The students of today are much different than students of the past. To be prepared to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s students, teachers need to be knowledgeable in the area of educational technology. To keep educators apprised of the current technological trends, professional learning should be continuous and ongoing for all educators.
Essential to effectively preparing educators to meet the needs of 21st Century learners are time, resources, and effective models for professional development. Professional development models must include instructional strategies that reflect current research, modern contexts to engage students in learning, and classroom assessments that effectively measure what students are learning (Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006, p. 24). Distance learning can offer educators, administrators, and teacher preparation programs the opportunity for technology professional growth.
My district has a Technology Director who handles the district’s technology infrastructure; however, with the impending budget crisis, we no longer have an Instructional Technology Coordinator. In the past, the Instructional Technology Coordinator would assess the staff development needs of the district’s teachers. The IT Coordinator would then plan and implement staff development to address the technology needs of the staff at each campus. I am concerned that my district’s teachers may not receive the level of support for technology-related professional development as they have previously in the past.
My recommendation for my district and/or campus would be to implement a system of regular technology-focused staff development trainings for all staff members to attend on a yearly basis. I would also like to see administrators encourage more participation in statewide, technology professional development opportunities. In addition, we currently do not have RETN capabilities at any of our campuses. I would like to recommend the addition of RETN technology, so that teachers can participate in distance learning opportunities on campus.
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