Web Conference - Distance Learning - October 12, 2011

 This week, we reviewed the National Educational Technology Plan. Many of the suggestions in this plan require rethinking the classroom. Specifically, they refer to the end of a seat-work centered education model. Web conferencing is an excellent example of this model reworked. Many of my colleagues and I could be 'traditional' students, if we choose. We could sit in a seat and listen to instructor. With the advent of technology, however, it isn't necessary. Some of my cohort was caring for small children. Some have family members who require care and personal attention. Yet still, these people were actively participating in a graduate course. The opportunities are amazing. The impact on everything from the need for facilities to serving special populations is impressive. One of my students in the high school where I teach has recently had a baby. Understandably, she has missed a great deal of class. If she had this sort of distance learning opportunity, she would still be on track to graduate with her class. I am more and more anxious to get this ball rolling. In her case, two lives would immediately be changed.

Web Conference - October 5, 2011

This evening, I participated in the first web conference for ET8040. I was very interested in the process. I can tell that it is still not a seamless process. The participants, or I should say, those who are now able to participate are very diverse. One member is caring for her young children while conferencing.

This is what they mean by the new classroom.

E-Rate

Below is a link to a presentation on E-Rate

E-Rate Presentation

The Big Plan

     Under the Obama administration, the Department of Education created the National Educational Technology Plan: “Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology.” This plan promotes the following goals:

·         We will raise the proportion of college graduates from where it now stands (around 41 percent) so that 60 percent of our population holds a two-year or four-year degree by 2020.

·         We will close the achievement gap so that all students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers.

     We need to ‘hook’ the students through technology. The plan refers to this and “Engage and Empower”. Because our students have 24/7 access to technology and communication, we can and must use this access to engage the students into the subject matter. The most often suggested way of doing this is through some sort of multimedia presentation.

    Next, we must assess these outcomes early and often. We must provide feedback early enough to improve the outcome. We must decide what is to be measured and create a consistent scale to be used throughout the education system. This data should be used from preschool through college. In order to create this scale we must get buy-in from all stakeholders.

     Finally, in the scope of teaching and learning, the plan stresses professional development. This is referred to as “Prepare and Connect”. The plan intends to give teachers the proper tools to access the web and other venues. Teachers are then to use social networking to create professional learning communities that will provide career-long support. As leaders, we should also provide online training for and about distance education. All of this is to be overseen by local and state education agencies with the ability to support and ever-changing infrastructure.

     I like this plan. This is the first plan I have reviewed that outline real-world problems and provided real-world solutions.

Houston ISD Blueprints

Houston ISD has an impressive comprehensive technology plan. This plan is constantly being reviewed and/or changed to meet the quickly changing world of technology. Because the districts needs and goals change, the plan provides for regular reevaluation. The plan claims to be financially realistic. This strategic plan was written to address the four key areas of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. These areas are: 1) Teaching and Learning, 2) Educator Preparation, 2) Leadership, Administration, and Support, and 4) Infrastructure for Technology. .  Using goals such as 100% internet accessibility and “a roadmap to provide anytime, anywhere, professional development opportunities”, they maintain an elastic approach to education technology.

Professional development is to be evaluated and approved by the Educational Technology Managers and Team, the Professional Development Services department, the Alternative Certification Program, as well as Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. Ongoing assessment is provided by the STaR Chart survey administered yearly. The budget for professional development for educational technology is $1,200,000 to be allocated from 2009 – 2012.

A complete evaluation of the hardware and infrastructure is addressed at the outset. According to the snapshot, HISD is doing well. They claim a 5:1 ratio of students to computers and a 1:1 ration of teachers to computers. This would indicate that with proper training, all students could be exposed to educational technology in almost every class. The Snapshot also commented on some weaknesses in HISD infrastructure. The predominant issue is the lack of cable and telephone access due to the age of the facilities. With a budget of over three million dollars, they have successfully implemented many of the goals.

How do we measure up?

The success of any technology plan is measured by the achievement of its goals. In order to create a strategic plan, you must answer three questions in relation to your goal:

Where are you?

Where are you going?

How you will get there?

Through the use of assessments, you have a measurable baseline. This provides the answer to the first question. Once you know where you are, you will know how much work – and what kind of work – you need to achieve your goal. As noted in Health Economics, “The most appropriate starting point for developing guidance is to establish what is required for decision making. On the basis of these requirements, the methods and framework of analysis which can best meet these needs can then be identified.”¹

Some might say that an assessment is too costly. The time and resources allocated would be too great. Others might question the validity of the information from some of these tools. It seems, however, if school districts were treated as their multimillion dollar organizational counterparts in the private sector, tools to determine viability and growth would not be questioned. 

     Without question, we must assess our current skills and infrastructure if we are to create strategic plans that will continue to improve our student outcomes and make best use of our infrastructure and resources. In order to measure our progress, we must continue to use different assessment tools and the data they provide. We are not in a position to maintain our technology and its use. We must constantly grow with the new developments and work to integrate them into our organizations.  

¹Claxton, K., Sculpher, M., McCabe, C., Briggs, A., Akehurst, R., Buxton, M., Brazier, J. and O'Hagan, T. (2005), Probabilistic sensitivity analysis for NICE technology assessment: not an optional extra. Health Economics, 14: 339–347. doi: 10.1002/hec.985

With the use of technology, are teachers insignificant?

     No matter the subject area, teachers cannot avoid the use of technology. I teach instrumental music - guitar - in a Houston high school. Outside of the skill and drill variety, one would think that technology has no place in my classroom. By the way, the skills they can practice during these exercises, is very affective with the basic music reading skills. Not unlike any other language, music requires memorization of new symbols and characters. But what about the internet? Can they use the web to learn a skill? Absolutely. A student can search for a song on their smart phone, find the tablature, and access a Youtube video with a step by step lesson on how to play this song on the guitar. Do they learn all the nuts and bolts I intended to teach them along the way? No. Are they following my scope and sequence? No. Do I feel as though I have lost control? Maybe. But they can produce what they set out to learn. If I were to tell them they were incorrect, I would seem ignorant, out-of-date, or worse - insignificant. If, however, I let go of the reigns and let them take the time to learn the song, I can probably identify most of the learning objectives I plan to cover. If the piece is beyond their ability, it motivates them. If it is too simple, they feel accomplished. Score! I believe this applies to all subject matters. Can you describe a similar instance in your teaching experience?

     Click the link below. You will be on the 'tab page' for the Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'. Follow the links and you too can learn to play the guitar through technology.

The Times They Are a-Changin'