Staff Development In Technology

Staff Development in Technology

Topics to be Covered

Value of Staff Development in Technology Digital Age and 21st Century Skills Technologies Available Legislation and Standards Infusing Change District Technology Training Plan Conclusion Questions

Value of Staff Development in Technology- Why we need it

We are living in a digital age

Learners need 21st century skill sets

Adaptive technologies allow for differentiation

Gap exists between technologies available in schools versus teachers’ use of them

The Digital Age and 21st Century Skills Our world is transformed by technology Children are comfortable regularly using technology Active processing and authentic experiences increase

learning (Clark & Mayer, 2008) Teachers need to prepare students to use technology

effectively Students need authentic experiences with technology Staff development is needed to prepare teachers to

teach technology and 21st century skills (No Child Left Behind, 2007; National Education Technology Plan, 2006)

21st Century Learners Are:

Effective Communicators

Collaborative Self-Directed Creative Problem Solvers Able to use higher-order

thinking Technologically literate

21st Century Technology Skills

Learners use technology to do the following with information: Navigate Access Evaluate Organize Process Apply

Sample of Technologies Available in Schools - Often Unused Due to Lack of Staff Training

Internet (Free instructional materials)

Computer Software TV/DVDs SMARTNotebook/

SMARTboards Promethean Boards Elmos/ Projectors

Sample of Adaptive Technologies Available in Schools Requiring Staff Training

AlphaSmart Notetakers

Kurzweil (Computer Screen Reading Software)

Spell Check Devices Calculators

Legislation and Standards Require Staff Development in Technology

No Child Left Behind

National Education Technology Plan

National Education Technology Standards (NETS)

No Child Left Behind Calls for Technology in Schools

NCLB:

Regards technology literacy as a core foundation

Calls for academic excellence involving 21st century skills and use of technologies

Provides research and reports for technological innovations in education

Is connected to the United States’ National Education Technology Plan

The National Education Technology Plan

“Improving teacher training in the use of technology” ranks number 3 out of 7 major action steps required by the National Education Technology Plan

Teachers are required to have opportunities to take courses on and using technology

Consistent improvement is called for in our country to prepare teachers to use technology

National Education Technology Standards (NETS)

The National Education Technology Standards assist school improvement in the United States in the areas of technology support, curriculum integration, assessments, and evaluation

NETS calls all students to meet National Education Technology Standards for Students

Teachers seeking certification must meet the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers

Staff development in technology is required to meet NETS’ requirements

Infusing Change in Schools

Assess currently available technologies

Create workshops for teachers on using these technologies effectively

Implement a District Technology Training Plan

Require teachers to take staff development courses on technology

Offer teachers choices about which courses to take

A District Technology Training Plan is Needed

A District Technology Training Program:

Instructs teachers in technology use Organizes staff development in technology

around a focus Helps teachers grow comfortable using

technology in their classrooms Leads to more instruction of 21st century skills Helps teachers meet national requirements of

NCLB and NETS

Conclusion

“ We cannot assume that our schools will naturally drift toward using technology effectively. We must commit ourselves to staying the course and making the changes necessary to reach our goals of educating every child. These are ambitious goals, but they are goals worthy of a great nation such as ours. Together, we can use technology to ensure that no child is left behind.”

~ President George W. Bush

Questions

What are schools in your district doing to meet the federal NCLB requirements for preparing teachers to use technology effectively?

How are your teachers and students meeting the goals of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)?

What steps must we take to implement a District Technology Training Program?

References Research:Clark, R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2008). e-Learning. (2nd Ed).

How do people learn from e-courses? (pp. 31-51). San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

ISTE. (2007). National Educational Technology Standards. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from http://cnets.iste.org/index.html

U.S. Department of Education. (2006). National Education Technology Plan: Action steps. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/site/edlite-actionsteps.html#imp

U.S. Department of Education. (2007). NCLB: Office of Educational Technology. Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/index.html

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