, we must provide students with real-world problems to solve through collaboration, critical thinking, and the use of appropriate technology. To make sure that these unique students are engaged, educators must be willing to provide them with choices and "personalized learning experiences". ("National technology plan," 2010)
The plan also outlines how teaching must continue to adapt to the expanding use of technology. A teacher can no longer be a lone wolf, quietly working independently from everyone else. The new norm is "connected teaching," where teachers work in collaborative teams and form various professional learning communities that include other teachers, administrators, experts, and community leaders, both local and global. Professional development must also change to meet the needs of connected teachers. The plan mentions the movement toward self-directed learning, and I believe that teachers will learn more and achieve better outcomes with these types of opportunities.
I personally agree with many of the strategies outlined to meet goals for teaching and learning. I also see the value of the major goals outlined at the beginning of the report. The first goal seems quantifiable, and it will be easy to see if the U.S. is able to succeed. However, the second goal seems much more vague and open to various interpretations. A national plan is a great way to standardize expectations for the educational system. Unfortunately, the system of separate state standards, budgets, and legislative procedures seems like a great challenge to the implementation of national strategies to reach these goals.
Reference
(2010). National technology plan 2010: Executive summary . Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education website: http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010-execsumm.pdf
More school districts are realizing the importance of technology integration. In today's economy, however, a lack of funding for updated telecommunication tools can be a great barrier for districts across the state and nation. Luckily, there are resources available for schools.
One excellent option is the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund. Administered by the Universal Service Administrators and directed by the FCC, the program gives discounts to eligible entities towards telecommunication services, internal connectivity, and Internet access. To apply for these discounts, schools must create and submit a comprehensive technology plan with five elements, including future goals, strategies, and evaluation methods.
Accessing my district's website, I was easily able to find my district's technology plan. Garland ISD's 45-page plan was written in 2010 and covers three years of short-term goals from 2010-2013. From the executive summary of the plan, Dr. Culwell describes the district's overall goal is "to find cost effective creative ways to use new and emerging technologies to meet our district objectives." In the document, eight major goals, each with multiple objectives and strategies, are stated. These goals are:
- Increase effectiveness and productivity of administrators, faculty, and staff by automating existing manual processes and procedures
- Improve communications, learning, & flexibility for students, parents/guardians, community members and district personnel.
- Enable broader access to District Technology Resources within the district and GISD community.
- Provide additional and new technology tools for educators, students, and staff to enhance effective classroom learning.
- Enhance the home/school connection by providing communication between school, classroom, parents, and community.
- Increase time on task for students and all district personnel by providing efficient networking and convenient remote access.
- Provide all users with effective, reliable, and secure technology solutions.
- Maintain and enhance users' efficiency by keeping technology systems (equipment and software) up to date.
(Garland ISD Technology, 2010)
The strategic plan will be assessed yearly, while more specific monitoring and evaluation is done by the Technology Department on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. Inventories of hardware and software are to be completed annually, and every teacher at each school is required to complete the STAR chart each year. When implementing new programs or equipment, the district uses a limited number of schools as pilot locations to determine whether these products are appropriate, cost-efficient, and effective before rolling them out district-wide.
Over the three-year period, Garland ISD is asking E-Rate to cover 100% of Telecommunications and Internet Access costs of $600,000 per year. Almost all other expenses in the Technology Plan will be covered with local funds, with the exception of $100,000 of Title II funding for Staff Development.
This plan is extremely comprehensive and detailed, as there are at least 31 objectives and 64 specific strategies outlined. For this reason, I felt somewhat overwhelmed as I read through the document trying to pull out the most important information to summarize. From reviewing recent STAR charts from my campus, I know that professional development is a relatively high-needs area. I was surprised to see that the Educator Preparation and Development area was only referenced in one of the objectives and that it is the area that is slated to receive the least amount of funding in the plan's budget.
References
Overview of the schools and libraries program. (2010, July 14). Retrieved from http://www.usac.org/sl/about/overview-program.aspx
Garland isd technology plan. (2010, May 25). Retrieved from http://www.garlandisd.net/technology/documents/Garland ISD Technology Plan_ 2010 - 2013.pdf
As technology becomes a required and everyday part of our educational system, we must make sure that we are using our tools in the most effective way. Many teachers are part of a generation of "Digital Immigrants" while most of our students are "Digital Natives," having lived their entire lives with access to the Internet, cell-phones, and other electronic devices. (Prensky, 2001). And even within the group of digital immigrants, self-reported skills and experience levels vary widely. Before we can expect to effectively integrate technology into our classrooms, we must make sure that all educators feel confident using technology.
As all teachers know, every student learns a little bit differently. This fact also holds true for adults, and anyone can find out how he/she prefers to learn by taking The Multiple Intelligence Inventory. Tools and surveys like this one can help an adult learner reflect on exactly what they need from professional development. Results can be used to guide teachers toward sessions that provide appropriate content presented in an easily accessible format. There are so many resources for continuing education today, so teachers do not need to waste time at a session that does not meet their needs.
Tools like The Multiple Intelligence Inventory or the LoTi Digital-Age Survey are quick and easy to use, and the information that they provide also gives teachers a chance to open the lines of communication with colleagues and administrators. However, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the number of surveys or quizzes that may be out there. Some tools are better than others, and it can be hard to ensure accurate results unless they are created by experts, supported by research-based methods, and continually updated. Self-assessments are only as accurate as the user's chosen responses, so one also must take time and answer questions honestly.
Reflecting on personal learning styles and needs is very important for today's educators. Once we can figure out how to meet our own needs, we will be able to teach our students to do the same thing. Technology allows us to personalize and individualize education for everyone; we simply need to take the time to make sure we are using it right.
References:
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives and digital immigrants part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 2.
The multiple intelligence inventory. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.ldrc.ca/projects/miinventory/miinventory.php
LoTi digital age survey. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.lqhome.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/lotilounge.woa
Welcome to my new professional blog!
My name is Samantha, and I am beginning a graduate program in Educational Technology Leadership at Lamar University. I am currently a middle school Science teacher at a technology magnet school, so I hope that this program will help me become a more active, informed, and effective team member at my campus. I plan to use this blog not only to complete assignments, but also to share opinions and information that might be valuable to other teachers.
Feel free to comment on any posts you find interesting - I am always looking for ways to share ideas and collaborate with others.
