Technology is transforming the landscape of education, including our Catholic schools. This transformation has been under way for several years, and it is a long way from completion. How do we think about this transformation? Here are a few resources that influence our vision for the future.
National Education Technology Plan
The NETP (link here) is the US Department of Education’s master plan for technology in K-12 schools. This Obama-era document is primarily concerned with government-run schools, but it frames the issues that are critical to us in a Catholic school setting as well.
Indiana Department of Education
The IDOE has a strong influence on North Deanery schools, establishing the standards that our schools must follow and managing the state assessments that our students take. Their Web site contains many tools and documents that provide perspective on our educational goals and culture in Indiana. Digital learning has been a focus for IDOE for many years.
ISTE Essential Conditions
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the premier professional organization for K-12 educators interested in technology integration in learning. Their fourteen essential conditions highlight the practical needs that exist in every school to support digital learning effectively. We use this in the North Deanery to measure our progress in adopting technology in our classrooms.
Education Leaders
Many visionary leaders in the education field are pushing us in new directions. Will Richardson is one example: a teacher and administrator who is now advocating for major changes in education. His themes of focusing on the student, appropriate use of technology, and our societal shift from information scarcity to abundance are right on the mark. This article is a succinct example of the approach he is encouraging us to take.