National Educational Technology Plan: Chance to Give Feedback at NECC!

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Permalink Reply by Lucy Gray on June 5, 2009 at 9:06pm

We have to acknowledge that there is still a tremendous digital divide within the US in terms of bandwith, resources, access and ATTITUDES. Best practices and trends in technology integration are not known and implemented thoughtfully on a widespread basis. Also, the fact that many districts ban so many sites from their students and teachers leads me to believe that censorship is alive and well.

That said, I encourage ISTE to refer to this report when making any recommendations for a National Educational Technology Plan: http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-K12.pdf

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Permalink Reply by Mary Beth Hertz on June 7, 2009 at 5:41pm

As a teacher in a large urban district (Philadelphia) I find that the number one challenge is convincing teachers and administrators that we MUST integrate technology into what we do in our classrooms. I have not found anyone who disagrees that technology integration is a good thing, but what I do come across are excuses: "It takes too much time to plan for how to integrate technology." "I don't have time to learn about these new technologies." "We don't have the money for it right now."

What I would like to see in the Educational Technology Plan is a stress on not only staff development but also development for administrators in how simple changes in classroom practices and use of technology resources already in place can increase student achievement.

On a side note, I would also like to see some plan for how to address the Digital Divide between my students and those in the suburbs. While my students are digitally aware, they are way behind their peers since they don't have computers at home or lack internet access.

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Sykora on June 8, 2009 at 11:19am

I think your responses articulate some of the challenges that we face and ones that we'll have to tackle head on. I'm eager to hear how others may have addressed these challenges. Anyone?

Thanks,

Carolyn

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Sykora on June 15, 2009 at 2:28pm

Do you have success stories for how you've addressed some of the challenges like the digital divide, the banning of web sites in your school, or the challenge of moving teachers and administrators from thinking technology integration in the classroom is a good thing to actually investing the time and money to do it?

What other challenges do you face? How do you see a National Educational Technology Plan helping address those challenges?

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Fuller on June 16, 2009 at 12:04pm

There are many challenges that I face within my role; elementary student technology skills, teacher technology professional development, infrastructure upgrades. I consider them all equally important and directly connected. And what is not a challenge is the support of district administration and the school board.
Elementary Student Technology Skills It is a goal and challenge for me to provide, indirectly and directly, students with the necessary technology skills to become technologically literate by the eighth grade using the NETS*S as a guide. To do this I proposed to our Superintendent the idea of having an afterschool program that would introduce elementary students to technology using a project -based learning approach. With the support of the Superintendent I contacted two principals, based on their student enrollment, socioeconomic status, and attainment on state assessments. By collaborating with the principals we decided upon a start and end date for the program and student selection. The pilot program, Technology for Kids, lasted 7 weeks and I was able to meet with the students twice a week for 90 minutes. The students were exposed to spreadsheets, word processing, presentation software and internet research skills. This program was very successful ,the students enjoyed it, and most of all they were able to apply the technology skills and resources to understand, analyze, evaluate, and create new ideas. With the success of the program the challenge now becomes funding and finding teachers that have not only good teaching skills but good instructional technology skills.
Teacher Technology Professional Development Professional development on our district is ongoing, however, the infusion of technology with a focus on curriculum is lacking. My challenge is to collaborate with the Professional Development team to develop a plan of ongoing professional development activities that are curriculum centered with an infusion of instructional technology. I feel that to do this we must somehow create ways to encourage teachers that attend the professional development trainings to bring with them lesson/unit plans that will be implemented during the school year and be able to build upon those plans. Also having follow-up professional development activities to strengthen and improve prior knowledge of instructional technology.
Infrastructure Upgrades Within our district network connectivity has been an ongoing issue and somewhat of a barrier for web 2.0 and other technology applications. Teachers at our secondary buildings indicated that when they were attempting to take attendance or upload grades it would at times take 30 minutes or more to complete the task. That was a huge disappointment and problematic in other ways. We have been in phase one of a 3 phase fiber project that would connect all of our schools and central office. During the final stages of phase one we were able to internally connect our student information system and provide faster connectivity for our secondary buildings. We asked teachers to participate in a survey regarding the responsiveness of the student information system. Of those that participated 47.6% indicated that it improved substantially, 35% indicated improvement, and 16% indicated no change. Currently (June 16, 2009) we are days from the lighting of dark fiber and providing extreme high speed connectivity externally and phase two has already began.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Dolton on June 19, 2009 at 1:44pm

Just for a little perspective, for those interested in referencing the most recent US Technology Plan from 2004, you can find it here:
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/plan.pdf

Archives of prior plans from 1996 and 2000 may be found here:
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/archive.html

OK, enough perspective -- let's get back to looking ahead!

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Sykora on June 23, 2009 at 2:11pm

If you plan to attend this session at NECC (Future of Enterprise Solutions for Digital Education, Monday, June 29 at 3:30 to 4:30 pm in Room 202), to weigh in on the National Educational Technology Plan, and are interested in serving as a table facilitator, please email me at csykora@iste.org.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Sykora on June 29, 2009 at 8:56am

Yesterday was the first of 3 sessions where NECC attendees can give feedback on the draft National Educational Technology Plan. Join us at 3:30 pm on Monday in Room 202!

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Sykora on June 29, 2009 at 1:14pm

Group 22 at ISTE

Policies:

Professional Development (building practice for new curriculum and transformation - start with curriculum leaders) and build learning communities.

Partnering to encourage all teachers to be involved in integrating technology

Funding for mandated programs (not unfunded mandates)

Partnerships with corporations to help achieve equity (including overcoming technology differences in schools)

Sustainability for support, for broadband access (100MB or better in all schools) - continuous stream

Flow from grade level to grade level in terms of curriculum and tools needed to accomplish curriculum goals

Exposure to a variety of technology platforms (offer more opportunities in the work place and schools)

Interoperable software (save teacher time and content emphasis)

Framework to evaluate hardware and software needs (to provide flexibility to teachers who have the perspective needed about student needs and environment)

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Sykora on June 29, 2009 at 1:28pm

Group 22 Examples:

Pennsylvania's classroom of the future (laptops on carts, smart boards, etc.) - coaching model put in place and coursework commitment; research on the project to provide feedback

Lake Charles LA and Cecil County MD program that pooled funding for content areas and tech offices work together to use funding effectively for integration

Digital story telling (even first grade students), do illustrations, narrate into the computer, put together into DVDs a final project (moviemaker or PhotoStory 3) Longhill Township, NJ

Interactive White Boards changing the classroom into a much more active classroom (both new and veteran teachers) it has the potential to change behavior of teachers and children. Its a system approach--requires bandwidth, more support, so it has a systemic ripple effect

Blogging - trained every teacher to blog (November Learning but there is now free software); teachers put question on board and students reply; teacher approves posts, then students respond to students and promotes discussion in class and also at home; can use different languages; Longhill Township in NJ (parents and grandparents can be come involved)

Can use Moodle (Columbus, Ohio School for Girls) to do this too.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Strumwasser on June 29, 2009 at 1:28pm

Group 15
NECC 2009

What policies and practices should the National Educational Technology Plan include?
- leverage the playing field for all students-- equity of access
- standards that are national are needed-- work technology standards within national standards
- too much duplication--everyone should be involved
- national plan--framework for the future plans for each state
- too much diversity-- cannot be one size fits all
- 2004-5 technology plan -- Arizona used this
- we need to be more alike - RVC
- not all the funding is the same
- national standards, national testing, national plan--- did we lose our individuality
- agreed upon--- framework

Policies Agreed Upon
• Infrastructure needs to be repaired like highways
o Equity for bandwidth
Equity
-rural areas-- need equal internet access
-Arizona- not everyone has internet access
Infrastructure—highways are maintained by government, we need internet gateways as well
• Get it to the school--- erate could pick up from there
o Will erate still be here?
• Roundabouts instead of Stop Lights – roundabout for technology—interstate system vs. two-lane highway system

o Personal laptops (roundabout)
 Cell phones---need to have rules for using them/against using them
Distance Learning
Online learning—virtual learning
Roadblocks—teacher certification to teach at a distance (Master Teachers)
Reciprocity for online teacher certifications
Should we allow them to take 16 week courses (transform schools)
Year round online learning could be for some students—meet the needs

Good Implementation of Technology Uses
Successes: where are things working right now?
 Rockville Center Diocese- videoconferencing –national clearinghouse for resources needed
o Need to find the bridge to connect to these places
 Global Nomads
 ePals
• need to still find the resources
o Need a database of resources – Web 2.0 tool
o Government Education Materials
 Bordeaux, France example
o Bordeaux and NYC ePals- presentation
 Fair Trade Videoconferencing—not only in education
 Buy a Goat to teach how to sustain yourself
 Collaborative posting via websites, wikis
 Distance Field Trips (online)

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Permalink Reply by Paul Ross on June 29, 2009 at 1:29pm

What are the key components you feel should be included in a National Education Technology Plan?
How


Technology integration to support student achievement
Un-inhibited access to Web 2.0 Technologies
Access to the cloud
Collaboration with the community and a willingness to address the legal issues and challenges
Facilitate the flow of funding into states and school districts
Increase the funding to eRate for application to equipment
Policy to direct funding, yet flexible to reflect district needs
Create a relationship between funding for hardware, software, and services to the personnel in place to require a minimum ratio of personnel to funding: a similar example 1 teacher X students
Integrate the STEM principles across the curriculum, every area including English and Fine Arts
Support the integration of STEM project management principles

Why

Has to be all about students and not the tools
Address issues of equity for access
Incorrect denotation of ubiquitous, there is a difference between operation and access
Organizations which we interact with need to enable education and see us as a market to create opportunities for collaboration
We identified there is a need to balance the use of applications from business into the education environment
Reach out to local and international business to provide students with real learning experiences, partnerships, work based learning
Need for technology coaches for every school

Where can we find good implementation of technology uses with evidence of success? Share one of your successes or one you’re aware of.

Illinois and 1:1 project documented increases in student achievement (Faith Bishop, IL State Board of Education)
Bexley, Interactive Whiteboards across the district every classroom and specialist area, dramatic improvement in attention and student engagement (Paul Ross, Bexley City School District)
Maine 1:1 program
West Virginia has online program with an excellent way to measure integrated use of technology called Tech Steps

Thoughts and ideas from:
OH, IL, DE, CT, FL.

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