Over the last several months I have posted four articles on technology integration (listed below for your convenience), along with a number of smaller articles providing information on technology resources such as the worldwide telescope (see video below) and leveraging technology to increase our productivity (For example Don't Forget to Jott--Why? and Is This the Ultimate Binder or Notebook?).
- Video Conferencing Videos & The Power of Technology Integration--Technology Integration III
- How to Teach and Tame the Digital Natives: Technology Integration Article II
- Technology Integration--Article 1--The Digital Jungle, Globalization and 21st Century Skills: What They are and Why They Matter for the Christian School
- Beyond Hype and PR: Technology that Works and Inspires
How do we get from where we are to where we need to be? Technology is expensive, most teachers are not well trained, time is limited, funds are limited, and IT support is limited. How do we plan for, fund, and effectively implement technology in our schools?
Technology Planning
Over the years I have noticed that technology planning efforts have wide pendulum swings from overly complex (5" inch binders filled with minute detail that no one reads) to the impulsive and simplistic resulting in the wasting of large sums of money and time and leading to frustrated teachers.
Here is a basic outline to guide your thinking about technology planning:
1. Curriculum:
Start with the instructional end in mind. Do not start planning with questions regarding hardware and software. Key questions to answer:
- What are the core academic objectives for core subjects (not including technology and computer sciences) for the use of technology?
- What are we striving to achieve through technology that cannot be achieved or achieved as effectively and efficiently using traditional methods? Technology integration is not the objective, it is potentially the means to an academic objective.
- What is the relationship between core academic standards and technology standards?
The International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) has established the following 2007 standards for students. Click here for the PDF version of the standards.
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
c. troubleshoot systems and applications.
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
2. Administrative Use of Technology:
Practice what we preach! We cannot expect teachers to expend the time and energy to integrate technology into their classrooms if we do not do likewise in our offices. Doing so will 
require EXTRA time and EXTRA effort on our part to find, experiment with, learn, and incorporate technology that goes beyond the Internet browser, email, and word processing into our daily routines.
(Search this site using the search box on the top right for "technology" or "productivity" to find related posts and resources.)
ISTE provides the following administrative standards (NOTE: these are 2002 standards. Administrator Standards 2009 are due for release at NECC 2008 in San Antonio. Revised Teacher Standards will also be released at NECC 2008).
Leadership and Vision
Educational leaders inspire a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology and foster an environment and culture conducive to the realization of that vision. Educational leaders:
A. facilitate the shared development by all stakeholders of a vision for technology use and widely communicate that vision.
B. maintain an inclusive and cohesive process to develop, implement, and monitor a dynamic, long-range, and systemic technology plan to achieve the vision.
C. foster and nurture a culture of responsible risk-taking and advocate policies promoting continuous innovation with technology.
D. use data in making leadership decisions.
E. advocate for research-based effective practices in use of technology.
F. Advocate on the state and national levels for policies, programs, and funding opportunities that support implementation of the technology plan.
Learning and Teaching
Educational leaders ensure that curricular design, instructional strategies, and learning environments integrate appropriate technologies to maximize learning and teaching. Educational leaders:
A. identify, use, evaluate, and promote appropriate technologies to enhance and support instruction and standards-based curriculum leading to high levels of student achievement.
B. facilitate and support collaborative technology-enriched learning environments conducive to innovation for improved learning.
C. provide for learner-centered environments that use technology to meet the individual and diverse needs of learners.
D. facilitate the use of technologies to support and enhance instructional methods that develop higher-level thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
E. provide for and ensure that faculty and staff take advantage of high-quality professional learning opportunities for improved learning and teaching with technology.
Productivity and Professional Practice
Educational leaders apply technology to enhance their professional practice and to increase their own productivity and that of others. Educational leaders:
A. model the routine, intentional, and effective use of technology.
B. employ technology for communication and collaboration among colleagues, staff, parents, students, and the larger community.
C. create and participate in learning communities that stimulate, nurture, and support faculty and staff in using technology for improved productivity.
D. engage in sustained, job-related professional learning using technology resources.
E. maintain awareness of emerging technologies and their potential uses in education.
F. use technology to advance organizational improvement.
Support, Management, and Operations
Educational leaders ensure the integration of technology to support productive systems for learning and administration. Educational leaders:
A. develop, implement, and monitor policies and guidelines to ensure compatibility of technologies.
B. implement and use integrated technology-based management and operations systems.
C. allocate financial and human resources to ensure complete and sustained implementation of the technology plan.
D. integrate strategic plans, technology plans, and other improvement plans and policies to align efforts and leverage resources.
E. implement procedures to drive continuous improvement of technology systems and to support technology replacement cycles.
Assessment and Evaluation
Educational leaders use technology to plan and implement comprehensive systems of effective assessment and evaluation. Educational leaders:
A. use multiple methods to assess and evaluate appropriate uses of technology resources for learning, communication, and productivity.
B. use technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and student learning.
C. assess staff knowledge, skills, and performance in using technology and use results to facilitate high-quality professional development and to inform personnel decisions.
D. use technology to assess, evaluate, and manage administrative and operational systems.
Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues
Educational leaders understand the social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology and model responsible decision making related to these issues. Educational leaders:
A. ensure equity of access to technology resources that enable and empower all learners and educators.
B. identify, communicate, model, and enforce social, legal, and ethical practices to promote responsible use of technology.
C. promote and enforce privacy, security, and online safety related to the use of technology.
D. promote and enforce environmentally safe and healthy practices in the use of technology.
E. participate in the development of policies that clearly enforce copyright law and assign ownership of intellectual property developed with school resources.
Professional Development
This is the most critical component of technology planning. Yet, it is where most of our schools fall woefully short.
Before moving into more detail, you may find 21st Century Connections to be a very helpful resources. Click here to access the Staff Development section of their web site.
Money
We invest ten of thousands of dollars in hardware 
and software but only a few thousand (if that) on staff development. Yet, according to the CTL, businesses consider training a part of the total cost of ownership (TCO); without the training, the equipment is as useless as it would be without electricity. A rule of thumb in the business community is that the amount of resources committed to staff development should be approximately the same as the amount of resources committed to the acquisition of new equipment.
Click here for a PDF article on the Total Cost of Ownership. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has some excellent online tools for determining TCO.
Time and Location
Technology training is best integrated into subject matter programs and embedded in the classroom or educational setting. Your technology plan needs to address how professional development will be delivered and allocate time for this important activity
Time limitations for faculty development is a challenge. Accordingly, the CTL recommends incorporating technology into existing content-specific professional development.
Teachers learn best by studying, doing, and reflecting; by collaborating with other teachers; by looking closely at student learning and evidence of achievement; and by sharing what they see. Therefore, staff development is best facilitated by being embedded in the classroom.
There must also be a consistent ongoing training and support plan if teachers are to become proficient and effective. If adequate follow-up training and support is not provided teachers will grow frustrated and will revert back to the "tried and true (traditional) teaching methods. Frankly, without the necessary support and training they have no choice.
I have found that scheduling staff development days throughout the year that focuses on reinforcing in-service training to be an effective means to provide support and ongoing training. The aphorism, "What you don't use you lose" certainly applies to professional development follow through.
Hardware, Software, and Infrastructure
AFTER addressing instructional objectives and staff development, it is time to address the "technology stuff." The CTL recommends the following approach:
1. Generate a list of the technology the school's needs in order to support the Curriculum and Professional Development components.
Once the vision, goals, and strategies have been established for using technology to help students meet content standards, the next job is to identify the technology and physical plant modifications needed to accomplish the Curriculum and Professional Development components.
This component involves assessing the current status of the infrastructure, hardware, software (including online learning resources), and technical support in the school and planning how those resources can be recycled or supplemented to create the learning environment envisioned in the Curriculum component.
2. Make the technology available and accessible.
The planning team must not only determine how the school will use technology but also decide where technology will be used. Research on academic gains attributable to technology
points to easy access for students and teachers in the classroom as the place in which the greatest impact may be achieved.
3. Consider security measures for protecting both the equipment and the data. Schools have many responsibilities when building a technology infrastructure, including devising acceptable-use
policies and security procedures. Although most schools report positive experiences with technology, it is still important for schools to have rules specifying the consequences of misuses.
Deciding how a school will respond to technology infractions, such as altered or deleted files, disabled or missing workstations, misconfigured networks, and misuses of the internet, is important to determine in advance.
There are two types of security issues in a technology infrastructure: physical security and electronic security. Physical security measures include installing and/or upgrading the locking systems throughout the school, installing electronic monitoring devices where technology is stored, and electronically tagging all equipment for easy identification if stolen.
4. Consider long-term implications.
Technology planning needs to be comprehensive and include consideration of the long-term implications of the choices made. Consider the following points:
• Hardware purchased should be powerful enough to meet future needs, including the need for data, voice, and video capabilities.
• Hardware purchased should meet school needs and have the lowest cost of ownership over the long term. This may lead to networked thin clients and/or networked computers.
Resources You Can Use
In addition to the links provided above, I have compiled a few links below that I believe you will find useful for planning, technology integration, and your personal productivity:
- National Center for Technology Planning
- Technology Planning for K12 Education
- Think Research Channel
- TED (Ideas Worth Spreading)
- Big Think
- Microsoft Education
- http://get.liveatedu.com/Education/Connect/
- Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart: Innovative School Enhances Student Learning, Teacher Productivity with Digital Notes
- OneNote Demo
- Evernote Demo (free product)
- Apple Education
- Apple Learning Exchange
- TeAchnology
- SchoolKiT--(Excellent tool to help teachers integrate technology in the classroom)
- Blackboard
- NTI-ED Connect
- SMART Technologies (SMART Board)
Student Response System
New Super Binocular Telescope (images sharper than the Hubble)
Response:
- What is the state of technology planning in your school?
- What is the biggest challenge to creating an effective technology plan?
- What technology integration question or issue would you like to have addressed in this blog?
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