National Educational Technology Plan

    The National Educational Technology Plan is a set of goals designed to redefine education and prepare our students to face the obstacles of the 21st century. In the area of learning the plan calls for educators to "engage and empower" (National Educational Technology Plan). As educators we need to broaden the borders of learning beyond the classroom and access the technology and multimedia that the students of today have constant and instantaneous entry to at all times. In this way we will prepare students to be lifelong learners and meet real world challenges by providing experiences and opportunities to use the tools of the digital age.  Learning must be relevant and engaging for our students and the use of digital tools will ensure that our students are invested.

    The plan call for teachers to "prepare and connect"(National Educational Technology Plan) which means that teachers have the tools necessary to conduct, analyze and utilize the data that drives instruction. Educators are in partnership with students and other educators through the use of technology. "Episodic and ineffective professional development is replaced by professional learning that is collaborative, coherent, and continuous and that blends more effective in-person courses and workshops with the expanded opportunities, immediacy, and convenience enabled by online environments full of resources and opportunities for collaboration." (National Educational Technology Plan, Executive Summary pg. 12) Professional learning communities in which teachers collaborate across schools, districts and even states have began to replace traditional methods of staff development. The gains in technology have only served to enhance the ability for educators to form collaborative groups or partnerships.

    The challenges we face is realizing these goals is the lack of infrastructure and resources. Establishing the infrastructure, resources and continual evaluation needed to meet the standard set will require an investment from students, parents, community and businesses for years to come.

  

U.S. Department of Education, (2010). National education technology plan 2010. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010