The State of Technology in Maryland, 2002: Why the “New” Focus on Technology

1. The State of Technology in Maryland, 2002: Why the “New” Focus on Technology Davina Pruitt-Mentle September 23, 2002

2. Pre Assessment Exercise

3. Overview of Pre-Assignment • Focus today no longer on basic skills • In the mid to late 90’s, University provided “basic skills” training for the K-12 community • K-12 then developed their own training & IT PD units • University provided integration training • K-12 IT PD staff then developed their own integration training • University focused on web-based/distance education • K-12 developed own and/or with company partners • Currently, the university focus is on • new topics (Cyberethics, universal access, accessibility issues), • research (assessment of student and PD teacher outcomes) • survey/assessment data collection and analysis EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

4. Growth of Access • Since the 1980’s, when computers were first targeted for deployment in schools, more than $5 billion has been spent on hardware, software, teacher training, and connections. • Is there a set of necessary skills that defines technology literacy or “fluency”? EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

5. Changing Definitions • 1982 -Teachers are told to: Teach students to program in Basic • Rationale: “It’s the language that comes with the computer.” • 1984 - Teachers are told to: Teach students to program in LOGO • Rationale: “Teach students to think, not just program.” • 1986- Teachers told to: Teach with integrated drill and practice systems • Rationale: “Individualize instruction and increase test scores.” Source: H.J. Becker, “Analysis and Trends of School Use of New Information Technologies,” Office of Technology Assessment contractor report, March, 1994 EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

6. Changing Directions • 1988 - Teachers told to: Teach word processing • Rationale: “Use computers as tools, like adults do.” • 1990 - Teachers are told to: Teach with curriculum-specific tools (e.g., history databases, science simulators, data probes). • Rationale: “Integrating the computers with the existing curriculum.” Source: H.J. Becker, “Analysis and Trends of School Use of New Information Technologies,” Office of Technology Assessment contractor report, March, 1994 EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

7. Changing Directions • 1992 - Teachers told to: Teach multimedia hypertext programming • Rationale: “Change the curriculum, students learn the best by creating products for an audience.” • 1994 - Teachers are told to: Teach with Internet telecommunications • Rationale: “Let students be part of the real world.” Source: H.J. Becker, “Analysis and Trends of School Use of New Information Technologies,” Office of Technology Assessment contractor report, March, 1994 EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

8. Drivers of Change

9. National and International Assessments of Computer Competence • In 1983, the landmark report A Nation at Risk identified computer competence as a fourth basic skill • The emphasis was on computer literacy EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

10. National Assessment of Educational Progress • 1985/1986 - The first national assessment of computer competence, conducted as a part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) • Surveyed 3rd, 7th, and 11th graders on their knowledge and skills in using the computer • Students did well on identifying parts of computer but poorly on computer applications and knowledge of programming • Report provided the framework for examining differences in outcomes related to gender, race and ethnicity, computer use in and outside of school and parental education Source: M.E. Martinez and N.A. Mead, “Computer Competence: The First National Assessment,” Educational Testing Service, April, 1988 EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

11. Business Demands • 1991, the Department of Labor report What Work Requires of Students, the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) identified the following as necessary for the workforce: • Resource allocation skills • Interpersonal skills • Information skills • System skills • Technology Skills EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

12. Resource Allocation Skills • Handling: • Time • Money • Materials • Space • Staff EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

13. Interpersonal Skills • Working on Teams • Teaching Others • Serving Customers • Leading • Negotiating • Working well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

14. Information Skills • Acquiring and evaluating data • Organizing and maintaining files • Interpreting and communicating • Using computers to process information EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

15. System Skills • Understanding social, organizational, and technological systems • Monitoring and correcting performance • Designing or improving systems EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

16. Technology Skills • Selecting equipment and tools • Applying technology to specific tasks • Maintaining and troubleshooting technologies EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

17. International Association For The Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) • 1992 - Survey involving 12 countries -using the Functional Information Technology Test instrument • In U.S., 11,284 students from 573 schools • Results: • U.S. spends considerable more time “learning about computers”, but did not give students opportunities to practice with computers (as Austria, Germany and the Netherlands) • Western European countries require computer-related classes (informatics)- in the U.S. not required EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

18. Scholastic Achievement Test • In 1996, high school graduates who participated in the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) provided information on the kinds of computer technology they used in school • 72% Word processing • 51% Computer Literacy • 44% English Courses • Math problems, Data Processing and Computer programming ~25% College Board data published in R.J. Coley, J. Cradler and P.K. Engel, “Computers and Classrooms: The Status of Technology in U.S. Schools.” Policy Information Report, Princeton, NJ, Policy Information Center, Educational Testing Service, May, 1997 EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

19. Federal Leadership and National Standards • Technology Literacy Challenge Initiative (Clinton administration) • Built on 4 pillars: • Computers • Connections • Content • Competency EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

20. Standards • New Standards Project, begun in 1991 by the National Center for Education and Economy (http://www.ncee.org) • New Standards Reference Examinations • Designed to measure student achievement in mathematics and English language arts • Uses a mixture of traditional test items as well as performance tasks • Computer skills are not distinguished as discrete standards but embedded EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

21. Technology Education and Information Literacy Standards • Technology Literacy standards proposed by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA)-aimed to develop standards for K-12 technology education (http://www.iteawww.org/ ) • Information Literacy standards were prepared by the Association of American School Librarians (AASL) and the Association of Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) - aimed at school library and media specialist but correlated to learning concepts developed under other national association standards (http://www.aect.org/ ) EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

22. Evolution of the Current Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers • 1993- ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education – (http://www.iste.org/) developed the first edition of the ISTE Technology Standards for all teachers, 13 indicators • 1997, second edition- 18 indicators organized into the following three categories: • Basic Computer/Technology Operations and Concepts • Personal and Professional Use of Technology • Application of Technology in Instruction EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

23. ISTE NETS*T • 2000-alignment with: • the ISTE NETS*S (National Educational Technology Standards) for students http://cnets.iste.org/index2.html • Reflected research on teaching and learning with technology • Reflected advances in technology EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

24. Current ISTE NETS*T • 23 indicators organized into the following six categories: • Technology Operations and Concepts • Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences • Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum • Assessment and Evaluation • Productivity and Professional Practice • Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

25. ISTE NETS*T links • http://cnets.iste.org/index3.html ISTE NETS*T (for teachers) • http://cnets.iste.org/index2.html ISTE NETS*S (for students) • http://www.iste.org/standards/ The National Educational Technology Standards Project • http://cnets.iste.org/ NET Standards • http://cnets.iste.org/tssa/ ISTE NETS*A (also Technology Standards for School Administrators TSSA) - UMCP COE ETO helped in drafting • http://cnets.iste.org/ NCATE Technology Referenced in NCATE 2000 Standards • http://msde.aws.com/ Process Report on Technology in Maryland Schools • http://msde.aws.com/results/ Maryland Technology Inventory by LSS & school • http://msde.aws.com/digitaldivide.asp Maryland Digital Divide Report EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

26. ISTE NETS*T EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

27. State Approaches to Technology Standards • According to state technology directors responding to an informal survey conducted by the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education, student technology standards are typically embedded in curriculum guides EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

28. Maryland State Technology Standards • MSDE Technology Link: http://www.msde.state.md.us/technology/ • For Students- embedded within the Content Standards http://www.msde.state.md.us/technology/tech_plan_2002/APPENDIX_A_content_standards.pdf (new State testing designed to embed technology assessment) • For Teachers– effective May 2002 http://www.msde.state.md.us/technology/tech_plan_2002/APPENDIX%20C%20Teacher%20Tech%20Standards%202.pdf • Maryland State Technology Plan – http://www.msde.state.md.us/technology/md_tech_plan.html - accepted March, 2002 EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

29. MSDE Technology Link EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

30. Maryland Teacher Technology Standards EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

31. How Does All This Effect Maryland Teachers? • MD State Technology Plan • Student Technology Competencies embedded within the Content Standards (based on the ISTE NETS*S) • Testing (for technology) embedded within the new State assessments • Teachers Standards modified from ISTE NETS*T EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

32. Portfolio Modules • http://www.itma.vt.edu/studio/portfolio.htm from Virginia Tech (Davina’s #1 pick) • http://www.sitesupport.org/module1/msde.htm JHU Portfolio module • http://www.tandl.vt.edu/TESH/TESHPortfolioGuide.html Virginia Tech Portfolio Module EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle

33. E-Portfolio Examples • http://www.tandl.vt.edu/scied/stu.htm from Virginia Tech- scroll down to active student links • http://teched.vt.edu/ good site for information—then click on portfolio link on side bar, and view extensive examples of students portfolios EPortfolio: Davina Pruitt-Mentle