TF+Standards+Reflections

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Technology Facilitation Standard VIII ~ Leadership and Vision
===Educational technology facilitators will contribute to the shared vision for campus integration of technology and foster an environment and culture conducive to the realization of the vision. ===

This standard challenges technology facilitators to not only create and share a vision for technology with district personnel but also help them move toward the vision and support those efforts along the way. The difficulty lies in the fact that those with whom the vision is being shared including parents, board members, policy makers, and educators did not have the technology tools available to schools today. Therefore it is difficult for them to understand the educational value these technologies offer to the learning environment (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 179). Furthermore, Williamson and Reddish (2009) emphasize that without this understanding and awareness, these stakeholders may be resistant to implementation of technology programs and in turn may not allocate necessary funds in support of them (p. 179).

Many of the standards addressed thus far have stressed the importance the technology facilitator has to be a role model for teachers and to support technology integration in the classroom. This standard, however, stresses the need for the technology leader to provide these same strategies to others throughout the district and community including parents, board members, business partners, and administrators. By reaching out to these individuals the technology leader is harnessing the support of those that can help facilitate change. These are the same individuals critical to the development of the district long range plan for technology. Casey (2005) called this group of stakeholders “a visioning committee” (p. 27).

Creating a vision is a daunting task that should involve all stakeholders to ensure buy-in at all levels. EDLD 5306 Concepts of Educational Technology introduced us to the process of creating a shared vision of technology focusing on the needs of the students. We gained even more knowledge of creating change through a shared vision in EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability. Although EDLD 5333 focused on creating a vision as a principal at the campus level, learning about the process from a different prospective was very valuable.

Technology Facilitation Standard VII ~ Procedures, Policies, Planning, and Budgeting for Technology Environments
===Educational technology facilitators promote the development and implementation of technology infrastructure, procedures, plans, and budgets for PK-12 schools. ===

This standard provides for the acquisition, implementation, and support of technology. The challenge for technology leaders is to plan for a variety of technology needs, find funding, acquire the technologies, implement the technologies, and provide appropriate support. This process takes time and involves not only technology leaders but many district and community leaders as well. Technology leaders, however, must ensure that the technology needs of the district are well represented throughout the process by offering their knowledge and expertise. Williamson and Reddish (2009) emphasize "Technology facilitators and leaders are uniquely responsible for establishing a technical environment that supports integrating technology into instructional and administrative practices" (p. 148).

We were given the opportunity to explore many aspects of this standard in EDLD 5362 Information Systems Management. The final assignment of this course required us to study the district technology plan and prepare a presentation for the local school board. Preparation of a district technology plan is a comprehensive process that includes evaluation of district needs, goal setting, budgeting, staff development, and evaluation. This encompasses many of the ideas addressed in TF/TL Standard VII. District technology plans provide the framework for the creation of technology rich learning environments.

Directly related to technology planning is funding acquisition. Technology leaders must work with various district personnel to obtain adequate funding for technology infrastructure and implementation. The chief financial officer and coordinator of federal funds are two resources a technology leader may turn to provide adequate funding for district technology. In addition, districts may apply for federal funding through the Universal Service Administrative Company's E-rate program which helps ensure affordable telecommunications services, including internet connectivity, is available to eligible schools. Applying for these funds is an option for school districts and may be one of the many duties of the technology leader.

Performance of this standard is a challenge for the technology facilitator. Successful execution of this standard requires the technology facilitator to collaborate with curriculum leaders to evaluate technology needs, meet with technology committee members to discuss district technology issues, and consult with district financial leaders to coordinate financial resources.

Technology Facilitation Standard VI ~ Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues
===Educational technology facilitators understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and assist teachers inapplying that understanding in their practice. ===

 This standard encompasses a wide variety of challenging topics. Williamson and Reddish (2009) stress that "technologists must embrace them as an opportunity to promote safe, healthy, and equitable education for all students” (p.133). Through the E-rate process, districts can move closer to equity of access to technology. However, the program can create inequity in a district with campuses that do not qualify for funding adding to the challenge of equal access to all. With this access comes the responsibility of technology leaders to ensure CIPA laws are enforced as well as maintaining the delicate balance between protecting students and allowing them access to valuable technology resources. Keeping abreast of the latest legal and social issues related to technology is important for facilitators as they model, teach, and promote safe and ethical use of technology resources. Kruger (2003) suggests that educators will be charged with the task of ensuring that students practice cyber ethics. Parents may not be aware of the rules making them ill-prepared to instill these values in their children. With more and more student data residing online and on district servers, technology facilitators and leaders are charged with the task of ensuring the data is safe and that those that access it are knowledgeable of FERPA.

We have had the opportunity to explore some of these topics in EDLD 5362 and EDLD 5306. A careful study of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology in EDLD 5306 Concepts of Educational Technology gave us the opportunity to see how many of these issues would be addressed in our state, region, and district. It was an introduction for us to take a careful look at technology planning and provided a guide for what districts should include in those plans. Evaluating our district Student Information System in EDLD 5362 Information Systems Management helped us to see how far reaching online student data is by giving us a chance to identify the many programs dependent on this data. The class that I expected to provide us experience with many of these topics, EDLD 5344 School Law, did not address technology as much as it did other general education and special education topics.

This standard provides for facilitator support for teachers as they learn and use technology for productivity and professional practice. Technology facilitators and leaders have a duty to assist others as they use technology in their daily lives to be more productive and grow professionally (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 101). Much technology has been put in place in schools including grade books, lesson planning software, web page creation software, and data warehouses. For some this can be overwhelming and, in my experience, many seasoned teachers find the tools and resources take them more time than traditional means of record keeping. As more technology tools become available facilitators must find a way to help teachers embrace them. One strategy may be to find ways for individuals to incorporate the tools in a meaningful way into their daily lives which in turn may encourage them to incorporate them into the classroom. Professional development must be transformed so that teachers have the opportunity to collaborate and connect with colleagues.

Professional learning communities are becoming more common in my district. Technology tools and resources are necessary for participants to effectively meet the goals of these groups. Facilitators can support educators by continually improving their own technology proficiencies, understanding the needs of adult learners, and providing a variety of professional development opportunities.

Technology Facilitation Standard IV ~ Assessment and Evaluation
===Educational technology facilitators apply and implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for utilizing technology to maximize student learning. ===  This standard provides for not only assessing technology literacy and skills but also using technology to quickly and efficiently assess student learning in all academic areas. In EDLD 5362 Information Systems Management, we explored student response systems. These tools can be use to obtain instant feedback using lessons as well as to gather data from formal assessments. We also evaluated our district Student Information System which houses a wealth of data that can be used in conjunction with data warehouse technologies to assist in the evaluation of student achievement and the programs used to improve student achievement. These examples show that this standard covers a broad area of assessment and evaluation.

A technology facilitator can demonstrate this standard in a variety of ways. In my district we use an online data collection and analyzing tool for state-mandated assessments, district and campus benchmarks, and teacher assessments. Teachers and administrators often need support in the use of the tool because data disaggregation can be daunting. In the state of Texas, we must report the percentage of eighth graders who are technology literate using the District STaR Chart. Technology facilitators, while supporting assessment of core curricula with appropriate technology, must make teachers aware of the need to assess technology literacy at all grade levels. Finally, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology tools. Technology integration does not automatically lead to improved student achievement. This standard also ensures that a process is in place to evaluate the efficacy of the technology to make sure that the technology is what is making the difference.

Technology Facilitation Standard III ~ Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum
===Educational technology facilitators apply and implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for utilizing technology to maximize student learning. ===  This standard provides for facilitator support for teachers as they implement NETS-S. We had the opportunity to demonstrate this standard in EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology as we collaborated in groups to plan an interdisciplinary unit rich with technology resources and tools. We were also charged with the task of including strategies and methods to support teacher implementation. According to Williamson and Redish (2009), these key elements are essential for teachers who lack sufficient technology skills yet are often left out of most curriculum plans.

The importance of this standard is the need for schools to create learning environments our digital-age learners crave. Our students are using technology in their daily lives outside of school but do they know how to use the tools to facilitate their own learning? It is the responsibility of educators to provide a curriculum that supports technology literacy as well as the core curriculum. It is no longer enough to teach technology in isolation. Technology facilitators can support teachers by modeling authentic learning experiences instead of just teaching them how to use the tools and providing opportunities to observe teachers who successfully employ these practices in their classroom.

This standard not only emphasizes the need for curriculum planning and implementation but also the need for teachers to be able to manage the tools. One of the reasons teachers don't venture into this unfamiliar territory is because they are not comfortable managing technology tools and resources. The role of the technology facilitator is so important in this situation. The technology facilitator can empower the teacher by assisting the teacher in the classroom or computer lab until they feel comfortable enough to manage the technology on their own.

Technology Facilitation Standard II ~ Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences
===Educational technology facilitators plan, design, and model effective learning environments and multiple experiences supported by technology. ===

= = This standard provides for facilitator support for teachers as they create learning environments and experiences infused with technology. The importance of this standard is the increased need for students to participate in authentic learning experiences. For this to happen, teachers must face the many challenges associated with the connected classroom. After careful study of the campus STaR Chart in EDLD 5333, I found that teachers in my district overwhelming reported that they used technology mainly for administrative tasks and presenting material. There are many reasons why teachers fail to do more including increased pressure for their students to perform well on state-mandated tests and limited time to plan engaging lessons. From personal experiences in my district I have found that technology integration is not a priority at most campuses and won't be until it becomes a state-mandated test. Of course there are pockets of teachers throughout the district willing and committed to providing meaningful learning experiences for students. They are more the exception than the rule.

So how can technology facilitators make a difference? That is one of the main questions I have. How can we create and foster this type of environment within our district? We have tried to take small steps in that direction with the limited technology staff we have. This chapter validates some of the changes we are trying to make and presents many challenges for us to overcome. I appreciate the list of ways to respond to the challenges of leading change. This list offers sound advice from others who have already been through the process. It is suggested that the items on the list "should serve as a guiding principles for facilitators and leaders as they implement TF/TL Standard II" (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p.40). Once again this provides me with tools to fill in the gaps. Now I have a roadmap o help guide me through the process.

= = This standard provides for basic knowledge of technology hardware, software, and concepts. The importance of this standard is that it is critical in a facilitator position to be able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of others at the campus level in these areas to provide appropriate support. Technology integration becomes more challenging for the teacher when these skills are lacking. Although many of the basic competencies included in this standard are ones that a typical user should be able to accomplish, they are skills that require the user to devote some time to practice. Many of these skills are acquired through repeated use; therefore encouraging users to practice the skills during the school day as well as in their personal lives will help them with their technology proficiency. As a technology trainer I quickly learned that if you can make a skill relevant to the individual they are more likely to embrace it and take a chance with it in the classroom.

Keeping pace with new technologies will always be a challenge and the reason why this standard will always be relevant. Williamson and Redish (2009) clearly state that even though teachers are becoming more and more proficient with technology that this standard should not be abandoned in pursuit of technology integration. Traditionally these skills have been taught in isolation but the time has come when that method no longer works. Instead, we must rise to the occasion and find a way to incorporate these basic skills with staff development that focuses on technology integration with authentic learning experiences. The great thing about this approach is that necessary skills are targeted when need they are needed. This is how we really learn anyway. The important thing for the technology facilitator to remember in regard to this standard is that staying abreast of the latest technologies and trends is key to providing the support teachers need to be proficient.