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Entries from March 1, 2006 - March 31, 2006

Monday
Mar132006

Is Technology Making a Difference? Update 5

These checklists are based on what I call the Johnson Hierarchical Technology Planning Model that looks something like this:

hierarchy.jpg

A more complete explanation can be found here.

Anyway, over the next 5 days or so, I will be putting my checklists for each level of planning on the Blue Skunk. I invite readers to please add, delete and/or comment to these.

Established Infrastructure
The district will have a reliable, adequate, cost-effective, and secure technology infrastructure that supports the learning, teaching, and administrative goals of the district. Indicators of success:

Effective Administration
The district will use technology to improve its administrative effectiveness through efficient business practices, communication, planning and record keeping. 

Extensive Resources
Technology will be used to provide the most current, accurate and extensive information resources possible to all learners in the district and community in a cost effective and reliable manner at maximum convenience to the user.

Enhanced Teaching
All district teachers will have the technology training, skills and resources needed to assure students will meet local and state learning objectives and have the technological means to assess and record student progress.

 Empowered Learners
All students will demonstrate the mastered use of technology to access, process, organize, communicate and evaluate information in order to answer questions and solve problems.

  • Integrated curricular use of individual skill practice and simulation software titles
  • Planned use of proven computerized instructional systems
  • Integrated curricular use of subject-specific technologies such as science probes, graphing calculators, accounting software, and CAD programs, etc.
  • Planned use of adaptive technologies for special needs students
  • Planned use of reading promotion software (Accelerated Reader, Reading Counts, etc.)
  • A written information literacy skills curriculum that includes grade level benchmarks K-12 in research and technology use
  • Information and technology literacy competencies formally integrated and written into each content area course curriculum.
  • Units at each grade level team-taught by classroom teacher and library media specialist tied to the curriculum and information and technology literacy curriculum
  • Assessment tools for information literacy units
  • Method of reporting information literacy and technology skill attainment to individual students and parents
  • Method of aggregating information literacy and technology skill attainment and reporting results to board and community
  • Plan for continuous assessment and revision of information and technology literacy curriculum
  • Plan for teaching and assessing safe and ethical technology use by students
  • Opportunities for students to participate in distance learning opportunities
  • Other?
Sunday
Mar122006

Is Technology Making a Difference? Update 4

These checklists are based on what I call the Johnson Hierarchical Technology Planning Model that looks something like this:

hierarchy.jpg

A more complete explanation can be found here.

Anyway, over the next 5 days or so, I will be putting my checklists for each level of planning on the Blue Skunk. I invite readers to please add, delete and/or comment to these.

Established Infrastructure
The district will have a reliable, adequate, cost-effective, and secure technology infrastructure that supports the learning, teaching, and administrative goals of the district. Indicators of success:

Effective Administration
The district will use technology to improve its administrative effectiveness through efficient business practices, communication, planning and record keeping. 

Extensive Resources
Technology will be used to provide the most current, accurate and extensive information resources possible to all learners in the district and community in a cost effective and reliable manner at maximum convenience to the user.

Enhanced Teaching
All district teachers will have the technology training, skills and resources needed to assure students will meet local and state learning objectives and have the technological means to assess and record student progress.

  • Basic professional productivity skills for all teaching staff
  • Basic Internet skills for all teaching staff
  • Professional growth targets for teaching staff related to improving instructional practice
  • Understanding policy and ethical practices regarding technology use by teaching staff
  • Assessments to measure status of teaching staff competencies in technology
  • Formal training opportunities for developing technology skills
  • Just-in-time training opportunities for developing technology skills
  • On-going mentoring, trouble-shooting and assistance for staff when developing technology skills
  • Technology skill evaluation as a part of teacher evaluations
  • Technology skills assessment as a part of hiring process
  • Access and training in electronic gradebook use
  • Access and training in curriculum system use
  • Access and training in dataming/ warehousing drill down capabilities for individual students and groups
  • Access and training in student information system use for grade reporting and attendance
  • Access and training in creating on-line information for parents, students and the community
  • Access and training in creating distance learning opportunities (web-based and/or interactive television) for students
  • Other?

Empowered Learners
All students will demonstrate the mastered use of technology to access, process, organize, communicate and evaluate information in order to answer questions and solve problems.

Saturday
Mar112006

Is Technology Making a Difference? Update 3

These checklists are based on what I call the Johnson Hierarchical Technology Planning Model that looks something like this:

hierarchy.jpg

A more complete explanation can be found here.

Anyway, over the next 5 days or so, I will be putting my checklists for each level of planning on the Blue Skunk. I invite readers to please add, delete and/or comment to these.

Established Infrastructure
The district will have a reliable, adequate, cost-effective, and secure technology infrastructure that supports the learning, teaching, and administrative goals of the district. Indicators of success:

Effective Administration
The district will use technology to improve its administrative effectiveness through efficient business practices, communication, planning and record keeping. 

Extensive Resources
Technology will be used to provide the most current, accurate and extensive information resources possible to all learners in the district and community in a cost effective and reliable manner at maximum convenience to the user.

  • Access to professional library media specialist with skills in selecting, evaluating and using electronic information sources
  • Internet access filtered or monitored to meet government requirements
  • Access to on-line building library catalog
  • Access to on-line district union library catalog
  • Access to on-line catalogs of public, regional and academic libraries
  • Access to adequate on-line periodical databases
  • Access to adequate on-line subject-specific databases
  • Access to adequate on-line reference materials including encyclopedias
  • Access to adequate digital image, sound and video resources
  • Access to curriculum and teacher support materials
  • Access to a wide variety of computerized productivity programs appropriate to student ability level such as AppleWorks, Microsoft Office, HyperStudio, KidPix, Inspiration, digital still and video photography editing, and graphing programs
  • Access to educational television programming and services
  • Access to desktop video conferencing stations
  • Access to a wide range of educational computer programs including practices, simulations and tutorials
  • Ability to electronically publish and share school-produced information
  • Other?

Enhanced Teaching
All district teachers will have the technology training, skills and resources needed to assure students will meet local and state learning objectives and have the technological means to assess and record student progress.

 Empowered Learners
All students will demonstrate the mastered use of technology to access, process, organize, communicate and evaluate information in order to answer questions and solve problems.

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