Blog Posting #3-National Educational Technology Plan

The National Educational Technology Plan was established to ensure that the public education system make a shift through the use of technology from traditional learning to a new model of learning that prepares students for a global, 21^st century society.  The learning goal of the plan is that students will have engaging and empowering learning experiences in and out of school that create this shift in education.  To do this a new form of learning must be created which is personalized, lifelong, and student-centered.  Education must provide 24/7 access enabling students to form online learning communities with their peers, teachers, experts, and mentors, extending learning outside the walls of the classroom.  21^st century competencies should be included in all content areas, giving students experience with real-world tools to solve real-world problems.  The assessment goal encourages technology-based assessments that not only provide summative data for grading purposes, but provide formative data that drives the direction of instruction.  This type of assessment will continually improve learning outcomes and productivity and will allow a system of interconnected feedback.  The teaching goal ensures that teachers will have full access to resources allowing them to become facilitators of students’ self-directed learning.  Professional development will be a blend of in-person workshops and convenient online environments that offer collaborative opportunities.  There is a gap in the understanding of technology between the technical ability of teachers and the technical ability required of professionals in other sectors.  This gap prevents education from taking full advantage of technology.  The infrastructure goal is that students and teachers will have complete access to technology when and where they need it, allowing integration of learning in and out of school and participation in online learning communities.  The productivity goal is that technology redesigns processes and structures to improve learning while at the same time making efficient use of time, money, and staff.

                I noticed that the national plan was very similar to the Texas Long-Range Technology Plan; two differences I noticed are the national plan places greater emphasis on technology-based assessment to create formative student data and greater emphasis on productivity.  One issue I saw is that creating a comprehensive infrastructure will require a significant amount of money and I did not see a budget for the plan.  Also, in the productivity section the plan advocated schools that organize around competence rather than seat time, flexible scheduling that fit students’ individual needs rather than traditional academic periods, and incorporating online learning.  This could become an issue as some parents and community stakeholders may have a hard time accepting and understanding this new model of learning.