To those who have a character of caution, afforded them by the passage of time, the ever-approaching technology swell threatens to wash away everything that has been established. Teachers, parents, therapists and others charged with providing guidance to students, are appropriately on the lookout for misuse or threats that may accompany the growth of the Internet, social networks, multimedia sites and personal communication devices.
Security now means much more than maintaining our physical possessions. Where once it was said "the most important things in life are free," now we find the most important things in life are digitized, stored in relational databases, posted on-line, archived indefinitely, logged, analyzed, bought and sold by corporations, mined for market value and sometimes exploited for financial gain. Identity theft, digital photo retouching techniques, blogs, wikis, social networks, and as of yet uninvented scams, all rise and fall as quickly as yearly fashions. And each of these unique and sometimes transient technologies present unique but often enduring challenges. And as the youngest children can no longer remember a life without computers, PDAs, iPods and smart-phones, the gap in understanding between teachers and students, the young and the older, widens.
The future labor force must not only be familiar with emerging technologies, they must understand how to utilize them appropriately. They must learn to protect their "data" as they protect their material goods. They must have the social judgment, the savvy and an understanding of the power of media to thrive in a world where the computer in your pocket is more powerful than those used to deliver the first spacemen to the moon.
The Science Fiction author and philosopher Phillip K. Dick had this to say about the nascent multimedia technology of the 1980s:
"[T]oday we live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the media, by governments, by big corporations, by religious groups, political groups... So I ask, in my writing, What is real? Because unceasingly we are bombarded with pseudo-realities manufactured by very sophisticated people using very sophisticated electronic mechanisms. I do not distrust their motives; I distrust their power. They have a lot of it. And it is an astonishing power: that of creating whole universes, universes of the mind. I ought to know. I do the same thing."
In essence, technology is the backbone of human history. Undertaking a brief survey of the story of man, from the simple beginnings of toolmaking, to the development of written language, to the advent of the printing press, to the deployment of quantum computers and projecting into the future the ever increasing synthesis of the organic and machine, one will note the tendency for technology to more and more permeate the lives of humankind. The now shadowy form of tomorrow's technology, will immerse today's children. This fact is certain, but the trajectory and speed of advancement, can only be guessed at.
Looking forward to this 21st Century and beyond, districts, schools and educators must instill more than a utilitarian familiarity with tools offered by science and industry today. They must instill in students the personal qualities that will allow them to not only survive in this ever "technologizing" world, but to thrive in it. The same intellectual skills of the past can be applied to the present and future: problem solving, creative thinking and the ability to seek, access and apply information. But now, more than ever, they must now be combined with another skill: the ability to correctly discern the reliability and validity of information. This ability to sort through mountains of information and mis-information that literally lay at their fingertips will distinguish those who have it, from those who are pushed side to side by every fad. To find a "true" needle in a haystack of counterfeit needles, will be the daily challenge.
The struggling student and the gifted learner both, must apply the same skills in navigating a world more and more immersed in the widening sea of mechanization and computerization. The classroom teacher, support staff, administrator, the parents and communities of today's children all currently benefit from technology (if trained effectively). But these adults are already established in the world of work. The methods that brought them success may not apply in the workplace of tomorrow. The requirements for entry, let alone success, in the workplace, are changing, and in fact have already changed. It has become true, that the option of non-participation is gone. Preparedness for emerging technologies is a prerequisite for success in work, college and life. Thus, technology in the schools, and carefully drafted plans to teach it, as well as the critical thinking and analytical skills to judge the information it may bring, are all mandated to be taught, presently not by written law, but by what Ray Kurzweil (educator, inventor of optical character recognition methods, text-to-speech synthesis and speech recognition technology), said in his 2001 essay The Law of Accelerating Returns:
"An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense 'intuitive linear' view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century-it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate)."
In 1990, the Secretary of Labor appointed a commission to determine the skills our young people need to succeed in the world of work. The commission's fundamental purpose was to encourage a high-performance economy characterized by high-skill, high-wage employment. (SCANS)
Educators have to instill in students the perspective on results that the SCANS skills demand. If you do not, you will be failing your students and your community as they try to adjust to the next century. You, more than anyone, are responsible for helping our children develop the skills they need. (USDL)
SCANS has identified five competencies and a three-part foundation of skills and personal qualities that are needed for solid job performance. These include:
Effective workers can productively use:
Competence requires:
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy, and leadership for innovation. A nonprofit membership organization, ISTE provides leadership and service to improve teaching, learning, and school leadership by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), ISTE represents more than 85,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education. (SCANS)
The NETS project was initiated by ISTE's Accreditation and Professional Standards Committee. It was funded by NASA in consultation with the U.S. Department of Education, the Millken Exchange on Education Technology and Apple Computer. The first set of standards, NETS for Students, was released in June 1998. In 2000, the ISTE revised its previously published standards for teachers, ISTE Technology Standards for All Teachers, and released it as NETS for Teachers. This new version subdivided the Application of Technology in Instruction category into the areas of planning, implementing, and assessing and added a category on the social, ethical, legal, and human issues related to technology use. In November 2001, NETS for Administrators was released. These three sets of standards were revised in latter years: 2007 - NETS for Students, 2008 - NETS for Teachers, 2009 - NETS for Administrators. (Wikipedia)
1. Visionary Leadership. Educational Administrators inspire and lead development and implementation of a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology to promote excellence and support transformation throughout the organization.
Educational Administrators:
a. inspire and facilitate among all stakeholders a shared vision of purposeful change that maximizes use of digital-age resources to meet and exceed learning goals, support effective instructional practice, and maximize performance of district and school leaders
b. engage in an ongoing process to develop, implement, and communicate technology-infused strategic plans aligned with a shared vision
c. advocate on local, state, and national levels for policies, programs, and funding to support implementation of a technology-infused vision and strategic plan
a. ensure instructional innovation focused on continuous improvement of digital-age learning
b. model and promote the frequent and effective use of technology for learning
c. provide learner-centered environments equipped with technology and learning resources to meet the individual, diverse needs of all learners
d. ensure effective practice in the study of technology and its infusion across the curriculum
e. promote and participate in local, national, and global learning communities that stimulate innovation, creativity, and digital-age collaboration
3. Excellence in Professional Practice. Educational Administrators promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.
Educational Administrators:
a. allocate time, resources, and access to ensure ongoing professional growth in technology fluency and integration
b. facilitate and participate in learning communities that stimulate, nurture, and support administrators, faculty, and staff in the study and use of technology
c. promote and model effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital-age tools
d. stay abreast of educational research and emerging trends regarding effective use of technology and encourage evaluation of new technologies for their potential to improve student learning
4. Systemic Improvement. Educational Administrators provide digital-age leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources. Educational Administrators:
a. lead purposeful change to maximize the achievement of learning goals through the appropriate use of technology and media-rich resources
b. collaborate to establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings to improve staff performance and student learning
c. recruit and retain highly competent personnel who use technology creatively and proficiently to advance academic and operational goals
d. establish and leverage strategic partnerships to support systemic improvement
e. establish and maintain a robust infrastructure for technology including integrated, inter-operable technology systems to support management, operations, teaching, and learning
5. Digital Citizenship. Educational Administrators model and facilitate understanding of social, ethical, and legal issues and responsibilities related to an evolving digital culture. Educational Administrators:
a. ensure equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources to meet the needs of all learners
b. promote, model, and establish policies for safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology
c. promote and model responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. model and facilitate the development of a shared cultural understanding and involvement in global issues through the use of contemporary communication and collaboration tools
2009, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int'l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org.
The Arlyn School Technology Plan
The purpose of this plan is to provide an overview of the themes, objectives and directions that will benefit our ability to serve our students. This plan, lays out a road-map for all of our stakeholders to share.
The goals, strategies and plans listed, reflect an understanding of the importance technology plays in the lives of our students. It acknowledges that future will bring opportunities and challenges beyond our current understanding. The strategies and plans, seek to outline a vision of the kind of preparedness our students must have, for the future of the world of work, learning and life. Also, the plan identifies ways in which technology may enhance the learning of special needs students through the use of assistive technology.
Our Vision
We believe in...
Goal One: Help every student be an effective life-long learner.
Every student will:
Be engaged in the process of learning
Gather, analyze, and synthesize information from various sources
Communicate an understanding of the use of technology as a tool
Strategies
Goal Two: Enhance learning through the use of technology
Create a more useful and informational web presence
Utilize technology as a tool to enhance learning throughout the curriculum
Goal Three: To improve communication and partnerships with the community and school stakeholders
Participate in working collaboratively for the benefit of the students
Establish access to information and communication technologies for all stakeholders
