Plan for Sem II Project

I have the great fortune of working with the Grade 5 team in creating an interdisciplinary unit, Sustainability, that weaves together outcomes of Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and TAIL. We've outlined just the Global/Digital citizen piece of the project here.

Stay tuned as we update how this project progresses over the next three months.

NETs for Teachers

Continuing from the previous blog, let's look more closely at the NETs for Teachers:

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

• To me, this is all linked to one's philosophy. Do you value developing innovative thinking in children? Do you believe in real-world application and problem solving? Do you believe that children construct their understanding and that revealing misconceptions and level of understanding is all part of the process in learning? To make this a reality, our learning leaders need to buy in to this philosophical stance.
  

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S.
Teachers:
a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

• Again, this is the general work of learning facilitators--designing learning experiences and assessments, using the best available and most engaging tools that meet given learners' needs (only figured out through authentic on-going assessment). Once again we see philosophical tenets such as valuing diverse learning styles and allowing students to personalize and show their learning in varied formats. What if teachers don't philosophically believe in this?
  

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

• Couldn't one exhibit these skills and knowledge and yet not necessarily improve student learning? Obviously one needs this content base but this standard doesn't seem learning-centered.
  

Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

• So basically we need teachers to be life-long and effective collaborators, communicators, and learners? Doesn't that encompass all of this?
  

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.
Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright,intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools

• Much like what we saw with the NETs for Administrators, of course we need to model, promote and facilitate ethical and responsible use of digital resources--any resources for that matter.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.
Teachers:
a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others
c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community

• I like the part about being a life-long learner and global citizen as a model for students. However, many of the other details have more to do with teachers' lives outside of the learning realm and won't necessarily translate into improved student learning.
  

http://diskurs.hum.aau.dk/english/dexus3/images/collaboration.jpg

In conclusion, I feel these standards are not necessary. I believe we need to have philosophical agreements and support teachers in gaining the knowledge, skills, and understandings to become life-long learners, collaborators, and communicators. The facilitation for learners will then happen naturally. What do you think?

NETs for Administrators

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edborhan/3470278490/

Given I don't have a classroom for which I manage tools and peripherals, I've decided to focus the final two blogs on the NETs standards for Administrators and Teachers. I'm currently neither an administrator nor a teacher, so I'm wondering which of these two most apply to my role? In order to reflect further I would like to take a look at the descriptors and question or comment on each one in relation to ISB or to learning institutions in general.


1. Visionary Leadership. Educational Administrators inspire and lead development and implementation of a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology to promote excellence and support transformation throughout the organization.

• What is our shared vision? Like other curricular areas, do we have a philosophy that one and all are aware of and that is driving everything we do in this area?
• What do we mean by comprehensive and how are we measuring this? Do we have similar expectations for all areas or are there greater expectations for certain areas? If so, why? If not, does the reality reflect this?
  

Educational Administrators:
a. inspire and facilitate among all stakeholders a shared vision of purposeful change that maximizes use of digital-age resources to meet and exceed learning goals, support effective instructional practice, and maximize performance of district and school leaders

• How do you measure inspiration? According to research, "inspirational" leaders are not necessarily the most effective in improving learning.
  
• What are the most effect use of digital-age resources--has this been researched? If so, what are the results?

b. engage in an ongoing process to develop, implement, and communicate technology-infused strategic plans aligned with a shared vision

• So, does this mean using technology to help reach ISB's vision? If so, is this the responsibility of all administrators or of those responsible for IT?
  

c. advocate on local, state, and national levels for policies, programs, and funding to support implementation of a technology-infused vision and strategic plan

• not really applicable to our situation

2. Digital-Age Learning Culture. Educational Administrators create, promote, and sustain a dynamic, digital-age learning culture that provides a rigorous, relevant, and engaging education for all students.

• I love the end of this statement, "rigorous, relevant, and engaging education for all students." However, what exactly does a "digital-age learning culture" look and feel like?
  

Educational Administrators:
a. ensure instructional innovation focused on continuous improvement of digital-age learning

• First of all, does our culture value and promote innovation? Why or why not and what is our evidence?
  

b. model and promote the frequent and effective use of technology for learning

• This is pretty straightforward and seems doable for one and all!!
  

c. provide learner-centered environments equipped with technology and learning resources to meet the individual, diverse needs of all learners

• Isn't technology simply another type of learning resource?
  

d. ensure effective practice in the study of technology and its infusion across the curriculum

• This looks like a justification to have the TAIL standards embedded in the curricular area benchmarks.
  

e. promote and participate in local, national, and global learning communities that stimulate innovation, creativity, and digital-age collaboration

• This is more modeling but not necessarily directly linked to student learning.
  

3. Excellence in Professional Practice. Educational Administrators promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.

• I believe that ISB does this one quite well, allocating a huge budget to resources and professional learning support.
  

Educational Administrators:
a. allocate time, resources, and access to ensure ongoing professional growth in technology fluency and integration
b. facilitate and participate in learning communities that stimulate, nurture, and support administrators, faculty, and staff in the study and use of technology
c. promote and model effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital-age tools
d. stay abreast of educational research and emerging trends regarding effective use of technology and encourage evaluation of new technologies for their potential to improve student learning

• Is this true just for technology or once again is technology a resource and we should always be looking for new resources that have the potential to improve student learning?
  

4. Systemic Improvement. Educational Administrators provide digital-age leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources.
Educational Administrators:
a. lead purposeful change to maximize the achievement of learning goals through the appropriate use of technology and media-rich resources

• I believe ultimately learning leaders are responsible for leading change that maximizes learning and technology and media-rich resources are possible resources with which to do this.
  

b. collaborate to establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings to improve staff performance and student learning

• I agree with this, except for staff performance. If our goal is improved student learning our data collection should be focused on that. Teachers should have some liberty about how they get there.
  

c. recruit and retain highly competent personnel who use technology creatively and proficiently to advance academic and operational goals
d. establish and leverage strategic partnerships to support systemic improvement
e. establish and maintain a robust infrastructure for technology including integrated, interoperable technology systems to support management, operations, teaching, and learning

• The three above are very specific to certain administrative roles and are currently being done here at ISB.
  

5. Digital Citizenship. Educational Administrators model and facilitate understanding of social, ethical, and legal issues and responsibilities related to an evolving digital culture.

Educational Administrators:
a. ensure equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources to meet the needs of all learners
b. promote, model, and establish policies for safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology
c. promote and model responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. model and facilitate the development of a shared cultural understanding and involvement in global issues through the use of contemporary communication and collaboration tools

• I feel strongly that all learning leaders and facilitators should be responsible for this promotion and modeling of ethical behavior in the digital world.

In conclusion, looking at this NETs for administrator just further confirms my thinking that there is no need for separate standards for different learning leaders. Our focus should be on the knowledge, skills, and understandings we want to students to learn and then take responsibility for doing what it takes to promote, model, and facilitate such learning.

Flat World or Vertical diVisions?

How relevant are the NETs for Teachers and Administrators to being a "Good Educator" today?

Inevitably, we need all learning facilitators and learning leaders to be proficient and fluent in the skills of the area of learning that they are expected to facilitate for others. There are research findings in the content area of math, for example, that show that for student learning to happen the math teacher needs strong content knowledge, skills, and understanding. Therefore, we can assume that one needs to have the knowledge, skills, and understandings listed in the NETs in order to effectively guide learning in that area. Can we not assume this to be true for any type of learning?

http://www.yanswersblogth.com/b4/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/why.jpg

If we can agree on this premise, then I question WHY there are separate sets of NETs for Teachers and Administrators.

NETS for Teachers

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

NETS for Administrators

1. Visionary Leadership

2. Digital Age Learning Culture

3. Excellence in Professional Practice

4. Systemic Improvement

5. Digital Citizenship

I find it interesting that we're advocating that we need to prepare kids for a "flat," collaborative world, but we continue to structure and propel hierarchical organizational models. If we believe that kids can be experts and teach others (including teachers), then why are administrators the only ones responsible for establishing a digital age culture? Isn't a culture determined by the sum of all the parts? "Excellence in Professional Practice": wouldn't this be expected of both groups? Wouldn't "Designing and Modeling Digital Age Learning and Citizenship" ideally be done by all? More importantly, when will we focus more on the learning we hope to have happen than the way learning leaders and learning facilitators help make that learning a reality?

http://blog.darrylepollack.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/flatworld.jpg

When will we begin to walk the talk of this collaborative flat world?

Assess, Analyze, and Act

How can teachers and schools ensure that their students are learning what they need when it comes to Technology and Information Literacy?

As with any learning, teachers need to know the trajectory so they can always support their students' learning progress with their "Zone of Proximal Development." As stated in the previous blog, the skills, knowledge, and understandings of the Technology and Information Literacy Standards need to be first and foremost strategically embedded throughout the curriculum rather than ad hoc add-ons that are often the reality of our status quo.

However, as with any benchmarks, these are approximate developmental sign posts along the learning journey. The teacher's job is to systematically assess where students are in relationship to these outcomes, and determine how they can facilitate the appropriate skills development that will move them forward. This seems simple and straightforward but with students at all levels in all areas, this is an incredibly complex challenge.

ASSESS

Imagine having an on-going e-portfolio that demonstrates what students have already done, know and understand. This would save the current teacher loads of assessing time and would move all educators towards looking at a "body of evidence" rather than an assessment or two. What tools exist already that might facilitate teachers collecting and collating such evidence?

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ANALYZE

A body of evidence (e-portfolio coupled with teacher anecdotal notes) is only worth the effort if we take the time to analyze where children are on their learning journey and decide on next steps.

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ACT

Our plans are only as good as the student learning that results from these efforts. All three steps of Assess-Analyze-Act are challenging but undoubtedly facilitating appropriate learning in the moment that best meets each student's needs still remains the "art" of our profession.

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