Critical Issues for Student Achievement Using Technology Action Plan for Ourtown Area School District Dr Kyle L Peck, Superintendent 7/24/00 Good evening!! Thanks for Coming! We appreciate your willingness to invest time with us tonight! • Business Leaders • Civic Leaders • Educational Leaders –School Board –Teachers Association –Colleges and Universities • Involved members of the Community Objectives: ■ To open a crucial discussion about the contributions learning technologies can make in this district ■ To summarize my thoughts on the subject and to invite you to share yours ■ To outline first steps we might take in this important direction ■ To urge you to make the wise use of technologies a district priority Learners Are what we are all about! Learners All learn in the same way (Or they?) Modern Thinking about Learning ■ Suggests that learning is the process of connecting new inputs with existing knowledge ■ Proposes that knowledge is “constructed,” not “transferred.” ■ Tells us that our job is to make powerful things happen in student’s minds, where they will “make sense” and learn unforgettable things How does learning happen? How does learning happen? How does learning happen? Stimuli Stimuli How does learning happen? Stimuli Stimuli Filtering Community Connections ■ Others in the Community can benefit from our technological growth • Workshops (preferably taught by students) • Computer Labs open to the Public • Other ways to help? ■ We Can Benefit From Others • Involve Professionals in Learning • Develop “Advocates” for Students Action Plan for Community Connections ■ Talk with the Chamber of Commerce about our renewed commitment to technology ■ Add Team Players with strong Tech knowledge to Tech Advisory committee ■ Listen to them and use their time well ■ Develop a plan to use Technology to Serve the Community ■ Implement the Plan! Accountability ■ Is important… • To prove that technology investments are sound • To avert a potential backlash against schools based on: – perceptions that schools are not preparing students well – the increasing cost of education – new “competitors” in education • To assess the impact of innovations Action Plan for Accountability ■ Identify Priorities ■ Set Measurable Goals ■ Develop Strategies to Reach Goals ■ Assess Progress ■ Report Progress ■ Make Modifications ■ Monitor Progress ■ Report Progress ■ Base Decisions on Lessons Learned Summary ■ I don’t have all the answers ■ (I don’t even know all of the questions!) ■ I know that good decisions about technology will benefit our students and this community ■ I know that bad decisions will hurt both ■ I know that no action is a bad decision Summary ■ I’m not asking for a naïve, starry-eyed advocacy ■ I’m asking for a logical, responsible, results-oriented approach that makes wise use of potentially powerful tools ■ I’m asking for this because I believe Summary ■ Modern Technologies have the power to magnify cognitive strength ■ Modern Technologies (in the right number and in the right environment) can help us develop critical attributes ■ Cognitive strength and highly developed attributes are important contributors to success in life ■ That’s why we’re here! Thanks for coming!! ■ If you’d like to help us put these powerful technologies to work responsibly for our students, send me a note at: kylepeck@oasd.pa.k12.us Welcome to the TLA! ■ Thanks for coming! ■ This week will be DIFFERENT! ■ Because of what we know about learning… • You will be DOING! • You will be Collaborating! • We will be Coaching Your Assignment for the Week ■ Develop a presentation that you can use AS A TECHNOLOGY LEADER to move YOUR DISTRICT toward the EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY We have assembled ■ Templates to guide you ■ Resources to inform you ■ Speakers to inspire, inform & entertain you ■ Facilitators to support you ■ GREAT COLLABORATORS to think with you The Rest, Is Up To You! ■ You will gain from this Academy based on YOUR investment ■ Resist the temptation to deal with “minor emergencies.” ■ This is one of VERY FEW opportunities for YOUR professional development ■ Attend sessions from which you will benefit (and which you will enjoy) and use any spare time to develop your presentation Your “Final Exam” ■ You will have a short opportunity to present your presentation to a small group of your peers ■ If you not use this time well, I will personally send you a virus that will destroy the contents of your new laptop, and send profane messages from you to your school board members JUST KIDDING! (-: HAVE FUN! (You deserve it!)