Schools and their districts are always looking for ways to improve their effectiveness, flexibility, and efficiency. The current push in education is the implementation of technology into the schools to address all three of these areas. Technology use planning is the process by which schools and districts create a short term plan with a long term vision for using technology within the classroom to meet the individual needs of the students.
The 2010 National Educational Technology Plan focuses directly on the implementation of technology into schools to address five key organizational themes: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. It addresses the need for individual student learning opportunities by using an environment of constant connectivity to information, assistance, and real world applications with the use of current and new technologies. When schools and districts are approaching technology use planning, these five themes must be addressed.
One struggle with technology in education is that it is constantly changing and improving, so technology that is implemented into schools can be outdated within a few years. Therefore, it is good to have short term technology use plans and continually reevaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of what is being used compared to what is newly available. It also allows for the processes occurring in the classroom to be up-to-date with the current needs of the students.
Technology, in itself, can be very ineffective if it is not used properly. John See says that schools should focus more on the end product of using the technology as opposed to the number of technological devices they have available. Technology should not be purchased in hopes that educators will find a use for it, but it should be purchased with a use already in mind. I have seen the ineffectiveness of technology in my own school because it was purchased with no plan for its use. Many teachers would not use the technology they were given because they didn’t have the necessary skills to properly implement it into the structure of their classroom.
Therefore, my school has started the process of technology use planning. Our superintendent has a vision of being one of the top private schools that has constant connectivity and innovative technology within the classrooms. He is implementing professional technology standards that must be met by teachers in order to receive technology in their classrooms. We must also show ways that the technology will positively influence the end product. Technology use planning is vital for creating and achieving short term goals and implementing the long term vision of our superintendent. As our society becomes more dependent upon technology, the implementation and deliberate planning of its use within education will become increasingly necessary. This is why my school is taking the initiative now to address technology use within our classrooms.
References
Feds release new national ed-tech plan. (2010, March 8). eSchool News. Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/03/08/feds-release-new-national-ed-tech-plan/2/?
See, J. (n.d.). Developing effective technology plans. National Center for Technology Planning. Retrieved from http://www.nctp.com/html/john_see.cfm
Brian Smith: EdTech Portfolio 