Vision
Vision and Rationale
Students, staff, administrators, parents, and community stakeholders will embrace, implement, and use technology in meaningful ways to conduct the business of educating students, inform parents, and involve the community. This collaborative effort will utilize the expertise of the resident technology specialist (i.e. Technology Coach, Media Specialist, Instructional Technology Instructor, etc.) as the lead as we embark on this new journey with enthusiasm, fidelity, forgiveness of mistakes, and room for growth.
Rationale
RationaleWilliamson and Redish (2009) acknowledges that there is a gap in the skills students learn in school and the skills they need for job success. There is concern from administrators in higher academia that students lack the technology skills for postsecondary education and technical training (p.60). These reasons alone are significant findings to develop a shared vision that will systematically prepare our students to engage in web-based high-order thinking practices. Teaching students to interact responsibly with web 2.0 tools starting at the elementary level will bring about a shift in the way students and teachers use technology. Gone are the days of using computers only for drill and practice exercises.
Clay Shirky (2008) is quoted in Richardson (2010) as stating, “Anything that changes the way groups get things done will affect society as a whole…” (p.3). This is certainly the case when it comes to educating our students. Students are no longer passive learners. Now days, students engage in what is called read, write web-based activities where students and teachers are active participants in the exchange of ideas and information as the sole basis for learning. In order to prepare our students, all stakeholders will have to play a roll.
References
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.
Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE's technology facilitation and leadership standards : what every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, Or.:
International Society for Technology in Education.