Technology Plan For A School District

1. Technology Plan For A School District Melva Brown EDLD 5362 ET8038 Cohort 23

2. Transforming American Education The National Education Technology Plan 2010 (NETP) calls for revolutionary transformation rather than evolutionary tinkering. It urges our education system at all levels to Be clear about the outcomes we seek.   Collaborate to redesign structures and processes for effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility. Continually monitor and measure our performance. Hold ourselves accountable for progress and results every step of the way (etcjournal.files.wordpress.com).

3. The Plan No Child Left Behind sets forth a bold and systemic framework for reform to close the achievement gap: supporting stronger accountability for results, increased flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods proven to work. At the heart of this effort is a commitment to support teachers, parents, and decision makers in refocusing and realigning their efforts to ensure every child receives the best possible  education (www2.ed.gov).

4. Learning Powered by Technology The National Education Technology Plan, Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology, calls for applying the advanced technologies used in our daily personal and professional lives to our entire education system to improve student learning, accelerate and scale up the adoption of effective practices, and use data and information for continuous improvement (www.ed.gov). It presents five goals with recommendations for states, districts, the federal government, and other stakeholders. Each goal addresses one of the five essential components of learning powered by technology: Learning, Assessment, Teaching, Infrastructure, and Productivity (www.ed.gov).

5. Integrate Data Systems Establish a plan to integrate data systems so that administrators and educators have the information they need to increase efficiency and improve student learning. Use data from both administrative and instructional systems to understand relationships between decisions, allocation of resources and student achievement. Ensure interoperability. For example, consider School Interoperability Framework (SIF) Compliance Certification as a requirement in all RFPs and purchasing decisions. Use assessment results to inform and differentiate instruction for every child (www2.ed.gov).

6. Planning for the Future We must prepare our students to learn throughout their lives and in settings far beyond classrooms. We must change what and how we teach to match what people need to know, how they learn, and where and when they learn and change our perception of who needs to learn. We must bring 21st-century technology into learning in meaningful ways to engage, motivate, and inspire learners of all ages to achieve.

7. Engage and Empower The challenging and rapidly changing demands of our global economy tell us what people need to know and who needs to learn. Advances in learning sciences show us how people learn. Technology makes it possible for us to act on this knowledge and understanding.

8. Motivational Engagement Motivational Engagement The field of affective neuroscience has drawn attention to the critical importance of motivation in how the brain learns. We learn and remember what attracts our interest and attention, and what attracts interest and attention can vary by learner. Therefore, the most effective learning experiences are not only individualized in terms of pacing and differentiated to fit the learning needs of particular learners, but also personalized in the sense that they are flexible in content or theme to fit the interests of particular learners.

9. Procedural Knowledge Procedural knowledge learning includes both content-related procedures (learning how to do science inquiry, for example) and learning-related strategies (learning how to figure out how to solve a new problem or self-monitor progress on a task). Providing scaffolds to guide learners through the learning process. Many programs use interactive prompts embedded directly into the learning resources, live or virtual modeling of helpful strategies, interactive queries that prompt effective processing, and timely and informative feedback on results. These scaffolds can be designed to respond to differences in individual learning styles and be available on demand when the learner needs help and then evolve or fade as the learner builds stronger skills.

10. Strategic Action Steps • To help districts prepare today’s students for challenges and opportunities of tomorrow, the following seven steps need to be developed: • Strengthen Leadership • Consider Innovative Budgeting • Improve Teacher Training • Support Learning and Virtual Schools • Encourage Broadband Access • Move Toward Digital Content • Integrate Data Systems (www2.ed.gov)

11. Strengthen Leadership • Invest in leadership development programs to develop a new generation of tech-savvy leaders at every level. • Retool administrator education programs to provide training in technology decision making and organizational change. • Develop partnerships between schools, higher education and the community. • Encourage creative technology partnerships with the business community. • Empower students’ participation in the planning process (www2.ed.gov).

12. Consider Innovative Budgeting • Determine the total costs for technology as a percentage of total spending. • Consider a systemic restructuring of budgets to realize efficiencies, cost savings and reallocation. This can include reallocations in expenditures on textbooks, instructional supplies, space and computer labs. • Consider leasing with 3-5 year refresh cycles. • Create a technology innovation fund to carry funds over yearly budget cycles (www2.ed.gov).

13. Improve Teacher Training • Improve the preparation of new teachers in the use of technology. • Ensure that every teacher has the opportunity to take online learning courses. • Improve the quality and consistency of teacher education through measurement, accountability and increasedtechnology resources. • Ensure that every teacher knows how to use data to personalize instruction. This is marked by the ability tointerpret data to understand student progress and challenges, drive daily decisions and design instructional interventions to customize instruction for every student’s unique needs (www2.ed.gov).

14. Support E-Learning and Virtual Schools Provide every student access to e-learning. Enable every teacher to participate in e-learning training. Encourage the use of e-learning options to meet No Child Left Behind requirements for highly qualified teachers, supplemental services and parental choice. Explore creative ways to fund e-learning opportunities. Develop quality measures and accreditation standards for e-learning that mirror those required for course credit (www2.ed.gov).

15. Encourage Broadband Access Thoroughly evaluate existing technology infrastructure and access to broadband to determine current capacities and explore ways to ensure its reliability. Encourage that broadband is available all the way to the end-user for data management, online and technology-based assessments, e-learning, and accessing high-quality digital content. Encourage the availability of adequate technical support to manage and maintain computer networks, maximizeeducational uptime and plan for future needs (www2.ed.gov).

16. Move Toward Digital Content Ensure that teachers and students are adequately trained in the use of online content. Encourage ubiquitous access to computers and connectivity for each student. Consider the costs and benefits of online content, aligned with rigorous state academic standards, as part of a systemic approach to creating resources for students to customize learning to their individual needs (www2.ed.gov).

17. Universal Design for Learning The UDL principles are as follows: • Provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation of information and knowledge. Examples include digital books, specialized software and websites, text-to-speech applications, and screen readers. • Provide multiple and flexible means of expression with alternatives for students to demonstrate what they have learned. Examples include online concept mapping and speech-to-text programs. • Provide multiple and flexible means of engagement to tap into diverse learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn. Examples include choices among different scenarios or content for learning the same competency and opportunities for increased collaboration or scaffolding. • The definition of UDL that appears in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (103 U.S.C. § 42) has come to dominate the field because of its broad applicability and its research foundation in the learning sciences, both cognitive and neurosciences.

18. References http://etcjournal.files.wordpress.com http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010/learning-engage-and-empower http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/site/edlite-default.html http://www.iste.org/about-iste/governance/strategic-plan.aspx http://www.tea.state.tx.us/