Technology & Learning - April 2008 - (Page 35)

getting staff and students to learn and to use it. The time has come to craft a technology professional development plan. Your district has no doubt performed school improvement processes before, but possibly not where technology was the primary focus. This sort of plan requires special aspects—assessing the technology literacy, usage, and attitudes of the faculty; designing individual educational technology plans for each faculty member; developing and delivering technology professional development programs; and assisting faculty in integrating it into the curricula. By using the next three steps as a guide, that technology will not only be in place but also will get put to good use. techlearning.com For examples of and advice on technology professional development vision statements, go to www.techlearning.com/april The Vision Thing ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL ZWOLAK ou’ve worked diligently to gather support for that big tech initiative from the employees, public, and patrons of your district. You’ve secured the funding required for the technologies described within the local district technology plan. The tech has been bid upon, purchased, and is on its way. Now comes the hard part—actually Y Step back and give people the big picture. The vision of any instructional institution or initiative must outline the strategic, shared thoughts of a learning community. With a continual focus on the mission of the institution, participants must be able to visualize the instructional use of technology. Use the technique of showing what you would envision by employing descriptive and engaging depictions of what you observe. When crafting the vision statement, be sure to engage your entire technology team, ensuring that everyone—faculty, staff, and administrators—is represented. But don’t forget to have representation from the greater community (including students and parents). Record ideas and thoughts by the team, while constantly referring to the district’s mission and belief statements, as you construct a statement that describes how technology will effect teaching and learning at your schools. To expand beyond the boundaries of your technology team, consider using alternative forms of communication to gather input from stakeholders within the district. Invite input through blogs, wikis, or other online collaboration tools. Also, during the gathering and construction phases, think about the following topics that are sure to arise: both institutional and individual technology assessments, individual educational technology development plans, and professional development and curricular integration strategies. Assess Needs Both Institutional and Individual While there is value in asking faculty members how well they can use hardware or software, you can learn a great deal by gathering data in three areas—regarding knowledge (aware- Technology & Learning April 2008 | 35 http://www.techlearning.com http://www.techlearning.com/april

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Technology & Learning - April 2008 Contents New @ techlearning.com Editor's Desk News and Trends Digital Age Assessment: Part 2 Anytime, Anywhere Learning Caught on Video Cover Story: Plan and Deliver Cutting Edge in Carolina Product Guide Reviews Best of the Blogs What's New LOY Profile Series

Technology & Learning - April 2008

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