EDLD 5306 Course Reflections

In this course I envisioned learning how research impacted the integration of educational technology at the national, state, and local level. Needless to say, I learned a lot more than I initially anticipated. As a classroom teacher, it is easy for me to develop tunnel vision and only concentrate on what is important in regard to my assigned subject area of science curriculum and instruction. When I began this course, I had no knowledge of the National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) or the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology (LRPT) and the enormous impact that it will have on educational technology. As a result of this course, I realize that decisions made at the local level are driven by the expectations set forth in the NETP and LRPT. I particularly enjoyed learning about the needs of 21st century learners and the strategies necessary to help our students become productive participants in a global economy.

Everything that I learned in this course is relevant to my role as a classroom teacher and technology leader within my school district. As a result of this course I am aware of the importance of educational technology and the impact that it has on our students. I was amazed to learn about the differences between digital natives and digital immigrants as described by Marc Prensky. Learning about neuroplasticity helped me to better understand my students and their need for educational technology. Our digital native students have been immersed in technology since birth and as a result their brains are wired differently than the older digital immigrants. 21st century students need the speed and variety that technology offers in order to be successful. As a result of this course I have already incorporated some of the digital tools that I learned about into my instruction. Now, more than ever, I am aware of the responsibility that I have as a technology leader by sharing what I learn with other teachers so that our students can be successful both inside and outside of the classroom.

A little knowledge can be dangerous. As a result of this course I feel a sense of urgency in implementing digital collaboration technology into my existing curriculum. Unfortunately, my school district will not allow students to participate in collaboration activities outside of the physical classroom. Our school districts' Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) strictly prohibits the use of any online tools that would allow students to communicate with other students online. As a technology leader, I need to understand how our district AUP was developed and what needs to be done to update it in order to meet the goals set forth by the Texas LRPT. From everything that I learned in this course I do know that I have to take the initiative and learn how my school district plans to meet these goals. I am also unclear on the process that our school district undergoes when planning for the integration of new technology as it becomes available. Not only is it important for our district to meet the goals set forth at the national and state level, but we need to stay abreast of emerging technology that will allow our students to be better prepared to meet the demands of a global economy.

I feel that I was successful in carrying out the course assignments. All of the assignments were well thought out and it was easy for me to access the resources necessary to complete the assignments. I was discouraged by the amount of work required for the first two weeks of the course. It was suggested that I expect to spend ten to fifteen hours a week on the assignment. I did not find that to be the case at all. I spent at least twenty hours a week on each assignment. In my opinion, Week 2 was the most stressful week in the course due to the amount of research and writing. I particularly enjoyed the creation of the wiki and the collaboration that occurred as a result. It was encouraging to log in to my email account to discover that my cohorts were experiencing the same concerns that I had as we worked through our assignments.

I joined the staff of a one-to-one campus a year after it opened and have thought of myself as a little sister learning from her older siblings. The teachers on our campus were selected to pilot the one-to-one initiative for our school district based on their demonstration of their progressive integration of technology into existing curriculum. Even though the other teachers only had a year of experience under their belt, I could not quite shake the feeling that I needed to catch up with their knowledge and skill level. As a result I lost a lot of confidence in my abilities working with other titans of technology integration. This course has had an immediate effect on my instruction and I am pleased that other teachers have incorporated what I have learned into their instruction. As a result of this course, I now feel much more confident as a technology leader in the school district and at the campus level. I have also learned a lot about myself as a student. It has been years since I have taken a college level course and I can definitely see how much I have matured as a student. This course required me to step out of my comfort zone in order to achieve success. Furthermore, it has provided a foundation that I can build upon to achieve success in future courses.

The National Education Technology Plan (NETP)

On March 5, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education, through the Office of Educational Technology published a draft of their National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) titled, Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. The NETP is a response designed to address two educational goals set forth by the current government administration by 2020: raise the amount of college graduates from 39% to 60% and close the achievement gap so that all students graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college and future careers. The NETP has identified five goals that need to be met: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity.

To meet the goal of learning, the NETP recommends that stakeholders revise and create learning standards and objectives that reflect 21st century technology proficiency. Schools need to develop and adopt learning resources using technology that is accessible by students anywhere and anytime and use these advances to augment the ability of all students to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

In the area of assessment, the NETP suggests that schools develop technologically innovative assessments that provide feedback that improves student achievement. School districts are encouraged to modify policies so that student data can be safely shared to assist educators in designing individualized instruction plans.

Technology integration should be the focus for designing curriculum and improving instruction. This can be accomplished by providing professional development opportunities that focus on collaborative learning, acquisition of information using digital resources, and online learning communities. Technology should be used as a catalyst to create personal learning networks for all educators. By integrating technology into all aspects of education, teachers can help to close the achievement gap between student learning and application of skills.

Another goal of the NETP is to ensure that all teachers and students have access to learning whenever and wherever. To accomplish this, schools must provide the necessary tools such as a computer with relevant software for each student, broadband access and wireless connectivity, and open educational resources that promote creative learning opportunities. All states and local educational service agencies will need to provide the tools for a framework that can meet these demands.

Educators across the nation need to develop a common definition of productivity in education. School districts will have to determine the best way to improve the means by which they enhance learning outcomes while at the same time funding their resources efficiently.

Professional development for educators is essential to the success of the NETP. School districts across the nation will need to develop learning opportunities that focus on collaborative learning communities for educators. By doing this, teachers will cultivate new skills in the same manner as their students. In order for educators to meet the goals set forth by the NETP, it is important that they move away from traditional teaching methods and move toward working with students as collaborators. Students need to develop skills that can be applied to real-world situations. Education can no longer be a delivery system of information. By customizing instruction to meet individual learning needs, educators develop the opportunity for students to compete and succeed in a global economy.

Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education (2010). Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf