Get Connected - February 2008 - (Page 4) Why Should Superintendents Demand Technology-Enabled Education? Continued from cover other sources. At the bottom of each skill area page, there are links to case studies. A template is provided for each skill area that does not have to be used but the guiding questions may prove helpful in creating your own district case study. At the top of each skill area page you’ll find a “Discussion” tab with a question. Edit the page to add your own comments to the existing topic/question or add a new one of your own. It’s “Grassroots” Technology Implementation Mike Lay, the technology director for Scott County Schools, TN, uses the wiki. “I like to know what other people are using. Do they like it? Why or why not? A lot of people are out there doing wonderful things, but how do you find out about it? It can be very difficult to speak to our peers on our own. When we do go to conferences, we’re usually so busy and you can’t possibly go to all the breakout sessions. This wiki is a great resource. Technology implementation is often a grassroots phenomenon. When you find something that teachers love, you try to provide it for them. If you want buy-in or an enthusiastic reception, you can’t shove technology down throats from above.” Lay has submitted a case study on acquiring and utilizing technology funds in a small, rural school district. His district has been so successful at that, Lay has been invited to participate, 4 along with ENA’s Chief Technology Officer Bob Collie, in a pre-conference, half-day workshop called “Technology, Leadership, Planning & Implementation: Specific Strategies for Small School Districts” at CoSN’s 13th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference to be held March 9-12, 2008, in Alexandria, VA. “The way I see it,” says Lay, “if you’re doing something that’s working, you should share it. When people start calling you up and asking how you do something or when people come to hear you give presentations on something, that’s success.” CoSN encourages technology leaders to share their own stories, tips, strategies and best practices with colleagues or post an issue or need their district is experiencing. CoSN’s Superintendent Initiative: Empowering the 21st Century Superintendent Experts agree that the average U.S. school district, whether big or small, does not utilize technology in a systemic way to meet the new demands for teaching and learning in the 21st century. This assumption is validated in the information Education Week makes public in its annual “Technology Counts” series. The 2007 issue tracked three major areas of state technology policy and practice: access to technology, use of technology and capacity to use technology. The bottom line is that most states continue to receive average marks for performance in technology on all three major areas and, for the most part, progress has stalled. Unlike the private sector, we have fallen far short of truly embedding technology in our efforts to improve K-12 education, as well as utilizing technology to create productive, more efficient organizations. The reasons for this are complex, but as with many complex problems, CoSN recognizes that solutions often begin at the top. That is why CoSN is focusing its newest initiative on empowering the superintendent to create a sustained vision for their school district to imbue technology systemically throughout its curriculum and administrative processes. What follows is a quick glance at what technology can do for our schools and what superintendents can do to begin realizing technology’s potential. The full CoSN Compendium article will be introduced at the CoSN national conference on March 9 and available at www.cosn.org thereafter. Making the Case: Why Should Superintendents Care? In order to understand the challenges faced by superintendents and to develop targeted support services, CoSN engaged in multiple conversations with superintendents across the country to understand the current landscape and issues around the use of technology in schools today. As a result of those interviews and discussions, five key themes emerged that highlight the role technology can play in education, school improvement and professional improvement. They include: • Strengthen District Leadership and Communications • Raise the Bar with 21st Century Skills • Transform Pedagogy with Compelling Learning Environments • Support Professional Development and Communities of Practice • Create Balanced Assessments Looking Forward: Now That I Care, What Should I Do? There are school districts that have http://www.cosn.org
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Get Connected - February 2008 Get Connected - February 2008 CoSN’s Small District & Superintendent Initiatives Contents New E-mail Archiving “Exceeds Expectations” Now that E-Rate Season Is Over Digital Learning Spaces 2010 Get Connected - February 2008 Get Connected - February 2008 - CoSN’s Small District & Superintendent Initiatives (Page 1) Get Connected - February 2008 - New E-mail Archiving “Exceeds Expectations” (Page 2) Get Connected - February 2008 - Now that E-Rate Season Is Over (Page 3) Get Connected - February 2008 - Now that E-Rate Season Is Over (Page 4) Get Connected - February 2008 - Now that E-Rate Season Is Over (Page 5) Get Connected - February 2008 - Now that E-Rate Season Is Over (Page 6) Get Connected - February 2008 - Digital Learning Spaces 2010 (Page 7) Get Connected - February 2008 - Digital Learning Spaces 2010 (Page 8)
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