TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE
Julie Turnbull
Rationale
The
International Society for Technology in Education standards are used nationally
to “…define the new skills and pedagogical insights educators need to teach, work
and learn in the digital age” (ISTE, 2015).
One of the standards that our district could give more attention to is
3b, which states that teachers should “…collaborate with students, peers,
parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support
student success and innovation.”
According to
a survey of parents by the National School Public Relations Association, the
top five preferred methods of parent-school communication are all by digital
means, such as email, online grading systems, and school websites (O’Brien,
2011). One of the main tools parents
would like to get their information from is a school website, and one of the
most important items they would like to find there are daily classroom
assignments (Haines 2010, Vance 2013).
Not only can
technology increase student engagement (Wardlow 2014), posting daily
assignments online, as well as links to digital copies of classwork and
homework, can also help level the playing field for students with IEP’s and 504
plans. According to an article on the website SETDA.org (State Educational
Technology Directors Association), “We live in a time of rapid technological
advancement, with innovations in education holding great promise for improving
teaching and learning, particularly for students with unique needs”
(2014). Having a classroom website can
provide the online location for class materials.
Having a classroom website provides
students with special needs – from Autism to hearing and vision difficulty –
access to notes, clear instructions, review materials, and specific assignment
details. When a teacher is in the practice of uploading classroom materials,
students, parents, and special educators can more easily follow the events in
the class on their own and better handle extended deadlines and any trouble
that a student may be having. You’ll be surprised at how genuinely appreciative
parents of all students will be with your site – but you’ll be even more
pleased with the response of the people who support your students with special
needs. (McCallum 2011)
This school
district has made a couple of very useful technology tools available to all
teachers and parents through the use of our online grading system, Livegrades,
and through our county and school level websites. Through the county website, each school has
it’s own online presence, and each teacher within that school has a web page to
call his or her own. Having a
high-quality school website, though, is just one piece of the puzzle. “Far too many schools invest substantial time,
energy, and resources into building a school website and then neglect to extend
that effort down to the classroom and teacher level” (Cooper 2014). This seems to be true of this school
district, as well, as an informal technology survey of teachers at this
school found that only 37% of teachers
update their web pages daily, and only 5% use Livegrades to post assignments
before they are due. Only a quarter of
teachers feel they understand the tools available to them on the school
district’s website Content Management System, and over 67% would like to have
more training on these tools.
Time and Expense
A study done
in 2011 at Arizona State University, and published in the Journal for Current
Issues in Education, found that “…most educators…believe we fail to meet the
needs of students who have grown up in a digital world and are heading into…futures
rich in ever-advancing technology and information” (Taylor & Parsons). Even
though educators recognize there are shortcomings with the use of available
technology in the schools, a common reason by teachers as to why they don’t
update their websites daily is lack of time (Strauss, 2014).
Although time
may be a concern for many educators in our building, by adopting the following
technology initiative, and by utilizing already available planning time for
professional development, within one month, with minimal investment of time,
our school, classroom teachers, team leaders, and administrators, can overcome
this obstacle.
The other
consideration is the financial investment necessary to implement this
initiative. Because all teachers and
administrators in our building have laptops with the operating system and
Internet connectivity needed to utilize the school district CMS, technology
costs will be at a minimum. The only
technology costs would be those associated with purchasing an updated
presentation station in the distance learning lab, where some of the
professional development will take place.
The total investment for a new wireless laptop, an AppleTV, and
necessary cables and adapters is approximately $1500. If our teachers are willing to invest one
team planning each week, for four consecutive weeks, doing professional
development and follow-up for this training, (approximately 3 hours total) the
financial cost to the school or district for the PD will be zero. As an alternative, if the administration is
willing to allow the training to take place during two of the district’s
two-hour delay days, the cost for the PD will also be zero. However, if the
teachers would prefer two days of professional development held after school,
for 90 minutes each session (approximately 3 hours of stipend pay), the cost to
the school or district will be $3225 in addition to the technology cost, for a
total monetary investment of approximately $4825.
Although
there will be a sacrifice of time by teachers, and an investment of money by
the school, the benefits will far outweigh the costs. Our school district has already put the tools
in place for us, but they are sorely underutilized. This is not a good investment for the
district, or the taxpayers of our community, if we aren’t utilizing these tools
to their fullest extent. The technology skills teachers will learn through this
initiative will benefit our students for years to come. Not only will they
benefit students, but they will help teachers become more comfortable will the
digital tools available to them, and pave the way for better communication
between parents and teachers. If we are to move forward, improve our existing
technology tools, and “provide students with the tools for success in a digital
world” (Sheninger 2014), it is incumbent upon us as educators to make this
minimal investment. Lets prepare students for the world they will live in,
using the tools and technology that are a part of their everyday lives. Lets
“invite parents into the classroom,” so to speak, and make them a part of the
everyday educational process of their children. Our school can become a leader
in our school district by regularly providing digital resources and assignments
to students, and by making available timely information and daily communication
with the parents of our community.
Sources/Works Cited
Cooper, Jay.
"5 Reasons to Integrate Teacher Websites with Your School." Campus Suite. Campus Suite, 03 Nov.
2014. 3 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.campussuite.com/5-reasons-integrate-teacher-websites-with-your-school-website/>.
Fletcher,
Geoff, and Doug Levin. "The Accessibility of Learning Content for All
Students, Including Students with Disabilities Must be Addressed in the Shift
to Digital Instructional Materials.” SETDA. June 2014. 5 March 2015 <http://www.setda.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/SETDA_PolicyBrief_Accessibility_FNL.5.29.pdf>
Haines,
Rebeccah. "Keep Parents in the Loop with a Class Website." Learn NC. UNC School of Education, 2010.
3 Apr. 2015. <http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/6639>.
McCallum,
Ryan. "Ten Reasons Every Teacher Should Want a Web Site." Cleanapple.com. Cleanapple.com, 2011.
Web. 5 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cleanapple.com/?p=165>.
"National
Survey Pinpoints Communication Preferences in School Communication." NSPRA...The
Leader in School Communications. National School Public Relations Association,
22 Aug. 2011. 3 Apr. 2015. <www.nspra.org>.
O'Brien,
Anne. "What Parents Want in School Communication." Edutopia. George Lucas Educational
Foundation, 31 Aug. 2011. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/parent-involvement-survey-anne-obrien>.
Parsons, Jim,
and Leah Taylor. "Improving student engagement." Current
issues in education 14.1 (2011).
Sheninger,
Eric. Digital Leadership Changing
Paradigms for Changing Times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2014. Print.
"Standards
for Teachers." Standards for
Teachers. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), 2015. 3
March 2015.
<http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-teachers>.
Strauss,
Valerie. “Teacher: What I don’t have time to do anymore — and what I’d do if I
had it.” The Washington Post.
December 22, 2014. March 2015.
"Stronger
Communication." Pearson Research
& Innovation Network. NCS Pearson Inc., 2015. Apr. 2015.
<http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/elearning/teaching-in-a-digital-age/stronger-communication>.
Vance,
Michele. "50 Ideas For Your Class Webpage." Newsbay Media, LLC, 24
Sept. 2013. 15 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.techlearning.com/default.aspx?tabid=100&entryid=6414>.
Wardlow,
Liane. “How Technology Can Boost Student Engagement.” Pearson. May 1, 2014. March
2015. <http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/elearning/technology-can-boost-student-engagement.>
"What
Information on a Teacher Website?" Ask
MetaFilter. MetaFilter Network Inc., 28 Jan. 2011. 3 Apr. 2015.
<http://ask.metafilter.com/176952/What-information-on-a-teacher-website>.
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